[PGT] Calgary Flames 2 Washington Capitals 3 (OTL - Shootout)

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

My concern is Markstrom actually rebounds but they just can't convert on enough chances each night for it make a difference and wind up in more or less the same spot, drafting in the worst spot you can without seeing the post-season.

Last 2 games have been a microcosm of precisely that.

[Poe969]

The Flames aren't as bad as some are making them seem to be. They're also not as good as some others are making them out to be. It's almost as if this is a very "ok" team that won't be a contender but not bad enough to think about getting a top draft pick. I feel like I've seen this before... On a completely unrelated topic, what prospect is slated to be drafted 15th next year?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Poe969

The Flames aren't as bad as some are making them seem to be. They're also not as good as some others are making them out to be. It's almost as if this is a very "ok" team that won't be a contender but not bad enough to think about getting a top draft pick. I feel like I've seen this before... On a completely unrelated topic, what prospect is slated to be drafted 15th next year?

Hopefully Iginla.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I really wouldn't mind seeing this team make a couple really high draft picks. Would make it a lot more exciting to be a fan.

I'm kind of thinking this team is in the same spot that the Stars were in before they fell apart with Benn and Seguin and had to trade off a bunch of pieces.

Huberdeau and Kadri are excellent veteran transition pieces if this team cannot get it together offensively. Trading off pieces would help if that's how the season turns out. Plus I hear there's this Iginla kid in the draft.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

My concern is Markstrom actually rebounds but they just can't convert on enough chances each night for it make a difference and wind up in more or less the same spot, drafting in the worst spot you can without seeing the post-season.

Last 2 games have been a microcosm of precisely that.

If that happens maybe they can trade him.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

If that happens maybe they can trade him.

The ideal /dream (non being a good team) scenario is Markstrum plays great , Flames stink , and at the deadline you trade Markstrum and all UFAs

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

The ideal /dream (non being a good team) scenario is Markstrum plays great , Flames stink , and at the deadline you trade Markstrum and all UFAs

Sadly Mr. Edwards may have something to say about that.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I agree with everything you've said here, but whether the issue is with Huberdeau's confidence, the system, whatever - the Flames need to do whatever it takes to get him rolling. Nothing else matters if they can't do that.

Honestly whenever I watch his points from Florida (https://youtu.be/wOKqL8PvFcg?si=GmL_FpDw5O4FsuSh) a couple of things stand out to me:

1) Players attacking the middle of the ice with speed: you don't see this in Calgary at all. Players here tend to sit in the soft areas to the outside, in Florida Huberdeau, Bennett, Duclair, and Barkov all attacked the middle of the ice with speed.

2) Confidence in his shot: see it a lot in that video. Quick decisions to shoot the puck from good areas.

3) Cheating a bit: You see in a lot of clips that he's last forward in the offensive zone or the last forward back in the defensive zone...but that leads to him leading the rush a lot and being able to feed those other guys attacking the middle of the ice with speed. We haven't seen him cheat for offense at all in Calgary.

So I do think it's a mix of system, confidence, and him changing his own game a bit, but in the end I agree they need to figure it out because he needs to be a 90 point producer for this team.

[Calgary4LIfe]

The good:

• Flames looked dominant. Yes, they looked dominant and didn't score much last year, but it is way too small of a sample size for me to jump off that bridge right now. I am waiting for the end of November. They looked like an NHL team playing a junior team tonight for most of the game. Whatever the outcome of the game itself, this is a huge positive.
• Coronato - a much better player than I thought he would be. His shot is elite, his skating is much better now, and he actually looks like a patient vet out there even under pressure. I also liked that little aerial pass up to Coleman, even though Coleman wasn't able to get a handle on it. This kid is really a bright spot for this team.
• Speed. Flames looked like a much faster team. I also think that they handled the puck with speed much better. It really looks like Huska is having practices at a high tempo. This is why the Oilers sucked so bad, but Hartley's Flames were better - they practiced at game speed, and it showed. The Flames looked really polished for long stretches, but were snakebitten. Again, too early to draw parallels to last season.
• Mangiapane has a shoulder again, and is looking great.

The Bad:

• Kadri. I am not going to question shootout selections - and to his credit, he did hit the post. I am not pointing that out. I still see him as a selfish player with tunnel vision. He doesn't look like a game changer out there, but he was brought in and paid like a game changer.
• Huberdeau - yes, he has 3 points, but he has to be an impact player out there regularly. He is simply not. Last year I thought Sutter made an offensive statement regarding Huberdeau (offensive to me, anyway) when he stated that Huberdeau was the best playmaker in the history of this organization (Tanguay, Makarov, Nieuwendyk, Nilsson, and others cough cough). Last season's dramatic regression was attributed to being traded unexpectedly, a big adjustment in Calgary, Sutter's system, Sutter's utilization of Huberdeau, etc. ,etc. Well, Sutter is gone, he has been here a year, the organization has made it a point this past off-season to get Huberdeau going again, and his 10.5 million dollar deal has kicked in. He has to look like an impact player on most shifts. Heck, i would settle for most nights. He simply has to be better, or the Flames are in trouble, now and for the next 8 seasons. He has to find that extra gear and really standout in these games. Gaudreau would take over a game. Tkachuk would take over a game. That's what impact players can do. Huberdeau needs to do that. I am not sure I criticized him once last season for the above reasons.

Neutral:

• Markstrom. He simply looks elite out there, and then not so much suddenly. This is unquestionably an improvement over last season, however, as I don't remember him stealing a game, or making so many high-level saves. He looks better. At this point, I think the bad is just the rust. I am actually quite optimistic about Markstrom this year (and have been since last season ended). He is looking like a much better goalie. Just needs to find that consistency again, which I do believe he will.

As an aside, +1 point for Lindholm re-signing after the first game, -1 point after the second, and now -1 point after tonight. I do believe money is not the entire issue here, and it is more likely that Lindholm is willing to re-sign if the team is winning. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team after all, and I certainly don't blame him. Of course, winning and losing individual games probably has little weight, but in my own mind I can't help but have these swings as I try to figure out if Lindholm is closer or further away from re-signing with each passing game.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

The burden of proof rests with the assumption that this team is more than a 10th place "never really there, but never really out" team that they've been for the better part of an adult lifetime, I should think. "Facts" here tend to skew favourably toward "look at these advanced stats I cherry-picked to show why this time is different for sure!" Edmonton-esque.

Cool, but this is all rhetoric. Make your case and we'll all listen.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

With every passing day the needle moves closer to the worst trade in NHL history.

Gilmour for Leeman will forever be worse

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Honestly, I think he one of those players that is at his best when he doesn't have to the main guy or focus. On Florida, he was like the 3rd or 4th most important player. Less pressure and better match-ups.
.

Maybe it's the contract, maybe it's the lack of chemistry. But yeah he never had to be the main guy in Florida, I'd say maybe #2 or #3 so that could also be it.

I think he's been ok but I can understand the frustration since he can be invisible most of the game. It's not even that for me, he's always been like that. But there are some plays that where he just looks off. Like his passing ability is elite and he is flubbing some of the passes that he would normally never do. And then he obviously forces the passes and refuses to shoot even more when he clamps up.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Flames history?

IMO the Phaneuf trade was as bad is it could possibly get. Nothing against Stajan, I needed up really liking him as a Flame. But at the time, Phaneuf’s value around the league was sky high and we simply gave him away without shopping him, without getting a single prospect or pick back. We traded (at the time) a franchise D-man for 3 spare parts and a decent 3rd line Center

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Maybe it's the contract, maybe it's the lack of chemistry. But yeah he never had to be the main guy in Florida, I'd say maybe #2 or #3 so that could also be it.

I think he's been ok but I can understand the frustration since he can be invisible most of the game. It's not even that for me, he's always been like that. But there are some plays that where he just looks off. Like his passing ability is elite and he is flubbing some of the passes that he would normally never do. And then he obviously forces the passes and refuses to shoot even more when he clamps up.

If I can add....he would do that regularly in a game, but then had the desire to go back and pick up the puck with a steal or body check or whatever. That aspect has been lacking in Calgary, but I do see signs of it returning (hit on Kuznetsov is a good example).

I hope he can return to form this season. He's got so much more in his game that he hasn't shown here.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Could you imagine this place if they were 0-3.

3/6 points with 79 games to go.

I'd like to think people were ready and willing to give this coaching staff more than three games before turning on them, but evidently not.

This could be the Oilers fans reaction after tomorrow game against the Preds.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Gilmour for Leeman will forever be worse

Exactly and that is not even the worst trade ever. The Gretzky trade was miles worse. The Lindros trade for Philly was brutal. Boston's return for Joe Thornton anyone? Then again at one time they got Cam Neely and a 1st for Barry Pederson.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

IMO the Phaneuf trade was as bad is it could possibly get.

The Gilmour trade was far, far worse.

They traded a fifth of their roster – a #1 C, #3 D, #5-6 D, 1B goalie, and a prospect – and got back five spare parts.

I'm not sure a trade that bad is even possible under the salary cap.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

If I can add....he would do that regularly in a game, but then had the desire to go back and pick up the puck with a steal or body check or whatever. That aspect has been lacking in Calgary, but I do see signs of it returning (hit on Kuznetsov is a good example).

I hope he can return to form this season. He's got so much more in his game that he hasn't shown here.

Yeah I'm expecting more from him too. This isn't him.

[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by Spurs

Is 1-1-1 supposed to be a positive?



I think it is also hoping for a lot and would be fairly naive to ignore what we have seen the past few years.



A 1-1-1 start against weak teams after years of mediocrity doesn't give much hope that things have changed.

You're right when you start 3-0 everything turns out right, 3 games tells everything

[Royle9]

I know its game 3 but I thought Savard was going to dial this powerplay in.
It's all perimeter with very little dangerous looking attempts, I had high hopes but outside of Matty's shot its pretty pedestrian once again.

Going 1 for 5 isn't going to cut it, not when Edmonton can only score on the PP.