Ok, look. I am seeing some wild takes. Johnny was in 17-18 and then 18-19 16th and then 7th in league scoring. Full seasons. In a 31 team league.
Let that marinade.
So one of his past 3 years is an outlier? No, the skill is there. Something else is happening.
Johnny has elite skill, but a smart coach needs to recognize something pretty darn obvious. He is small and the playoffs are different.
Two ways to succeed - emphasize skill and use pace as a differentiator, or give him room to plays.
The Flames are playing a collapsing defence and Johnny is trying to anticipate the turnover and blow the zone. It’s a waste because he has no support
If you aren’t doing the first, then because he is so small, he can’t be successful in the playoffs without someone who is actively engaging defenders to create space.
For goodness sakes, and god forbid I use the gong show up north as an example, but look at the ice time they have given McJesus with Kassian. Just to create space and protect the player. Much as they had Semenko with Gretzky. They recognize a target, and elected to deploy a space maker.
Now imagine if you had a guy with the toughness like those meatheads, but also even a smidgeon of skill. Lucic and Bennett are both pretty aggressive players. Lucic is fantastic at protecting the puck along the boards.
When I saw the coaches stick with the top line that fell flat last playoffs, I suspected their ability to prepare for the upcoming playoffs. The minute I saw 6’5” Buddy Robinson dump the puck in to the corner for Johnny to retrieve, I knew it.
Good hell, some people on this site actually want to see Buddy Robinson dress.
It’s like the twilight zone. So many bizarre ideas, it is tough to know where to start.
I am too disappointed and frustrated with how Gaudreau is playing, but he is soft because he is tiny. He is skating in to 3 guys because he and his linemates don’t have a better plan, and are left to their own devices.
Marty St Louis was build like a brick #### house. His legs were not a result of squats, they were a result of genetics. We have all seen Guy Gaudreau. Good dad, but not passing along Marty’s bulk
I hope the Flames don’t trade Gaudreau because clearly they have devalued the asset. Tre hired Peters, and he had spectacular results early but really faded fast.
Ward really did a lot better, but hasn’t had much time. I like a lot of his messaging. and understand the reasoning behind some of his decisions, but wonder if he is a head coach (strategist) or assistant coach (gets the message and communicates it and also acts as PR among other things)
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