[News] Calgary Flames' struggles wearing on honcho Brian Burke

[sureLoss]

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/01/18...ho-brian-burke

Don’t misinterpret Brian Burke’s relative silence for complacency.

Don’t mistake his low profile for inactivity, either.

Fact is, he’s ticked off, and he’s busy as hell, which makes for a highly combustible situation given how many times of late his faltering Calgary Flames have kept him up at night.

“I hate losing — that’s never going to change,” Burke told the Calgary Sun on Friday, ending nearly a month of silence.

“It’s not acceptable. We’re not getting the job done, and players know it’s not acceptable. The way it manifests itself is I don’t sleep. So I haven’t slept much.”

“But,” added Burke, the Flames president of hockey operations, “I’ve been through this before.”

Insisting he’s not interested in short-terms fixes, Burke reiterated Friday the coaching staff is not to blame for the club’s recent nosedive and is still safe for the rest of the season.

“The coaching staff isn’t going anywhere — I think they’re doing a fine job,” said Burke, sticking to his Dec. 12 promise made the day he fired GM Jay Feaster.

“We’re still having trouble scoring goals and keeping them out of our net. And we’re small. But there are two building blocks I see — that the work ethic matches or exceeds opponents’ and that we stay in the system.

“We’re doing both things. We can’t get to the next level without doing those two things first.”

[Zulu29]

No surprises in that article. Just a waiting game now for the Olympic break/deadline.

[Badgers Nose]

Blow it up!

Wait, we already did that...

Blow it up again, more better!

[dissentowner]

Some of the comments at the bottom of that article are the definition of fan stupidity.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Some of the comments at the bottom of that article are the definition of fan stupidity.

Really dumb people loiter on newspaper website comment sections. Pick any article, even recipes, and you will find similar. It drove me away from traditional media sites years ago.

I know I can ignore them, but.. its... so... hard...

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Some of the comments at the bottom of that article are the definition of fan stupidity.

The fact that some of that garbage is getting upvoted is mind boggling.

Hey Mr. Burk.....Jay is just having a ball on you and laughing his head off. because you were supposed too do a better job then him. What a joke. Can't find a GM it's because no one want's to work for you.

Really?

[strombad]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

The fact that some of that garbage is getting upvoted is mind boggling.


Really?

Classic Internet!

[Flashpoint]

Never read the comments section of an online article.

Ever.

Anywhere.

[djsFlames]

No need for short term fixes, Burkey. As you say.

If you made a move to unload a couple of these stale vets that need a change of environment (that can help a playoff team) and brought back some NHL ready youth that have potential, then it might not help change results immediately, but will bring a little more hope to the team and roster as is. And maybe we start to see some of this youth come together before season's end. That's what I hope for.

[djsFlames]

Fans that still don't understand what a rebuild is and insist that the GM has the power to magically wave his hand and solve all our issues (but clearly just 'refuses' to) do grind my gears some.

Unfortunately those are the most vocal ones.

[Southside]

Of late I'm not certain the work ethic always matches or exceeds the competition. Earlier in season absolutely, lately I'm not certain. Big game, big effort and hopefully a big W tonight will allow everyone to sleep easy.

[flamesfever]

I see what he does as far as work ethic and system are concerned. However I disagree that size is that big a factor. For instance, Byron is one of the recent bright spots on the team.

I see our problem more as overall lower skill level, and inability to execute due to lack of confidence... rather than size.

[Vulcan]

As the season goes on and gets more serious, more talented teams up their work ethic. Earlier we caught some teams unawares, now what we see is what we got.

[868904]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

I see what he does as far as work ethic and system are concerned. However I disagree that size is that big a factor. For instance, Byron is one of the recent bright spots on the team.

I see our problem more as overall lower skill level, and inability to execute due to lack of confidence... rather than size.

I disagree, the lack of size was really evident versus Winnipeg, a team that really isn't that good. This team is way too small. Backlund, Hudler, and Byron, three of the more skilled forwards were completely ineffective against the big Jets. Brodie, not necessarily a big defenceman, was ineffective, as was Wideman. The size on the backend of this team is a joke. One, if not two of Wideman, Brodie, or Russell have to go for bigger skilled defencemen. This team gets hemmed in the defensive zone against big teams because the defencemen are too small (and the forwards are still leaving the zone way too early).

Yes you need skill, but you need that skill to have size, and all of the Flames skill is small. The skill on this team needs to get bigger, and the size of this team (ie the roles for Westgarth and McGrattan) need to get more skilled.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

As the season goes on and gets more serious, more talented teams up their work ethic. Earlier we caught some teams unawares, now what we see is what we got.

Agree, and other teams also can now watch tape and game plan to combat against what the Flames had been doing on things such as the forecheck, and entering the zone etc when they looked like a "hard working" team.

Flames players/coaches haven't adapted back, for whatever reason.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Fans that still don't understand what a rebuild is and insist that the GM has the power to magically wave his hand and solve all our issues (but clearly just 'refuses' to) do grind my gears some.

Unfortunately those are the most vocal ones.

I just hope Burke gets that.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by 868904

I disagree, the lack of size was really evident versus Winnipeg, a team that really isn't that good. This team is way too small. Backlund, Hudler, and Byron, three of the more skilled forwards were completely ineffective against the big Jets. Brodie, not necessarily a big defenceman, was ineffective, as was Wideman. The size on the backend of this team is a joke. One, if not two of Wideman, Brodie, or Russell have to go for bigger skilled defencemen. This team gets hemmed in the defensive zone against big teams because the defencemen are too small (and the forwards are still leaving the zone way too early).

Yes you need skill, but you need that skill to have size, and all of the Flames skill is small. The skill on this team needs to get bigger, and the size of this team (ie the roles for Westgarth and McGrattan) need to get more skilled.

I hope Burke is calling about Despres in Pittsburgh. Hello 6'4".

[1991 Canadian]

Originally Posted by 868904

The size on the backend of this team is a joke. One, if not two of Wideman, Brodie, or Russell have to go for bigger skilled defencemen.

The problem is if you trade a small skilled guy like Russell/Brodie/Wideman for a bigger defenseman you are probably looking at getting a guy like Adam Pardy. Sure your backend will get bigger, but you will lose some skill in the process.

A similar thing happened when Vancouver traded Hodgson for Kassian. You generally have to lose a bit of skill if you want to get bigger. I don't think that trade has been a good value for Vancouver. Hopefully Burkes/tba puppet GM's moves will be a bit more favourable than that.

I am somewhat curious what people think about this thought
Do you think Calgary needs to get bigger even if it means trading away some of our smaller more skilled players (to compete in the west)?

[TurnedTheCorner]

Aww, Burke is tired. Poor Burke.

[H2SO4(aq)]

""Burke can’t stress enough that he’ll do nothing to sacrifice long-term gain in an attempt to stem short-term pain."

He already sacrificed our long-term wiuth his short-term stupidness in sacking feaster

Sack >Burke and re-hire feaster, he knew what he was doing."


--- wow these comments are asinine.