Garbage bag day

[Toonage]

1. I hope James Neal stays motivated and I hope he finds his game again. Chances are good we'll have a front row seat to watching that play out. Regardless its good to hear him own it.
2. I'm concerned about Monahan for a number of reasons. If he isn't hurt (and sounds like he isn't) then all I can hope is that he too finds his game and that there isn't anything outside of hockey thats got him down.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Good for Neal for owning it. Let’s hope he does something about it.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Eric Francis
@EricFrancis
Monahan asked if he was injured. "a little bit but nothing major."


Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Sean Monahan says he wasn’t dealing with any major injuries late in the season or in the playoffs. #Flames

I argued in another thread that he was injured and that was part of the cause of the issue with Gaudreau. I figured there was no way they were that bad unless there was an injury that wasn't disclosed. Terrible effort.

[Jiggy_12]

I don't know how I feel about Smith potentially coming back.

On one hand, his ability to elevate his play and competitiveness in the playoffs was impressive and surprising.

On the other hand, he'll be a year older and he isn't the permanent solution.

I think I'd be okay with Smith as a plan B or C, but I don't know if I'd want to see another full season with the Rittich/Smith tandem.

[sureLoss]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Elias Lindholm on representing Sweden at Worlds: “I haven’t even thought about it. We’ll see.” #Flames

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

I don't know how I feel about Smith potentially coming back.

On one hand, his ability to elevate his play and competitiveness in the playoffs was impressive and surprising.

On the other hand, he'll be a year older and he isn't the permanent solution.

I think I'd be okay with Smith as a plan B or C, but I don't know if I'd want to see another full season with the Rittich/Smith tandem.

I'm not sure I liked how the team played in front of Smith vs how they played in front of Rittich. Maybe a little too passive for my liking. Stopped skating. I think it might be better for their overall game and player development to take the puck playing goalie out of the equation. But I also understand they (management/coaches) love having that option.

[sureLoss]

Rittich has been playing through an injury since Dec 31.

Kristen Anderson @KdotAnderson
David Rittich on world championships: "I was hurt for big part of the season. It's a little sad but I'm not going there ... I want to be healthy (for next season) and that is more important to me." Said the injury was painful. Wouldn't say what it was. Hurt on Dec. 31.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
David Rittich says he was playing through an undisclosed injury from January to the end of the season.

Says it’ll keep him from representing the Czech Republic at Worlds. Says he really wants to go but needs to take care of his injury. #Flames

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Toonage

1. I hope James Neal stays motivated and I hope he finds his game again. Chances are good we'll have a front row seat to watching that play out. Regardless its good to hear him own it.
2. I'm concerned about Monahan for a number of reasons. If he isn't hurt (and sounds like he isn't) then all I can hope is that he too finds his game and that there isn't anything outside of hockey thats got him down.

I think with Monahan (and JG) it's pretty simple - does he want to be a 2-way beast like Crosby (I don't mean production-wise, just the full commitment to the 200' game, skating, FO's, etc) or not. I don't think it has anything to do with "feeling it" or "having fun". Either he wants to "win" or he doesn't.

[Toonage]

If that was Rittich playing injured then we have found an absolute gem.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Ouch. So no major injuries for Tkachuk, Monahan and Gaudreau? Tkachuk has more excuses as he's younger and less experienced. Plus his style of play should theoretically be great in the playoffs. You have to have guys who can grind the boards and drive the net like he does. He can retrieve pucks and he can protect the puck. He can screen the goalie and tip the puck. I have confidence Tkachuk will figure it out long term.

I'm starting to lose confidence that Gaudreau and Monahan can be primary drivers in the playoffs. I do think their trade value is extremely high, much like Hamilton's last summer. So if Treliving wants to shake up the core a little I think he'll have a lot of options to consider as I could see a lot of teams coveting Gaudreau/Monahan. Sure some will argue that they had a bad playoffs which they did. But opposing GM's will look at the age and think they'll get better long term, or that they can do better in a different situation. Or their needs could be such that they need that type of player so bad that a few warts isn't an issue with their skill and their contracts. Some teams are starved for centres and will gladly take Monahan. Think of NSH and how they had to give up Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen. I'd argue Monahan has even better history than Johansen did and thus could have higher trade value. Some teams are starved for skill at all and would be drooling at the possibility of adding Gaudreau's skill. Some teams may believe they can make room and open ice for Gaudreau more easily with their lineup. Plenty of reason to believe the trade value of Monahan and Gaudreau is currently sky high. Players with their skill, with their contracts, at their age are rarely available.

Do we have to shake up the core? I'm often a stay the course kind of guy but in this case I think we saw a very worrying lack of compete, urgency, desire, grit and speed this playoffs. When we've been successful in the playoffs in the past those were strengths of ours. I would argue we do have to change up the core a bit. I would argue we have too many soft or passive players in the core. We need to continue to add competitiveness, heart, physicality and speed at all positions even at the top end of the roster. In order to do this one of our core players likely will have to be dealt.

Should be an interesting off season. I think Treliving has to listen to offers on most players. I think the "almost impossible to pry out" list (I don't like using the word untouchable) in Calgary is a bit shorter than it used to be. For me Andersson has added himself to the list to go along with Tkachuk, Valimaki, Hanifin and Lindholm. I really can't imagine us moving any of those players. But I think you listen to offers on the rest. And I think Frolik, Neal, and Brodie are actually actively shopped.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Rittich has been playing through an injury since Dec 31.

Kristen Anderson @KdotAnderson
David Rittich on world championships: "I was hurt for big part of the season. It's a little sad but I'm not going there ... I want to be healthy (for next season) and that is more important to me." Said the injury was painful. Wouldn't say what it was. Hurt on Dec. 31.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
David Rittich says he was playing through an undisclosed injury from January to the end of the season.

Says it’ll keep him from representing the Czech Republic at Worlds. Says he really wants to go but needs to take care of his injury. #Flames

And I guess now we know why Smith played so much. It wasn't just because Peters is an idiot.

[Strange Brew]

I'll give Neal credit for his comments. He's at least self aware enough to know what he should say in this instance.

I was critical of the decision to wait until game 5 to healthy scratch him but maybe that's exactly what his season needed to end with.

I expect nothing out of Neal next year so anything at all would be a bonus, assuming he is still here.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

I think with Monahan (and JG) it's pretty simple - does he want to be a 2-way beast like Crosby (I don't mean production-wise, just the full commitment to the 200' game, skating, FO's, etc) or not. I don't think it has anything to do with "feeling it" or "having fun". Either he wants to "win" or he doesn't.

So he decided midway through the year he just didn't want to play like he had been?

The game turned on him when the play got tougher. No doubt. But so drastically? Even last year it got tougher for him in the 2nd half of the year but he had a great playoff. This year nothing. What you're saying may play a role. Heck it might be exactly whats up. I think its more. He's a young guy and he looked mentally worn. I just hope whatever it is, be it self analysis or whatever, he gets through it and gets everything right for next year.

The Flames wouldn't be what they were this year without Monahan. And we can critique the end of the year all we want but he was a major reason they had the successes they did.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Toonage

So he decided midway through the year he just didn't want to play like he had been?

The game turned on him when the play got tougher. No doubt. But so drastically? Even last year it got tougher for him in the 2nd half of the year but he had a great playoff. This year nothing. What you're saying may play a role. Heck it might be exactly whats up. I think its more. He's a young guy and he looked mentally worn. I just hope whatever it is, be it self analysis or whatever, he gets through it and gets everything right for next year.

The Flames wouldn't be what they were this year without Monahan. And we can critique the end of the year all we want but he was a major reason they had the successes they did.

He seriously looked like he got dumped by his GF or something else going on personally and was not there mentally.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Bonded

He seriously looked like he got dumped by his GF or something else going on personally and was not there mentally.

I thought the same thing. I don't like speculating about personal stuff (though to be fair I pretty much did, so I apologize) but yeah. I agree.

[868904]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanTrev

Based on how the playoffs went, Monahan should play as much hockey as possible between now and September to try and get some confidence and swagger back. Maybe have some fun playing again, because what he showed didn't look like any fun at all.

I think Monahan should skip the Worlds and find a world class power skating coach and develop a first step. Call up Bo Horvat and ask him who helped turn him into an explosive skater. In their draft year, Monahan and Horvat were similar skaters, Horvat worked on this part of his game and is now a significantly better skater than Monahan.

If Monahan could improve his skating, he'd be a line driving centre on his own.

Oh and bring Tkachuk with you to the power skating.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Rittich has been playing through an injury since Dec 31.

Kristen Anderson @KdotAnderson
David Rittich on world championships: "I was hurt for big part of the season. It's a little sad but I'm not going there ... I want to be healthy (for next season) and that is more important to me." Said the injury was painful. Wouldn't say what it was. Hurt on Dec. 31.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
David Rittich says he was playing through an undisclosed injury from January to the end of the season.

Says it’ll keep him from representing the Czech Republic at Worlds. Says he really wants to go but needs to take care of his injury. #Flames

Our "world greatest Flames Fan in Czech" Calgaryboy quietly broke this a while back. He also had it confirmed through one of his very connected sources. ;-)

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I thought the same thing. I don't like speculating about personal stuff (though to be fair I pretty much did, so I apologize) but yeah. I agree.

Unfortunately/(Fortunately??) I can confirm that he's still with his long time GF. Saw her, his sister and his parents @ the big Budweiser zone outside the dome during the playoffs. She was still rocking the Monahan "wives" jacket unless it was just for show

[Toonage]

Do we know if/when Treliving will be addressing the media?

[blender]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Yeah I don’t get that either.

Flames got outskated and outworked by the Avs all series, looking very slow at times....yup better at some toughness and grit to the roster.

Speed needs to the be the focus.

I think Frolik used the term meanness. I believe there is something lacking on that end for sure. Sam Bennett is mean. Monahan, not so much (although didn't he have a big suspension in junior?)

Nate McKinnon is mean. He tells his coach to do his ****ing job! Zadorov, definitely mean. Landeskog is mean and nasty for sure. It's a fine line between being mean and tough to play against and being Evander Kane, but when people suggest that the Flames need more meanness, I think this is whag they are talking about.
I think there is something to this