[PGT] Ducks 8 Flames 3

[nik-]

holy #### are Oiler fans ever desperate for validation

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

The first goal was Perry alone in front with no one around by 10 feet. That's inexcusable. Defense was atrocious

The goaltenders have been such obvious scapegoats that many fans have overlooked just how poor this team's defensive coverage. Even under Keenan we never saw so many opposing players pitching tents in front of the Flames net. No team will ever be a cup contender playing like this and it's the one area where the Leafs have a huge leg up on the Flames as their young players are being taught the right way early. The next head coach of the Flames will likely have to burn half a season or more teaching them to play proper defensive zone hockey and it's going to be ugly like when Brent Sutter came in after Keenan.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

There is a ton of promise about this Flames team. Much more promise than the late Iginla era teams. I find this season not at all hard to watch. Goaltending and bad luck will hand us a great draft pick and we've got one of the best young cores in the league. The future has never been brighter! Much, much more excited to watch this team than the lame attempts to compete with an old Iginla.

Really enjoy these posts, this pretty much sums it up. There is a lot to look forward to and it is exciting as a fan to be part of the process. It's a good reminder that sometimes we can't dwell too much on the small stuff but look at the bigger picture. I would hate to think where we would be in our rebuild right now if it were not for Johnny Gaudreau.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by D as in David

I'm still hoping Ferland will turn into something more than we've seen this year but the way he went so far past the net on that 2 on 0 with Bennett frustrated me. He's got the size to stop in front of the net and hold off the defender. Instead, he chose to do a flyby which allowed the defender to get between him and the puck.

He doesn't have top 6 forward skills. It's not even questionable at this point. Still I consider him a good 3rd line winger which is a success considering where he was drafted and the personal obstacles he's had to overcome.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The goaltenders have been such obvious scapegoats that many fans have overlooked just how poor this team's defensive coverage. Even under Keenan we never saw so many opposing players pitching tents in front of the Flames net. No team will ever be a cup contender playing like this and it's the one area where the Leafs have a huge leg up on the Flames as their young players are being taught the right way early. The next head coach of the Flames will likely have to burn half a season or more teaching them to play proper defensive zone hockey and it's going to be ugly like when Brent Sutter came in after Keenan.

They were good defensively last year. They could lock it down when they needed to.

Honestly don't know where the structure has gone this year, which is more concerning than anything. Hard work etc was important in 2014-15, but especially in the 2nd half, the Flames were a very disciplined team that played within their system.

I don't see any evidence of a system this year, it's some Second City improv every shift.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by nik-

child please

I guess if winning games right this second is your biggest source of satisfaction as a fan then this season would be irritating. But I'm a very long view type of fan. A season where we are rebuilding, developing some of the best young talent in the league and still working hard isn't hard to take at all. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's very, very bright. The Flames are more than well on their way to building a perennial contender. We have the most valuable young assets we've ever had in the last 20 years and a sharp young GM who is making great move after great move. I'm ecstatic about the future of the Flames, couldn't be more excited I don't think.

A season where we have surrounded a couple aging stars with a misbuilt team and our management is in complete denial of the need to tear down and rebuild? That's the type of season I hate and don't want to watch. There's no hope in that situation, no light at the end of the tunnel, no reason for future optimism.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

They were good defensively last year. They could lock it down when they needed to.

Honestly don't know where the structure has gone this year, which is more concerning than anything. Hard work etc was important in 2014-15, but especially in the 2nd half, the Flames were a very disciplined team that played within their system.

I don't see any evidence of a system this year, it's some Second City improv every shift.

What makes you think they were good defensively last year? Outshot heavily and out chanced every night?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

What makes you think they were good defensively last year? Outshot heavily and out chanced every night?

Their results.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

They were good defensively last year. They could lock it down when they needed to.

Honestly don't know where the structure has gone this year, which is more concerning than anything. Hard work etc was important in 2014-15, but especially in the 2nd half, the Flames were a very disciplined team that played within their system.

I don't see any evidence of a system this year, it's some Second City improv every shift.

They trailed most games going into the 3rd period and relied on bounces going their way with some of the worst advanced stats in the NHL so I don't know how you can come to that conclusion. It's no secret that offensive players flourish under Bob Hartley at the expense of offense as you can see with all the career or near career seasons guys like Hossa, Heatley, Kovalchuk, Kozlov, Savard had with the Thrashers under him. The problem is that his teams are always amongst the worst defensive teams in the league as under the Thrashers only one season they got out of the bottom 10 for GAA average and one year they were 30th and the next 29th. I like offensive hockey but we really do have to consider the ultimate direction of the team as defense wins championships and that's not going to happen under Bob.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Their results.

You mean where they were well below the halfway point in goals against 5 on 5? Or where they were top 5 in shots against from the slot?

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

The first goal was Perry alone in front with no one around by 10 feet. That's inexcusable. Defense was atrocious

Sure, but there was no need for Hiller to hit the deck and roll on the ice like an idiot when Corey Perry hadn't even turned around yet.

When you lose 8-3 there is lots of blame to go around. For example I blame the coach for putting that washed out goalie between the pipes.

[stang]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

You're not being serious are you?

A plethora of pucks are used throughout the game. The "game puck" is the one that was being used when the game ended. Heck, it could have just been used for the final play if the previous puck went over the boards.

Just found it funny, was making a joke, not serious. At least they never got tossed out.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by stang

Just found it funny, was making a joke, not serious. At least they never got tossed out.

Kesler tried to toss Shinkaruk's first over the glass.

[t0rrent98]

What's happened to the Classiness of the NHL. When did players start tossing pucks into the stands or in the garbage after another team scores on them? I'm pretty sure it was never like this a couple years ago.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I guess if winning games right this second is your biggest source of satisfaction as a fan then this season would be irritating. But I'm a very long view type of fan. A season where we are rebuilding, developing some of the best young talent in the league and still working hard isn't hard to take at all. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's very, very bright. The Flames are more than well on their way to building a perennial contender. We have the most valuable young assets we've ever had in the last 20 years and a sharp young GM who is making great move after great move. I'm ecstatic about the future of the Flames, couldn't be more excited I don't think.

A season where we have surrounded a couple aging stars with a misbuilt team and our management is in complete denial of the need to tear down and rebuild? That's the type of season I hate and don't want to watch. There's no hope in that situation, no light at the end of the tunnel, no reason for future optimism.

Regardless of the timeline, they've played a lot of horrible hockey. I don't believe that you've not at all found this season hard to watch, long term fan or not.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Man are people going to lose their #### when Ortio only starts 2-3 of the remaining 5 games.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Sure, but there was no need for Hiller to hit the deck and roll on the ice like an idiot when Corey Perry hadn't even turned around yet.

When you lose 8-3 there is lots of blame to go around. For example I blame the coach for putting that washed out goalie between the pipes.

Don't disagree, but the problem on the Flames is much bigger than goaltending. Way too many ten bell chances every night.

Did you know that not a single active coach with more than one season has as bad of a record as Hartley?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by nik-

Regardless of the timeline, they've played a lot of horrible hockey. I don't believe that you've not at all found this season hard to watch, long term fan or not.

I haven't found it hard to watch little Johnny blossom into one of the most dangerous forwards in the league.
I haven't found it hard to watch TJ Brodie blossom into one of the best two-way skating defensemen in the game.
I haven't found it hard to watch Gio's bounce back season from injury
I haven't found it hard to watch Bennett's progression
I haven't found it hard to watch Hamilton grow in confidence
I haven't found it hard to watch young players from the farm come up and step in and not look out of place.
I haven't found it hard to watch Nakladal, Wotherspoon and Kulak look like they can force some vets out
I haven't found it hard to watch Ferland, Bouma and Hathaway crushing guys
I could go on an on

Losing isn't fun but as you know I'm a draft watcher so I definitely see the silver lining, especially in a year where the top 12 is very strong.

Hardest thing to watch has been our goaltending and puck luck. But it's more comical then irritating to me.

In life you decide what you want to invest in. For some people they only enjoy a game if we win. I'm not like that so don't project that on me. When we're losing I'm still watching the progression of the young players, I'm still enjoying it when they play hard. I enjoy all the bright spots and IMO there's been more bright spots overall then reasons to be pessimistic. So yeah, this season has not been that hard for me to watch. You think they've played horrible for most of the year I guess? IMO we've played pretty good for most of the year. A ton, a ton of games that we lost that we could've won with better goaltending or luck.

If all I enjoyed was wins I think I would've stopped being a Flames fan a long time ago, too depressing. What I enjoy is when the team is heading in the right direction and even though we took a step backwards in the standings, I feel we are closer to being a perennial contender now then we were at the end of last year.

[nik-]

I've invested in a long term view of the Flames. There have been positives, I can also admit that there has been disappointments. I think a statement of "not at all hard to watch" is hyperbolic and as a result I question it. I can see that statement is already evolving into something more reasonable.

[MrMastodonFarm]

The only time it was truly hard to watch was the beginning of the season IMO.