What are your thoughts on Glen Gulutzan's system?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The Flames don't have the skill to play uptempo hockey, which is why they need to grind it out to establish a base and add scoring as the rebuild progresses. Under Hartley, they didn't have the skill to play uptempo hockey either but they did it anyway and mostly got blown out as a result.

If 6th overall gets you Mathew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan then I too welcome another 6th overall pick.

Where did everyone think this team would be after attempting to build a contender basically from scratch?

I don't remember many blowouts while Hartley was here. In fact, I was expecting a whole whack of horrible, embarrassing blowouts as the Flames were rebuilding.

I know you want to prove a point that Gulutzan and his system is a better fit for the team than Hartley and his system, but no need to exaggerate to make your point.

[Finger Cookin]

An offhand comment from the color analyst last night (don't think it was Hrudey? Didn't watch much of the game) got me looking into the special teams performance. It was mentioned that Gulutzan thought the special teams play has been really trending upward over the last 10 games. Adding in the Islanders game, here's how that performance looks:

PPG - L11	PP - L11	PP% - L11	SHGA - L11
   5	           26	          19.2%	             0
			
PPG - F14	PP - F14	PP% - F14	SHGA - F14
   3	           51	          5.9%	             1
			
PKG - L11	PK - L11	PK% - L10	SHGF - L11
   6	           37	          83.8%	             2
			
PKG - F14	PK - F14	PK% - F14	SHGF - F14
  16	           58	          72.4%	             3

A 19.2% PP would put the Flames in the top half of the league, though the Flames have had fewer chances per game of late. An 83.8% PK would put the Flames just out of the top 10.

So there are definite signs of improvement. Not sure how much of that has to do with players starting to merely execute or buy in to the system, of course. Just thought it made good food for thought.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I don't remember many blowouts while Hartley was here. In fact, I was expecting a whole whack of horrible, embarrassing blowouts as the Flames were rebuilding.

I know you want to prove a point that Gulutzan and his system is a better fit for the team than Hartley and his system, but no need to exaggerate to make your point.

The Hartley system was a great fit for perpetual 22nd place finishes.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

And that should tell you enough about the GG system.

A minor drop off would be expected in order to tighten up the defensive game, but not one this significant. We're talking less than half of their previous production.

TJ and Hamilton are sort of picking things up in that regard, but gosh damn our offence has been utterly neutered.

Is it Gulutzan's fault they look like heck on the ice and they make bad choices with the puck too?

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

The Hartley system was a great fit for perpetual 22nd place finishes.

Where would GG system perpetually finish?

[Clarkey]

Glen has taken them as far as he can...

[Chingas]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Where would GG system perpetually finish?

While you are at it, next week's winning lotto numbers too please.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Where would GG system perpetually finish?

I think the point is, bringing up Hartley (whose system was clearly not working) is futile.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

A 19.2% PP would put the Flames in the top half of the league, though the Flames have had fewer chances per game of late. An 83.8% PK would put the Flames just out of the top 10.



So there are definite signs of improvement. Not sure how much of that has to do with players starting to merely execute or buy in to the system, of course. Just thought it made good food for thought.

This also reminded me of something Friedman said on the radio yesterday in response to Gallant's firing.

He mentioned a big reason Gallant was fired was because of Florida's poor special teams. He then when on to say something along the lines of, "Most GMs understand that special teams are cyclical, that they can help you or hinder you sometimes but they aren't as big of a deal as some make them out to be. You don't want to see the same terrible results for 82 games, but good GMs know that a bad 20 game stretch will usually reverse itself. If they thought otherwise, Quenneville would be out of a job."

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

For giggles, I compared the first 25 games of this season vs. last season:

Calgary Flames 15/16 Vs. 16/17 – Through 25 Games

Team Save %:
2015/2016: .879
2016/2017: .895

Team Shooting %:
2015/2016: 8.2%
2016/2017: 7.9%

Goals For:
2015/2016: 59
2016/2017: 56

Goals Against:
2015/2016: 89
2016/2017: 76

Shots Against:
2015/2016: 738
2016/2017: 727

Shots For:
2015/2016: 720
2016/2017: 708

...and found out, that despite having "better" goalies, and allowing 13 less goals (while scoring 3 less), we're effectively in the exact same spot.

10-13-2 Vs. 9-14-2

So, yeah...so much for the improvements over the summer. We're spending more money on players, we "improved" the coaching staff...and we've pretty much ended up back exactly where we started.

It's a pretty clear indication that the players the organization is counting on are not as good as everyone thinks they are. Two very different systems with basically the same group. The shots for and against are really shocking. There should be massive spikes compared to last year.

The only saving grace is the team is trending towards potentially finally having locked things down defensively. I'm not convinced they can sustain this play yet but if they do it will go a long way.

[Erick Estrada]

Kind of a similar situation to when Brent took over the team from Keenan. It was a painful adjustment for a team full of players used to freelancing having to adapt to a more defensively responsible game. As ugly as the hockey has been you just have to hope in the coming months that things come together and the players can play responsibly with enough confidence to stil be creative on offense. Right now they just aren't creating enough scoring chances and it was reflected in the amount of penalties they drew on this road trip as if you drive to the net good things happen whether it be scoring or drawing penalties. All we can do is hope that better things are on the horizon as this has been the least entertaining season since pre-Darryl Sutter Flames and my hope is that this unwatchable hockey leads to something better or this will be a wasted season.

[Resolute 14]

Two goals or less in 14 of our last 17 games played. We're only winning more because Johnson is standing on his head.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I think the point is, bringing up Hartley (whose system was clearly not working) is futile.

Show me anyone's "system" during that time that would have worked for a rebuilding team with so many holes in the line up.

We go from a Jack Adams winning coach, to whatever this near unwatchable is.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Show me anyone's "system" during that time that would have worked for a rebuilding team with so many holes in the line up.

We go from a Jack Adams winning coach, to whatever this near unwatchable is.

Last year was unwatchable too, or did you block last season from your mind?

Again, I don't see anyone saying that Gulutzan is the answer, but Hartley clearly wasn't. So, move on already.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Gaudreau:
15/16: 0.987 PPG
16/17: 0.647 PPG

Monahan:
15/16: 0.778 PPG
16/17: 0.360 PPG

Brodie:
15/16: 0.643 PPG
16/17: 0.280 PPG

Giordano:
15/16: 0.683 PPG
16/17: 0.360 PPG

Those are some significant drops for 4 of our top contributors.

Gee, you think that because two of those guys are defenders who are actually now being tasked with defending, that their point totals will go down? Who freakin' cares about point totals. I care about WINS.

Originally Posted by Igottago

You don't think guys like Monahan, Gaudreau and Gio to name a few are capable of way more offensive output? Brodie? Bennett?

Right now, no, they are not capable of more offensive output unless they are sacrificing defensive responsibility, which doesn't win you games as evidenced by the previous tenure under hartley.

If the team is as unskilled as you suggest the rebuild thus far is an absolute failure. The whole point is to be drafting and developing players who can put up numbers. And they can. We've seen it.

This is your problem. Rebuilds from scratch don't happen in 3 years. You were likely warned several times in threads over the years about how long this rebuild would take, it's on you if you can't identify that no team in the league has ever turned it around in 3 years. Calgary just had 3 of their 4 worst all-time finishes, the team is garbage right now and the record illustrates that.

If you didn't see this coming maybe you should post less and read more.

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I don't remember many blowouts while Hartley was here. In fact, I was expecting a whole whack of horrible, embarrassing blowouts as the Flames were rebuilding.

In the last 10 games last season the Flames lost:

5-2
6-2
4-1
8-3
3-0

In the first 10 games of last season the Flames lost:

4-0
4-1
6-2
5-2
5-1

I know you want to prove a point that Gulutzan and his system is a better fit for the team than Hartley and his system, but no need to exaggerate to make your point.

I don't want to prove anything, I'm using my eyes and my ability to reason and think critically.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Last year was unwatchable too, or did you block last season from your mind?

Again, I don't see anyone saying that Gulutzan is the answer, but Hartley clearly wasn't. So, move on already.

Thanks mod,
Sorry if discussing Hartley brings up bad memories for you.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Last year was unwatchable too, or did you block last season from your mind?

Again, I don't see anyone saying that Gulutzan is the answer, but Hartley clearly wasn't. So, move on already.

It wasn't a great season but I found that watching the games was a lot more enjoyable last year compared to this year. The worst part of last season was the goaltending but at least the players were dynamic and scoring. This season the hockey is just pure garbage.

[Vinny01]

Gulutzan seems to have killed thenoffensive ability of this team. He wants to attack as a 5 man unit which kills the odd man rush goals this team scored so often the last couple years. It has also crushed the offensive ability of Gio, Brodie, and Monahan

I like how we defend more now and holding teams at the line instead of letting them gain entry and trying to defend our zone by blocking shots. Offensively the team looks far worse and do not generate nearly as many scoring chances.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Show me anyone's "system" during that time that would have worked for a rebuilding team with so many holes in the line up.

We go from a Jack Adams winning coach, to whatever this near unwatchable is.

Fun fact - other recent Jack Adams winners include Roy (resigned), Maclean (fired), Bylsma (fired), Julien (can't make the POs anymore). Other fun fact - no Adams for Babcock or Sutter, Trotz had to change teams to win.

I'd say the Jack Adams is a a 50/50 proposition and therefore doesn't really prove anything about a coach.

[Inglewood Jack]

Jack Adams - award given to the head coach of the NHL team with the highest single-year spike in save and/or shooting percentage. also a great memento for the winner's shelf when he is no longer working as a coach a couple years later.