Well that was a pretty classic Flames effort this season.
Their negative goal differential was going to catch up to them and their luck was going to turn at some point, I suspect this is the moment. How this team is even fighting for a playoff position in the first place is beyond me.
They are only fighting a playoff position because of the skills shootout record and the fact they are in a weak Pacific Division.
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If we extend Hamonic I will be greatly upset. He is part of the problem with this core, and quite frankly we’re already at max-capacity for complacent, overpaid veterans.
Trade him and recoup something.
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First game in a long time that I purposely didn’t watch. I’ve had it. Something’s rotten in Denmark. Blow this #### up. Get what you can picks wise for anyone of any significant value (outside of a few players of course, Tkachuk, Andersson, Lindholm).
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Desperation. Compete. Veterans on the team need to drive the team.
But they're not so why keep trying? It is an optics thing can't severely limit their ice time? Can't get any worse if I was coaching I'd staple Johnny's ass to the bench until he decided he wants to play hockey. His play is pathetic beyond belief he literally gives up after a half arsed effort to do something.
- Hartley was a mixed bag. Knew how to get the most effort / attention to detail from the players, knew how to roll a blender, knew how to shorten icetime, but then implemented horrible stretch pass heavy systems and hated tightening up play away from the puck. He had to go because of his philosophy, not because the players didn't respond to him. The players actually played their asses off for him three years in a row before his firing, two of which were lottery years.
- Gulutzan was a bad coach because he had a long leash on players, he loved rolling four lines, he didn't emphasize a 5 man attack in the offensive zone, he took Bennett off the PP which resulted in a huge mental slump for the player, and he idiotically utilized Brodie. For all the hate his systems (mostly deservedly) got, he did know how to shut it down tactically and force a tight checking high pressure defensive game. He just failed at everything else. He deserved to go.
- Peters was an incredible coach when he got here. Kept the good aspects of GG's systems but tweaked things just enough. Knew how to roll a blender, mostly had his powerplay lines working, and wasn't afraid to bench veterans. But then when he figured it all out he went away from some of the things that were working - particularily his blender which we didn't really see after the 2019 ASG. Got thoroughly outcoached from a tactical perspective in the playoffs and that reduced his rapport with the players. Got removed for reasons unrelated to hockey but even if you want to focus on the hockey aspect of it, his fixed lines and poor playoffs were a black mark. At best he was a mediocre coach, and it's possible he wasn't a very likeable coach. You can be a hardass or have a short leash and still likeable - see Darryl Sutter or Joel Quennville. But you can also be a hardass and detestable a la Peters' own Sensei Babcock.
- Ward is Gulutzan without the Xs and Os knowledge. Yikes.
This is why I really think they should really go hard after Gallant right now.
To me he’s the right combination of X’s and O’s (Vegas played a tight defensive game while still playing with pace), and hardass motivation (lots of discussion that Vegas players loved playing for him and were very unhappy he was let go).
Bit of a combination of the best parts of Peters, Hartley, and GG IMO.
Give him 25 games to see which of this current core seems to fit with his system, then go from there in the offseason.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 02-06-2020 at 10:08 PM.
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If you were a coach right now would you want to go anywhere near this franchise?
Like, maybe the biggest reason gallant hasn't been hired is because he doesn't want the job?
"I'm a hot commodity in the NHL right now. I'm still being paid through 2021 by my former team, there is an expansion organization on the horizon run by professionals and I just had tremendous success with a different expansion franchise.
I know what I'll do! I'll go to an organization with a poorly assembled team full of coach killers that don't look like a solid bet to make the playoffs or do anything once they are there. The GM looks like he could be gone in less than a year and there are serious rumours that the team might be looking to trade away their best player.
Yes, THAT is the team I want to go to. Sign me up to coach THAT team."
Last edited by Flash Walken; 02-06-2020 at 10:10 PM.
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Apparently not. Theres a lot of vocal fans that still blame coaching
Yes, there are problem in the roster. This doesn't mean the coach is not to blame. When the team is trailing by 1 goal and the coach pull the goalie and Toby "freaking" Reider is the extra attacker. Please tell me how this isn't coaching problem and why fans cannot blame the coach?
Something happened with this group around the All Star break last year and the team did a 180. Something is rotten and I have no idea what it is, or what happened.
Shortly after the All Star break Lindholm did this and the Hurricanes took the Flames mojo
We have heard Ward trot out the same crap that GG said in his tenure, "at this point in the season the players take over the room". It's obvious that the players are incapable of doing that for themselves. I know that they are paid enough to show up and work hard every day, yet they aren't. We need a general behind the bench. No crap allowed and strong structure. Ward is lacking in both structure and motivation as far as I'm concerned.
We are not gaining any possession with one forechecker or dump and chase with one chaser. We are also not preventing zone entry by backing off and gifting it on every entry into our zone. Most teams are smothering us with two chasers on their dump ins, and giving us no time.
Additionally Hamonic can add another goal against to his resume while he puck watches rather than taking the body or tying up his man. His defensive play in front of the net over the past five games could be used as a peewee coaching aid of what not to do.
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If you were a coach right now would you want to go anywhere near this franchise?
Like, maybe the biggest reason gallant hasn't been hired is because he doesn't want the job?
Actually - yes. Emphatically so. (Provided the money is right etc.)
Wouldn't any coach give his eyeteeth to have JG and "turn him around" and be forever known as the guy who did that? You bet. They are just as competitive as the players, which is why they're in the NHL.
This is why I really think they should really go hard after Gallant right now.
To me he’s the right combination of X’s and O’s (Vegas played a tight defensive game while still playing with pace), and hardass motivation (lots of discussion that Vegas players loved playing for him and were very unhappy he was let go).
Bit of a combination of the best parts of Peters, Hartley, and GG IMO.
Give him 25 games to see which of this current core seems to fit with his system, then go from there in the offseason.
Gallant is a good coach but both times he's been fired it was on teams that were dominating the play but couldn't generate anything... that's just too familiar.
I'm Team Laviolette all the way... literally been to three cup finals with three different teams. Has had systems that emphasize offense from the blue line. Has a real mimd for Xs and Os too.
We also need to call up Czarnik. Our lineup's lack of speedy skilled right handed shots is often an issue.
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I don't think we'll be able to get a guy like gallant. Sure, the upside for him is that he gets a Pacific winning roster that, if they get hot, could win the division again and maybe even face his old team in the playoffs.
The more likely scenario is this team whiffs in the playoffs or misses outright and he has himself a team in a mini rebuild mired in uncertainty... I think you might have a better chance to get him in the off-season.
The real desperation move here is Darryl. Give him a 3 month contract, see what happens.
- Hartley was a mixed bag. Knew how to get the most effort / attention to detail from the players, knew how to roll a blender, knew how to shorten icetime, but then implemented horrible stretch pass heavy systems and hated tightening up play away from the puck. He had to go because of his philosophy, not because the players didn't respond to him. The players actually played their asses off for him three years in a row before his firing, two of which were lottery years.
- Gulutzan was a bad coach because he had a long leash on players, he loved rolling four lines, he didn't emphasize a 5 man attack in the offensive zone, he took Bennett off the PP which resulted in a huge mental slump for the player, and he idiotically utilized Brodie. For all the hate his systems (mostly deservedly) got, he did know how to shut it down tactically and force a tight checking high pressure defensive game. He just failed at everything else. He deserved to go.
- Peters was an incredible coach when he got here. Kept the good aspects of GG's systems but tweaked things just enough. Knew how to roll a blender, mostly had his powerplay lines working, and wasn't afraid to bench veterans. But then when he figured it all out he went away from some of the things that were working - particularily his blender which we didn't really see after the 2019 ASG. Got thoroughly outcoached from a tactical perspective in the playoffs and that reduced his rapport with the players. Got removed for reasons unrelated to hockey but even if you want to focus on the hockey aspect of it, his fixed lines and poor playoffs were a black mark. At best he was a mediocre coach, and it's possible he wasn't a very likeable coach. You can be a hardass or have a short leash and still likeable - see Darryl Sutter or Joel Quennville. But you can also be a hardass and detestable a la Peters' own Sensei Babcock.
- Ward is Gulutzan without the Xs and Os knowledge. Yikes.
This might be the most apologist post I've seen so far to try to take the blame on the coach and excuse the players.
To take Hartley and Peter's accomplishments of getting this team to perform at an elite level and dismiss them as being flawed without putting any responsibility on the team takes mental gymnastics that I'm just not capable of
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It’s clear that ward isn’t going to go down as the greatest NHL head coach, but to say this is strictly a coaching issue is ridiculous. The players have zero compete and for the most part have already given up. Something about the all star break last year really sunk this team.
For whatever reason we’ve never been able to get back on track.
Ward may not be the strongest coach, or have the resume to compete with guys like Gallant and Laviolette, however, this core can’t get it done. I know this was supposed to be our window but it’s becoming crystal clear that changes need to be made. I hope Tree has enough sense to be honest with himself rather than chase a slim playoff dream (although I suspect ownership has given the mandate that playoffs are a must)
Unfortunately it looks like it’s back to the drawing board with this current version of the Calgary Flames. Hoping someday they can get this right, but this failure seems par for the course for the Calgary Flames.
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Well fellas, my towel has officially been thrown in for this year. If they end up turning things around, awesome! But from now on, I'm going into every game expecting a loss. Cant be disappointed if you have no expectations!
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- Brian Burke 2016
But they're not so why keep trying? It is an optics thing can't severely limit their ice time? Can't get any worse if I was coaching I'd staple Johnny's ass to the bench until he decided he wants to play hockey. His play is pathetic beyond belief he literally gives up after a half arsed effort to do something.
Exactly.
Last year he would get the puck and then a couple quick strides and he would be off making moves left and right. Making space but being faster and better then the other players. He would hold on to the puck and wait for a trailer or someone to get open feed them the puck and we got a ton of goals that way on his way to 99 points. He would use his speed a shiftiness to make space for himself and all the other team could do was slash at his hands to try and stop him.
This year he does maybe one or two rushes a game maybe. He hasn't been using any of that footwork that got him so much open space last year. We have always known that he is not the fight in the corner to win the puck type of player. If he's not using his edges and out skating the opposition he is useless.
You can see he still has the vision and still has some nice passes but he is missing that speed/shiftiness game that gives him open ice. Opposition catches him easy now, gives him a push and that rush is done.
Monahan is a sniper. He benefits from getting fed in the slot. Since Gaudreau is no longer doing that he has also done a lot less. He seems to have upped his physical game but that seems to come and go.
