For me, Ward has the same fatal flaw that Gulatzan had, and that is a combination of stubborness and hubris. Any time that this team has had success, under Peters and Hartley, it has been due to playing an uptempo style, with individual speed a factor in gaining the offensive zone. The slower players are expected to hustle, but are the default defensive line until they catch up. That has led to the Flames ONLY successes.
By slowing the game down and entering the offensive zone as a group, it lowers the skill level of guys like Gaudreau, Mangiapane, Dube, Kylington, Hanafin... to the level of a plodding fourth liner, until the opposition blueline is crossed.
These two coaches essentially take skating ability out of the arsenal. So boring and frustrating.
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"By Grabthar's hammer ... what a savings."
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