Quote:
Originally Posted by rhino
Edwards who has allowed this team to max spend every year? Tre who replaced 2 high producers with 2 more? The coach is the one sitting a guy like PHILLIPS for 9 games after a call up, taking Ruzizka out despite him being at almost a point a game. Pushing Dube down to 4th line despite the fact he was producing? Playing Lucic almost 10 minutes a game despite his underlying numbers being horrendous? Playing musical chairs with goalies for most the season instead of seeing if Markstrom could play his way out of it earlier? After starting 5-2 changing the lines up. Playing a system where guys get burnt out by the second half of the game because the play “keep it on the boards”.
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Alright, I'll bite.
- Ruzicka isn't a PPG, Sutter only moved him down the lineup after he cooled off on the Lindholm - Toffoli line. He was given opportunities especially with Backlund - Coleman, but I believe he was playing with Huberdeau as well.
- It's Ruzicka's play in the defensive zone, and lack of energy that made him sit.
- I'll give you Phillips, but I'm guessing that Sutter doesn't like the way he checks. He probably didn't see enough out of him offensively to want him in the lineup. Contrast that to Pelletier who's been in the lineup for 20(?) games now.
- Dube was pushed to the 4th line to get that line going. It was done a couple of times this season.
- Lucic remains a mystery, but he was sat for a couple of games.
- As for the goalies Markstrom couldn't stop a beach ball. He said he sucked at hockey. He let the 1st shot in on 7 occasions this season. Meanwhile Vladar had a 13 game point streak as a goalie. That was a good decision.
- Sutter changed the lines after the EDM game because he wasn't seeing enough from them. The Dube - Kadri - Mangiapane line was the only line playing with pace.
- Sutter doesn't tell the players to keep it along the boards and not drive to the net. Just look at last year's team. The players are the ones that are too afraid to make a mistake, so they go for the safe play.
I agree that a new coach can give a team a boost. However, this team has been through so many coaches. A coach is not a magic solution, some players will get better, others will get worse. I was skeptical that Sutter could fix most of the holes on this sinking ship of a team after the COVID season, but he did. As a result, last year was the most fun I had as a Flames fan during regular season, and it had Sutter's fingerprints all over it. He earned the chance to do it again next season.