Time for a call-up from the Wranglers!

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

"shortly" can happen any time now ... any time

They look ready to bust out of the funk to me. If Markstrom closes his dang 5 hole on that weak shot last game we might not have as much to complain about right now.

[Strange Brew]

Sigh, when has it not been the coaches fault?

At this point, the coach has accomplished far more than any player on the roster. Or anyone else in the organization for that matter.

[Kasi]

The accomplishments don’t matter if he can’t get this group of players to perform well. I probably should have been more specific about what I meant about a “few”. I’m thinking til January or so so I guess 10-20 games to get this team to gel and play well. Yes I agree he’s trying to teach good habits by rewarding the people who are giving more effort but that’s a fine line to toe. Even HoF coaches have gone past their expiry date or lost their ability to connect with their players. If this happened with Sutter it would hardly be the first.

Part of it is in no doubt roster construction. There are valid reasons that some players haven’t come up yet. There are certainly players on this roster that don’t seem to gel with his style so far. But this is what they have and they need to make it work. It’s entirely possible this adjustment is a year long thing that only pays off in year 2. Maybe fringe playoff team should have been the expectation going into the year not division winner. And I don’t think Sutter is being fired after extending so recently and what he means to the franchise unless he really loses the locker room. But I think we’ll know by January a more realistic view of are the Flames contenders this year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think you're agreeing with me then no?

For the most part yes, my major issue like I have been saying is overplaying pluggers or putting pluggers in the top 9 and yes, I understand we have some injuries.

Guys trying to find that chemistry should be getting that ice time required.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

For the most part yes, my major issue like I have been saying is overplaying pluggers or putting pluggers in the top 9 and yes, I understand we have some injuries.

Guys trying to find that chemistry should be getting that ice time required.

The time splits are in the right order ... the top two players are getting the most ice, and the most inferior the least.

Sutter keeps it tight for sure, but he did last year too.

Can we criticize Edmonton for leaning on their top players at the same time as criticizing Sutter for rolling four lines?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

The time splits are in the right order ... the top two players are getting the most ice, and the most inferior the least.

Sutter keeps it tight for sure, but he did last year too.

Can we criticize Edmonton for leaning on their top players at the same time as criticizing Sutter for rolling four lines?

But those top players are producing at a 170-point clip right now.

I am no advocating for 25 minutes a night for them, but the 15-16 range for a Huberdeau with PP time doesn't seem right to me does it to you?

He has talked about how playing more especially on the PK really helped him stay engaged in the game.

If you want to roll 4 lines that 4th line needs to be producing more, no?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

But those top players are producing at a 170-point clip right now.

I am no advocating for 25 minutes a night for them, but the 15-16 range for a Huberdeau with PP time doesn't seem right to me does it to you?

He has talked about how playing more especially on the PK really helped him stay engaged in the game.

If you want to roll 4 lines that 4th line needs to be producing more, no?

I don't think I've suggested how Sutter does it is right or wrong.

Just pointing out that that's what he does, and that he did it last year, and that we giggle at the Oilers for having no depth, but now appear to be looking down our noses at Sutter for using his.

I don't know where that number is. What split is optimal between wearing out your best players or underusing them.

But he did a similar thing last year and cruised through a regular season. Maybe it pays off when other teams get more tired and injured?

The Flames didn't have injuries or the league's toughest schedule to start last season either (Dom at the Athletic has the average final points / opposition for Calgary north of 98 points, next closest 95)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

This turning on Sutter feels very premature and I bet you the posters will be eating crow shortly.

they won't give it a moment's thought, they just move on to bitching about the next thing

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

The time splits are in the right order ... the top two players are getting the most ice, and the most inferior the least.

Sutter keeps it tight for sure, but he did last year too.

Can we criticize Edmonton for leaning on their top players at the same time as criticizing Sutter for rolling four lines?

Each team is at the extreme, compared to the league overall, so I think you can. I'm not personally, just saying it's not unfair to.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I don't think I've suggested how Sutter does it is right or wrong.

Just pointing out that that's what he does, and that he did it last year, and that we giggle at the Oilers for having no depth, but now appear to be looking down our noses at Sutter for using his.

I don't know where that number is. What split is optimal between wearing out your best players or underusing them.

But he did a similar thing last year and cruised through a regular season. Maybe it pays off when other teams get more tired and injured?

The Flames didn't have injuries or the league's toughest schedule to start last season either (Dom at the Athletic has the average final points / opposition for Calgary north of 98 points, next closest 95)

Brad Treliving said its only depth if they are good players producing at the start of camp.

[dino7c]

Blaming Sutter for poor goaltending

If the goalies were in the .900s the record would be really good

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Blaming Sutter for poor goaltending

If the goalies were in the .900s the record would be really good

also a lot of games lately where they scored 2 or 3 goals

an extra goal in those games would ensure a lot more points are not left on the table

[MisterJoji]

I have a bad feeling Phillips will be a Mark Savard or Martin St. Louis scenario. Didn’t get a fair shot in Calgary, moves to another team and becomes a star. He’s still RFA after this season but I could see him holding out if he doesn’t get called up or get anything more than grinding minutes with poor line mates if he does get called up.

[getbak]

Unless he plays in 79 NHL games this season, Phillips will be a Group VI UFA next July. Playoff games are included, so he could still get there, but it's not looking likely.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

also a lot of games lately where they scored 2 or 3 goals

an extra goal in those games would ensure a lot more points are not left on the table

stole from the other thread...pretty hard to blame Sutter IMO

[CalgaryFan1988]

That's exactly how the visual test is too for me, seem to be working hard in each game, just don't have the talent to score goals and the goalies have been sub-par.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I get the numbers and I think it passes the eye test as well, but myself and some others are just discussing his love of pluggers and how the ice time is so close together as Bingo pointed out.

Maybe if we played our top players more and the pluggers less we might improve that shooting %.

The save % is on Markstrom he simply has to be better.

[dino7c]

they have the talent on both sites...obviously injuries hurt but they aren't executing in key moments

Also the strength of schedule is by far the hardest in the NHL...the record of their opponents is actually insane, now add Boston and Winnipeg

[Kasi]

Someone in some other thread mentioned some Seattle scouting report on us. Anyone have more context on that?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Kasi

Someone in some other thread mentioned some Seattle scouting report on us. Anyone have more context on that?

"You can beat Calgary if they get .808 goaltending and you score 5 goals on 5 high danger chances"

First period was sloppy but Calgary absolutely owned Seattle and should have won the game easily. Any report that suggests Seattle figured them out would be pretty stupid.