Unpopular Opinions about Flames

[kukkudo]

A lot of people are forgetting the Blues had amazing goaltending and the D played well. Its a whole team effort.

[Patek23]

I feel that Lindholm is often the best player on his line. And most definitely is the most well rounded player of that top line.

Monahan and Johnny should be split up in playoffs as having two soft players up top like that gets exposed when the game gets physical.

I agree with Johnny not being a guy you win all the way with as your only premier player. He’s a Kessel type where he needs to be considered an elite level compliment piece because his game is so one-faceted.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

A lot of people are forgetting the Blues had amazing goaltending and the D played well. Its a whole team effort.

Right. It's almost like there are different ways to win. There is no magic formula, or only one way to build a team.

More talent is obviously good. But you also have to learn how to compete and how to win in the playoffs.

And great goaltending never hurts

[troutman]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

A lot of people are forgetting the Blues had amazing goaltending and the D played well. Its a whole team effort.

The Blues won the Cup because Berube instructed them to commit non-stop fouls, knowing the NHL and refs didn't have the guts to call more than 3-4 penalties per game.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by troutman

The Blues won the Cup because Berube instructed them to commit non-stop fouls, knowing the NHL and refs didn't have the guts to call more than 3-4 penalties per game.

Sounds like a brilliant tactical decision

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by troutman

The Blues won the Cup because Berube instructed them to commit non-stop fouls, knowing the NHL and refs didn't have the guts to call more than 3-4 penalties per game.

I think part of the reason Bennett is heralded as the best skater for Calgary last POs is because he did stuff he normally gets penalized for in the offensive zone.

It's a natural that Gaudreau is going to get grabbed and hooked more. They can either hope they start calling it more and whine when it doesn't happen, or play through it better.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by troutman

The Blues won the Cup because Berube instructed them to commit non-stop fouls, knowing the NHL and refs didn't have the guts to call more than 3-4 penalties per game.

Or to put it another way, given the refereeing, you benefit from being big and being aggressive/initiators in the playoffs. I am curious to see how Lucic affects our playoff attitude (assuming we can get in). That's where Kadri would have been great too I think.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think part of the reason Bennett is heralded as the best skater for Calgary last POs is because he did stuff he normally gets penalized for in the offensive zone.

It's a natural that Gaudreau is going to get grabbed and hooked more. They can either hope they start calling it more and whine when it doesn't happen, or play through it better.

I agree with this but I would raise the question of why tkachuk was so ineffective in playoffs?

isn't he supposed to be our power forward / agitator type? didn't see much of that in playoffs.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Or to put it another way, given the refereeing, you benefit from being big and being aggressive/initiators in the playoffs. I am curious to see how Lucic affects our playoff attitude (assuming we can get in). That's where Kadri would have been great too I think.

Kadri would have been great for two or three games until he inevitably commits a major infraction and is suspended for the remainder of the first round. I look forward to seeing him watch a Colorado Round One exit from the press box in 2020.


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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

I agree with this but I would raise the question of why tkachuk was so ineffective in playoffs?

isn't he supposed to be our power forward / agitator type? didn't see much of that in playoffs.

Tkachuk wasn’t great, but he also was not terrible. He was a lot better than he was in 2017 when he was obviously overwhelmed and invisible. I think a reasonable expectation is that he takes another step and is better again this year in the playoffs.


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[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

I agree with this but I would raise the question of why tkachuk was so ineffective in playoffs?

isn't he supposed to be our power forward / agitator type? didn't see much of that in playoffs.

He's still just 21. And he had the second most points in the 5 games (after Bennett).

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Tkachuk wasn’t great, but he also was not terrible. He was a lot better than he was in 2017 when he was obviously overwhelmed and invisible. I think a reasonable expectation is that he takes another step and is better again this year in the playoffs.


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He wasn't awful like Backlund but that line definitely got outclassed when matched against the Avs top line.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He wasn't awful like Backlund but that line definitely got outclassed when matched against the Avs top line.

Maybe this actually explains why tkachuk looked bad, playing against mackinnon last year made a lot of guys look really bad.

[Enoch Root]

Backlund's line got owned. There was no chance that any of them were going to look good individually. (not making excuses for Tkachuk, it just is what it is)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Maybe this actually explains why tkachuk looked bad, playing against mackinnon last year made a lot of guys look really bad.

And Bennett on the other hand probably got way better matchups and zone starts (I haven't looked to see).

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Itse

... but I do think Frolik should be a bit higher on the list of guys Peters puts on the PP than 25th.

Frolik should never be on the PP. Hes nowhere near one of our most skilled forwards. He’s not a net front presence like Tkachuk or Lucic. There’s no strong argument that he should see PP time imo.

Forwards who should see more PP time than Frolik
Gaudreau
Monahan
Tkachuk
Lindholm
Lucic
Bennett
Mangiapane
Czarnik
Backlund
Jankowski
Dube

He’s one of our worst PP options imo. Doesn’t have the skill, vision, puck handling, etc to be there. People clamouring for him to be on the PP based on even strength stats is a real head scratcher. Makes no sense at all

[Strange Brew]

I'm surprised at how many people think Lucic deserves PP time. 16 goals in his last 161 games. I can see his role but IMO the PP is not it. Hope I'm wrong.

[kermitology]

Going to Flames games isn't very fun or entertaining. I'd rather watch at home than go to games at this point. I'm often bored, the in-game entertainment is dumb, the asking for noise is terrible, and there's no bike racks at the Saddledome.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Frolik should never be on the PP. Hes nowhere near one of our most skilled forwards. He’s not a net front presence like Tkachuk or Lucic. There’s no strong argument that he should see PP time imo.

Forwards who should see more PP time than Frolik
Gaudreau
Monahan
Tkachuk
Lindholm
Lucic
Bennett
Mangiapane
Czarnik
Backlund
Jankowski
Dube

I think you're way premature on saying Czarnik, Dube, Mangiapane and Jankowski have shown enough on that list.

But let's not even debate that. Let's put Ryan on that list too.

What about James Neal?
What about Lomberg?
What about Rychel?
What about Quine?
What about Hathaway?

That's how far down the list Frolik was last season, in PPTOI/GP.

I'm not saying Frolik is the answer to making our 2nd PP dangerous.

I'm saying he was not the worst forward not named Curtis Lazar or Anthony Peluso. I'm saying he should not be in the same category with Anthony Peluso and Dalton Prout. That's ridiculous.

[Kidder]

Bennett is the Flames’ most valuable forward.

For two consecutive playoffs he has been by far our best forward. And his relative drop in effectiveness during the season significantly lowers his salary.

To compete in today’s NHL you need players to punch above their cap hit. Bennett is made for playoff hockey and brings us the most value when the games really matter.