Also, I don't know if its telling or confusing that on a team that distributes ice time fairly evenly, asks their players to all play the same way and plays a puck posession game, that their top 3 centres +/- is +5/+20/ and -18 respectively. Yikes.
Give Huberdeau the C. Give an A to Kadri. Put it on those guys next year. Tell them it's "your" team. Make them accountable. Who knows? Maybe that's what a guy like Kadri needs. Hand him the reins and see if he takes the job.
Its almost comical that every contract we sign blows up in our face. What was the last good one we signed? Lindholm? Raz? counter that with about 5 horrible ones.
this franchise is a disaster, no one knows the direction, from top to bottom its a circus. Its exhausting cheering for this team, perpetual mediocracy. We deserve better than this
I actually think the majority of large long-term contracts produce suboptimal results unless you have a very rare, spectacular elite player like Mackinnon or McDavid.
It’s very, very, very straightforward and basic here. These are men trying to form a career and make millions of dollars. Not win a cup. Winning a cup is a priority behind making millions of dollars. And you can’t even blame them for that sequence of priorities, but you sure as hell can question their efforts after they get paid.
So the priority is making millions, so you work your tail off to get to the level to make your multimillion contract and once that’s signed it is 100% guaranteed.
Now- why try after that? I mean, personal pride, teammates, all those things matter I’m sure- to varying degrees based on each individual. But, try as hard as you did to get that contract? Meh.
And I’m sure it’s not even a conscious choice for some of these guys. But once you remove that primary carrot driver, why would they work as hard? Why do they perform better in contract years? We have signed huge long-term deals.
Personally, I would design a team around shorter deals and overpay if possible unless the players are extremely elite. I think it’s somewhat forgivable for guys like Huberdeau who scored 100+ points but Kadri? That was very risky from the get go. Plus- he even had won his cup, so all he needed now was his retirement contract. I guess now fans just get to watch him float around for 7 years. Real professional Nazem. Sweet.
If it's a contest between a guy with a .895 save percentage versus a guy with a .889 I'm rolling with the one who was a Vezina finalist last year too. That seems to have a way bigger chance to bounce back. And let me state I have been as down on Markstrom this year as anyone. It's like choosing between a kick in the balls and a kick in the face at this time. Both suck.
Markstrom won 2 of 6 in February, 1 of 6 in January and 7 of 14 in March. What does that earn?
Vladar has had tougher opponents, more road starts and more sporadic starts. His GAA is better, his save percentage is better and his record is significantly better. Markstrom has not earned a single thing this year and has been given way too much from Sutter.
Markstrom got 14 of 15 starts in March with a stunning .897 save percentage and 2.96 GAA (Vladar is .895 and 2.91 on the season). So basically when Markstrom performs as well as Vladar he has "earned" every start in a month.
I'm not saying Vladar has been great, but he's been the better of the two, and specifically I think Markstrom's inability to show up at the start of games which causes the Flames to chase the entire game is why Vladar's record is so much better...he makes saves early.
He wasn't good.
If he's not taking away the starter job you go back to the guy with a greater chance of getting it done.
The previous season's vezina runner up is certainly more likely than a sputtering back up with 40 games of NHL experience.
If it's a contest between a guy with a .895 save percentage versus a guy with a .889 I'm rolling with the one who was a Vezina finalist last year too. That seems to have a way bigger chance to bounce back. And let me state I have been as down on Markstrom this year as anyone. It's like choosing between a kick in the balls and a kick in the face at this time. Both suck.
I agree. This team won't go anywhere without Markstrom. Vladar has been a fine backup option, but that's all he is.
Don't really know what's happened with Kadri but he pretty much checked out after the all-star game and it's unclear why.
Maybe going from a powerhouse stanley cup contender/ champion to a 9th place, almost playoff team, and having that long weekend talking with other star NHLers around the league. Might have changed his perspective. Maybe this situation remind him more of his Toronto days and feels like a step back and therefore has completely destroyed his work ethic. Just spitballing, not trying to excuse him, trying to make sense of it.
Or it's another more worrisome thing - he's just getting less effective in his 30s. because you can fix motivational issues but not age-related decline
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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.
Don't really know what's happened with Kadri but he pretty much checked out after the all-star game and it's unclear why.
Maybe going from a powerhouse stanley cup contender/ champion to a 9th place, almost playoff team, and having that long weekend talking with other star NHLers around the league. Might have changed his perspective. Maybe this situation remind him more of his Toronto days and feels like a step back and therefore has completely destroyed his work ethic. Just spitballing, not trying to excuse him, trying to make sense of it.
Or it's another more worrisome thing - he's just getting less effective in his 30s. because you can fix motivational issues but not age-related decline
I feel like that one handed stick jab giveaway behind the net last night was not age related.
By getting it done do you mean winning games? Because despite his ugly stats Vladar wins more of his starts.
Markstrom: 22-21-10
Vladar:14-6-5
I get letting Markstrom try to work it out and having a longer leash, but we are way beyond that.
There's a huge difference between Vladar winning some games as a spot starter, versus getting the job done playing 2-3 times a week as 'the guy'. We already saw how that went when it was tried, and he has been for the most part, horrific since that time.
The real question is whether or not the answer moving forward in net is/was external, or on the AHL roster. You have arguably the best goaltending prospect in the world waiting in the wings right now. If they lose tonight and seal the deal on this season, I would imagine the focus shifts that way in a hurry.
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I hate to tell you this, but I’ve just launched an air biscuit
Unless the W’s are all donuts it makes little sense to post W/L records when determining how goaltenders are playing.
Vladar has not been good. Neither has Markstrom. I don’t know why people are continuously arguing about which of the two goalies that have played poorly should get more chances to play poorly. It does not matter.
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How did we let this title stay the same. Disappointing definitely but we are not pour losers. We're a proud hockey community that's had a bad year. I think we should have enough respect to change the name. This is the most depressing I have ever seen these boards alot of people are just here to bring everyone down to there level, who are we E=ng?
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Well, that sucked. Hard. Think this'll be the last time I wander to the Dome for a game for a couple seasons. And Kadri.. What a joke last night. Our whole section was ragging on him HARD and with every reason. Dude is so checked out the scanner is freaking out about an unexpected item in the bagging area. I expected a regression from him but not a fall off the cliff. So many missed opportunities, and shots high over the net. Hubie has the aim of Phaneuf for coitus sake. And don't even get me started on all the wide open empty net misses. Just pathetic from this team.
The team sucked in February. Even if you include that month, take a look at their respective records over the previous 15 starts..
Vladar had a 10-2-3 record
Markstrom had a 4-7-4 record
Who had the greater chance of getting it done at that time? Vladar. His leash was far too short, and has been all season.
I'm saying (and you don't have to agree with the logic, all good) ...
that they gave a pretty good share to their back up up to the end of February when it appeared neither guy were going. With 5-6 weeks in the season they picked the player most likely to be a competent starter.
Given the resumes, I don't think that's much of a stretch at all.
So no I wouldn't say Vladar had the better chance of getting it done.
There's a huge difference between Vladar winning some games as a spot starter, versus getting the job done playing 2-3 times a week as 'the guy'. We already saw how that went when it was tried, and he has been for the most part, horrific since that time.
The real question is whether or not the answer moving forward in net is/was external, or on the AHL roster. You have arguably the best goaltending prospect in the world waiting in the wings right now. If they lose tonight and seal the deal on this season, I would imagine the focus shifts that way in a hurry.
I think the team needs to try to run with Vladar for a bit to really get a sense of what he is capable of. Some goalies get better the more they play and I think Vladar has done enough to earn a shot to push Markstrom down. When a goalie is seldom playing, it can be hard for them to get into a groove. Vladar is at the age when goalies often start reaching their true potential and I think it would be unfortunate to not see if he can reach another level.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
I think the team needs to try to run with Vladar for a bit to really get a sense of what he is capable of. Some goalies get better the more they play and I think Vladar has done enough to earn a shot to push Markstrom down. When a goalie is seldom playing, it can be hard for them to get into a groove. Vladar is at the age when goalies often start reaching their true potential and I think it would be unfortunate to not see if he can reach another level.
Its too late anyways.
Markstrom and Kadri sank this entire season.
And people complain about Sutter and Lucic.
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
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The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
