Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinny01
I want to see what this team does with a full season under Sutter with everything back to normal before I pull the plug.
I think a lot went wrong for this team last year and I don’t think they are as bad as their record. People like to talk about how they got pumped by the 8th seed Colorado but that was an emerging superpower who added one of the best young Dman in the game during that series. Flames didn’t deserve to win but end of the day that team coughed up 2 late 3rd period leads and also missed on chances in both overtimes in games that ended as losses.
The Flames were the 7th best team in the league after Peters left the bench in 2019/2020. They had the Stars 12 seconds away from being up 3-1 but choked.
Last year just went poorly from the get go. Ward was in over his head and seemed to lose all control early in the season. The way he handled the Bennett situation, the multiple players only meetings, the Tkachuk situation. He just couldn’t manage it. Sutter came in and the team was in the dumps for a 9 game stretch that ended their season. Towards the end of the year positives could be viewed as the new top line started to look pretty dynamic at times.
I think Gaudreau, Lindholm and Tkachuk are exceptional players. I think Mangiapane is going to emerge as an equally valuable piece this year. I like some of the youth on the back end but there is a hole to fill there. This team needs another scoring winger as well. I am optimistic that Markstrom will have a superior season next year as he plays in front of the C or Red.
I just want to see what this team does under normal circumstances with Sutter behind the bench. If they are brutal than I have seen enough but I am sorry losing to Colorado, the Peters/bubble, and the CFL style season are not convincing me this needs to start from scratch. I am not convinced it doesn’t go down that path I am just not ready to do it yet.
|
Yup and that's fair.
I still believe though, that Sutter and BT have agreed that at least one large change has to happen after DS got those 20 or so games to evaluate what guys do what on the ice and how they practice etc.
I cant believe that even he thinks he can do damage with the roster that has shown it cannot do anything of consequence year after year.
Still need a major shke up and it will still happen before UFA IMO.
Or I am completely reading the tea leaves wrong which would not be a first.