What is a realistic way of Improving the Calgary Flames ?

[Red]

Great goalie? Check.
Great top line? Check.
Great depth at D? Check.
Great shut down line? Check.
Decent depth at F? Check.

Get the players to play to their potential. We have had enough roster changes with no results. In fact, anyone joining the team seems to take a step or 2 back. Except the one that is not being coached, Smith.

Our D should be our strength, we have 3 50P D on the roster with 2 others that can also put up points. No reason why this team can't score. This is not a roster problem.

Most offensive D in the NHL doesn't drive offence and is bottom 3 in the NHL in defensive play. Can it be any more obvious?

GG's system does not work here.

[dirk diggler]

When they mentioned on the broadcast last night that the Leafs 3rd and 4th lines have scored 26 goals and the Flames same lines have scored 4, that sums it up right there. This team cant play defense but if we had a reasonable 3rd and 4th line, that would certainly go a long ways.

[Heavy Jack]

They need to move Stone up and Hamonic down, spread the D a bit and get Brodie going again, the one game he did this it had a positive effect. Send Stajan down, Lazar and F. Hamilton remain extras, call Hathaway up and swap Bennett with Tkachuk to help spark the 3rd line AND help Bennett.

Gaudreau ~ Monahan ~ Ferland
Bennett ~ Backlund ~ Frolik
Tkachuk ~ Jankowski ~ Jagr/Brouwer (Brouwer if Jagr needs to rest)
Versteeg~ Brouwer ~ Hathaway
Lazar, F.Hamilton

Giordano ~ Hamilton
Brodie ~ Stone
Kulak ~ Hamonic
Bart

Smith
Rittich

[Chingas]

I want to see Hamonic paired with Dougie to see what that pairing looks like. Brodie back with Gio, and try it for a game or two. Also I want the D to have the green light to throw up some stretch passes every now and then.

I don't like the GG possession game. The GG model preaches over possession on the breakout but doesn't allow for any possession in the offensive zone. By the time we make three passes to get out of the zone the other team is all back and waiting on the blue line for us. This forces a dump in or turn over.
There has been some teams this has worked well against but for the most part it feels like we are constantly swimming up stream against most teams. Johnny is a wizard and can pull it off relatively often, but even Johnny makes more out of the quick transitions than he does out of having to go through 4-5 opponents.

[bax]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

When they mentioned on the broadcast last night that the Leafs 3rd and 4th lines have scored 26 goals and the Flames same lines have scored 4, that sums it up right there. This team cant play defense but if we had a reasonable 3rd and 4th line, that would certainly go a long ways.

Well to be fair the Leafs have changed up their lines constantly throughout the year so some of the guys that were on their third and fourth line last night have also spent substantial time on the top line and on the powerplay.

Nylander
Mather
JVR
Bozak

[Huntingwhale]

A realistic way to improve the Flames is to simply look at how the team does every season at this time of year, and how they always improve during the 2nd half. The only difference this season is that the team has had superstar performances from Smith, Monahan and Gaudreau. So instead of being out of a playoff spot and having a hole to dig out of, we're keeping pace with the rest of the conference.

The team will be fine. Hamonic was always going to have an adjustment period, similar to Hamilton. Trading away a D for a top 6 forward isn't a guarantee of fixing anything. What if the new player sucks too? Look no further then Duchene to see what could easily happen in that scenario. Trades/acquisitions on paper don't always pan out just because a spot on the chart gets filled.

I might be in the minority, but I think the team will really pick it up after December rolls around. I'm not surprised, they do this every season and it's the same ol' song and dance around here. What's wrong with the team...trade this trade that...fix this fix that. If anything I'm grateful were in the spot where we are, and not having to dig ourselves out of the hole we always seem to fall into to start the season.

[atb]

Originally Posted by New Era

Darryl Sutter is not the answer to anything. The game has passed him by and this team is not suited to his style.

That's what I thought after the end of the clutch and grab era. He was able to update his style and win two cups. Now I think he's a good enough coach to update his style to whatever the current game requires.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by BigRed

The top line is carrying the team through the first part of the season like the Backlund line did last year. Everything else is off. The third line often looks good from a possession/pursuit POV but don't get much done offensively. They're a de facto 4th line, while the 4th line accomplishes nothing. $4.5 mln for Brouwer's zero goals hurts.

I think Brodie needs to go back with Giordano to sort his game out, and rebuild the D pairs from there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In EV Strength time on ice the Winnipeg 2nd line is Lowry-Copp-Tanev they have put up only 7 es goals . They are not very good except that the are all plus players and are the guys that get sent out against the other teams top-2 lines. The other teams best players have less than 7 es goals against them.


The Jets 3rd line (in terms of ev strength TOI) is Laine- Little- Ehlers. Not that they need to be protected from the other teams best players but it turns out they are.

The Flames need a 3rd line that can play against the other teams best lines and shut them down. Get better match-ups for Backlund's (-8 combined) line

Are Jankowski - Bennett - Brouwer that much less talented or hard working than Lowry-Copp- Tanev? Maybe Brouwer can't skate as a well as any of the Jets checkers and then maybe look at Lazar or Hathaway. If they were able to play even with the other teams top lines for 12 minutes a game the Flames would be better.

A checking 3rd line that can play even with the top lines seems to me to be the difference in what the Flames are now (bubble) and a home ice playoff team. That is the line that has to show up for even moderate playoff success.

[Red]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

In EV Strength time on ice the Winnipeg 2nd line is Lowry-Copp-Tanev they have put up only 7 es goals . They are not very good except that the are all plus players and are the guys that get sent out against the other teams top-2 lines. The other teams best players have less than 7 es goals against them.


The Jets 3rd line (in terms of ev strength TOI) is Laine- Little- Ehlers. Not that they need to be protected from the other teams best players but it turns out they are.

The Flames need a 3rd line that can play against the other teams best lines and shut them down. Get better match-ups for Backlund's (-8 combined) line

Are Jankowski - Bennett - Brouwer that much less talented or hard working than Lowry-Copp- Tanev? Maybe Brouwer can't skate as a well as any of the Jets checkers and then maybe look at Lazar or Hathaway. If they were able to play even with the other teams top lines for 12 minutes a game the Flames would be better.

A checking 3rd line that can play even with the top lines seems to me to be the difference in what the Flames are now (bubble) and a home ice playoff team. That is the line that has to show up for even moderate playoff success.

GG has our top line vs other top lines now. They talked about it yesterday, he told them that they are good enough. Sink or swim.

[Demaeon]

Practice passing the puck from one player's stick to another player's stick.

[Wyguy]

The way I see it, this is our test run year. Go as far as we can before we win it all next year.
We are one year removed from having some prospects moved up that could make our team a really young and speedy group throughout the lineup.

So for next year, I am looking at something like this.

First line, as of now, is fine.

JG - SM - MF

The second line I want to see changed a tiny bit

SB - MB - MF

My reasoning is MB and MF are great together and I'm fine with them riding out their career with one-another. But it also leads me to my next line,

The third line

Tkachuk - Jankowski - Mangiapane

This gives Tkachuk the chance to run and dominate his own line while bringing back Bread with Janko

Then finally, the fourth line

Lazar - Dube - Hathaway

Or for Lazar, we may need to trade to find that left wing position or possibly find someone else in the system.

As for D, Keep it all the same, hope they figure it out. If they cant, whether it is GG's fault or not, then I would like someone else to start the season.

Goalies are a little tricky. If Smith keeps his play out, keep him. If his age catches him, then bring up Gillies and Rittich and let them battle for starts.

We already know that top 6 is beyond fine, and the bottom six are a bunch of really young guys. I think it could work, any changes to the line-up you would make?

[Red]

Originally Posted by Demaeon

Practice passing the puck from one player's stick to another player's stick.

They know how to pass. Problem is the other teams know exactly where our players will pass. Too one dimensional.

[GreenLantern2814]

Recall Mangiapane and Hrivik.

Demote Lazar and Hamilton.

Keep Rittich.

Give the #1PP unit a one timer/point shot threat. Dougie/Stone/Gio it doesn't matter - someone without the muffin shot. Hamilton and Gio should not be that much worse at entering the zone than Brodie.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Recall Mangiapane, Hrivik and Hathaway.

Demote Lazar and Hamilton.

Keep Rittich.

Was announced a minute ago. Really though I would temper my expectations as Hathaway isn't a difference maker.. It's not like Jankowski has contributed much in the way of offense. He doesn't look out of place or anything but like most players in the bottom six he's snake bit.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Red

GG has our top line vs other top lines now. They talked about it yesterday, he told them that they are good enough. Sink or swim.

So they are going to give up on the road? Jets match up Lowry with Monahan and even they get Backlund- Schiefele it leaves Little up against Jankowski.

The only way the Flames are competitive in this situation is if Monahan destroys Lowry or Jankowski can shut down Little......NOT ever going to out-score them.


The top line match up might work with the non-playoff teams because their lack of depth but a home-playoff type team will have 3 lines that aren't dominated in a match up.

I think it is mainly a matter of perceptions and expectations... If Brouwer/Bennett/Jankowski are matched up against Schiefele and/or Little's lines and they shut them down then they are heros and it is no big deal that they didn't score some goals.

Right now they are consider crap because they don't have 5-6 goals each .

I consider them crap because they are -15 and don't play well enough to take the pressure off the top 2 lines.

They need a better definition of their role and some recognition of doing their jobs well. (Green hat recognition?) Yelle got all sorts of recognition in 2004 scoring 4 regular season goals and 3 in 24 playoff games.

Is it that hard to make a solid checking line??

[bubbsy]

Did anyone catch the Babcock post game interview? He actually stated he was somewhat surprised, yet thankful, the flames used their last change advantage to lineup the flames top line against the leafs top line.

Thought it was interesting Babcock-speak.

[Red]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Did anyone catch the Babcock post game interview? He actually stated he was somewhat surprised, yet thankful, the flames used their last change advantage to lineup the flames top line against the leafs top line.

Thought it was interesting Babcock-speak.

Well we neutralized Matthews and tried to win with depth scoring, because you know, we have that in spades

[DoubleK]

The bottom 6 are terrible without Jagr.

When he's back I'd like to see:

Browuer-Janko-Jags

Hathaway-Stajan-Versteeg

I'd swap Hamonic and Hamilton to see if that gives a bit better balance to the D.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Red

Well we neutralized Matthews and tried to win with depth scoring, because you know, we have that in spades

Can't deny the first line's success and Gulutzan should some credit for that I suppose.

I thought the great value of the 3M line was to have them take the toughest matchup and allowing the top line to get more favourable matchups.

[Red]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Can't deny the first line's success and Gulutzan should some credit for that I suppose.

I thought the great value of the 3M line was to have them take the toughest matchup and allowing the top line to get more favourable matchups.

But they racked up those points before GG put them vs top lines. It's only been 2- 3 games since the change.