[PGT] Nadir: Part II! Flames lose 5-1 to Chicago

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Holy f'ing ####.

With all the doom and gloom around here, I just took a look at the standings.

Because we play in such a crappy division, we are still in a playoff spot!!

Spoiler!

Glass half full!!

To be fair its because the other division is terrible currently too.

[jroc]

Not to be a Monahan apologist, because I agree, he certainly has been bad... But are people forgetting he missed almost all of training camp with a bad back? Perhaps he's still not 100%?

[calgarygeologist]

I think Monahan needs a game or two sitting in the press box. It sucks to bench him but maybe it will fire him up. Treliving talked about the good start that a few of the players have had in Stockton and they could easily fill in for Monahan.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by jroc

Not to be a Monahan apologist, because I agree, he certainly has been bad... But are people forgetting he missed almost all of training camp with a bad back? Perhaps he's still not 100%?

We are almost a month into the season, if he still has back issues he should be out of the line up until it's better. A week or two sure, try to play through it but a month is a long time for a nagging back injury.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by jroc

Not to be a Monahan apologist, because I agree, he certainly has been bad... But are people forgetting he missed almost all of training camp with a bad back? Perhaps he's still not 100%?

Plus, he started slowly last season too. The lack of a training camp has probably made it worse this year. Gaudreau also missed camp and the opportunity to get used to the new coach.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Plus, he started slowly last season too. The lack of a training camp has probably made it worse this year. Gaudreau also missed camp and the opportunity to get used to the new coach.

This is why I was a bit pissed off Gaudreau was at home instead of in Calgary during training camp. Even if you don't have a contract he can spend some time learning GG's system, being around the boys.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

This is why I was a bit pissed off Gaudreau was at home instead of in Calgary during training camp. Even if you don't have a contract he can spend some time learning GG's system, being around the boys.

That's not how you successfully negotiate the biggest agreement in his family's history.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by polak

That's not how you successfully negotiate the biggest agreement in his family's history.

You think it would've impacted negotiations either way? I'm skeptical.

[polak]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

You think it would've impacted negotiations either way? I'm skeptical.

Yup, makes it obvious you're jonesing to play and reduces the hold out threat, which was Gaudreaus only leverage.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by polak

Yup, makes it obvious you're jonesing to play and reduces the hold out threat, which was Gaudreaus only leverage.

Is that what Treliving would've said to him? Johnny caved anyway, it doesn't matter where he physically was at the time. I think the Flames got the best possible deal with the 6.75 cap hit they wanted so badly.

[polak]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

Is that what Treliving would've said to him? Johnny caved anyway, it doesn't matter where he physically was at the time. I think the Flames got the best possible deal with the 6.75 cap hit they wanted so badly.

Yes but he goes to camp and he removes all doubt. It would just be throwing away his only negotiating chip. You could just as easily say "Why didn't Treliving throw Johnny an extra half a mill a season to get him in camp asap?"

Both parties probably thought the WC was enough of a warm up and thus weren't going to give up anything in the negotiations just to get Johnny on the ice again. Unfortunately playing shinny hockey with the best young talent in the world didn't prepare him to carry a mediocre team on his back as much as we thought.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by polak

Yes but he goes to camp and he removes all doubt. It would just be throwing away his only negotiating chip. You could just as easily say "Why didn't Treliving throw Johnny an extra half a mill a season to get him in camp asap?"

Both parties probably thought the WC was enough of a warm up. Unfortunately playing shinny hockey with the best young talent in the world didn't prepare him to carry a mediocre team on his back as much as we thought.

I understand missing TC, but Gaudreau could've at least been in Calgary to get used to the air again... something he clearly knows about. Being around the team and meeting the coach before game one might've been beneficial as well.

Tough to say carrying the mediocre team is too much when he himself has been the definition of mediocre.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by polak

Yup, makes it obvious you're jonesing to play and reduces the hold out threat, which was Gaudreaus only leverage.

I don't know, seemed to work out fine for Ristolainen in Buffalo. He could have come to camp and still told them he won't play in the regular season.

[FBI]

How many minuses for our -8 guys are EN goals?

[CroFlames]

Yeah, Johnny and Mony could and should be better. But it's not goals or forwards that are the problem. Flames are sixth in league scoring, and frankly the Johnny and Mony (especially Mony) bashing on these boards is tiresome.

Dead last in goals against though. It bottles my mind that GG still hasn't reunited Gio-Brodie and gone with a traditional Top pair, middle pair, bottom pair system for the defense. Elliot is playing well, so it's pretty obvious where the problems are, and trying to spread out the d-talent to even the pairings is just plain dumb.

The pairings need to be put together properly, and they need to get back to doing the simple things right. Good positioning, smart passes. You can't get fancy in your own end and the talented half of the pairing can't be trying to overcompensate for the lesser man.

[FeyWest]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but it seems almost Karma like in that there was this game in 2014... you know the one where Hiller absolutely stood on his head and we beat Chicago despite being severely outplayed. You know the one I'm talking about 2-1, 49 saves.... yehhhh.

[djsFlames]

Got to be 4 or 5 ENs. Can't even watch when they do it any more.

[thefoss1957]

Finally got a chance to watch the game...Flames were very good, but, inefficient for the bulk of the game...

Was watching the Chicago feed...they didn't have an isolation on the call on Bennett, the long shot just seemed skate to skate, but, I couldn't tell what immediately preceded...the call that some here are complaining about, with the Kane trip, it certainly looked like a quick and focused stick jab to the inside knee, I really can't see why the complaining...the late non-call on Gaudreau seems more valid a complaint, but, the refs had pretty much let everything go from the middle of the 2nd, including clear interferences that could have gone to both teams, too many men on sloppy changes, and some stick holding (Gio could have been tagged earlier when he lost a board battle, as should have been Rozival as he wrestled with Tkachuk).

Really bad turnovers and horrid D positioning finally cost your guys...Elliott did wonders for much of the game, but on the Motte goal (Brodie), the Anisimov PP goal (Engelland), and on a stellar save by Elliott on Anisimov (Wideman, completely turned around), Elliott got little help from his D in the 3rd.

I see that Johnny Hockey is getting some bricks thrown his way, in this thread, but, I saw a guy that was backchecking hard, and trying to do too much in the O-zone. On an early 2 on 1 against, it was Johnny's back check that pressured the play into failure, and on Motte's goal, Gaudreau had tied up Kruger effectively, that it took a great shot by Motte, who had no options.

But, IMO, the difference, wasn't the Refs, it wasn't the coach (Q has gotten away with the move that burned GG, just last week vs. NJ), it wasn't really even any failure by your guys...the difference was a calm, well positioned, Crawford. He made some pure positional saves on double deflections early, and kept the score close, even as the 'Hawks scuffled.

Call it a goalie win...as much as last week was a goalie win for Elliot...

Interesting game, with an bit of a scrambled pace with the early PPs and the late no calls...the 'Hawks found a way to win when they weren't at their best.

[AC]

Kane went down like excess Halloween candy prices on November 1st.

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by AC

Kane went down like excess Halloween candy prices on November 1st.

Disagree...hard spear to the inside knee, most would go down...but...in the event, the 'Hawks FAILED on that PP...