The coaching is so embarrassingly bad that I don’t think you can accurately assess the talent until the coaching is fixed. As far as players go, the Flames have no idea what kind of assets they have to trade, and everyone’s trade value has been diminished by senseless coaching decisions. Not good enough to make the team? Let’s play you on what used to be the top line. Have a line that actually works? Break it up and put the centre out of his natural position on the 4th line because you know he tries to do too much when paired with scrubs. Have a bunch of small, talented players? Get them to play chip and chase.
Flames could have made some noise in the bubble if they didn’t get out-goaltended every single game. They’ve fixed that problem. So why not try lines that actually worked in the past?
I know that they want Lindholm at centre, but this team doesn’t have a single top 9 RW. You have to consider what makes the team better as a whole.
Gaudreau/Monahan/Lindholm>>>Gaudreau /Monahan/random scrub
Tkachuk/Backlund/Mangiapane>Tkachuk/Lindholm/Mangiapane
Lucic/Bennett/Dube>>Lucic/Backlund/Dube
Minor leaguer/scrub/tweener>minor leaguer/Bennett/tweener
You have to consider how the whole team fits together, not just whether a single player may benefit from being assigned a particular position. It is, after all, a team sport. Ward actually found a way to make all 4 lines worse, a feat I would not have considered possible.
I didn’t like Ward when he was coaching the Sens to the worst special teams in the league, and he’s no better as a head coach.
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