We lost our MoJo when...

[ViKen]

Long time reader and rare poster here... thought I'd chime in

Does anyone else notice that there may be a slight coincidence that we started this mini tailspin when our regulars started returning? We hear all the time that the difference between winning ad losing is such a fine line and our chemistry has definitely been off balance since Stajan, Raymond, and Colborne have returned.

We look like a hard working team but not a hard working and as "clutch" a team without the younger legs and extra drive.

[GioforPM]

Yeah, I miss those difference makers Corbin Knight, Devon Setoguchi and Sven Baertchi.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by ViKen

Long time reader and rare poster here... thought I'd chime in

Does anyone else notice that there may be a slight coincidence that we started this mini tailspin when our regulars started returning? We hear all the time that the difference between winning ad losing is such a fine line and our chemistry has definitely been off balance since Stajan, Raymond, and Colborne have returned.

We look like a hard working team but not a hard working and as "clutch" a team without the younger legs and extra drive.

I think it's probably a little bit of everything. The team has played well in a lot of the losses, potentially better than some of the wins prior tbh, but maybe that speaks to the "clutch" part of your post. I'm sure our current losing streak has a little bit of following to it:

- Unlucky where as before we were getting our share of the breaks
- Tough road trip actually. Two really good teams in Pitts and Chicago in their barn. Both the Leafs and Sabers streaking in the positive way when we run into them, hot teams.
- Bodies coming back all at once, definetly going to mess with the chemistry a little.
- Bodies coming back are simply not going to have their game grove back until they play a bit more, each of those injuries was lengthy, going to take time.
- Maybe some of the bodies we subbed out actually are better now than the bodies we subbed in, time will tell on that.

So, is it a coincidence..............I don't think so entirely, but I also don't think it's close to the full story either.

[FlamesAddiction]

The team was playing well before those guys were injured though too.

I do think that when too many players come back at once, it affects chemistry and a little of that is happening here, but I also think that the team is still young and we can expect inconsistencies because of it. I don't think we have played terrible during the 5 game slump.

[SofaProfessor]

Not a coincidence at all. These guys all missed significant time with injuries and they're getting back up to NHL game speed. Throw in the fact that they are rebuilding chemistry with the guys the only played a couple weeks with or building chemistry with new linemates. I can't imagine it's very easy for them at all. You get these guys back, run into a few hot teams... There's a losing streak. I don't think this is the end of the season as some others seem to. Hartley loves to break up the season in 7 game series. The Flames lost the last one. Now move on and win the next series. Still lots of hockey left to play. Lots of wins and losses still to come.

[TheDebaser]

We'll be fine. Pucks will start hitting twine eventually.

[northcrunk]

I agree. Our team play took a big dip when the 'regulars' came back. Getting pretty sick of Pat on the fan 960 defend Stajan at his salary and with 1 goal. He is still making the same salary. They need to dump these old bums like Stajan and bench Raymond until he picks up his game. Glencross has not been sharp either. He is starting to do his middle of the season float game out there.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

I agree. Our team play took a big dip when the 'regulars' came back. Getting pretty sick of Pat on the fan 960 defend Stajan at his salary and with 1 goal. He is still making the same salary. They need to dump these old bums like Stajan and bench Raymond until he picks up his game. Glencross has not been sharp either. He is starting to do his middle of the season float game out there.

So you think the best way for Raymond who was out for what 5, 6 weeks, to get his game back is to bench him............................ this seems dumb.

[Salt Water Cowboy #10]

Maybe a bit of complacency creeping in when they hear that a veteran is coming back? Just let the foot off the gas slightly thinking things will be easier or go better now that the team appears better on paper? Same thing as last season, sort of. They played well with youth in the lineup. The spark from the youth isn't sustainable either so maybe it was a bit of a perfect storm with youth energy dwindling and veterans coming back in. Plus other teams playing better that had slow starts

[Camronius]

I dunno, for me having watched all the games, we were in all of them, a few small things go the other way and we could have had a respectable road trip.

The biggest issue I saw was going 2/18 on the PP over the trip. Our PP didn't look great and almost every game being a 1 goal game, it could have made the difference.

I don't know if it's because we have a one-trick pony with the shot from the point, but although we seem to have good entry and possession, we just can't seem to make enough happen.

If I were Hartley I'd be working on the PP and keep moving along, if we can get that clicking again we're laughing.


*edit SJ was @ home, so I'll revise to say 2/18 over this "skid"

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Camronius

I dunno, for me having watched all the games, we were in all of them, a few small things go the other way and we could have had a respectable road trip.

The biggest issue I saw was going 2/18 on the PP over the trip. Our PP didn't look great and every game being a 1 goal game, it could have made the difference.

I don't know if it's because we have a one-trick pony with the shot from the point, but although we seem to have good entry and possession, we just can't seem to make enough happen.

If I were Hartley I'd be working on the PP and keep moving along, if we can get that clicking again we're laughing.

This is important. The scores were often lopsided (see: Toronto) but that doesnt always tell the story.

This is still a very young team thats a work in progress and at the beginning of the season if someone told you they'd be in the mix for the playoffs you'd have laughed yourself into a hernia.

They're going toe-to-toe with some of the really big clubs and this is the first bit of adversity they've experienced.

[AC]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, I miss those difference makers Corbin Knight, Devon Setoguchi and Sven Baertchi.

Agreed, though I do wish Ferland was still playing. I think he has 10x the impact during the game compared to Stajan and Bollig.

Just because he only registered 1 point doesn't mean he wasn't impacting the momentum during games. A few huge hits on the forecheck can make a big difference. Causes the opposition D to rush the play in the future, making bad plays leading to turnovers.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by AC

Agreed, though I do wish Ferland was still playing. I think he has 10x the impact during the game compared to Stajan and Bollig.

Just because he only registered 1 point doesn't mean he wasn't impacting the momentum during games. A few huge hits on the forecheck can make a big difference. Causes the opposition D to rush the play in the future, making bad plays leading to turnovers.

I left him out on purpose.

I think they should have waived Gratts, sat Bollig (or vice versa) and played Ferland.

That said, his absence is not the reason they went on a losing streak.

[AC]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I left him out on purpose.

I think they should have waived Gratts, sat Bollig (or vice versa) and played Ferland.

That said, his absence is not the reason they went on a losing streak.

Yup, agree completely.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

So you think the best way for Raymond who was out for what 5, 6 weeks, to get his game back is to bench him............................ this seems dumb.

Yeah. Sit out a couple game and work him in practice. Let him get his puck handling and decision making back to where it needs to be. His play right now shows he deserves to be benched. I hardly think that is dumb.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, I miss those difference makers Corbin Knight, Devon Setoguchi and Sven Baertchi.

Those three were not difference makers, they were 4th liners. Raymond, Colborne and Stajan are playing bigger minutes, higher up the lineup for the most part. They are taking minutes away from other players not just the three you listed and they are playing bigger roles.

They will play through this and back to contributing - arguably Colborne is starting to get to back, the others not so much yet. But for now it is a hit even though on paper they are much better than those they replaced on the roster.

[dino7c]

Ferland had one point and was a minus player...its just easier to blame vets.

Team was extreamly lucky to beat colorado among other comebacks with seeing eye point shots going in left and right, their luck has gone the other way of late

As for Stajan his salary doesn't matter its not like its preventing us from adding something else. He has the best faceoff % on the team also

[ForeverFlameFan]

I felt that we were getting better every loss, we'll eventually win a game and stringing some wins again.

[Camronius]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Yeah. Sit out a couple game and work him in practice. Let him get his puck handling and decision making back to where it needs to be. His play right now shows he deserves to be benched. I hardly think that is dumb.

If it were me, I'd prefer to have him play. Maybe reduce his minutes somewhere in-between 9-15 minutes (depending on how he plays) until he earns his time again. For example in Chicago I may have played him around 9 minutes, as opposed to when he was healthy I might give him 15-20.

[ViKen]

You can knock Corbin and Sven (I'll agree with the Assessment on Devon) but you can't argue with results.

I'm just worried that the team will start to try pressing too hard and overcompensate. If this past 5 game sis the worst we see on a team effort basis, I think we'll be ok as well. Puck luck hasn't been with us lately but at the same time, I've seen shooting accuracy fall way down. We're not actually getting a lot of clean shots and it's making opposing netminders look like HOF'ers.

We are supposedly the best conditioned team in the league and I consistently saw us getting stronger as the games progressed. Maybe what we are seeing is also a result of teams gameplan against us more effectively with more video on record to review.