[GDT] Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames 7:00pm TV: SN360, NBCSCH - RADIO SN960

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Hawks aren't gonna screw up their chances at Bedard, I expect a full tank mode tonight. Flames with an easy W.

Best thing about games against teams as bad as the Ducks and the Hawks at this time of year is that they share an interest in the same result as the Flames. Hopefully neither team screws it up.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Hawks aren't gonna screw up their chances at Bedard, I expect a full tank mode tonight. Flames with an easy W.

Careful, despite things playing out in the 3rd of the Ducks game exactly how I called it I took a pile of #### for suggesting such a thing. You are right though, the Hawks will try and compete for a few periods but the players are not stupid, they know that there is nothing to be gained by winning and much more to gain by losing. They learned growing up that sometimes you have to lose to win in the long run. The only ones that are never on board with that are the coach, because he probably won't be there when the corner is turned, and the goalie, because goalies are just hardwired to stop everything they can. The Ducks absolutely quit going into the 3rd, they didn't check, they backed off every rush, when they got the puck they just turned it over to the Flames. They played totally different then they did the first two periods, they made sure they lost that game because losing right now leads to winning down the road.

[Enoch Root]

Lol

[Mr.Coffee]

I am a little bit nervous for tonight. I am sure the team can’t help but look past this game even though it’s worth the same two points as tomorrow.

The team has a (large) habit of playing down to opponents and generally looking wildly unprepared for lower ranking teams.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

They played totally different then they did the first two periods, they made sure they lost that game because losing right now leads to winning down the road.

Or fatigue from playing the night before just caught up to them. They aren't fighting for a playoff spot so it's not as easy to dig down and fight to win as it would be if they were.

That doesn't mean they were deliberately trying to lose.

[FlamesAddiction]

Even if they aren't losing sleep over losing at this point, every player cares about personal stats, even more so once nothing else matters. Every single player on the Hawks will be trying their individual best at the very least. There are at least 10 players in their line-up playing for contracts, and a few playing to hit benchmarks.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Careful, despite things playing out in the 3rd of the Ducks game exactly how I called it I took a pile of #### for suggesting such a thing. You are right though, the Hawks will try and compete for a few periods but the players are not stupid, they know that there is nothing to be gained by winning and much more to gain by losing. They learned growing up that sometimes you have to lose to win in the long run. The only ones that are never on board with that are the coach, because he probably won't be there when the corner is turned, and the goalie, because goalies are just hardwired to stop everything they can. The Ducks absolutely quit going into the 3rd, they didn't check, they backed off every rush, when they got the puck they just turned it over to the Flames. They played totally different then they did the first two periods, they made sure they lost that game because losing right now leads to winning down the road.

They backed off because that's how bad teams protect a lead. And they pulled their goalie - an odd choice when trying to lose. And oddly, all of their shots and attempted shots in the third came after Lucic scored. Seemed like they were trtying to regain the lead by doing that.

[Vinny01]

The last game against the Hawks might have been the worst game of the year they had big wins over the Lightning then beat Johnny at home barely the previous game and lay an absolute egg and lose 5-1 to the Hawks. Surprisingly enough they go into Seattle the next night and win 5-2.

While I would love the same result on the second half of the back to back this time around the first game needs to go in the Flames favor. Kane and Domi are gone the Hawks are in the full tank and the Flames are on their best run of the year. Gotta win tonight.

It is so tough as a fan not looking ahead to tomorrow and I hope the players are able to do a better job.

[Bingo]

Yeah players play to win.

They have finite careers and are trying to earn their spot for next year, earn a higher spot, or audition for other teams.

They have zero gain in the Hawks winning the lottery unless they're there, but even then they may lose their job to the kid.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I am a little bit nervous for tonight. I am sure the team can’t help but look past this game even though it’s worth the same two points as tomorrow.

The team has a (large) habit of playing down to opponents and generally looking wildly unprepared for lower ranking teams.

Yeah. They've won 4 in a row. And now they have a back to back on their plate.

You can't win every game. And I won't be surprised if they lose one of them. But I can't decide which would be worse - blowing another game to a tanker, or losing the most important game of the season. Either way, it'll be a bitter pill if it happens.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Or fatigue from playing the night before just caught up to them. They aren't fighting for a playoff spot so it's not as easy to dig down and fight to win as it would be if they were.

That doesn't mean they were deliberately trying to lose.

Or maybe the Flames were just better.

Either of these things is a little more plausible than: 'we played good for 2 periods, but then decided not to anymore, because we are trying to lose so that the team will get a better draft pick and I might lose my job'.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah players play to win.

They have finite careers and are trying to earn their spot for next year, earn a higher spot, or audition for other teams.

They have zero gain in the Hawks winning the lottery unless they're there, but even then they may lose their job to the kid.

That's the thing - in all likelihood, not a single one of these players will still be on the Hawks team when they are finally good again. So why on earth would they undermine their own careers in order to improve the Hawks' draft pick?

[Robbob]

Players don't care about the lottery, about picks, or the draft.

[JohnnyB]

Players don't care, but managers care, and that determines the level of dross filing up their roster. No more Kane on this Hawks team. Hopefully the Flames play up to their aspirations and not down to their opponents.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

That's the thing - in all likelihood, not a single one of these players will still be on the Hawks team when they are finally good again. So why on earth would they undermine their own careers in order to improve the Hawks' draft pick?

Zegras, Nesterenko and Mason Mactavish will be. Funny - looked to me like Zegras was playing pretty hard.

Troy Terry - now he's 25, an RFA with arb rights, dropped a few off of a big breakthough last year. He could easily be cut loose. Congrats on tanking, Troy.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Or maybe the Flames were just better.

There's that. Playing the night before probably didn't help though.

There's one thing they didn't do though. Say in the dressing room "Oh ####, we might miss on Bedard! We better let the Flames come back!".

[Enoch Root]

Imagine the conversation in the room...

"Hey guys, if we hold on here, we'll only have a 13.5% chance at Bedard. But if we tank it up in the 3rd, and let them win, we'll have a 15.5% chance!"

That guy is getting hazed.

Also, most of them had other people doing their homework in high school - half the room wouldn't even know what 13.5% means

[GioforPM]

Ran a draft lottery sim. Chicago (currently last) won 1 of 10.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Players do play to win, but at this point in the season just playing out the last few games, they're prioritizing not getting hurt over winning. There's no excuse to not beat a team like that.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Careful, despite things playing out in the 3rd of the Ducks game exactly how I called it I took a pile of #### for suggesting such a thing. .

You're an f'n hero man.