[PGT] Flames lose another season opener

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Other teams have beat Edmonton, we just refuse to gameplan around McDavid. It's like GG is too proud to just admit he's a game changer and have someone shadow him the entire game.

Who cares if it means we generate no offense for the 20 mins he's on the ice? Edmonton literally has no one else in their line up who are even remotely a threat. Smother McDavid. Have someone on him like white on rice. Every single second he's on the ice, shadow him. Even in the GD offensive zone.

You shut him down and they have nothing.

Yup and that player should be Backlund.

[Dentoman]

Originally Posted by Scoutski

That said, I don't think the season is over or that we need major shake-ups, the Flames have been slow starters forever and as much as I hate it, I know they'll figure it out. TBH, I'm expecting them to go 0-3 to start but maybe then steady out into a playoff position after Christmas as they look to build toward the end of the season. Just gotta get through the pain here.

That's good .... considering it's only the first game of the season, other posters, I'm not so sure.
The "Chicken Little Complex" on CP can make this a difficult place to be after a loss, but here I am anyways.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I honestly don't know what to say to people who watched the game and thought it was a strategy to ice the puck or turn it over inside the blueline.

There were two teams on the ice, the flames we're dumping it in as a last ditch effort not to get brutally hemmed in. The oil absolutely dominated last night. It was maximum effort for flames forward to get the puck out if the zone let alone keep possession in the zone.

Dumping and chasing, winging pucks for neutral zone tips and generally chasing the play is the Hartley system, not Gulutzan. The panicking display we saw last night was neither, just what happens when a low skill slow team plays a big team with skill.

I guess this post was directed at me. I know that wasn't the game plan thus the question mark. Hartley's system employed a stretch pass as well which at times was pretty effective.

I don't think the Flames are low skill. They looked unprepared and out-coached to me.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Yup and that player should be Backlund.

I'm not sure that would work. Backlund can't skate with him. I think you have to tear a page out of the Gretzky playbook and match him up with a defenseman whose job it is to lay a hit or a stick on him every time he comes up the ice. Go full Neil Sheehy on him. I would say use Brodie, because he has the skating ability to keep up with him, but Brodie is Mr. Pylon right now. Maybe go with a double team, and have the center (regardless of which line) hold him up through the zone and force him to the boards, then have Hamonic/Stone lay the body on him at the blueline. McDavid tends to disappear when the physicality picks up.

[djsFlames]

Very many frustrations towards the Flames last night that I'm not sure I can put it all into words. Seeing a team hardly look like they wanted to be there and wanted to even give a shot at winning that game after the first period was torturous as a faithful fan. But enough of them. In a game like that where the difference came from one player I can't help but speak out about the other side:

There's no denying what McDavid can do. He's good, he's what Iginla was to the Flames in the early and mid 00s.

However I maintain that the Oilers should never have been able to get McDavid if all things were right and equal in the way the NHL conducts its lottery/draft. If the Flames were dressing McDavid today after three prior first overalls in short succession the Oilers would be clamouring for a change in rules too and pulling their hair out.

They should be McDavidless currently. A 4th pick that high should not have been possible, which would make them a bubble team at best right now. But that's where they deserve to be given the lack of competence throughout their management and many not great moves outside of being given good players through lottery. They should have to work to be a good team the hard way like everyone else. Instead it was given without being earned. The people in their office didn't do anything to put them to the next level. They just got a difference maker. They didn't have to draft their stars in the mid rounds like the Flames or develop Backlunds and Jankowskis over several years of patience.

McDavid deserves plenty of praise but the Oilers do not. They don't deserve to be where they are which is why if there's any form of karma in the sport, they'll be taken down a peg at some point this year and have to learn the hard lesson of humility like us other NHL fans have had to.

[dino7c]

remember all summer when all these players were untouchables in trades according to most fans lol

Flames need to bolster the right side, even more than just Jagr

If you have to trade a D man and or Center do it...Janko can play a 3rd line center role

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by New Era

I'm not sure that would work. Backlund can't skate with him. I think you have to tear a page out of the Gretzky playbook and match him up with a defenseman whose job it is to lay a hit or a stick on him every time he comes up the ice. Go full Neil Sheehy on him. I would say use Brodie, because he has the skating ability to keep up with him, but Brodie is Mr. Pylon right now. Maybe go with a double team, and have the center (regardless of which line) hold him up through the zone and force him to the boards, then have Hamonic/Stone lay the body on him at the blueline. McDavid tends to disappear when the physicality picks up.

Hamilton would be best D to match up. He can skate, has the reach, and is the biggest.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hamilton would be best D to match up. He can skate, has the reach, and is the biggest.

Agreed. I like it.

Giordano - Brodie
Hamilton - Hamonic
Stone - Andersson

Right hand / Left hand be damned!

[Robo]

Originally Posted by New Era

I'm not sure that would work. Backlund can't skate with him. I think you have to tear a page out of the Gretzky playbook and match him up with a defenseman whose job it is to lay a hit or a stick on him every time he comes up the ice. Go full Neil Sheehy on him. I would say use Brodie, because he has the skating ability to keep up with him, but Brodie is Mr. Pylon right now. Maybe go with a double team, and have the center (regardless of which line) hold him up through the zone and force him to the boards, then have Hamonic/Stone lay the body on him at the blueline. McDavid tends to disappear when the physicality picks up.

If Brodie has the skating to keep up with mcdavid he sure didn't show it last night he got beat to a puck by Kassian

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

No kidding. Be hard on him. Give him little shoves and whacks at every opportunity. If you get him mad he is off his game. Someone needs to be more of a #### disturber out there.

Well this goes straight back to Monahan and Gaudreau. The leaders of the team, who under no circumstances are ever showing any push-back in their game. If it's not working, they go into a shell and don't come out of it.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Robo

If Brodie has the skating to keep up with mcdavid he sure didn't show it last night he got beat to a puck by Kassian

He kept up with him when he was tasked with defending Connor that in that 2-1 shootout game last season. We've seen it first hand. He's not this slow, which begs the question why was he yesterday.

Brodie is capable, he's just not exerting, or is not up to game shape. Reasons that are both a bit alarming.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

I guess this post was directed at me. I know that wasn't the game plan thus the question mark. Hartley's system employed a stretch pass as well which at times was pretty effective.

I don't think the Flames are low skill. They looked unprepared and out-coached to me.

A major cause for complaint about Hartley's "system" was that the stretch pass got old fast.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

He kept up with him when he was tasked with defending Connor that in that 2-1 shootout game last season. We've seen it first hand. He's not this slow, which begs the question why was he yesterday.

Brodie is capable, he's just not exerting, or is not up to game shape. Reasons that are both a bit alarming.

Yeah I agree I'm not trying to single out any player after one game especially when almost the entire team besides a couple players looked awful but brodies games was not any where near the level he can play

[dustygoon]

Their best player was unreal and our best players were meh. Glad our new keeper was solid. I didn't mind the 4th line.

Brouwer has his 3rd line RW replacement doing a presser before they step on the ice, and he plays like that? are you kidding me? Lucic bumping JG after the whistle, and Brouwer doesn't even muster a snarl? 1st goal started with Brouwer unable to clear the puck. How do you not mix that 3rd line up mid game.

I would have thought Brodie could hold his own a little bit vs McDavid, but sheesh. He got burned.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

How do you not mix that 3rd line up mid game.

Because Gulutzan does not mix lines and/or manage games.

[djsFlames]

Jagr will improve that entire 3rd line, not merely through his own play but through example and wisdom. Bennett will find the puck on his stick in the o-zone a few more times each game, which may provide the spark he need to break through, which he is close to doing. Versteeg is already playing quite well which helps.

I'm happy with the Flames depth, even last night was okay, but we need contributions from line 1 every night. Depth is only relied on to produce every odd game. It's the top lines job to be regular contributors. They are there because they have the skill set to put the puck in when the depth can't. The team won't take off until they put it together up there, simple as that.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Jagr will improve that entire 3rd line, not merely through his own play but through example and wisdom. Bennett will find the puck on his stick in the o-zone a few more times each game, which may provide the spark he need to break through, which he is close to doing. Versteeg is already playing quite well which helps.

I'm happy with the Flames depth, even last night was okay, but we need contributions from line 1 every night. Depth is only relied on to produce every odd game. It's the top lines job to be regular contributors. They are there because they have the skill set to put the puck in when the depth can't. The team won't take off until they put it together up there, simple as that.

Line 1 has Ferland on it though...and with all due respect he has no business being on a top line in the NHL. Career high 25 points. JG is a play maker and NEEDS a high end winger on the other side.

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

I guess this post was directed at me. I know that wasn't the game plan thus the question mark. Hartley's system employed a stretch pass as well which at times was pretty effective.

I don't think the Flames are low skill. They looked unprepared and out-coached to me.

Getting really tired of all the Hartley talk. He’s gone and for good reason. Tre brought in Gulutzan and if Gulutzan’s system calls for players with more speed than its Tre’s job to get him those players. I’m a huge fan of Tre and believe he’s the best GM we’ve had since Sutter lost his marbles. I do think that he needs to look at dealing some of our vets to address the scoring problems. Love Backlund but I feel he could be far too expensive as a 3rd kind centre (as long as Bennett continues to progress). Brodie is becoming expendable in my opinion with the emergence of Anderson. Brouwer....I’d literally take future considerations just to be rid of him.

I feel that some tough decisions are going to have to be made relatively soon, but we’ve finally got some young players to fill any vacancies from trades. It’s a good position to be in.

[Flash Walken]

Another season where it looks like we are in for frustrating games because the team can't score.

I hope jagr can add something but even if he is a 40 point guy the flames still need more than that.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hamilton would be best D to match up. He can skate, has the reach, and is the biggest.

No. Hamilton is not a strong player without the puck. He takes loads of lazy penalties when he loses his man.

Hamonic can skate and is a very strong defensively. I'd match him up with McDavid.