Sutter preaches patience but doesn't seem to have it himself

[Steve Macfarlane]

Are the Flames complacent or is this more motivational mind games from the coach? A number of inconsistencies in his words and actions so far this season.

https://calgaryhockeynow.com/calgary...kael-backlund/

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Steve Macfarlane

Are the Flames complacent or is this more motivational mind games from the coach? A number of inconsistencies in his words and actions so far this season.

https://calgaryhockeynow.com/calgary...kael-backlund/

I'm with Sutter on the prospects at camp. Most of them were disappointing and a few were just OK, but not good enough to beat out any vets. If it was a rebuilding team with low expectations, you could argue for air dropping a couple into the line-up and develop them that way, but that isn't this team. My only hope is that they constantly re-evaluate the players on the Wranglers and if any look like they are more prepared now, call them up. Especially if the veterans aren't showing up.

Another loss tonight, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Sutter healthy scratch a big name for the next game.

[Hack&Lube]

I'm not following the gist of this article and where Sutter contradicts himself. He's said the message about process before. He's basically saying we are no longer the Gaudreau and Tkachuk team and we need to rebuild the process and chemistry and wins are actually of less importance than finding the right way to play as an effective team for 60 minutes.

He's also saying no rookies impressed in training camp so none were promoted. For the vets, you send the same message by benching them for mistakes. Zadorov himself commented on how much good Sutter's benching and later instruction on what to focus on did for his game.

He will continue mixing, blending, & benching until they figure out what works, wins be damned. I think it was Toffoli or another Kings vet who said that after a loss, when you expect Sutter to come in and tear up the room, he'll actually come in and pat players on the back for working together and to cheer up as long as they played well.

[Torture]

Shuffling the lines after a 5-2 start, calling out and potentially publicly embarrassing Huberdeau with his bathroom comment, and benching Backlund aren’t patient moves.

The Huberdeau comment seems like a pretty big stretch Steve..

[CGY12]

You have to take the good with the bad with Sutter. He's always been more about vets than youth, to a fault IMO. The league is now more than ever about incorporating some young guys and ELCs into the mix and giving the right young guy an opportunity to learn on the job. As happy as I am that Sutter is our coach, the absolute need to roll 4 forward lines regardless of time and score is frustrating, also the love shown to Lewis that he needs to play every game is annoying. If anything playing a young guy on a line with Backs and Coleman, maybe our 2 most responsible forwards, makes sense to me. I'd love to see some youthful legs out there with those 2, vs Lewis and his choppy, chip the puck out style and change skill mentality.

[Reggie Dunlop]

It's too soon to panic about Sutter.

[bdubbs]

In Sutter We Trust.

[Erick Estrada]

Yeah this has been a puzzling season from Darryl. The team has played poor defensively but it's kind of his job to get the players playing the team game as it's something he's been very good at most of his career. The rolling of four lines late into games is simply idiotic and Huberdeau hasn't been bad enough to warrant only 16 minutes per game which is the lowest for him since the 2014/15 season. He's starting to remind me of his GM days in the 2nd half of his tenure where it was like he was lost grip of things. Still I'm not panicking as usually there's a method to his madness. I just hope the method pays off and we aren't left with the madness that defined the 2nd half of his days as Flames GM.

[McG]

I’ll only add that veterans are rookies with experience.

For whatever reasons (an entirely separate thread), Flames players don’t seem to make that transition.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Torture

The Huberdeau comment seems like a pretty big stretch Steve..

They talked about it on Barn burner today. That it probably didn’t go over well in the room.

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

It's too soon to panic about Sutter.

Absolutely. The reigning Jack Adams coach of the year didn't forget how to coach. The roster has had significant change and perhaps the team isn't as good as last year. The least of our worries is coaching. We are lucky to have the best in the game.

Even if we finish dead last this year, I'm not blaming the coach. His resume speaks volumes and this is not an x's and o's problem.

[dino7c]

Lol if they had .920 goaltending like last season they would be up there with the Bruins

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by McG

I’ll only add that veterans are rookies with experience.

For whatever reasons (an entirely separate thread), Flames players don’t seem to make that transition.

A big part of that is the continuous "win now" mentality. To break rookies into your line-up, they either have to be blue chippers ready to be immediate contributors (usually high picks), huge holes on your roster, or you need to be prepared to accept the growing pains and possibly throwing games as a result.

The way this organization operates makes it harder for rookies to graduate IMO. No real blue chippers, no major holes, and no patience (win now).

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Weitz

They talked about it on Barn burner today. That it probably didn’t go over well in the room.

Warrener would have an idea how comments like that would be received in the locker room. I will say Sutter embarrassed Johnny after his 500th game and it didn't seem to bother Gaudreau.

[Flaming Horse]

Way to much focus on bring guys up. The guys that are there just need to step up and be better. They have been very good at times but the big issue is doing it for sixty minutes. Their is a lot invested in this group and it is up to them to get it done. Do we really think it is going to make that much of a difference in bringing a young guy up. I doubt it and no one in preseason showed enough. A goalie making a big save would help.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Weitz

They talked about it on Barn burner today. That it probably didn’t go over well in the room.

LOL


It was a joke, and everyone knew it was a joke.

[Steve Macfarlane]

Originally Posted by Torture

The Huberdeau comment seems like a pretty big stretch Steve..

You mean about the public embarrassment? Actually, it's something that has been talked about pretty broadly. I think Warrener even commented about it today on his podcast about how players take comments like that.

It might be a joke or a flippant comment but it's done without care, and that can rub people the wrong way.

And for the record, I'm generally seen as a Sutter apologist. Where the inconsistencies have been are around telling people it's a process and be patient, but also taking actions before necessary on multiple occasions 10 games in. I'm by no means saying fire the coach or that he's lost the room. But it does look like he's struggling to deal with the changes, too.

[Enoch Root]

Players don't like to be embarrassed publicly - of course.

This was not that, it was a joke

[psyang]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

It's too soon to panic about Sutter.

I admire your dedication

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

LOL


It was a joke, and everyone knew it was a joke.

Ok sure. I was just reporting what the guys were saying today. They must have missed the memo.