[PGT] St. Louis 6 - Calgary 4

[blender]

FFS, they scored 4 against a very good Blues team.
The issue is with the bonehead giveaways and low percentage plays. If Hitchcock was coaching this team it would be sorted out but quick.
I'm NOT saying fire the coach, but it's his job to get it sorted out. Period.
The players are the ones who execute (or not), but the coach is driving the bus.
Does anyone believe that this team would be in this position with Joel Quennville at the helm? Or Lindy Ruff, Barry Trotz, Claude Julien?

Good coaches get results. It's not too late for Guletzan, but the clock is ticking.

[Travis Munroe]

Guys are just over thinking everything and it leads to poor decisions. The 3 on 1 shorthanded with Gio was as basic of a read as there is. Go ahead and shoot (basically a warm up save for the goalie) but anyone with any hockey sense knows you MUST hit the net or it'll be a odd man rush the other way and you are already shorthanded.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Does anyone know if Nolan Patrick can play RW?

yes

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by blender

FFS, they scored 4 against a very good Blues team.
The issue is with the bonehead giveaways and low percentage plays. If Hitchcock was coaching this team it would be sorted out but quick.
I'm NOT saying fire the coach, but it's his job to get it sorted out. Period.
The players are the ones who execute (or not), but the coach is driving the bus.
Does anyone believe that this team would be in this position with Joel Quennville at the helm? Or Lindy Ruff, Barry Trotz, Claude Julien?

Good coaches get results. It's not too late for Guletzan, but the clock is ticking.

4 goals which really should have been 3
And
6 against which is 10 if we have any other flames goalie of the last 2 years in the net.

[Calgary4LIfe]

This team is still completely out of sorts. Gulutzan has for sure started feeling the heat.

If you have a line that isn't clicking, or a few players that aren't going, then it is always on the players. However, if most of the team is not going, that's on the coaching staff. The job of a coaching staff is to settle their players down, get them to focus, get them to buy-into a system, and get them working together on the same page. That hasn't happened.

Now, I am not saying it is time to cut bait with Gulutzan - this is still too early. He may still find a way to get this thing going. A 3 or 4 game winning streak will drastically change the perception here. That needs to happen pretty damn soon to ensure this season isn't thrown away.

This team needs to be above 500 at the 20 game mark, and within a couple of wins from a playoff position. Most importantly, they need to actually look like a team for at least 40 mins a game. The most I have seen is a good 20 minute period.

Hope Gulutzan can figure this mess out. Flames are having just an embarrassing number of defensive-zone breakdowns.

All we are missing so far are the hugely embarrassing, Oileresque "This guy scored" video capture pics. Hugely frustrating start to the season so far. All the lines seem broken (except the 4th line), and all the defense pairings look broken. Everyone is making mistakes.

Thank goodness I am not a coach. I wouldn't know where to begin fixing this mess. And damn right it is a mess - 6 games into the season, it is a horrible stinking mess every game, including the Buffalo win.

[RockOnRoberts]

I didn't watch the games, but was Versteeg-Bennett-Brouwer a solid line or did they just happen to score?

[blender]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

4 goals which really should have been 3
And
6 against which is 10 if we have any other flames goalie of the last 2 years in the net.

Exactly my point.
It's in their own end the neutral zone where the problem lies.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Guys are just over thinking everything and it leads to poor decisions. The 3 on 1 shorthanded with Gio was as basic of a read as there is. Go ahead and shoot (basically a warm up save for the goalie) but anyone with any hockey sense knows you MUST hit the net or it'll be a odd man rush the other way and you are already shorthanded.

God that was such a terrible play, I couldn't actually believe he didn't even look for the pass

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by blender

FFS, they scored 4 against a very good Blues team.
The issue is with the bonehead giveaways and low percentage plays. If Hitchcock was coaching this team it would be sorted out but quick.
I'm NOT saying fire the coach, but it's his job to get it sorted out. Period.
The players are the ones who execute (or not), but the coach is driving the bus.
Does anyone believe that this team would be in this position with Joel Quennville at the helm? Or Lindy Ruff, Barry Trotz, Claude Julien?

Good coaches get results. It's not too late for Guletzan, but the clock is ticking.

Well FFS Gaudreau and Monahan were on for every single even strength goal against. That's right a whopping -4 each and that was with 80+% ozone starts. Those two and mostly Monahan have been terrible.

Also Brodie and Gio struggling huge too.

Coaching isn't helping especially with the PP but doesn't make Gio fall all over the place and take stupid penalties.

[hockey.modern]

I miss Bob, I miss his quotes, and him getting fired up at the bench. This team needs to turn it around quick.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

I miss Bob, I miss his quotes, and him getting fired up at the bench. This team needs to turn it around quick.

This team needs a pain in the ass as a coach, not someone to hold their hand.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

I miss Bob, I miss his quotes, and him getting fired up at the bench. This team needs to turn it around quick.

Honestly wouldn't even mind Burke going down to the locker room and tearing these guys a new one

[kermitology]

D. Hamilton has been a complete dufus so far. His errant passes and hand grenade puck skills are killing the team. Derek Engelland is better than Hamilton right now.

Brodie has been god awful. He's completely checked out already.

Gaudreau has the weight of his contract on his shoulders and he's forcing plays. Great job skipping training camp after a lights out performance at the World Cup. He looks like garbage.

Monahan seems more concerned with his hair than the game.

That was one of the worst displays of hockey I've seen in a while. These guys should be embarrassed. That was utterly pathetic, and I'm livid that I paid to watch that crap.

Get your stuff together Flames. And for the love of god, ####ing fire Dave Cameron, and probably Gulutzan at this point. What a bunch of useless turds.

[wired]

It seems like the team is playing like they did in the mid 90's, to get the coach canned.
This year is a wash kids.
Monahan has regressed quite a bit, and lil Johnny is kind of bad atm.
Pretty telling when Versteeg is one of the best players on the team.

[Willi Plett]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

This team is still completely out of sorts. Gulutzan has for sure started feeling the heat.

Thank goodness I am not a coach. I wouldn't know where to begin fixing this mess. And damn right it is a mess - 6 games into the season, it is a horrible stinking mess every game, including the Buffalo win.

I'd start with no longer trying to match my supposed top offensive duo against other teams top line and use my best defensive forwards for that.

I'd then go back to my most mobile defensemen and pairings that have worked. And I'd keep some duos together but experiment with moving Gaudreau off Monahans wing and to Bennetts for a bit.

Then I would get a different assistant working with my power play.

I'd probably sit with my GM and suggest my supposed number one goalie is struggling and we should try a new coach with the goalies.

I'd meet with player units and try to determine why they can't or won't implement my system and figure out if some aspects of the system need modification even if just for the short term to get things gelling and working.

I'd tell my gm that I want to play Kulak but I'd prefer to carry one spare D and 2 forwards and discuss whether it is possible to bring up a spare forward that is currently playing with good offensive instincts and a high degree of confidence in Stockton.

I'd probably shake up the team and bench a bit by swapping Cameron and Gelinas "temporarily"

I'd find spots in the schedule for team building to get the players as committed to each other as possible.

I'd meet with my captains and have them hold a players meeting to address the need to play with a playoff level of care detail and intensity.

Oh and if they played like tonight you best keep your kids ears a long shot from the dressing room and maybe don't sit them near the bench. And if I had to tell them they were practicing how they were playing with a big F bomb many more times I'd probably collude with my GM and assistants and the players would show up to a players only practice with a message that they need to start caring about how they practice and play before I can help them improve.

[jaydaybay]

The amount of money tied up in players that are currently sinking this team is very concerning. Sure its 'still early' and as someone mentioned here if they can claw back to 500+ at 20 games the season can be saved, but nothing the coaches or players (save maybe 5 of them) have shown has me convinced they wont get totally fed these next 10+ games

[drewtastic]

Hey guys & gals:

You know it's gonna be...

...alright.

https://youtu.be/BGLGzRXY5Bw

[Go_Flames4ever]

Another cool stat - Flames have given up an empty net goal EVERYTIME they've pulled the goalie...WTF is the point of an extra attacker? Oh right, the same ****ty PP effect.

At least when Bob pulled his goalie there was a good chance we can score or generate chances...not just an auto-empty-net goal for the other team. They should just keep the goalie in net, at least that'll help with the goal differential department.

Our core that's signed long term:

Gio - $6.75M
Johnny - $6.75M
Mony - $6.375M
Dougie - $5.75M
Brodie - $4.65M

That's over $30M that's been playing like AHLers so far this season. Way to be a cap team Flames!

[Jason14h]

So this is what it feels like to be an Oilers fan for the past decade...

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by kermitology

D. Hamilton has been a complete dufus so far. His errant passes and hand grenade puck skills are killing the team. Derek Engelland is better than Hamilton right now.

Brodie has been god awful. He's completely checked out already.

Gaudreau has the weight of his contract on his shoulders and he's forcing plays. Great job skipping training camp after a lights out performance at the World Cup. He looks like garbage.

Monahan seems more concerned with his hair than the game.

That was one of the worst displays of hockey I've seen in a while. These guys should be embarrassed. That was utterly pathetic, and I'm livid that I paid to watch that crap.

Get your stuff together Flames. And for the love of god, ####ing fire Dave Cameron, and probably Gulutzan at this point. What a bunch of useless turds.

This was the overtime call that was missing from tonight. You should have given it to Ryan Pinder.