Did Sutter change the system? No. Why would he?
But I do think Sutter is definitely part of the issue. I believe that confidence, and its little sister, chemistry, are everything. And the Flames don't have that yet. And the reason they don't, beyond all the changes in the off-season, is that Sutter has them focusing on the defensive side of the game, positioning, etc. And that focus has them playing slowly, carefully, and timidly. They are playing on their heels, afraid to make mistakes.
The other primary factor is goaltending. Good goaltending is an absolute necessity for winning. Great goaltending will build confidence and cause the team to play better. And poor goaltending derails the entire team - nothing destroys confidence like poor goaltending.
So you have a team that is playing on their heels, lacking confidence. And you have a goalie that has struggled. But on top of that, like Lanny_McDonald said, you have a coach that is being stubborn about how he manages the team, and the way in which he thinks he needs to handle them, to get them where he wants them to be.
IMO, Sutter needs to stop with the 'I know how to build a winner' strategy that he has been steadfastly sticking with, and start giving the team what it needs. This team needs life. It needs an injection of youth. It needs to build confidence and start having some fun. Sutter needs to let go of the reins a bit, and let the team run.
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