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Classic_Sniper · 02-15-2021, 07:22 PM

After years of first round disappointments, early season exits and this team’s underwhelming start despite now having a Vezina calibre goaltender in net, I think the conclusion can be made that this team quite simply put, has no identity or if they do have one, it’s probably Confusion.

If the name of the game is to ultimately dictate to your opponent and force them to play your style, then I can see why this team has failed most periods, most nights and basically every season because all you have to do is look at other successful teams and compare their identities with the Flames and the answer becomes pretty clear that this team may never be able to match up:

Top Teams:

Tampa Bay = Highly Skilled
Colorado = Fast, Skilled
Washington = Heavy, Skilled
St Louis = Heavy
Dallas = Heavy
Las Vegas = Fast, Checking

Past Top Teams:

Chicago = Highly Skilled
LA Kings = Heavy
Pittsburgh = Fast, Skilled
2004 Flames = Hard Working

Current Calgary Flames:

Fast? NO
This team is actually kind of slow, slow players up and down the line up. Slow on the forecheck, slow on the backcheck, slow on puck pursuits, not a lot of breakaway speed either minus Gaudreau
Heavy? NO
So if this team is slow, are they at least heavy? Nope. They have a couple players who can throw their weight around but this team seems to have difficulty defending heavier teams, bigger bodies and on the cycle.
Skilled? Sometimes
Sometimes we see a skilled team. But make no mistake, this is not a highly skilled team anywhere close to the same level of a Tampa Bay or even a Toronto right now. Where are the one timers? Who can score from distance? Where are the game breakers? Who has breakaway speed? This team has such difficulty scoring at times, they have to manufacture goals, they can’t really score themselves out of trouble like the more skilled teams. So when they get down, which is often, they take more risks and it usually costs them
Hard Working = NO
This one is easy. Just look at the 2004 Flames and compare. This team is downright lazy in comparison. If Darryl Sutter’s Flames were considered hard working and that’s the standard, then this team has nothing to offer in this department.
Checking? - Sometimes
I understand that the management wants a checking team that can score. But we watch this team constantly shoot themselves in the foot by leaving themselves vulnerable for counter attacks (breakaways, odd man rushes. Since I’ve already established that this team is neither fast or heavy, how exactly do they impose their will? This management group needs to honestly assess if this is the right personnel to get it done or whether they even have the right vision in the first place.

So then all roads lead to the management group, specifically Brad Treliving. I won’t question whether he’s a good GM or not, because he is. I won’t question his work ethic either because it’s probably tops in the league. But I will question his vision. His philosophy. He’s had 7 years to figure it out and how much further ahead is this team really from his first season?

So is this team’s identity supposed to be BALANCED? Is that the answer? Because if that’s the answer, then their identity should be nothing, because being in the same ballpark as all these other teams, doesn’t mean you’ll ever beat them. We’re like KMart or Sears. Ok at everything, good at nothing.” We can do this, but someone else is always there that does it better. So we fall into limbo

My personal belief is, until this team picks an actual direction, they’ll never be truly elite. They’ll be stuck in the middle, perpetual mediocrity as some have put it. They’ll continue lose to the Avs, they’ll lose to the Stars, the Blues, the Golden Knights. This team is first round fodder, second round if we’re lucky. I’d be happy to be proven wrong on this subject. But right now, at this moment, this team looks a lot closer to the Minnesota Wild right now then the Vegas Golden Knights.

02-15-2021, 07:22 PM	#1
Classic_Sniper #1 Goaltender Join Date: Jul 2008 Exp:	Flames Identity Crisis After years of first round disappointments, early season exits and this team’s underwhelming start despite now having a Vezina calibre goaltender in net, I think the conclusion can be made that this team quite simply put, has no identity or if they do have one, it’s probably Confusion. If the name of the game is to ultimately dictate to your opponent and force them to play your style, then I can see why this team has failed most periods, most nights and basically every season because all you have to do is look at other successful teams and compare their identities with the Flames and the answer becomes pretty clear that this team may never be able to match up: Top Teams: *Tampa Bay* = Highly Skilled *Colorado* = Fast, Skilled *Washington* = Heavy, Skilled *St Louis* = Heavy *Dallas* = Heavy *Las Vegas* = Fast, Checking Past Top Teams: *Chicago* = Highly Skilled *LA Kings* = Heavy *Pittsburgh* = Fast, Skilled *2004 Flames* = Hard Working Current Calgary Flames: Fast? NO This team is actually kind of slow, slow players up and down the line up. Slow on the forecheck, slow on the backcheck, slow on puck pursuits, not a lot of breakaway speed either minus Gaudreau Heavy? NO So if this team is slow, are they at least heavy? Nope. They have a couple players who can throw their weight around but this team seems to have difficulty defending heavier teams, bigger bodies and on the cycle. Skilled? Sometimes Sometimes we see a skilled team. But make no mistake, this is not a highly skilled team anywhere close to the same level of a Tampa Bay or even a Toronto right now. Where are the one timers? Who can score from distance? Where are the game breakers? Who has breakaway speed? This team has such difficulty scoring at times, they have to manufacture goals, they can’t really score themselves out of trouble like the more skilled teams. So when they get down, which is often, they take more risks and it usually costs them Hard Working = NO This one is easy. Just look at the 2004 Flames and compare. This team is downright lazy in comparison. If Darryl Sutter’s Flames were considered hard working and that’s the standard, then this team has nothing to offer in this department. Checking? - Sometimes I understand that the management wants a checking team that can score. But we watch this team constantly shoot themselves in the foot by leaving themselves vulnerable for counter attacks (breakaways, odd man rushes. Since I’ve already established that this team is neither fast or heavy, how exactly do they impose their will? This management group needs to honestly assess if this is the right personnel to get it done or whether they even have the right vision in the first place. So then all roads lead to the management group, specifically Brad Treliving. I won’t question whether he’s a good GM or not, because he is. I won’t question his work ethic either because it’s probably tops in the league. But I will question his vision. His philosophy. He’s had 7 years to figure it out and how much further ahead is this team really from his first season? So is this team’s identity supposed to be BALANCED? Is that the answer? Because if that’s the answer, then their identity should be nothing, because being in the same ballpark as all these other teams, doesn’t mean you’ll ever beat them. We’re like KMart or Sears. Ok at everything, good at nothing.” We can do this, but someone else is always there that does it better. So we fall into limbo My personal belief is, until this team picks an actual direction, they’ll never be truly elite. They’ll be stuck in the middle, perpetual mediocrity as some have put it. They’ll continue lose to the Avs, they’ll lose to the Stars, the Blues, the Golden Knights. This team is first round fodder, second round if we’re lucky. I’d be happy to be proven wrong on this subject. But right now, at this moment, this team looks a lot closer to the Minnesota Wild right now then the Vegas Golden Knights.