Practice Notes March 9 - Surly Rancher 2.0

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Coach

I had a feeling Darryl would try Ritchie with Monahan and Gaudreau. Big with wheels and goes to the dirty areas. And right handed for once.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Ritchie, I think his game could translate well there.

...and he can run the opposition D.

[savardandjokinen]

Gaudreau Monahan Ritchie could be like when Ferland was with them. Ritchie did have 16 goals one season

[flames_fan_down_under]

Tanev is someone I can see thriving under Sutter. That guy only has one setting and is basically the anchor of this flames D core already. He’s probably thinking a lot of the things many of us are thinking regarding this team and it’s work ethic.

He has four measly points but is amazingly a plus 4 player on an offensively challenged team with a negative goal differential, and is top ten in blocked shots. How is there not a “i like Chris tanev” thread?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think there were plenty of posters here who criticized "system" pretty intentionally. And had long, detailed analyses of what they preferred.

I prefer strategy to system, because system seems rigid sounding and that can never work in hockey, no matter what system you use. I'm sure the coaches thus far have coached options on things like breakouts, but the players have sure not acted like they had options - they do the same defendable plays over and over.

I also think pretty much every so-called system can work, as long as there's buy-in and execution, and maybe that was the failure of Ward, GG (especially his second season) and Peter's second season. Failure to get buy in is a mutual problem between players and coach.

Every system can work - and every system will work sometimes. The question is: will it work enough? In a league where the difference between teams, and the difference between winning and losing is razor thin, getting the right systems (or style, or strategies) for the team, and most importantly, getting buy-in, and thus execution, from the players, is the key.

And while that is ultimately the responsibility of the players, if it isn't happening, that is on the coach.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Tanev is someone I can see thriving under Sutter. That guy only has one setting and is basically the anchor of this flames D core already. He’s probably thinking a lot of the things many of us are thinking regarding this team and it’s work ethic.

He has four measly points but is amazingly a plus 4 player on an offensively challenged team with a negative goal differential, and is top ten in blocked shots. How is there not a “i like Chris tanev” thread?

Plus-4 is incredible on this team. Thay says it all right there.


Don't discount how good Hanifin has been on that pair also.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Sutter: "The game in Edmonton, the first period that I watched was the best period of hockey, of any teams I've seen play this year."

For someone with the reputation of being a hard a@@, I really liked his first public message to the guys being one of positivity.

I think he's trying to get them to believe in their abilities again. He's been talking about how good the team is and mentioning the stanley cup for reason.
Guys like Johnny and Monahan used to have a swagger in their play. Hopefully Darryl can help them get that back. They need to believe they can compete with and beat teams with players like McDavid, Matthews, etc. I think they've lost a lot of confidence since the Colorado series.

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

The puck is faster than both of them.

Exactly and Sutter will teach them to go where the puck is heading instead of where it is! Details!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

I still remember the days when Hartley emphasized high tempo practices so that the Flames would be the best conditioned team in the league. Hopefully Darryl does something to motivate these lazy bums.

I don't there is enough time, or enough practice time, for that to happen this year.

But I expect we will see a significant improvement on this front next year.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by FlamesAreOne

@EricFrancis

“He stressed there’s not going to be a crazy changes in the way we’re playing. He said… the system is correct but the style we need to fix.” - Matthew Tkachuk on Darryl Sutter's early approach.

I can't say I disagree with Sutter. At least as far as to say that I don't see how anyone can say that it was the system when the players themselves played with zero effort and urgency. There isn't a system in the NHL that doesn't require effort and urgency. That has been the failing of pretty much every coach this team has had since Darryl Sutter was the coach. Hartley and Peters got some mileage out of the team, but it was short lived.

Some players on this team do what they want and play how they want, and if the coach doesn't stop it, they will keep doing it as long as they can. Like Sutter said, there are some players on the team pulling in different directions. The Lindholm and Backlund lines seemed to buy in.

Monahan and Gaudreau remind me too much of Stillman/Savard and Iginla circa 2000. Consistent producers, but mostly just playing for themselves and not the coaches. Breaking them up was probably the best thing to happen for all of them.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Sutter: "The game in Edmonton, the first period that I watched was the best period of hockey, of any teams I've seen play this year."

For someone with the reputation of being a hard a@@, I really liked his first public message to the guys being one of positivity.

It also sends the message that the next 5 periods were not as good and they know what they have to aim for.

[dino7c]

1st period vs. Oilers and third against Sens were absolute domination.

The other 4 periods are the issue Darryl needs to fix.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Tanev is someone I can see thriving under Sutter. That guy only has one setting and is basically the anchor of this flames D core already. He’s probably thinking a lot of the things many of us are thinking regarding this team and it’s work ethic.

Like an updated version of a Rhett Warrener.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Was not aware...explains a LOT.

Thanks.

yep.

posters saying the flames likely can't make the playoffs is a really bad take when an Oiler fan has to call them out on it.

We're experts on the subject of not making the playoffs.

Sutter getting hired was a punch to the stomach of Oiler fans.
We all know what's going to happen, and it sure as hell isn't going to be the flames folding up and waiting for next year.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

You can say the system is right, but if you also say the style isn't, that makes you fundamentally question how much the system will change.

If the Flames are quicker to reset and get the pick up the ice, or closing gaps quicker in the neutral zone, that is a fundamental change.

I don't think we're ready for 'I told you so' just yet.

Playing the system they were playing but passive is the issue.

If they play that exact same system but with more pace and more aggressive then it might work.

The issue was playing slow and playing passive.

My gut is the system changes a bit too...I don't recall those Kings or Flames teams collapsing as much under Sutter.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But it is also not just as simple as that. Ward was most definitely not a good coach because he failed to get the team to play well. However, I think part of Bingo's point is to rightly note that the coach was pretty regularly being criticized here for things that were the players's doing. Too often when a player missed a pass, or skated mindlessly into traffic, or attempted to pass through layers of coverage into the slot Ward would be lambasted for it.

Yes. And we all get that it is the players that are making mistakes, not the coach.

The rebuttal that some of us are making is that, if all the players are guilty, and it is happening on a nightly basis, then there is likely something fundamentally wrong with the message (or lack of message) from the coaches.

[The Yen Man]

Lol, is the Irish reporter actually reporting in Ireland? If so, that's so awesome ha ha. Must be a Flames fan or something.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by dino7c

1st period vs. Oilers and third against Sens were absolute domination.

The other 4 periods are the issue Darryl needs to fix.

Honestly they are out of shape, they just can’t do it for 60 mins

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes. And we all get that it is the players that are making mistakes, not the coach.

The rebuttal that some of us are making is that, if all the players are guilty, and it is happening on a nightly basis, then there is likely something fundamentally wrong with the message (or lack of message) from the coaches.

I am not directing this at you, but there are certainly posters here who were not as careful in their criticism to make these distinctions between plan and execution, which is exactly what I was getting at.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I believe believe Sutter saying the system will be the same is mental manipulation of the players to convince them not much has changed, while actually changing a lot of things.

And also to avoid putting any blame on Ward.

It was simply a statement to the media.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Every system can work - and every system will work sometimes. The question is: will it work enough? In a league where the difference between teams, and the difference between winning and losing is razor thin, getting the right systems (or style, or strategies) for the team, and most importantly, getting buy-in, and thus execution, from the players, is the key.

And while that is ultimately the responsibility of the players, if it isn't happening, that is on the coach.

The fact of the matter is though, that every system needs adjustments.

Glen Gulutzan believed that if you went out and did the same thing over and over and over and over but....eventually better? That statistically over the course of the season it would work.

Thats insane.

You can have a core system, and core values, but at the end of the day the adjustments made in the moment are what is going to slip the knife's edge over to victory or defeat.