Dissecting the "system"

[buyakasha]

Twas searching for a thread on Hartley's current system for the Flames but I didn't find one.

Anyways, as a person that has zero to little knowledge about hockey systems, I often found it interesting on why/how the Flames' system has had such great success some nights, and then on other nights just the absolute opposite.

Is it because for this system to work, every player has to be playing PERFECTLY and be completely in sync with one another? Or is this system just that easy to counter for teams? Maybe it's some other factors like confidence that affects our team too much to tell if the system fails or not.

I apologize for making you guys do most of the grunt work for the knowledge of this topic but it truly interests me and I would love a good discussion on the current Flames system, both offensive and defensive.

Thanks! Discuss away.

[TheScorpion]

No, it's because the Flames' system doesn't work as well against certain teams.

The Flames have played terribly this year and others against the following teams: Anaheim; St. Louis; Arizona; Los Angeles. You'll notice that all four of these teams are in the Western Conference - three are actually divisional rivals - but that matters not. All of these teams are big. Big big big. They're also moderately fast - not as so in LA's case, but still. The Flames' largely puck-possession based system a) isn't very good, and b) doesn't really work against big teams (or any teams in general).

However, teams like Dallas are skilled and small. So's Edmonton. The Flames crush these teams consistently.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

No, it's because the Flames' system doesn't work as well against certain teams.

The Flames have played terribly this year and others against the following teams: Anaheim; St. Louis; Arizona; Los Angeles. You'll notice that all four of these teams are in the Western Conference - three are actually divisional rivals - but that matters not. All of these teams are big. Big big big. They're also moderately fast - not as so in LA's case, but still. The Flames' largely puck-possession based system a) isn't very good, and b) doesn't really work against big teams (or any teams in general).

However, teams like Dallas are skilled and small. So's Edmonton. The Flames crush these teams consistently.

We played very well against LA actually. If Russell didn't suck, we win that game.

[Max Cow Disease]

In a similar vein, it's made me curious about how some of our players would look in a different system and under a different coach. What would Johnny's first couple of seasons have looked like within the different systems around the NHL?

[Caged Great]

The system is set up to maximize the particular assets of the players that we have.

Typically teams are lucky to have more than one high quality puck moving defenseman. Calgary happens to have 5 above average ones. That creates different options that would not be otherwise available. That allows a significant advantage for playing off the rush. There are ways of countering it though (namely plug up the neutral zone and passing lanes). The games that the Flames tend to struggle in are against teams that are good at playing a shut down defense like Arizona and Anaheim. Larger teams also present a challenge because there's less space out there to find holes.

That is fixable in a couple of ways. Acquire players that are able to carry the puck into the zone effectively. Outside of Gaudreau, Monahan and Bennett, there are not a lot of guys that can skate it up the ice. That's also part of the reason why Brodie, Gio and Hamilton are used occasionally to join the rush. They are also skilled at it. Acquiring more middle six talent is the other. The more skill a player has, specifically hockey IQ, the better understanding of what to do on the ice. Some of the Flames players are not good at this at all (Colborne being the worst of the bunch).

[Huntingwhale]

For me it all comes down to personnel and luck. Doesn't matter if you have the ''best'' coach/system in the league. Coach ain't the one skating. If the players can't execute, then the system looks bad.

Luck plays a part too. Catch the opposing team on an off-night, and suddenly the Flames look better. Yes we want our system to be perfect. But a lot of it depends on how the other team is playing.

Also, last season the Flames had a legit belief that they could storm back in the 3rd and win it. How often has then happened this season? The team has lost that belief. Last year the system looked great because of all the comebacks. This year it looks like crap, because our goaltending sucks and the players aren't the type of players to play lock down defence.

Truthfully I think all the talk about the ''system'' is overrated. If the players you have are trash, the team looks like trash. Even systems like Tippett's aren't always successul. One season the Coyote's are playoff contenders, the next 2 they are back in the basement.

[Northendzone]

i miss the days where the flames would just cycle the puck down low