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Originally Posted by ComixZone
Gaudreau and Giordano are the big tickets that need to be moved in my eyes, and retaining 50% of their salaries seems like a perfect way to maximize the return.
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It would maximize the return, but I doubt that the Flames are going to be rebuilding. I think the Flames are going to try and retool first, and if they do, then the only contracts that they will retain on are the expiring ones for this trade deadline only - probably Rittich and Ryan. IF they do blow it up and go for a full-rebuild (which I would be shocked with, but not necessarily disagreeing with), then I would hope they retain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
Maybe our players would do the same if they weren't confined to a 10' space from the boards? Sutter needs to own this just as much as the players. He's trying to get them to play a game of dinosaur hockey that doesn't work in this NHL era and is forcing square pegs into round holes. Use the talent you have and devise a style and game plan where they can be successful. Those two big centers are successful because they play in a system where the game is not constrained by "owning the wall" and grinding it out. The middle of the ice is where goals happen. The Flames spend 90% of their game within 10 feet of the boards. Maybe that's why they can't score?
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What you are describing is a lot more like Brent Sutter hockey - everything against the walls. That's not what we are really seeing here.
When the Flames are able to move the puck quickly, they don't dump it in. You see them generating off the rush a bit more (and looking much more dangerous). Darryl just doesn't want pucks turned-over. If there isn't something to generate, you dump it in and use the forecheck. Make sure you don't give up odd-man rushes at any time, that's all. It isn't all against the boards. Flames are just not moving the puck faster.
Brent was the 'against the wall' guy. Zone exits were up the boards, NEVER up the middle. Have a chance on the rush? Nope, you dump the puck in and start the cycle! Darryl was rumoured to want to fire Brent back then, and that team wasn't able to score, but they were solid defensively from what I remember. They were playing too defensive - too much focus on mistake-free hockey, and making sure that they don't turn the puck over. Darryl allows for much more offensive freedom - but the team as a whole is suffering from a lack of speed. I think a big issue is the defence, actually.. or the confidence maybe. They simply aren't moving the puck fast enough to cause much confusion off the rush, and then they have to dump the puck in and get the forecheck going. Plus, it seems every time they cheat on offence (defence pinches or joins the rush), the puck is being turned the other way and goes in the back of the net.
This team is definitely trying to generate off the rush, but they are just doing an incredibly lousy job of it, and then they have to go to plan B, which is dump it and retrieve it.