[PGT] Flames show up 50 minutes late, lose 3-2 to Montreal

[Jimdon]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Well the team has lost 6 straight to the Oilers, were swept in the playoffs last year, and are pathetic on home ice. Sure that could be a player problem. Bit wasn’t it largely the same roster that won a round in 2015 and won several big games without their captain? The roster has improved but now the team chokes when it matters?

I am sorry but I blame the coach for not having this team ready. Why are they so nervous and tentative when the game really matters?

It's also the same team that got a jack Adams winner fired the year after. If I had the answers for you id put my hat in to coach the team. Blaming the coach for lack of effort and heart just seems like a cop out to me though.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by zamler

I bet by the end of the season if I add up the number of times you've posted this or something similar we'd be 15 points up in the standings. Game tonight was winnable have to take advantage.

Doesn't make my point incorrect.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Didn't that mainly same roster also also miss the playoffs badly the year after with the same coach that got them there??

2015 was an anomaly. A very fun year, but it was a bad team that caught some magic, but it was never going to last.

Are we forgetting that goaltending fell off a cliff the next year? I am not going to say the Flames team in 2014/15 was a great team as advanced stats show they were lucky but goaltending went from average to worst in class. Last year when it returned to the mid pack they again made the playoffs.

No denying the 2015 Flames never ever gave up. The guixan Flames are known more for not showing up than giving up.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Jimdon

It's also the same team that got a jack Adams winner fired the year after. If I had the answers for you id put my hat in to coach the team. Blaming the coach for lack of effort and heart just seems like a cop out to me though.

I think a coach/Manager/boss plays a massive role in the performance of their team/staff.

What is easier and makes more sense. Trading Gio/Monahan/Gaudreau or firing Gulutzan?

This team can’t afford to lose the playoffs or Treliving is risking his job. They should fire this awful coach before it is too late

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Brick

They will need to get at least 56 points out of the remaining 46 games to total 95 points to squeak in to the playoffs. To date they have only achieved 39 points from 36 games. If that trend continues they will end up with around 89 points and out of the playoffs. Too many paper bag nights this season.

So 25-15-6. They're 18-15-3 right now. I really don't see what they need to do to be all that inconceivable. Especially given how their defensive game has turned around. Now if Smith were stealing games left, right and center, I would agree with the masses here.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

What seems to be getting lost is the upward trend this team was heading into tonight and sure enough after a disappointing loss, more knee jerk reactions. But let's break it down from December to illustrate how they were turning a corner.

Dec 2-Deplorable effort, embarrassed on home ice to Edmonton. Comeback meant nothing. Tire fire of defence cotinued.

Dec 4-Come off a bad effort with another poor one at home to a Philly team coming in on a 10 game losing streak. Played better for much of the game, but lost in a short period of time in the second. Defence looked shaky again.

Dec 6 and 7-Two great effort in Toronto and montreal taking home 3 of 4 points and defence looked very strong.

Dec 9-Boring game versus Van until the final 10 mins and a nice comeback win. Defence didn't give up much.

Dec 12-Very good road game in Minnesota. If not for missed empty nets, Flames would have had 2 points but instead lost in shootout. Another solid defensive game.

Dec 14-Tight game versus division rival in San Jose. Defence looked good, but lost late in the third. Tough pill to swallow.

Dec 16-I don't care what anyone says, they deserved a lot more in that Nashville game. Out chanced them, 4 posts. Couldn't buy a goal. Defence didn't give up much.

Dec 17-Played a bad Vancouver team and beat them like they should have. Didn't give up anything.

Dec 20-2-1 win versus STL in a scoreline that flattered the Blues. Defence strong again.

The common theme leading up to tonight was how the defense has clearly turned a corner. It's absolutely undeniable.

Tonight's result is a step back in terms of effort, but it's not as though the Habs were peppering Smith all night. My point being that even with a poor effort(and it was really poor tonight), they have a system in place right now that is not giving many grade A scoring chances to the opposition. Go back and watch some of the first 15-20 games, it's night and day.

I put tonight on a lack of effort, but also a lack of focus. Plenty of distractions which is a bad excuse to have, but it's also the truth.

You throw this game tape out the window, focus on the defensive game that is turning this team around.


There are a lot of games left in this season. They lost one of those tonight, not 20.

What upward trend? Were right about where we were 15 games into the season.

GG coaches teams to a boring, no emotion, .500 record. Actually under .500 with the flames if you don't count the 3 on 3 and shootout. He's a bad coach and I feel like Vancouver is laughing that we hired him.

Was his contract in Van up? Or did they let him out of his contract to sign with the flames? If they did that's what I would call a red flag.

[zamler]

I find it very difficult to believe this team is playing anywhere near their potential.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

What upward trend? Were right about where we were 15 games into the season.

.

Upward trend of how they were playing defensively. I explained it all in the post.

They were a disaster in front of Smith in October and November and that was a lot more concerning than tonight's one-off terrible effort.

When you break down December game by game, tonight's game notwithstanding, things are trending upward. The coach has expressed it and so have the players.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by zamler

I find it very difficult to believe this team is playing anywhere near their potential.

I don't think anyone would say that.

[Buff]

Normally I mail it in on the last day of work before Christmas. Today was my last day of work before Christmas. In a strange twist of events, it was my most productive day of all of 2017. Instead of my normal mailing it in, the Flames mailed it in. Sorry, guys. It's my fault.

But seriously, they were already checked out for the Christmas break. I was thinking that this 5 days between games, the longest of any team this Christmas (7 or 8 teams have 4 days, the rest have 3 days) was going to be good for the Flames. Get a good break and come back recharged and ready to roll. I failed to think about their last game before the big break. It makes total sense that they would mail it in. They may be professionals, but they haven't been taught how to be top notch professionals yet. Gulutzan is not the coach for this team.

Gulutzan knows his tactics and systems. He doesn't know how to adapt them for the maximum benefit of this team, nor is he an adequate motivator. On paper, the master tactician would be great for a young team needing to come together and play a solid game. Not when he isn't using all his pieces to their strengths.

These comments are in reference to this season as a whole. I didn't bother to watch the game. I went to the mall.... yes, me, I broke one of my biggest rules and I went to the mall within a month before Christmas. That's how I'm viewing this season. It's lost on me. I'm not bother to watch Flames games anymore.

Enough is enough and it's time for a change.

[Kybb79]

When BT was hiring the coach wasn't it between GG and Travis Green? Green is doing a good job with the Canucks. BT picked the wrong coach.

[zamler]

I hate the Christmas excuse. We've seen similar games in terms of effort at home. The record proves it.

[Jimdon]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think a coach/Manager/boss plays a massive role in the performance of their team/staff.

What is easier and makes more sense. Trading Gio/Monahan/Gaudreau or firing Gulutzan?

This team can’t afford to lose the playoffs or Treliving is risking his job. They should fire this awful coach before it is too late

Well gaudreau and Monahan are both having career years and gio is doing just fine. I guess it's up to you how you judge treliving, he's done good things and some bad.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Jimdon

Well gaudreau and Monahan are both having career years and gio is doing just fine. I guess it's up to you how you judge treliving, he's done good things and some bad.

And they would be fine under just about any coach.

The trouble is, most players need direction and a system the compliments them and breeds success.

The latter is not happening.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

When BT was hiring the coach wasn't it between GG and Travis Green? Green is doing a good job with the Canucks. BT picked the wrong coach.

I don't believe Green was interviewed. Canuck fans are starting to question his decisions, not sure Flames missed out too much.

This team needs a leader, a motivator. Giordano is a warrior, a good lieutenant maybe, but he's not the guy to lead. It's not a knock on Giordano. It's rare for a player to be the real leader of a team, the coach has to provide the main leadership. Bowman, Babcock, Quinn, Burns, Darryl Sutter. Go down the list of great teams and Stanley Cup Champions, all of their coaches were leaders. You knew who was in charge.

Iginla was not the leader of the 2004 Flames. It was always Darryl. The team was never the same once Darryl stopped coaching.

It is such an obvious and right choice. This team will flourish under Darryl. They have the skill, they have the pieces, they just need a leader.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Jimdon

Well gaudreau and Monahan are both having career years and gio is doing just fine. I guess it's up to you how you judge treliving, he's done good things and some bad.

Iginla had his career year before Darryl took over, Flames didn't win anything prior to that.

Career years mean nothing unless the team is winning.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by 868904

I don't believe Green was interviewed. Canuck fans are starting to question his decisions, not sure Flames missed out too much.

This team needs a leader, a motivator. Giordano is a warrior, a good lieutenant maybe, but he's not the guy to lead.

Iginla was not the leader of the 2004 Flames. It was always Darryl. The team was never the same once Darryl stopped coaching.

It is such an obvious and right choice. This team will flourish under Darryl. They have the skill, they have the pieces, they just need a leader.

What’s actually scary is that the flames have sucked under every coach since Darryl was here last.

Playfair lost the room and maybe never had it because they didn’t respect him since he was an assistant. Brent used the players wrong and couldn’t motivate the team and coached the life out of our skill players, Keenan didn’t practice the power play and was crazy and seemed to overplay his stars, Hartley had no defensive system and played a desperation style with no possession.

Or maybe we have just been mediocre for a long time.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by zamler

I hate the Christmas excuse. We've seen similar games in terms of effort at home. The record proves it.

I agree, I don't think it has anything to do with Christmas. This team just isn't that good. Time to accept it and move on.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Another thing, isn’t it weird that so many people constantly ragged on Iggy when our D was poor, ragged on Iggy for leadership, ragged on Iggy for effort, ragged on Iggy for everything but Gio gets exactly zero of that criticism?

I’m not saying we should blame him but how crazy is it that he’s basically untouchable? Is it just because he’s a Dman? Why does no one blame him for the lack of effort or lack of buy in to the coaches system (allegedly)? I guarandamntee you that if this was Iggy’s team still we’d be debating the country club atmosphere that he’s responsible for and GG would get way less heat.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by 868904

I don't believe Green was interviewed. Canuck fans are starting to question his decisions, not sure Flames missed out too much.

This team needs a leader, a motivator. Giordano is a warrior, a good lieutenant maybe, but he's not the guy to lead. It's not a knock on Giordano. It's rare for a player to be the real leader of a team, the coach has to provide the main leadership. Bowman, Babcock, Quinn, Burns, Darryl Sutter. Go down the list of great teams and Stanley Cup Champions, all of their coaches were leaders. You knew who was in charge.

Iginla was not the leader of the 2004 Flames. It was always Darryl. The team was never the same once Darryl stopped coaching.

It is such an obvious and right choice. This team will flourish under Darryl. They have the skill, they have the pieces, they just need a leader.

When Glen Anderson was with the Leafs he said they were intimidated when Burns was around. But they respected him and played hard for him. I agree a good coach like Darryl would wake this team up.