[PGT] Flames lose 6th straight. NJD 3 - CGY 2

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Sure. But do you think the Flames are going to miss the playoffs? Because if not, your point is completely irrelevant.

They might. Who's to say? Wouldn't be the first time they significantly underperformed expectations. They missed the playoffs in 2021, 2018, and 2016 ...

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

They might. Who's to say? Wouldn't be the first time they significantly underperformed expectations. They missed the playoffs in 2021, 2018, and 2016 ...

True. They do this every time they are lauded as cup contenders or the media suggests they have the best defense in the league. Seems like only when no one expects anything from them do they make any noise.

[Goriders]

From what I’ve seen through 12 games the Flames have three big issues:

- Goaltenders that let in one soft goal per game.
- Shoddy defensive zone coverage.
- Inability to outscore their mistakes like last year.

Seems like they banked on a number of players that are currently underperforming filling roles to replace the scoring that left.

Lindholm maintaining pace which he has not.
Mangiapane maintaining pace which he has not.
Dube taking a step which he hasn’t.
Huberdeau replacing Gaudreau production which he hasn’t.

The compete level is there. But the team D, goaltending and scoring aren’t.

I think team D can be sorted out. Goaltending maybe. Scoring is the bigger problem. I don’t think that one is going to sort itself out.

They seem to be bringing a knife to a gun fight each night. They have to play perfect hockey each night to win due to the lack of scoring HP. It’s just too hard to do.

Hopefully it turns around. But I don’t get that feeling from watching them. The last two games were probably the best they have played in a while and they still couldn’t pull it out of the fire.

[Burning Beard]

There was major turnover and most people were expecting it to take a while to gel so I'm not sure why people are now surprised by it.

The last couple of games they should have won but that also always seems to happen when you are slumping before you finally break out and go on a run.

[Kovaz]

I think given everything that's gone wrong so far, 12 points in 12 games isn't a bad start to the year. I still expect them to make the playoffs, but winning the division starts to feel out of reach in a hurry if they don't start turning things around.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Kovaz

I think given everything that's gone wrong so far, 12 points in 12 games isn't a bad start to the year. I still expect them to make the playoffs, but winning the division starts to feel out of reach in a hurry if they don't start turning things around.

Which probably isn't a bad thing. Sutter teams seem to do better without all the media praise and fan expectations. His cup winning LA teams were never regular season darlings and faced adversity just getting to the playoffs. Maybe that's what this team needs.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Which probably isn't a bad thing. Sutter teams seem to do better without all the media praise and fan expectations. His cup winning LA teams were never regular season darlings and faced adversity just getting to the playoffs. Maybe that's what this team needs.

Both those Teams had stellar regular season goaltending that continued in the playoffs though.

[Kasi]

Yeah I think any forecasts to win the division are very optimistic. Even if Vegas comes down to earth there is no signs that show the Flames consistently winning. Certainly not with the goaltending we’re getting and the injuries that are piling up.

[CSharp]

This team is playing like S**T all over the ice, starting from net outwards. Like I keep saying Markstrom only looks good if the players in front of him are good. You can't really blame the guy except for the fact that he can be beat on a lot of first shot goals. They're having turnovers galore in their own zones, center ice, and in the offensive zones. The lines are definitely not meshing - which is understandable with new guys in the lineup but holy crap, it just seems like Kadri is trying to do everything himself and causing tons of turnovers. The second line was flying right out of the gates but there isn't really any gelling between all 3 players when everyone wants to do it themselves. And for the love of Dube, the guy can skate but can't hold on to the puck or do something with it because all he can do is speed up through to the end boards only to lose the puck or go past the puck that's intended for him. Learn to use speed effectively! Poor Mangi, he looks lost out there because it's either Kadri trying to do it all himself or there's no one to work with other than to skate back as soon as that line enters the offensive zones. He's back with Backlund but moved Coleman up with Kadri. Right now, there's absolutely no chemistry on any lines. Just really hard to watch.

[activeStick]

While I was expecting some time would be needed given the new players, I didn't expect the kinds of issues we're seeing right now because of it. I expected all the new players to need time to adjust to the system with Weegar likely taking the longest given his position, but what I've seen so far is that almost all players have looked lost and out of position in their own end and neutral zone. Not sure why this is happening with players who know the system unless adjustments have been made to the system to account for the new players (maybe). Didn't expect Markstrom to allow a questionable goal against per game.

But looking at the underlying stats, I think things will turn around and a lot of what's happening right now is bad luck and the numbers indicate they should probably be better than they have been. I really don't recall any sort of adversity that the team endured last season, so also looking at this current skid as a good thing for the group.

[bdubbs]

Still too early to panic.

[1qqaaz]

Really, I think the team is fine. They've averaging 37 shots per game. Even with injuries and without the first line clicking.

Just concerned about the goaltending. If the Flames miss the playoffs this year, that'll be why.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by activeStick

While I was expecting some time would be needed given the new players, I didn't expect the kinds of issues we're seeing right now because of it. I expected all the new players to need time to adjust to the system with Weegar likely taking the longest given his position, but what I've seen so far is that almost all players have looked lost and out of position in their own end and neutral zone. Not sure why this is happening with players who know the system unless adjustments have been made to the system to account for the new players (maybe). Didn't expect Markstrom to allow a questionable goal against per game.

But looking at the underlying stats, I think things will turn around and a lot of what's happening right now is bad luck and the numbers indicate they should probably be better than they have been. I really don't recall any sort of adversity that the team endured last season, so also looking at this current skid as a good thing for the group.

I think we over play "the getting used to the system angle", these are all professionals who have played their entire lives and now because the coach wants them to adjust their play they suddenly are lost out there? Every team has new players every year, shouldn't be an issue or an excuse. don't see 19 having any issues with Florida's system

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Kovaz

I think given everything that's gone wrong so far, 12 points in 12 games isn't a bad start to the year. I still expect them to make the playoffs, but winning the division starts to feel out of reach in a hurry if they don't start turning things around.

I think that's correct. The problem with most people I think is that they got off to a 5-1 start, and have followed it up with a 0-4-2 finish. Things seem worse than they actually are as it looks like they will never win again. Plus, they staggered out of the gate over 12 games when the vast majority of those games were played at home.

I think we need to settle down and see what happens over the balance of the month at the very least. The advanced stats suggest better times ahead.

[heep223]

Sutter really messed up with the premature line blender. Completely de-railed the momentum they had.

That said the team has looked very good in the last two games they've lost. Not all that concerned.

[Saqe]

Markstrom going through a bad stretch at a very unfortunate moment. This team should be much better when they get injured players back and Markstrom back to form. The offense won't be as flashy as last year but if they win, no one will care.

[I_H8_Crawford]

I still think this team is going deep in the playoffs.

[cowtown75]

One thing that surprises me is that with all of the vets, experience and former cup winners on this team that they have actually allowed a 6 game loosing streak. The amount of momentum swings allowed to happen during crucial times is also a head scratcher. I'm not sure what happened to our system, but many look lost out there. Injuries or not, things should be plug and play. What's concerning is whenever Tanev does down, the defensive core looks out of sorts and it's like we don't really have the depth we think we do on paper.
We have a bunch of puck moving defensemen and a lack of stay at home specialists like Tanev. I think this team really misses Gudbransson in that respect.
We also miss the finishing and playmaking ability of Chucky and Johnny. Chucky was a very underrated playmaker IMO. Those two accounted for nearly 30% of all our goals.

[SuperMatt18]

Blues are in a similar spot with a similar made up team.

When the pucks aren't going in, you start squeezing your stick even tighter. When you aren't getting saves, you start to become afraid to make a mistake and play passive.

Honestly all things considered (injuries, chemistry, shooting percentage issue, save percentage issues) the team has actually showed a lot of grit and perseverance to not panic and stick to their game.

Need some big goals and some big saves (and some more favorable officiating) to get out of this slump but they are doing the right things still.

[UKflames]

Thank goodness for getting away from home and going on the road for that team bonding back to winning experience, oh wait.

Yes its a fly by hit but wasnt that what many were touting as the solution to a lot of our problems, well it certainly looks as though we have more problems than the team spending too much time in their own beds.