Too early to panic about Markstrom

[Erick Estrada]

This season may be a write-off for him but he will be good again next season. You can take it to the bank.

[Toonage]

I hope that whatever the problem is with Markstrom, that they don't let him "figure it out" any more during the season. They can't afford it any more. If they want to save this season I mean. He's shown no signs of steering out of this and status quo will end their season by Christmas. Give Vladar a few more starts. Honestly can't be any worse. Let Markstrom practice, get his head right, play fewer games.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

This season may be a write-off for him but he will be good again next season. You can take it to the bank.

That is probably true. He is not elite like a Vasilevsky and he is not even consistently good like a Cam Talbot. But sometimes he is good and sometimes he is awful. One pretty good season and one awful season so far and this season looks like it will be awful. Next season probably good again with a save percentage above .912.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I think Markstrom is cooked as well. He's had a 1 great season in a career full of average to blow average goaltending.

6'5 goalie looks as small as Dustin Wolf in net.

He's turned into Mike Smith without the puck handling skills and throwing teammates under the bus.

Another one of Sutters strange coaching decisions playing this guy so much.

[madmike]

Just start playing Vladar more. If he stinks too, call up Wolf.

Obviously they can’t bench Markstrom, but they can start cutting his playing time. The sooner they do, the better.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I think Markstrom is cooked as well. He's had a 1 great season in a career full of average to blow average goaltending.

6'5 goalie looks as small as Dustin Wolf in net.

He's turned into Mike Smith without the puck handling skills and throwing teammates under the bus.

Another one of Sutters strange coaching decisions playing this guy so much.

Right. After 13 starts, which in at least half he has been more than decent, we might as well call him cooked (whatever that means?). All the seasons propping up the Canucks with .915 save percentages amount to 1 good season as well?

I get the frustration, but Markstrom had nothing to do with the loss last night. The Flames failed to do nearly enough offensively again and it wouldn't have mattered if the bolts had scored 5.

If you want to be mad at someone, maybe start looking at skaters that aren't pulling their weight to give the team some cushion to work with defensively. In this league it's a lot easier to defend and play goal when you've got a lead.

This team is going to be in tough and its going to be a slog all year. I think it was clear after all the changes - if they can slowly build and peak with more consistent scoring later in the year, they will be a tough out in the post season with the roster they now have. Don't expect them to be 15 games over .500 though, its probably not in the cards.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

That is probably true. He is not elite like a Vasilevsky and he is not even consistently good like a Cam Talbot. But sometimes he is good and sometimes he is awful. One pretty good season and one awful season so far and this season looks like it will be awful. Next season probably good again with a save percentage above .912.

He was fairly consistent in Vancouver but he has definitely been up and down as a Flame. First season .904%, second season .922%, and this season he's down to .887%. That's probably not what Treliving had envisioned when he signed him. If he could get back to his career norm of .911% that would be totally fine but he's fallen off like Mike Smith did for the team and this season I don't think they have the offense to bail out subpar goaltending.

[Toonage]

One thing I thought about, was how Markstrom looked this bad when he came back from his concussion in his first year here.

I don't think he's hurt, but it makes me wonder.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by zamler

When is PepsiFree not upset?

I thought you threw a giant adult temper tantrum and quit the forum? Welcome back.

[Kidder]

Often with goalies, they do better with a higher shot volume. I feel there’s even an old quote from Markstrom supporting this. Lets them feel the puck early and often and settle in. Plus it obviously helps with save percentage, when faced with higher quantity, lower quality.

It’s what the Flames deliver to opposing goalies. No wonder we’ve seen our fair share of opponent goalies playing lights out against us. Even rookies.

Meanwhile Markstrom gets lower quantity but high quality. Which for a goalie with shot confidence, makes things difficult.

He’s not in the same head space as last year that’s for sure. Didn’t he have like a bunch of his shutouts in the first quarter of the season?

Maybe he’ll feel more comfortable in his black gear. A lot of blasty and retro games forthcoming. Something to turn the tide in his mental game.

[Toonage]

The last time the Flames brought back Blasty the season was going about as well as this one. Could it be cursed?

[Monahammer]

You can tell the flames are playing poorly when the regulars start to petty beef each other among the main board threads.

Markstrom has been difficult to watch this season. I hope they give him a break and let Vladar ride for a while. If that is not yielding any results, maybe try wolf? But IMO, at that point we're toast for this season and we should start looking towards the next 2 and how to not be here again.

[Kidder]

Yup looked it up. On this exact date last year, Markstrom had earned his 5th shutout already.

Funny enough we basically only won with his shutouts. His record was 6-3-4, the other win being a 5-1 W against Rangers.

So through 13 games he again sits at just 6 wins. Save percentage and GAA way worse this year, but makes sense with the lack of shutouts.

So give him some more time. Hopefully he can start finding his winning groove as the season progresses like last year.

[Yikes]

Whatever they are doing to correct his glove hand issues seems to be throwing off other parts of his game? Like another poster mentioned, 10 feet and in he does well, outside of that his tracking is off? I mentioned last year that I did not like him and thought he was just a decent goalie that went on a tear and of course people came for my balls....Oilers picked him apart low glove. Vladar is my starter, bring up Wolf and play him FFS, run with it.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Kidder

Often with goalies, they do better with a higher shot volume. I feel there’s even an old quote from Markstrom supporting this. Lets them feel the puck early and often and settle in. Plus it obviously helps with save percentage, when faced with higher quantity, lower quality.

It’s what the Flames deliver to opposing goalies. No wonder we’ve seen our fair share of opponent goalies playing lights out against us. Even rookies.

Meanwhile Markstrom gets lower quantity but high quality. Which for a goalie with shot confidence, makes things difficult.

He’s not in the same head space as last year that’s for sure. Didn’t he have like a bunch of his shutouts in the first quarter of the season?

Maybe he’ll feel more comfortable in his black gear. A lot of blasty and retro games forthcoming. Something to turn the tide in his mental game.

I would rather limit the other teams attempts on our net, and it doesn't help that he was letting in the first shot in almost every game. If we are giving up 30 plus shots a game with a goalie with a .890 save % we are in trouble

[Strange Brew]

We need to get back to some trie dna true complaints. Can we not blame the goalie coach?

[Fan in Exile]

He had a very good season last year but played more games season and playoffs combined than he ever had before. Once he'd surpassed his previous high he came unglued against Edmonton. You may recall the exact same thing happened to Talbot in Edmonton. We have another goalie who can give us quality starts and is likely to play better if he plays more regularly. Most coaches have figured this out but Sutter is really stubborn this way. Quick was also a fantastic goalie who started to break flown because Sutter rode hm too hard.

[Toonage]

Sutter is the guy who suggested a goalie getting over covid had actually had sufficient rest during that time and would be ready for the playoff stretch. To give you an idea what he expects from his goaltender.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Whatever they are doing to correct his glove hand issues seems to be throwing off other parts of his game? Like another poster mentioned, 10 feet and in he does well, outside of that his tracking is off? I mentioned last year that I did not like him and thought he was just a decent goalie that went on a tear and of course people came for my balls....Oilers picked him apart low glove. Vladar is my starter, bring up Wolf and play him FFS, run with it.

I think he needs glasses. Most of the goals are glove hand. I think he just can’t see well enough and this reactions are a bit off.

[Manhattanboy]

Just go with Vladar. Marskstrom has shown he hasn't got it these days. Maybe it will take 2 weeks or a month or more. This is not complicated. He is a liability right now and its costing us games.