A Team Without a Core

[GreenLantern2814]

This team is weird. I don’t dislike them, I don’t think the results are for lack of effort or buy in, or skill.

I think this group lacks an identity because it’s not a team that’s built around anyone.

They don’t have an identity because none of their three best offensive players were on the roster 12 months ago, and none of their defensemen are tone-setters.

It was built around Johnny and Tkachuk - everything evolved over five years to run through those two. Replacing them (unwillingly in both cases) with Huberdeau and Kadri was admirable - I don’t believe many other GMs could’ve pulled it off, and even fewer would’ve even tried.

But as a result, they have a collection of players who haven’t grown up together and weren’t assembled because they fit well with one another - everyone they added is only here because they were who was available.

As a group, they’re indecisive. They have no idea who they’re trying to set up for a shot. They don’t read off each other well, and 1-through-12, there isn’t enough speed.

The movement on the power play is non-sensical. Huberdeau spends way too much time in front of the net, and the next time he looks comfortable there will be the first.

The defense has taken a real step back, and none of Hanifin, Andersson or Weegar posses The elite offensive skill of a Makar, Fox, or even Hamilton.

Markstrom.

I don’t know how you fix it, other than “draft a superstar”. Nobody’s giving you a core.

[Manhattanboy]

A poster (can’t recall who) likened the Flames to a bunch of mercenaries.

I thought that was a great take.

[dino7c]

the core quit, maybe we should boo them and not thank them for all the memories of 5 playoff wins max in 8 seasons

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

yup, nobody shoulders a load of accountability except for Backlund, because he's a born and bred Calgary flame. and if he had the skill to match, he would do it all for them

the alleged core is a group of hired mercenaries

the "heart" you want isn't going to be there

maybe in time, but you can sense no one feels like it's their job to step forward

the hired mercs are usually the ones you surround your core guys with

[gilligans_off]

Maybe they should start by naming a Captain.


Right now Sutter thinks that’s him.

[SuperMatt18]

They could actually add some drafted Calgary Flames around this core in Pelletier, Phillips, and Zary but refuse to do so, which also adds to the problem.

Our farm team is a top 3 team in the AHL over the last season and a half behind a core of Phillips, Pelletier, Zary and Wolf. But we cant find NHL time for any of those guys.

Thats the most baffling part to me. Its tough for young AHL teams to have success in that league but they've done it but have gotten no credit from Sutter for it.

[Harry Lime]

Part of the problem is the wishy-washy leadership identification. No Captain?

'C' Backlund, 'A' Andersson, 'A' Huberdeau

and you stick with it, and allow them to shape the identity of the team. Sutter has too strong of a grip at this point.

[Goriders]

They just don’t get the results they should.

The aren’t bad. But the biggest problem is finishing. On many fronts.

Goal scoring, closing out games, making a play in OT. Ect.

If the ever figure it out they will do a lot of damage. I have a feeling it might not be this season though.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by gilligans_off

Maybe they should start by naming a Captain.


Right now Sutter thinks that’s him.

his lack of switching anything up from his expired, prehistoric approach to coaching this team is going to actually end up with him finishing his career by getting canned

just going in circles at this point

let some skill players play (it will motivate the vets), name a captain/leadership group, and stop giving the struggling goalie infinite leash to squander games

time to grow up and get with the times D

[dino7c]

Lets be real though...with last seasons .920 goaltending this team has a better record than last year at this point

[kermitology]

It’s a plodding, boring, unflashy group of players that have no entertainment factor.. I guess they’re building around Huberdeau, but I’m really thinking that’s a massive mistake.

While I’m still surprised on the return for Tkachuk, it really should have triggered the rebuild. Instead we get treated to this mediocre mish-mash of boring.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Let's be honest it was a hit and miss core and was never going to win. More cores teams built through the draft start off crappy and start taking steps with improvement year over and finally start being a dominat team and the playoffs over and over.

This made it once miss the next no real growth until last season and still left much to be desired.

It was time for a fresh start it sucks now and could suck later but it's a fresh start a frustrating one right now though.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Lets be real though...with last seasons .920 goaltending this team has a better record than last year at this point

they could have been boring but good!

the kind of team that agonizes fans everywhere. an LA kings for the modern times

it's what Sutter was aiming for, but he didn't get the goaltending

[Flamesfan05]

Sad that you pay a guy 10.5M and he is not a core

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Sad that you pay a guy 10.5M and he is not a core

This is not Huberdeau’s fault - ordinarily, a team would add a star of his caliber and age to an existing nucleus of talent that’s ready to win, not expect him to replace an exodus of it.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

all comes back to Johnny standing them up

he stays, they probably figure out Tkachuk too, even if both are expensive

this is why people must boo him mercilessly

completely ****ed the team and what it was diligently working to accomplish with the then-core

a lot of people are letting him off the hook too easy

he didn't even ****ing go home

[dino7c]

Huberdeau will be much better next season...he is already much better now than in October...he is also making 5.9 this season

[calgaryred]

Core for one season maybe fans get too hung up on last year, as if Tkachuk Lindholm and Gaudreau was our top line forever. Before Sutter Tkachuk didnt play with Gaudreau on a line, and after the 2019 playoffs many fans wanted Gaudreau, Monahan and Tkachuk traded cause they blew it against the Avs. Gaudreau was only a force on the pp vs the Stars in 2020. The team stunk it up in 2021, Sutter put Gaudreau Lindholm and Tkachuk together and it worked, I give him credit for that. I don't think the Flames will do squat this year in the playoffs, all the teams in our division aren't that good anyways. I do believe Huberdeau will be better next year and who knows maybe a new core for this team will emerge.

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[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

Core for one season maybe fans get too hung up on last year, as if Tkachuk Lindholm and Gaudreau was our top line forever. Before Sutter Tkachuk never played with Gaudreau, after the 2019 playoffs many fans wanted Gaudreau, Monahan and Tkachuk traded cause they blew it against the Avs. Gaudreau was only a force on the pp vs the Stars in 2020. The team stunk it up in 2021, Sutter put Gaudreau Lindholm and Tkachuk together and it worked, I give him credit for that. I don't think the Flames will do squat this year in the playoffs, all the teams in our division aren't that good anyways. I do believe Huberdeau will be better next year and who knows maybe a new core for this team will emerge.

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the team needs more 'young' to mesh with and complement the old

a coronato/pelletier/zary to emerge in our top 6 and fill in the gaps that a guy like huberdeau needs to really thrive here

the proverbial frog to fill in the gaps in the DNA

if we find that, then we might have something

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

the team needs more 'young' to mesh with and complement the old

a coronato/pelletier/zary to emerge in our top 6 and fill in the gaps that a guy like huberdeau needs to really thrive here

the proverbial frog to fill in the gaps in the DNA

if we find that, then we might have something

Might only happen with new coaches/management.

Too bad. I really wanted to see Sutter take us to the promised land.