I think it's glaringly obvious that we lack a true top sniper on the team.
Monahan has been one of the most durable players in the league since he broke in and is top 20 in the league in cumulative goals scored since the start of the 13-14 season. We could definitely use one more great goal scorer in addition to him though.
People in Monahan's neighborhood since 13-14: Simmonds, Stamkos, Skinner, Kessel, Malkin, Neal, Bergeron, Wheeler, Marleau.
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Originally Posted by Enoch Root
They rang up the goals against the Slovaks and Denmark. But it wasn't very scary against the US and it looked anemic against Sweden.
Yes they struggled against Sweden, but against the US they were 2/3 and the other medal round games went 5 for 8.
Regardless, the PP here isn't doing that but its got little to do with how they enter the zone and everything to do with execution once in there. Like you mentioned the whole thing is so static...they need to be fluid and keep the opposition moving as well. Thats how you open up both shooting and passing lanes.
When Bennett was struggling (most of last year, first 15 games this year) he didn't look like the player that we saw in his first season in Calgary. Plays were dying on stick, he wasn't creating and he wasn't dangerous.
But when it got rolling he returned to the guy we saw in year one.
Calgary's metrics overall and on the powerplay suggest to me that success will lead to more success.
The three game win streak is really important, they can't give it back with a two game slide.
Don't have the stats in front of me but he's also got to be the poster-child for missing the net on high quality scoring chances.
I like this analysis because it finally goes some way towards reconciling some good stats with why the results are not there (and happens to coincide with what I perceive watching the team). Missing the net and to a lesser extent, hitting the crossbar and the posts, are not just measures of luck due to change unless our players also change their habits. There have to be ways you can work on addressing that as a coaching staff.
Aiming for top corners and just missing all the time is in my mind trying to be too accurate, and perhaps showing some immaturity in finishing which is fair with this team.
Brett Hull used to say he just aimed for the middle of the net and got it off quickly.
If I'm coaching I get them all to shoot hard at the middle of the net until they get out of first place in missed shots.
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The powerplay was one of the big reasons I wanted iginla rather than Jagr. Penalty killers have to respect one timers from right-handed snipers like iginla, Ovechkin, Laine, Stamkos... seems to spread out the PK which means more room for skilled playmakers like Johnny and also opens up the slot for Monahan. Most teams that have these kinds of shooters seem to have pretty effective power plays.
I know iginla is not what he once was but he still has a wicked one-timer. Can’t say there are many teams offering up right-handed snipers in trade these days so it would have been the cheapest, most effective option.
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Monahan has been one of the most durable players in the league since he broke in and is top 20 in the league in cumulative goals scored since the start of the 13-14 season. We could definitely use one more great goal scorer in addition to him though.
People in Monahan's neighborhood since 13-14: Simmonds, Stamkos, Skinner, Kessel, Malkin, Neal, Bergeron, Wheeler, Marleau.
He's a great goal scorer. As true as you'd like.
Hmm, my criteria for a sniper is a little more narrow - I view Stamkos, Ovechkin, Laine, Boeser, and even Hoffman (check out his ridiculous one-timer goal against San Jose) as more of a sniper than Monahan.
Monahan is fantastic from the slot in - but we need a guy that can wire it into the net from further out - especially on the PP.
I don't disagree with your point, Monahan is a fantastic goal scorer, just maybe not my vision of a pure sniper that we lack.
It's funny that Iginla (and maybe even Cammalleri) in their primes are exactly what this team needs right now, esp on the PP.
Fair enough. After hearing years and years of Iginla lacking a <insert adjective here> center to play with, I just tend to chafe at the language in general. I get your meaning, I think - it's just that by the most important measure of a goalscorer (how many goals a player has scored), we have a great one.
Sorry if you felt singled out, I was replying to your comment more as an example of the type of talk that is common here. I didn't mean anything personal by it.
Fair enough. After hearing years and years of Iginla lacking a <insert adjective here> center to play with, I just tend to chafe at the language in general. I get your meaning, I think - it's just that by the most important measure of a goalscorer (how many goals a player has scored), we have a great one.
Sorry if you felt singled out, I was replying to your comment more as an example of the type of talk that is common here. I didn't mean anything personal by it.
No worries
No offense taken. I certainly get your perspective as well.
Great article. Really liked the bit about passing into the danger zone. That speaks to what some of us have been saying about there being different degrees of high danger.
Then you also said this:
which I would again argue misses a third option, that maybe your chances just aren't as high quality.
Conversely, we also have this:
Pretty indisputable that there has also been some bad luck involved. IMO, bad luck is a residual of a lack of confidence. Hopefully, they get a little 'luckier' in the 2nd half.
There would be no way to quantify it I am guessing, but it would be interesting to see numbers on zone entries.
What I see is a team that struggles to enter the zone, establish possession and move the puck quickly more often than naught adding up to a PP that is running at the worst % in the league since November.
I honestly do not get this bad luck or crossbar/post hitting rhetoric that has suddenly become the flavor of the week for a struggling offense. To me, this has and always will be viewed as a missed shot, nothing more, nothing less. To quantify offensive struggles as unlucky is simply a crutch. How is a shot into the goalies chest any less unlucky than a post or crossbar? Both are just poor shots in my eyes.
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Last edited by Hot_Flatus; 01-10-2018 at 09:53 AM.
What I see is a team that struggles to enter the zone, establish possession and move the puck quickly more often than naught adding up to a PP that is running at the worst % in the league since November.
I honestly do not get this bad luck or crossbar/post hitting rhetoric that has suddenly become the flavor of the week for a struggling offense. To me, this has and always will be viewed as a missed shot, nothing more, nothing less. To quantify offensive struggles as unlucky is simply a crutch. How is a shot into the goalies chest any less unlucky than a post or crossbar? Both are just poor shots in my eyes.
Missed shots aren't rhetoric, they're facts.
The Flames miss the net more than any team in hockey.
If you miss the net often you probably don't score as many goals ... also not rhetoric, fact.
So then you get into why. A team of completely unskilled players may miss the net often, but then I think it's harder to get into a position to shoot without skill than it is to actually shoot.
Which took me to likely gripping the sticks tight, and looking to be too perfect.
That doesn't take away from the eye test which is the powerplay isn't very good, but it is a factor not rhetoric or a crutch.
OH Bingo...I love that in your article you simply refuse to admit that they just plain suck on the PP this year.
I love the analysis, but I simply come to the conclusion that even if everything went right for them, they'd still be below average, or average at best. It's clear that the set up doesn't create enough goals, full stop.
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Aiming for top corners and just missing all the time is in my mind trying to be too accurate, and perhaps showing some immaturity in finishing which is fair with this team.
Brett Hull used to say he just aimed for the middle of the net and got it off quickly.
If I'm coaching I get them all to shoot hard at the middle of the net until they get out of first place in missed shots.
I don't really believe in luck in situations like these. While anxiousness and even luck might be play a part, I think the answer is more likely somewhere here...
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Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
I play goal and I call posts and crossbars “nothing to shoot at”. :-)
The PP doesn't generate chances with open net to shoot at, so when they shoot they often only have desperate snipe options, which easily miss or hit the post.
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OH Bingo...I love that in your article you simply refuse to admit that they just plain suck on the PP this year.
I love the analysis, but I simply come to the conclusion that even if everything went right for them, they'd still be below average, or average at best. It's clear that the set up doesn't create enough goals, full stop.
That's fair.
I'd change the summary though. They do suck, they are 20th driven upwards many spots by a hot November and that's that.
Why do they suck is the issue.
I think it's a balance of puck movement (system), and finish (shooting wide). Where that balance falls is up to the individual.
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I don't really believe in luck in situations like these. While anxiousness and even luck might be play a part, I think the answer is more likely somewhere here...
The PP doesn't generate chances with open net to shoot at, so when they shoot they often only have desperate snipe options, which easily miss or hit the post.
I am a firm believer that these issues come down to the speed at which the Flames are executing. When I watch the power play what strikes me most is how immobile the players are. When they are in the offensive zone 5 on 5 the Flames are usually moving and cycling all over the place, and this creates havoc. But then on the man-advantage they become motionless, and the puck movement as a result also slows.
I have mentioned elsewhere that I don't think this is a personnel or a tactical issue. The problem looks most like they are constantly overthinking things. Having a **** power play for so many games almost certainly has gotten into the players's heads, and the solution might just be to play through it, because once it clicks all the ingredients are there for the power play to be lethal. Hell, it WAS lethal with virtually the same personnel through most of last season, and again for a good stretch of games this year.
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
OH Bingo...I love that in your article you simply refuse to admit that they just plain suck on the PP this year.
I love the analysis, but I simply come to the conclusion that even if everything went right for them, they'd still be below average, or average at best. It's clear that the set up doesn't create enough goals, full stop.
No. That is not right at all. The way teams are coached in the NHL, and with how good the players are most power plays are tactically very similar. Like I said, the setup is fine and should work so long as the players and the puck stay in motion. That is what I see not happening.
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
