[PGT] Flames 3 - Dumpster fire 1

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Stanathan

I hear a lot on the forum that Glencross is a "big guy" and it always strikes me as odd; perhaps it's because when he is on his game he hits a lot, but he is only 6'1" 197 lbs.

I've always thought he was over 205, 210.

Either way, he still plays well with the size that he has.

[devo22]

you've got to feel for Sabres fans ... what a train wreck. They now have 46 points ... and they have a good chance to become the worst team in a single season since the lockout. Only three teams have missed the 60 point mark since the lockout:

- the Flyers had 56 points in 2006-07
- the Blues had 57 points in 2005-06
- the Penguins had 58 points in 2005-06

even the Greasers reached more than 60 points in all their terrible seasons. Buffalo has to go at least 7-6-0 to reach 60 ... yeah, right.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I think I heard without looking that over the last 20 games the Flames are 13-6 or something like that

That's like a 104 point pace if that's correct

Fun for the fans, but one has to be wary of the timing.

It's great to see the team turning those one-goal losses into one- (two- five-) goal wins. Next step is to continue doing it next year when the games matter again.

[CaptainCrunch]

Can't I have just a little fun once in a while.

I'm firmly convinced that this team will be a hardworking very young but doomed team next year.

I get its a process, and that things are going well.

And most importantly the players aren't playing with any expectations

But damnit i deserve the right to have a little bit of joy in my life

[OutOfTheCube]

Not sure why Buffalo being bad seems to make a lot of you so angry.

Just to be clear -- Calgary is really bad too. Just less bad. We still have the same result at the end of the season -- a disappointing year where we failed to accomplish anything meaningful. Buffalo just gets a better draft pick out of it.

[theoforever]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Not sure why Buffalo being bad seems to make a lot of you so angry.

Just to be clear -- Calgary is really bad too. Just less bad. We still have the same result at the end of the season -- a disappointing year where we failed to accomplish anything meaningful. Buffalo just gets a better draft pick out of it.

You guys got 0 pride, your goal is to be the worst you can be to get a better pick. The Oil 2.0, lets hope results are similar.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Not sure why Buffalo being bad seems to make a lot of you so angry.

Just to be clear -- Calgary is really bad too. Just less bad. We still have the same result at the end of the season -- a disappointing year where we failed to accomplish anything meaningful. Buffalo just gets a better draft pick out of it.

I have not been disappointed with the Flames at all this year. After going full-on rebuild this season where we saw our best forward, our best defenseman and best goalie leave, this team has shown a lot of fight and has been competitive in most games.

We are actually looking to improve slightly over last season (prorated 71 points/82 games last season vs. 75 points/82 games so far this season).

I am extremely proud of the direction the players have taken and take pride in not bottoming out completely despite having every excuse to. Seriously, no one in the hockey world expected this team to tread water this season, let alone possibly even improving from last season.

Buffalo is a mess on the other hand.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Not sure why Buffalo being bad seems to make a lot of you so angry.

Just to be clear -- Calgary is really bad too. Just less bad. We still have the same result at the end of the season -- a disappointing year where we failed to accomplish anything meaningful. Buffalo just gets a better draft pick out of it.

Yes, both teams will miss the playoffs, so the same from that perspective.

But Buffalo is in a MUCH deeper hole. You can sugar-coat it all you want, but the Sabres are a long, long way from becoming competitive.

[OutOfTheCube]

The young guns era Flames played hard every night and were never a complete disaster, where did it get them? Buffalo to this point has never been a total disaster, they've never won anything. Teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago had some disastrous seasons and are now recent champions and perennial contenders due to all the good draft picks they received.

Everyone likes to point to Edmonton as some sort of indication that getting a first/top three overall draft pick is a bad thing. Edmonton is the anomaly -- it is almost always extremely beneficial to get one of those top guys. And you have to be real bad to do it.

[Enoch Root]

The young guns era is completely irrelevant - it is now a cap league and the Flames are healthy as an organization.

The tank debate has been beaten to death in every thread, but the stats are clearly against you.

The correlation between number of lottery picks and cups/cup-competitiveness is somewhere between non-existent and negative (what seems to be far more important, and positively correlated is strong management and good drafting - especially after the first round).

Another recent post showed that about 2 out of every 10 1st overall picks win a cup with their team - hardly making it inevitable.

[Gary83]

buffalo.

-72, wow.

AHL teams would be doing better. I would be pretty ashamed to try and defend anything Buffalo Sabres right now, so kudos to you.

[codynw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39SMwa9hzpY

Can someone do me a favour and make a gif from this video (from about 0:22 - 0:29)?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

The young guns era Flames played hard every night and were never a complete disaster, where did it get them? Buffalo to this point has never been a total disaster, they've never won anything. Teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago had some disastrous seasons and are now recent champions and perennial contenders due to all the good draft picks they received.

Everyone likes to point to Edmonton as some sort of indication that getting a first/top three overall draft pick is a bad thing. Edmonton is the anomaly -- it is almost always extremely beneficial to get one of those top guys. And you have to be real bad to do it.

Actually, Chicago and Pittsburgh are the anomalies. There are many teams that were bad for a long time, accumulated high draft picks and then continued to be bad, poorly-run teams.

Look at how many top picks the Islanders, Panthers, Thrashers, and Blue Jackets have had over the years. Now, look at this year's standings, and the Islanders and Panthers are in line for top 5 picks again. The Jets are looking like they'll have another top 10 pick. The Jackets are finally fighting for a playoff spot, but that took a complete overhaul of the organization a couple of years ago.

[Red Ice Player]

Originally Posted by codynw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39SMwa9hzpY

Can someone do me a favour and make a gif from this video (from about 0:22 - 0:29)?

Damn. I just can't stop watching that clip. Such a joyful rush. Byron is Calgary's best stealth weapon. Nobody in the league really knows about him.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, both teams will miss the playoffs, so the same from that perspective.

But Buffalo is in a MUCH deeper hole. You can sugar-coat it all you want, but the Sabres are a long, long way from becoming competitive.

They are going to have a pair of top five picks this year (The Isles wont defer to 2015), so that will help a lot. The question is whether Buffalo can convince some veteran talent to come lead the kids and shelter them while they develop, or if they will do the Oilers' style of throwing them to the wolves and hoping the bloody carcass can make the playoffs.

[btimbit]

One thing I forgot to mention last night, not sure if it showed much on TV, but Monahan is playing really physical now! I even saw him go for a hipcheck. Always into the scrums, always battling for the puck, looks like a grizzled vet out there

[Coach]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

The young guns era Flames played hard every night and were never a complete disaster, where did it get them? Buffalo to this point has never been a total disaster, they've never won anything. Teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago had some disastrous seasons and are now recent champions and perennial contenders due to all the good draft picks they received.

Everyone likes to point to Edmonton as some sort of indication that getting a first/top three overall draft pick is a bad thing. Edmonton is the anomaly -- it is almost always extremely beneficial to get one of those top guys. And you have to be real bad to do it.

Pitt and Chicago were bad because they were bad. The reason we harp on Edmonton and Buffalo is that it is now THE PLAN to be bad, for hopes that the players you get may one day make you good. This strategy is ######ed.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Pitt and Chicago were bad because they were bad. The reason we harp on Edmonton and Buffalo is that it is now THE PLAN to be bad, for hopes that the players you get may one day make you good. This strategy is ######ed.

Exactly. In baseball, a manager usually pulls a pitcher after he has his player throw an intentional walk. When the pitcher doesn't get replaced, he usually finds that it can be difficult to find the strike zone after deliberately throwing balls.

When your management is satisfied with making moves that aim to deliberately lose, it isn't easy to turn it around and suddenly make winning moves. Edmonton has learned this the hard way. That franchise simply will not be scary until Lowe and all the other boys on the bus are turfed. It is still early in the game, but Buffalo seems to be trending the same direction.

[FakenHaken]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Exactly. In baseball, a manager usually pulls a pitcher after he has his player throw an intentional walk. When the pitcher doesn't get replaced, he usually finds that it can be difficult to find the strike zone after deliberately throwing balls.

When your management is satisfied with making moves that aim to deliberately lose, it isn't easy to turn it around and suddenly make winning moves. Edmonton has learned this the hard way. That franchise simply will not be scary until Lowe and all the other boys on the bus are turfed. It is still early in the game, but Buffalo seems to be trending the same direction.

I agree and for this exact same reason. It is never a good idea or should never be acceptable or asked of the coaches or players to tank. It becomes as you've explained almost a disease that is acceptable and almost non reversible unless the cancer is cut free.

[nik-]

Again, if you think this year is bad for the Sabres, just wait until next year. They're building a team to be on pace for one of the worst since the Spanish Flu.