Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Yeah I think the coach is the problem right now, not the roster or anything the GM has done. He's trying to make them playa dated style of hockey and players aren't buying in. They don't have a cheat code line like last season where they could rely on timely goals from an elite 1st line. They collectively need to play faster as a group with the top three lines looking to generate offense. They aren't even playing good defense so it's the worst of both worlds right now.
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I agree with the dated style take, but the roster lacks players with the ability to individually alter the structure on the ice. Gaudreau did that routinely, creating outnumbered situations and the stats speak for themselves. The Flames have a competent roster, but without the kind of talent to put the opposition on its heals, the team has to do it collectively. Sutter is good at leading guys to pressure the opposition and attack with purpose, but this doesn’t tend to put the opposition in vulnerable positions. Unless the team is willing to actively pursue players with the speed and handle to dictate the game, Sutter’s style is likely the only way this group has a chance to succeed.
Sutter is still a good coach, Treliving has done a respectable job of accumulating solid, professional players, but the rest of the league is committed to accumulating skill and speed even if a step back is needed to do so. I imagine ownership won’t go down that path, so an aging, competent roster is about as good as can be expected. It appears that Sutter has this group playing as fast as the can collectively, it’s just hard in todays game to generate odd man groupings without players whose skills allow them to do such individually.