[PGT] Nucks 5 Flames 2

[Buff]

The league is to blame for allowing the Oilers to exist in a world of consistent mediocrity.

Flames easily demoralized the Oilers and looked like they figured tonight was going to be the same.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

highly doubt it

Vancouver is 1 point up with 1 more game played and Edmonton is one point back. Calgary's first half was a way harder schedule

Outplaying both these teams in the 2nd half guarantees top 3, seems like a good bet IMO

I believe Vancouver has played one game less while up a point.

I agree with your assertion that there are no scary teams in the Pacific and making the playoffs is well within reach. But Flames aren’t scaring anybody either and there are some young teams that will be playing without the burden of expectations.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Scary Eloranta

Ok should have been more specific: not a team that can go deep, IF they make the playoffs. How’s that?


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Should have a good chance to make it past both pacific division opponents/wildcard if we end up in a high pacific spot.

I’d call third round deep, from there on out a hot goalie or hot team can get lucky.

[Mr.Coffee]

Calgary needs to put forth more consistent effort if they want to be the best.

That really does sum it up. They aren’t good enough to skill this to a division lead. They need to work for it, and, quite frankly, I think they are too lazy for it. They don’t want it enough. They don’t have the desire. So here we are, they’ll be a middling team until Colorado destroys them round 1.

Calgary doesn’t have the required desire. And it’s actually not even remotely close. Compete level isn’t in the same stratosphere as what’s required. And they don’t care. And by all of this, I mean the key stars. Guys like Gaudreau and Monahan and sadly kinda Tkachuk and even Backlund. So much laziness. Gross.

[BruceCody]

another good hunting

[Poe969]

A bubble team that can't beat other bubble teams. Is the goal this year to play 6 playoff games or to draft around 15 or so? Or do they trade their pick and still miss the playoffs this year...I keep forgetting.

At least they have the best slogan in the league: "mediocrity...meh"

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

I have been a massive fan of Treliving throughout his entire tenure but if Geoff Ward remains Head Coach beyond this season, that'll be close to it for me.

The 5v5 hockey the Flames are playing under Ward is beyond embarrassing. If this type of hockey continues, we're screwed.

Who was a greater coach 5v5, Ward or Gulutzan?

[Lanny_McDonald]

Came to see blaming the refs and Mark Jankowski for the loss, wasn't disappointed. The problems with this team are obvious. It isn't a 4th line center who gets the least amount of 5on5 ice time. It isn't the referees. It's the Flames top players not showing up and earning their keep. Johnny Hockey has checked out. Backlund is just useless in a top six role. This is a team that plays uninspired hockey and it is because their top six is a steam pile of don't care. Your top players have to play like your top players, and the Flames have not seen that from those players all season long. Time for Treliving to earn his money. Everyone on this team should be available.

[Joborule]

I like to use the goal differential stat as a good indicator of how well a team is. At the official halfway point of the season, the Flames are in the 2nd WC spot, with a goal differential of -11. Every other playoff team in the entire league has a positive goal differential.

The Flames are ahead by one spot of the Oilers by one point who share the same goal differential, as well as the Wild by two points, and they have a goal differential of -8. The Predators are three spots behind by 3 points, but have three games in hand, and also have a goal differential of +5. So theoretically there is a chance that the Predators could catch up, and overtake the final playoff spot from the Flames if they were to play three games before Flames play their next.

The Flames goal differential is a problem, and is going to linger all season long with how inconsistent this team is from game to game. That stat indicates that they are exactly that kind of team. The goaltending from Rittich wasn't good this game, but the bigger issue is the offense is far too hot and cold from game to game. Even with being down 3-0 at the end of the 1st, it's far from insurmountable since that's still 2 periods to mount a comeback. But the belief for them to be capable of pulling that off is likely very low for majority of fans with what they've seen from this team this season.

With Flames GA's is right in the middle at 16th in the league, but GF's at 23rd, it's the Flames offense that's letting the team down. To break it down even further, it's the Flames lack of even strength scoring that is killing he team since the Flames Power Play is ranked right in the middle again at 16th. Along with the Penalty Kill being 4th in the league, the special teams, as well as the defense/goaltending is doing it's part, but the offense is not.

It feels that team misses the net a crap ton, and this likely is why the offense is so abysmal, but with how this has been a problem all season long, this likely is going to be the norm this season. Therefore Flames are going to continue this inconsistent play since they aren't scoring enough goals on a game to game basis, and will be trapped in the playoff bubble area. This is crappy since with how much money is allocated to the roster, and the expectations place on the team being high, to be a playoff bubble team that may not even make the playoffs, does the franchise no good, since they likely aren't getting a high draft pick in what's suppose to be a good draft.

Flames management at the trade deadline have a tough decision to make if the Flames are still in the playoff bubble range, and rolling with a negative goal differential still. Do they try to push for the playoffs still, and become buyers, with the risk of still missing the playoffs/being a 1st round exit, or consider this season a wash, and be sellers with the idea that the team would dip in the standings as a result, which can put them in better position for a good 1st round draft pick.

[FaFaFlamey]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

I have been a massive fan of Treliving throughout his entire tenure but if Geoff Ward remains Head Coach beyond this season, that'll be close to it for me.

The 5v5 hockey the Flames are playing under Ward is beyond embarrassing. If this type of hockey continues, we're screwed.

Let me get this straight, Hartley, Guletzen, Peters, and now Ward?

[Erick Estrada]

Remember all the B2B excuses when they went down quietly to the Wild last week? That excuses certainly didn't age well.

[Roof-Daddy]

Meh.

Average team is average.

Go figure.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Remember all the B2B excuses when they went down quietly to the Wild last week? That excuses certainly didn't age well.

I don’t think those excuses were off base. Reasons for different losses can be, well, different.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Remember all the B2B excuses when they went down quietly to the Wild last week? That excuses certainly didn't age well.

Agreed - poor efforts in both games are the common factor.
The team is inconsistent with their level of compete, and far too easy to get off their games.

[kukkudo]

Team is just lazy and lots of players being passengers.

[bubbsy]

Games against 2 non-playoff teams coming up. My guess is they go 0.500. I mean there's the usual set of excuses available to them:
1) NYE home game - holiday distractions
2) NYR home game - umm, NYR is playing well, last game before a road trip?! Perhaps feeling good about themselves after winning the NYE game

I personally thought Monahan was busting his balls last night. Gaudreau, Backlund, Tkachuk, Lindholm were beyond useless. I thought the D looked pretty average again, hanafin and Hamonic are both overrated. Rittich had a brutal start, should have been pulled after that 2nd goal. Both goals were not good.

Maybe this team needs to get a severe ass whooping at home (ie. losing 9-2 vs the pens last year) to snap them back into focus. Suck -> Rock Bottom -> team/player only meeting(beer on trains etc) -> short winning streak -> Repeat. That's the MO of this group.

Also, I am definitely concerned with Gaudreau. Feels like he got broke during last year's ASG break and has never really recovered. Team's have definitely clued in on how to defend him, but his lack of ability to adjust and alter his game is quite obvious. He seems fine on the PP, but is mediocre and more of a liability 5on5.

I'm really curious what happens to the entire team/management group should they be a WC team and first round fodder again. I would love to know how Treliving's performance review goes come next summer.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Flames management at the trade deadline have a tough decision to make if the Flames are still in the playoff bubble range, and rolling with a negative goal differential still. Do they try to push for the playoffs still, and become buyers, with the risk of still missing the playoffs/being a 1st round exit, or consider this season a wash, and be sellers with the idea that the team would dip in the standings as a result, which can put them in better position for a good 1st round draft pick.

Agree with the rest but I don't think they'll be sellers at all. They'll continue to be in the playoff picture rest of the year (especially since the Pacific is weak) and selling guys would mean throwing in the towel. It doesn't make sense and would send a wrong message to the players and fans.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Agree with the rest but I don't think they'll be sellers at all. They'll continue to be in the playoff picture rest of the year (especially since the Pacific is weak) and selling guys would mean throwing in the towel. It doesn't make sense and would send a wrong message to the players and fans.

Not trading one of their UFA Dmen by the deadline, in the hopes to win maybe a game or 2 in the playoffs, feels like a very Calgary Flames move.

I also bet we hear more "almost" moves made by the flames, which is getting beyond annoying. Do your business quietly, hearing the, hey we almost got zucker, we almost got kadri, we almost got hall, yada yada yada, is so lame. Not suggesting the flames are to blame for the leaks, but it's getting ridiculous.

[Bonded]

Worst part about is that Gaudreau is looking like crap. Don't want to trade him at his lowest value in the offseason. Unless there is a comparable player struggling that has a good chance to bounce back then the return will be probably be very underwhelming.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Not trading one of their UFA Dmen by the deadline, in the hopes to win maybe a game or 2 in the playoffs, feels like a very Calgary Flames move.

I also bet we hear more "almost" moves made by the flames, which is getting beyond annoying. Do your business quietly, hearing the, hey we almost got zucker, we almost got kadri, we almost got hall, yada yada yada, is so lame. Not suggesting the flames are to blame for the leaks, but it's getting ridiculous.

I think they will move Hamonic by the deadline and try to sign Brodie to an extension. Valimaki will be back and might be able to rotate in with Stone and Kylington on the bottom pair which moves Andersson up to replace Hamonic. Stone can replace Hamonic on the PK.