I think I can summarize Mathgod's post in three short statements.
1) Sutter #### the bed.
2) The Flames lost because their top guys didn't show up.
3) The future is bright regardless of what happens with Gaudreau, because of Stockton and what other teams went through.
Let me just say, I agree with statement one. Sutter #### the bed hard. His refusal to adapt and make adjustments is what killed the Flames. Some of his statements in the media were pretty stupid too. The statement about playing Colorado is a waste of eight days is not what you want to hear from your supreme leader. His statement about its okay if Edmonton's guys got four points a game was also stupid. I don't care if he was kidding, hearing those types of things from the coach is not what the team needs. Stuff like that can get into the heads of players, especially at a time when they are supposed to be focused and at the top of their games. The comments and the refusal to make obvious adjustments is a red flag. Edmonton crushed the Flames because Sutter was too stubborn to make the adjustments.
I also agree with statement two, but also feel that it wouldn't have mattered if they showed up. When you let two guys on the other team score a collective 31 points in a five game span, you're ####ed. The Oilers dictated everything about the series and the coaches did nothing to try and change the ebb and flow of the games. This is what lost the series, more so than our guys not scoring. The fact they got their heads caved in after the first game is on the coaching staff.
Not sure I agree with statement three. This team is at a crossroads. Anytime you face the potential to lose two of your top three players in back-to-back seasons it's not an indicator of a team on the rise. Gaudreau walks for nothing and this team is headed into a death spiral. The same could be said for any team that lost its best player with nothing to back fill it. Unless the plan is to let Gaudreau walk and replace him with Forsberg, the loss of the best guy on the roster is going to hurt and hurt big. There is nothing in the pipeline that can replace what Gaudreau brings to team. If Gaudreau goes, then Tkachuk is as sure as gone as well. Sign that qualifying offer then have your pick of teams and contracts. Without Gaudreau, or at least a replacement with Forsberg, this team is headed in a direction I doubt Tkachuk wants to hang around for. Unless the Flames back up a Brinks truck full of money and overpay him, what incentive is there for him?
I don't see any parallels between what happened to the Caps or Lightning or any other team. The Flames have been a middling team for years and caught lightning in a bottle this past season. Now they are facing the potential of losing key players with nothing in the minors that can replace them. That is not a good pivot. The Flames have some interesting support pieces in the minors, but are lacking the top end talent. Worse, Sutter likes to play a heavy game and the guys you hope to make the jump are all smallish players. You have to consider whether Sutter will have the confidence in these young guys to play them? The prospect ranks are really a contradiction to the type of game the coach wants to play. This is something that is going to have be resolved because Jakob Pelletier is not going to replace Milan Lucic in the lineup. Matthew Phillips is not going to replace anyone in the lineup. The style the team plays will have to change to accommodate the talent in the system. Based on this season's success, I doubt a change in style is coming very soon.
My bottom line is everything is dependent on the Gaudreau situation. He walks and the Flames have limited options to replace him. Maybe they sign Forsberg to replace him and can get by on that. But if they lose their best player for nothing the Flames head into an ugly rebuild. Hell, Gaudreau walks and you may see Sutter call it a career. I doubt he wants to finish his career with a rebuilding club, he'll likely just retire and hand the reigns over to Muller. The dominoes falling from a Gaudreau departure could be devastating to the franchise.
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