Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
Autter is a coach who could take this team all the way. Best coach in franchise history in terms of getting results.
He's also the coach who buried Ruzicka, Phillips, and to a lesser extent Pellettier and Coronato. He had to go.
I wish he had been more open to playing youth regularily and not having a double standard for 24 year olds vs 24 year olds.
Young, hungry, fast teams have an edge over aging, accomplished veteran teams. We see it throughout the season, arguably we saw it when Florida knocked off Boston yesterday too.
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The treatment of Phillips, & Pelletier and his relationship with Kadri/Huberdeau, got most of the headlines this year but really the one that might have had the biggest impact on the team was how he just cratered Ruzicka.
To start the year Ruzicka was playing in the top 9.
Toffoli-Lindholm-Ruzicka: +3, 56% Corsi For
Ruzicka-Backlund-Coleman: +2, 58% Corsi For
Prior to January 1st:
GP: 28 G: 6 P: 20 P/60: 3.39 (Led the team) xGF: 63.7 (2nd)
Looking at his TOI with other Flames:
Backlund: 100:42
Lindholm: 95:22
Lewis: 64:28
Kadri: 11:49
So playing mostly with Backlund and Lindholm...some time on the 4th line.
After January 1st:
GP: 16 G: 0 P: 0 P/60:0 xGF: 53.4
Lewis: 98:30
Backlund: 2:22
Kadri: 1:42
Lindholm: 1:31
It's a shocker his offense completely dried up and he lost all confidence once he was rejected to 4th line and press box duty only.