He needs to find the drive to play hard every game. Lucic playing his hardest every game might not be amazing, but it beats Ruzicka on the nights he no-shows. He had that one or two week period where he brought the work ethic, but since then he has looked like he is just going through the motions. Sutter will whip him into shape like he did Dube and that spot will be his for the taking.
I don't think Dubes issue has been effort like Ruzicka.
Puzzling player. I don't recall seeing a Flame that has had a effort issue like him for a while, lazy players yes but not this.
If its going to be a problem to get him going its probably best to take him out of the lineup because its hurting our team.
And goalie pads straight on. Basically every Flames that shoot the puck are at perimeter of the goal mouth, everything just outside the posts, and whoever is standing in between the pipes. I think Mangi would be on pace with his goal production last year if it wasn't for all these things. Same with Tiffoli - he'd be in par with McDavid.
I think a better PP strategy can also be considered an answer to this.
The PP system they have been running with has been awful. And they have changed/adjusted very little about it.
Getting the PP up to the middle of the pack would also lend itself to more consistent wins for the group.
That's also assuming they get some opportunities, which have been in short supply for this team in recent times (hello, refs?).
The PP is frustrating to watch. Unlike previous years, the Flames have lots of great puck movement and are making lots of great passes on the PP, but they just don't seem to have any actual strategy on how to translate that into scoring. They'll move the puck around, hem the other team in the zone, make some great passes....but then end it all with a low percentage shot that often gets blocked.
No good or easy answer. Don't see it happening. Overall goals don't trend up in the second half, they go down. You're more likely to see save percentage and goals against improvement.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JobHopper
The thing is, my posts, thoughts and insights may be my opinions but they're also quite factual.
I would start by moving players to their off wing on the pp. Something like this:
QB - Andersson
LW - Toffoli
RW - Huberdeau
C - Lindholm
Bumper - Kadri
I guess they better add last year's snake to their vision board asap. This is right around the time they started to break out. If they don't turn a similar corner, they will just be a middle of the pack, top-of-the-bottom-half kind of team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by squiggs96
Extra crispy:
Matching this snake would require only losing six of the next 39 games in regulation.
That breakout was also driven by a couple of players delivering the second and third highest scoring calendar years in US-born player history, and the Flames having the top line in the NHL.
Not to mention that last year they had Mangiapanne with 35 goals and Lindholm with 38 goals.
It's possible we could see the team breakout like that again, but I think it requires the new stars to start producing not just like stars, but like superstars. And it would still require guys like Bread and Toffoli to have a great second half while Lindholm keeps up his pace.
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"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
The PP is where we need an improvement - from both a percentage perspective and from a calls perspective. Flames really have gotten the short end of the penalty differential this season.
5v5 the team is generating offence just fine. We are 9th in goals for per 60 at 5v5 even though we have the 24th best shooting percentage. If that percentage normalizes a bit we are golden at 5v5.
Issue is the power play. 24th in goals for per 60, and 21st in xGF per 60. Poor finishing and not generating enough quality.
Fixing the PP is how this team goes on a run.
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I guess they better add last year's snake to their vision board asap. This is right around the time they started to break out. If they don't turn a similar corner, they will just be a middle of the pack, top-of-the-bottom-half kind of team.
Matching this snake would require only losing six of the next 39 games in regulation.
That breakout was also driven by a couple of players delivering the second and third highest scoring calendar years in US-born player history, and the Flames having the top line in the NHL.
Not to mention that last year they had Mangiapanne with 35 goals and Lindholm with 38 goals.
It's possible we could see the team breakout like that again, but I think it requires the new stars to start producing not just like stars, but like superstars. And it would still require guys like Bread and Toffoli to have a great second half while Lindholm keeps up his pace.
I don't think this team really cares what position they are in heading into the playoffs as long as they make it and are playing THE RIGHT WAY going in.
I don't think this team really cares what position they are in heading into the playoffs as long as they make it and are playing THE RIGHT WAY going in.
If any coach has a chance of taking a low seed far in the playoffs, Sutter is arguably that guy, but even the 2012 Kings were still 13th in the league and had a prime Quick in net on that extremely rare and historic cup run, and Sutter only joined as a mid-season hire after a bad start. Sure, there's a chance Sutter repeats that magic of 2012 in taking a low seed with a losing record onto a cup win, but if they're not playing well enough to regularly beat teams and climb the standings in the second half I think they're more likely first round fodder.
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"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
So really if the Flames can get one of the Pacific division spots and be around 12th overall snd the 5th or 6 seed in the conference theyd be fine. Ideally youre not the 7 or 8 seed but i dont think they need to be top seed in division either.
Right now based on point percentage they are 7th in the conference and 15th in the league, so wouldnt be that hard to move up with a little run.
