[PGT] Flames stomp the Wild 5-1 - Page 9 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

ComixZone · 02-02-2017, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

You're right insomuch as we can't actually know, but I see no reason not to try it. We can all agree he is having a bad year.

Why?

What's changed. New coach/system. Change of side played. Change of partner. Perceived personal issues.

Could be any of the above issues or maybe others too. Let him him back on his preferred side and cross that one off the list.

The problem is that Wideman and Engelland are our 4th and 5th best d-men. Both shoot right, and neither can play LD (or at least neither have a history proving they can). That means the only way to get Brodie on the right side would be to play him with Kulak, Jokipakka, or Wotherspoon - none of which have proven be a consistent #6, let alone the ability to play in the top 4.

I think Brodie playing on the left side has more to do with team circumstances than with Gulutzan being dead-set on wanting Brodie there. If he could, I imagine he'd have put Brodie back on the right side to help alleviate some of his struggles this year.

That said, I thought Brodie was absolutely fantastic last night.

transplant99 · 02-02-2017, 04:15 PM

IMO, the weirdest thing about Wideman is that he actually plays his best hockey when he is playing big minutes....but on this club that means more than one or two of Gio, Brodie, and Dougie when they are all healthy. That's simply not an option whatsoever, so where he is being slotted in the lineup is like the proverbial square peg/round hole thing.

I believe he will get dealt only IF Treliving has something else lined up to replace him. He simply isnt going to give top 4 minutes to a young guy if the team is playing to get into the playoffs as deadline gets near. If they are a ways back on March 1, then everything is on the table. But I am certain Wideman goes no where if there isnt someone not already in the orginization to replace him if they are in a spot or within a few points.

TheScorpion · 02-02-2017, 04:17 PM

How about these as pairings?

Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Hamilton
Jokipakka - Engelland
Kulak

transplant99 · 02-02-2017, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

You're right insomuch as we can't actually know, but I see no reason not to try it. We can all agree he is having a bad year.
Why?
What's changed. New coach/system. Change of side played. Change of partner. Perceived personal issues.
Could be any of the above issues or maybe others too. Let him him back on his preferred side and cross that one off the list.

He was given life altering news in October which I have no doubt has taken this long (and may take a bit more time) to really get his head around it and what it means moving forward. He will be fine but it still may be a while.

Im OK with that.

getbak · 02-02-2017, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

How about these as pairings?

Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Hamilton
Jokipakka - Engelland
Kulak

Wasn't that tried at the beginning of the season?

getbak · 02-02-2017, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transplant99

He was given life altering news in October

October 2015

Lil Pedro · 02-02-2017, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

How about these as pairings?

Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Hamilton
Jokipakka - Engelland
Kulak

Would rather have:

Gio- Hamilton
Brodie- Engelland
Kulak- Kevin
Wideman sit

Engelland has been great this season and deserves a temporary rise in minutes and responsibilities. You can interchange any one of Kulak-Jokipakka-Wideman for your third pairing. It's time to give Brodie a competent partner this season.

GioforPM · 02-02-2017, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

Would rather have:

Gio- Hamilton
Brodie- Engelland
Kulak- Kevin
Wideman sit

Engelland has been great this season and deserves a temporary rise in minutes and responsibilities. You can interchange any one of Kulak-Jokipakka-Wideman for your third pairing. It's time to give Brodie a competent partner this season.

Hate him all you like, Wideman is better than Kevin or Kulak. That pairing would be a real defensive liability and stuck in their own zone for entire shifts.

FireGilbert · 02-02-2017, 06:41 PM

I agree with some of the Wideman hate but there is a reason he gets so much ice time. On average he is still a better option than Kevin and Kulak.

Anduril · 02-02-2017, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hate him all you like, Wideman is better than Kevin or Kulak. That pairing would be a real defensive liability and stuck in their own zone for entire shifts .

Sounds about the same as what Wideman does.

codynw · 02-02-2017, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Guaranteed if Wideman was on waivers there would be crickets

Wideman can't be waived cause friggin Feaster gave him a friggin NMC.

codynw · 02-02-2017, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Guaranteed if Wideman was on waivers there would be crickets

Wideman can't be waived cause friggin Feaster gave him a friggin NMC.

Lil Pedro · 02-02-2017, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hate him all you like, Wideman is better than Kevin or Kulak. That pairing would be a real defensive liability and stuck in their own zone for entire shifts.

Yeah I agree. The FAN made a good point this afternoon as well that there is no point for the Flames to go after a #4 D with term remaining as they would likely lose him in the expansion draft to Vegas.

We are kind of stuck with Dennis until the off-season.

GioforPM · 02-02-2017, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anduril

Sounds about the same as what Wideman does.

No. Wideman is OK in his own zone - he generally is in the right spot. And he has very good exit passes. His downfall is his offensive blueline turnovers and lack of foot speed getting back. When an opposing team establishes the zone, he's better than Kulak or Jokipakka at getting the puck, blocking out, making a decent pass to a forward.

wired · 02-02-2017, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetfire

I so much want to get a t shirt with the logo of your sig.....ill get stomped for sure if I wore it here.

Flamefan1 · 02-02-2017, 09:44 PM

Wideman is the true weakness on this team. Kulak and Wotherspoon are very good skaters and if given a chance to play they would both outperform Wideman by a large margin. The team improved last year almost immediately after Wideman was suspended. When the puck is in our zone we frequently get trapped as he struggles to get it out. Brodie Needs a partner who can quickly get the puck out of the defensive zone like him and can skate fast enough to back up Brodie when he rushes to join the offence. I think with Wideman gone (farm or traded - probably no market) the Flames will make the playoffs. With him the chances are much worse. He no longer has NHL skills. It used to be his big shot that kept him in the game, but as per his name he is almost always wide or does not get his shot through often leading to scoring opportunities for the other team. He is destroying Brodie's confidence.

GioforPM · 02-03-2017, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flamefan1

Wideman is the true weakness on this team. Kulak and Wotherspoon are very good skaters and if given a chance to play they would both outperform Wideman by a large margin. The team improved last year almost immediately after Wideman was suspended. When the puck is in our zone we frequently get trapped as he struggles to get it out. Brodie Needs a partner who can quickly get the puck out of the defensive zone like him and can skate fast enough to back up Brodie when he rushes to join the offence. I think with Wideman gone (farm or traded - probably no market) the Flames will make the playoffs. With him the chances are much worse. He no longer has NHL skills. It used to be his big shot that kept him in the game, but as per his name he is almost always wide or does not get his shot through often leading to scoring opportunities for the other team. He is destroying Brodie's confidence.

This is simply not true, especially compared to Engelland-Jokipaaka/Kulak. Wideman has very good zone exit passes. It's those third pairing guys that ring the puck blindly and get trapped.

You are correct that his footspeed issues are the concern. But it's not an issue of "keeping up with Brodie" as Brodie moves up the ice - any partner will have to trail when Brodie rushes anyway. The footspeed issue is in getting back. When Wideman plays smart, he's fine because he plays conservatively. When he makes a mistake like the other night, it's an issue. Th real trouble is that Brodie has no shot so Wideman is the shooter of that pairing, which makes him vulnerable to the block (he gets blocked or misses no more than anyone else - again, it's the speed issue).

And the "Wideman destroys Brodie's confidence" is just pure conjecture based on nothing.