Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
I can see both sides
- Tkachuk causes a lot of chaos in some cases pokes the bear and wakes up the other team. And then doesn't rise to the challenge himself. I think there is validity in the concept of picking your fights
- But this is a team that collectively hasn't always had a good compete level particularly in important games.
So both elements are concerning.
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The team reaction concerns me way more. Tkachuck is a young emotional player. Having veteran guys and potentially even team management try to stifle his passion is unacceptable IMO. Sure, maybe guide him in picking his spots a bit better, but he was visibly a different player after the Muzzin incident. So it could be that the Flames once again were more concerned about being the NHL's nice guys rather than having the edge to be a winning team. If only Sutter were here at that point of the season.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
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