[GDT] Preseason: Flames @ Canucks 8pm MT. Sportsnet

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Agree. And there is sweet f all behind him

And I'm not at all basing my statement about Smith on this pre-season. I did not like this aquisition from the start. People can throw all the numbers out to argue that he's going to help, but I just feel that people are going to want him out by Christmas. I don't have numbers to back up my statement, but that's how i feel.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Sandman

And I'm not at all basing my statement about Smith on this pre-season. I did not like this aquisition from the start. People can throw all the numbers out to argue that he's going to help, but I just feel that people are going to want him out by Christmas. I don't have numbers to back up my statement, but that's how i feel.

Will be even more annoying if Raanta looks good for Arizona and Smith sucks. Flames probably should've used that first to try and land him if this turns out to be true. Obviously Coyotes had a high pick but still. Hope that's not the case and Smith shuts us all up

[Flamesm]

Everyone needs to calm down. It doesn't even matter if we start October poorly as long as we get our stride and make playoffs. I'd rather have a team fully into systems and buying in even if it takes a few losses to do so. That was a bit of the look last year (unintentionally) and we went into playoffs with a lot of recent wins which should have translated to success if Elliot wasn't in net. I like the way our team looks on paper and it will work well again in regular season. My guess is that hamonic will need a few weeks to be fully into the system and smith with learning how to outlet pass with our squad in the same amount of time. I'm optimistic and barring major injury we should make the playoffs and make a splash

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Flamesm

Everyone needs to calm down. It doesn't even matter if we start October poorly as long as we get our stride and make playoffs. I'd rather have a team fully into systems and buying in even if it takes a few losses to do so. That was a bit of the look last year (unintentionally) and we went into playoffs with a lot of recent wins which should have translated to success if Elliot wasn't in net. I like the way our team looks on paper and it will work well again in regular season. My guess is that hamonic will need a few weeks to be fully into the system and smith with learning how to outlet pass with our squad in the same amount of time. I'm optimistic and barring major injury we should make the playoffs and make a splash

I sincerely hope you are right, and that I'm horribly wrong.

[---Hatrick---]

Watched the whole game. It was very hard to not turn the tv off. That was about as frustrating of a game to watch as I can remember. The PP was attrotious aside from the one goal, but with that many PP's, you wanna see more quality chances generated.
Horrible passing and several give always all night.
Not gonna get to upset about it as it is still pre season but man, I hope they look more lively Saturday night.
It is important to let the lines get some playing time together and you'd want the lines sorted by now for opening night, but I really do want to see:

Gaudreau-Bennett -Ferland
Tkatchuk-Monohan-Versteeg
Frolik-Backlund- Brouwer
Stajan-Janko-Hathaway

I think this will give a more balanced lineup, and it would be great to see Bennett get some more time with Johnny. They looked great together in the Arizona game and I'd like to see if we have something in Tkachuk-Monahan

[Scoutski]

FYI: I haven't read the thread, these are just my comments...

Just got home from the game... I understand people get dramatic here sometimes but that felt pretty brutal. I'm not worried about the season or anything that quick but man I wish I didn't pay for that. I wonder if it was as bad on TV as it felt live.

[Yrebmi]

I saw a game that I felt the Flames dominated, but did not care to win.
I am not concerned at all. Smith was fine. Our special teams looked very unpolished.
No reason at all to be concerned about a game that Archibald and Gagnon stood out in. Just another getting ready game is all.

October four and not before.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Flamesm

Everyone needs to calm down. It doesn't even matter if we start October poorly as long as we get our stride and make playoffs. I'd rather have a team fully into systems and buying in even if it takes a few losses to do so. That was a bit of the look last year (unintentionally) and we went into playoffs with a lot of recent wins which should have translated to success if Elliot wasn't in net. I like the way our team looks on paper and it will work well again in regular season. My guess is that hamonic will need a few weeks to be fully into the system and smith with learning how to outlet pass with our squad in the same amount of time. I'm optimistic and barring major injury we should make the playoffs and make a splash

Our bad October is what allowed Edmonton to beat us in the standings last season, I never want to be under that #### stain of a team so a good October is neccesary, getting off the season right is something this team hasn't done in years, it's time they show up in October for once.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by ---Hatrick---

Watched the whole game. It was very hard to not turn the tv off. That was about as frustrating of a game to watch as I can remember. The PP was attrotious aside from the one goal, but with that many PP's, you wanna see more quality chances generated.
Horrible passing and several give always all night.
Not gonna get to upset about it as it is still pre season but man, I hope they look more lively Saturday night.
It is important to let the lines get some playing time together and you'd want the lines sorted by now for opening night, but I really do want to see:

Gaudreau-Bennett -Ferland
Tkatchuk-Monohan-Versteeg
Frolik-Backlund- Brouwer
Stajan-Janko-Hathaway

I think this will give a more balanced lineup, and it would be great to see Bennett get some more time with Johnny. They looked great together in the Arizona game and I'd like to see if we have something in Tkachuk-Monahan

Perfect lineup IMO

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by Scoutski

FYI: I haven't read the thread, these are just my comments...

Just got home from the game... I understand people get dramatic here sometimes but that felt pretty brutal. I'm not worried about the season or anything that quick but man I wish I didn't pay for that. I wonder if it was as bad on TV as it felt live.

Trust me. It was painful on tv as well

[Wolfman]

Zero ####'s were given by the team tonight, effort was not there. Thank god it's preseason. If they put in that kind of effort come next Wednesday, we've got issues but until then let's just calm down and see what happens. I hope this forum gives Smith a longer leash than 3 preseason games.

[Flamesm]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I sincerely hope you are right, and that I'm horribly wrong.

I also think we came against a tough ducks team that planned their year to start slow and build momentum throughout the year till playoffs and should be firing on a cylinders.. I think bieksa made a comment about their start to the year and mentioned that they focused on team systems and cohesion knowing full well the results would come eventually and stick with it. I hope we have a similar mindset so making the playoffs isn't the be all and end all. I'd love to hit our store running and make another 2004-05 happen (with Gelina goal rightfully counting)

[Flamesm]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Our bad October is what allowed Edmonton to beat us in the standings last season, I never want to be under that #### stain of a team so a good October is neccesary, getting off the season right is something this team hasn't done in years, it's time they show up in October for once.

Yes and simply consistent goaltending (hopefully) would be enough.. let alone Johnny bounce back, Bennett or brower bounce back with infusion of janko and hamonic. I like our odds

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Zero ####'s were given by the team tonight, effort was not there. Thank god it's preseason. If they put in that kind of effort come next Wednesday, we've got issues but until then let's just calm down and see what happens. I hope this forum gives Smith a longer leash than 3 preseason games.

I think the consensus here is no one is freaking out but it just seems a repeat of a similar pattern with goaltending. After the end of last season it's hard to get mad at people who are frustrated with sub par goaltending performances, albeit being preseason it's still frustrating and bring backs memories of the horror show that was playoff Elliott

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

I saw a game that I felt the Flames dominated, but did not care to win.
I am not concerned at all. Smith was fine. Our special teams looked very unpolished.
No reason at all to be concerned about a game that Archibald and Gagnon stood out in. Just another getting ready game is all.

October four and not before.

I'm not worried, but I am disappointed. It's preseason but I still want to see some structure and some sort of comfort out there. And for crying out loud a PP that actually looks like they're playing with a man advantage.
I strongly disagree. I think the Flames were heavily outplayed for probably 40 minutes, and that's saying something when they were on the PP for 14 mins including a 5 on 3.

Give Coach Green credit, he had his team playing much better than ours tonight, and with out some big pieces of their roster

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Scoutski

FYI: I haven't read the thread, these are just my comments...

Just got home from the game... I understand people get dramatic here sometimes but that felt pretty brutal. I'm not worried about the season or anything that quick but man I wish I didn't pay for that. I wonder if it was as bad on TV as it felt live.

It was pretty awful.

[Brick]

Originally Posted by Scoutski

FYI: I haven't read the thread, these are just my comments...

Just got home from the game... I understand people get dramatic here sometimes but that felt pretty brutal. I'm not worried about the season or anything that quick but man I wish I didn't pay for that. I wonder if it was as bad on TV as it felt live.

It was one of the worst games that I have ever seen the Flames play on TV.
Brutal.

[Machiavelli]

Finally watched this bizarre game. Things that stuck out to me:

Glass really, really wants an NHL contract. However it ends up for him, I appreciate the effort and wish him good luck.

Smith's fivehole looks....exploitable.

A few times in the offensive zone, Versteeg and Bennett would be battling for the puck along the boards, or cycling it between the two of them and the D, and Brouwer would just be standing around, in no-mans land. It's like he had no idea where to be or what to do. They didn't seem all that interested in involving him, either.

Most of them seemed pretty lethargic. A few plays almost looked like they were happening in slo-mo. Backlund especially was surprisingly disengaged. That actually makes me feel a bit better, because I know he cares; if he's not really trying, it's probably for a reason.

[Corral]

Originally Posted by Flamesm

It doesn't even matter if we start October poorly as long as we get our stride and make playoffs. I'd rather have a team fully into systems and buying in even if it takes a few losses to do so. That was a bit of the look last year (unintentionally) and we went into playoffs with a lot of recent wins which should have translated to success if Elliot wasn't in net.

This is simply incorrect. You need to average just under 12 points for every 10 games to make the postseason (e.g. 6-4). You start October with like a 3-7 record and you already need a 10 game winning streak to get back on pace. So starting poorly is very bad in today's NHL where the margin between playoffs and non-playoffs is razor thin.

And yes we made the playoffs last year ... but not before we used up all our gas just to get there - only to be in the last spot where we were easy pickings for the #1 seed.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You can't please everyone: last year the lines were juggled too much; now not enough.

Bennett was not very good tonight, and it had very little to do with how Brouwer was playing.

Bennett and Versteeg looked like they were probably the best combo tonight and they looked like they were barely trying. Brouwer on the other hand looked like a beer leaguer... lost out there.