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Originally Posted by really?
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.
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Respectfully disagree.
They are playing simple game which seems to dictate that if a play isn’t available, they dump and chase, get it to the point, and to the net with traffic.
The puck moves faster than anyone can skate and they have guys that can skate well enough to move the puck quickly.
As they continue to develop chemistry you would hope to see it increase. We will see
I think it was a dumb move to break up the lines after the Edmonton game because while they worked on the overall structure, it was pushing the final lines and chemistry development out
And the biggest problems all year have been the costly breakdowns and the lack of offense