(GT) Calgary Flames @ Detriot Red Wings

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

95% of this forum seems to have issues with Versteeg , so maybe you are the delusional one? You have a borderline obsession with Versteeg. I’m actually starting to think you are a close friend or family member.

That said, the problem is Gulutzan continuing to utilize Versteeg on the PP more so than Versteeg being a liability and they are just showing their frustration with it. Versteeg is a serviceable 4th liner who could step up if need be.

I hate the idea of whipping boys. Versteeg has been the Flames' best bottom-sixer pretty much all season, I have absolutely no clue why he's getting so much hate. He shouldn't be on the 1PP in the spot he's in and... that's pretty much the only issue I see there. He's a good third-liner who produces relatively well and is uber-cheap, what's the problem.

Also, who's calling who delusional here? I sure wasn't calling anyone "delusional". Seems a little harsh there, bub. Nah, I'm not related, I like his style of play and how he ####ed the Oilers. Problem with that?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Wideman had more offense even on a bad day than Hamonic.

Hamonic is just sort of there. Does very little one way or the other.

But Wideman was a much bigger train wreck defensively and was not nearly as physical (linesman excluded).

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Brutal game. How many more like this before major changes are made? Coach? Trade a core piece? GM?

I vote for the coach, not because I pretend to have special hockey knowledge, but I just don't feel inspired by anything he says or does. Gimme Hartley any day.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I hate the idea of whipping boys. Versteeg has been the Flames' best bottom-sixer pretty much all season, I have absolutely no clue why he's getting so much hate. He shouldn't be on the 1PP in the spot he's in and... that's pretty much the only issue I see there. He's a good third-liner who produces relatively well and is uber-cheap, what's the problem.

Also, who's calling who delusional here? I sure wasn't calling anyone "delusional". Seems a little harsh there, bub. Nah, I'm not related, I like his style of play and how he ####ed the Oilers. Problem with that?

Take a look at your closet of Flames jerseys and your obsessions with fringe NHLers and say with a straight face you're not delusional about their play.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Boy, this panel is super hard on Lack. Not that I'm in love with him, but this seems extremely harsh.

Come on Cali, you can see it in the guy, he just doesn't look like a confident guy between the pipes. You can see the swagger in some guys, and the fear in others.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Brutal game. How many more like this before major changes are made? Coach? Trade a core piece? GM?

I vote for the coach, not because I pretend to have special hockey knowledge, but I just don't feel inspired by anything he says or does. Gimme Hartley any day.

I'd cool the jets on this one for now. We haven't had this bad of a game since... the away Blues game? The Ottawa blowout?

I have my objections to Glen, but it's not like he told Brodie and Hamonic to forget how to play defence, nor tell Lack to stop squaring himself up to the puck.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Versteeg has been the Flames' best bottom-sixer pretty much all season,

This is a joke right? He hasn't even looked like an NHLer at 5v5 once this season. Even when he and Jagr had a bit of a cycle going with Bennett centering them, he was a mess with his offensive zone turnovers.

Never mind he's been given a primo opportunity on PP1 and has a negative impact every time the puck is in his vicinity.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Take a look at your closet of Flames jerseys and your obsessions with fringe NHLers and say with a straight face you're not delusional about their play.

Do you get off by talking down to people like a pompous jack***? Serious question.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by New Era

Come on Cali, you can see it in the guy, he just doesn't look like a confident guy between the pipes. You can see the swagger in some guys, and the fear in others.

Playing time would help. Getting the odd nod from the coach would help. Maybe there was reason that Gulutzan wasn't confident in him, but he looked ok the other night in the win, and I don't think he was really that terrible tonight.

A bad bounce went in early off Brodie, then another one after a good reactionary save (Mantha's goal)...any goalie loses confidence after that.

[crapshoot]

Wonder if the flames care to get back into this game. It looked like it was within reach to get back in it before that last goal. If hope they come out flying in the third and score a couple to make it interesting. Should not be impossible.

[MisterJoji]

Calling it: Brodie with 4 straight goals in the 3rd.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Playing time would help. Getting the odd nod from the coach would help. Maybe there was reason that Gulutzan wasn't confident in him, but he looked ok the other night in the win, and I don't think he was really that terrible tonight.

A bad bounce went in early off Brodie, then another one after a good reactionary save (Mantha's goal)...any goalie loses confidence after that.

I agree with this, I think the pressure and then a few unlucky turns and Lack was pretty much done mentally.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Take a look at your closet of Flames jerseys and your obsessions with fringe NHLers and say with a straight face you're not delusional about their play.

I don't see how either Versteeg has ever been a "fringe NHLer". Versteeg has 356 points in 636 games, a 0.56 P/GP pace. Versteeg was the Flames' best powerplay scorer last season. Versteeg was one of the best value players in the NHL last season

Versteeg is a good hockey player who is in a slump. He's still one of the team's best play-makers and he's been improving game-by-game since his horrendous start. He's also got the cheapest contract of any forward on the team not named Mark Jankowski or Curtis Lazar. Aside from his powerplay usage, which I agree is bad this year, what is there not to like?

[Strange Brew]

Lack deserves more than one bad game before being written off. That said the leash is short to be sure.

[FBI]

I HATE Versteeg on first PP.

[Jeff Lebowski]

When Dougie first came here and getting acclimated his ice time was really regulated. When his play improved his ice time improved. I think they should do the same with Hamonic. I just think the adjustment to this system and even the surroundings is ongoing. But you can't have the second pairing getting lit up until he figures it out.

He's a great player and will add tremendously to this team when he's on top of his game. But right now it's been a struggle for him. There is too much deference given to his reputation in the league and not enough assessment on his current level of play

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

A bad bounce went in early off Brodie, then another one after a good reactionary save (Mantha's goal)...any goalie loses confidence after that.

yup. And that's why he should have got the hook earlier ... Gulutzan shouldn't have waited until the fifth goal. After the third, you just knew that a couple more would come. Zero confidence.

[CampbellsTransgressions]

When is Shinkaruk gonna be called up

[FlameyMcFlameFace]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Brutal game. How many more like this before major changes are made? Coach? Trade a core piece? GM?

I vote for the coach, not because I pretend to have special hockey knowledge, but I just don't feel inspired by anything he says or does. Gimme Hartley any day.

You must be super excited for the upcoming legalization of that green grass

[StrykerSteve]

AC, here’s the link to that Datsyuk piece you were asking about earlier.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/h...te-round-gems/