I am fine with tweaks, I am fine with a small-large retool, and I am fine with rebuilding.
I do, however, agree with Brad Treliving in that 'this is a good team'. I would like a proven, good coach to confirm if this is a good team or not. If they meet or exceed expectations, then great, and you continue to massage this roster into a winner.
If they fail under a really good coach, then I think you can ascertain that it probably is not coaching. Maybe it is the players. Maybe it is the mix. Maybe it is the philosophy. Maybe it is all of it and you blow it all to h-e-double hockey sticks.
Get a coach with a history of having his teams exceed expectations, especially with multiple finals appearances and preferably some Stanley Cups to his resume.
I know that Treliving had just signed and extension, but one would assume that another below-expectations kind of season might result in his dismissal, or at least the start of the slip from the pan and into the fire.
I am not a believer that "Johnny is not a guy you can win with" - his whole career up to the NHL has revolved around winning. I also think that he 'Can be the guy' - but the NHL is a team sport, and he can't be one of the few guys. It takes an entire team to win - Johnny included.
It is going to be an incredibly interesting season to see who the Flames re-sign and sign, what if any trades happen, and even just what the NHL rolls out in terms of what the upcoming season is going to look like.
|