Release the McGrattan

[Table 5]

That's not a path you want to go down. These guys are like Goliath (and not a slow/dumb version either). Trying to out punch them will only result in more pain.

The only hope is to try to out work and out skate them...but damn if they didn't look pretty good in that department too.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

And while we're at it, fire Hartley in lieu of Randy Carlisle, who would be all over this strategy.

Seriously I don't know if you could make a worse decision if you were TRYING to lose.

[Reign of Fire]

So you actually think we could win with our smaller, skilled players having no room to operate out there....

[heep223]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

And while we're at it, fire Hartley in lieu of Randy Carlisle, who would be all over this strategy.

Seriously I don't know if you could make a worse decision if you were TRYING to lose.

So we just let the Ducks cheap shot all our guys and shrug it off? Not saying I disagree with you, but what do we do?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Score on the power play. Gooning it up is just pointless. "YEAH! We sure showed them! Look at 'em, all bruised and such. Too bad about the series sweep, we'll get 'em next time."

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Reign of Fire

So you actually think we could win with our smaller, skilled players having no room to operate out there....

How does an enforcer create room sitting on the bench for 55 minutes of the game? Ferland creates room. Bouma creates room. All a guy like McGrattan can do is fight their equivalent enforcer (because you know, Code).

[Freeway]

Hasn't skated since March.
Not a great option for any of the parties involved.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Table 5

That's not a path you want to go down. These guys are like Goliath (and not a slow/dumb version either). Trying to out punch them will only result in more pain.

The only hope is to try to out work and out skate them...but damn if they didn't look pretty good in that department too.

I think we've got to go somewhere in the middle. As soon as Ferland went down the team's physicality level essentially evaporated.

We cannot beat this team at the heavy game, but we also cant avoid participating in it entirely. We've got to pick our battles and we'll need guys that can fight those battles and it cant always be Engelland.

Putting in a guy like Wolf for guarded minutes makes a degree of sense.

[Table 5]

I agree that you need guys like Ferland/Bouma, but that's because they not only play with energy and physicality, they also help create and convert chances. Bringing in an enforcer doesn't really do anything for you in the playoffs. It's not like McGrattan will wear down their star players, or be a deterrent to cheap shots (because when's the last time you saw him going after anyone but another enforcer?)

Wolf definitely makes a lot more sense...even if it he is on the slower side.

In many ways, I think we also miss the energy that Byron brought.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Locke

I think we've got to go somewhere in the middle. As soon as Ferland went down the team's physicality level essentially evaporated.

We cannot beat this team at the heavy game, but we also cant avoid participating in it entirely. We've got to pick our battles and we'll need guys that can fight those battles and it cant always be Engelland.

Putting in a guy like Wolf for guarded minutes makes a degree of sense.

True we can't shy away from it entirely, but having Bollig & Wolf would be redundant, and I'd take Bollig over Wolf. If Ferly goes down, I beleive you call up Granny and hope for some goals. It will simply need to be existing guys who step up the physicality, but being smart about it. We are outmatched physically, so we have to be smarter.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I agree that you need guys like Ferland/Bouma, but that's because they not only play with energy and physicality, they also help create and convert chances. Bringing in an enforcer doesn't really do anything for you in the playoffs. It's not like McGrattan will wear down their star players, or be a deterrent to cheap shots (because when's the last time you saw him going after anyone but another enforcer?)

Wolf definitely makes a lot more sense...even if it he is on the slower side.

I agree completely. I was actually surprised during the Vancouver series because straight-up, gloves off fights are typically pretty rare in the playoffs so yeah, an enforcer is not what the doctor ordered, but a guy like Wolf might be the answer.

A big guy who can play with an edge. Ferland was perfect and we're really, really missing Bouma.

If we had Ferland and Bouma at 100% in this series it would be a different story and at the moment we may be going forward with neither, but someone has to bring that and it isnt really Colborne or Jones' game.

[Reign of Fire]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Score on the power play. Gooning it up is just pointless. "YEAH! We sure showed them! Look at 'em, all bruised and such. Too bad about the series sweep, we'll get 'em next time."

Have to have your top players available for this. They already injured Hudler and I am sure Johnny was targeted too. But solid plan. Maybe you can chalk up how we score with only 3rd and 4th line players left to play on the power play

[Reign of Fire]

Originally Posted by Table 5

How does an enforcer create room sitting on the bench for 55 minutes of the game? Ferland creates room. Bouma creates room. All a guy like McGrattan can do is fight their equivalent enforcer (because you know, Code).

I think I mentioned Wolf. even I know McGrattan may not be the answer but having a threat on your bench can at least make things easier.

[St. Pats]

I think we are seeing that Burke is right. You can't win in the playoffs with a small team. Regular season no problem as they all coast through games with little to no physical play. But it ramps up bigtime in the playoffs. Heck we had one guy running around and it half killed the Canucks.

But it's not fourth liners or goons that need to have some size and toughness / it's got to be sprinkled through the lineup.

There is no way they are solving this problem by inserting one AHL guy.

They are facing a big strong lineup with some of those players their best players. Our physical play is coming almost exclusively from fourth liners. The mix isn't there yet and of course it's way to early in the rebuild for them to have all the holes filled.

There is not really much they can do / next couple of years they just need to balance out their lineup.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

I think we are seeing that Burke is right. You can't win in the playoffs with a small team. Regular season no problem as they all coast through games with little to no physical play. But it ramps up bigtime in the playoffs. Heck we had one guy running around and it half killed the Canucks.

But it's not fourth liners or goons that need to have some size and toughness / it's got to be sprinkled through the lineup.

There is no way they are solving this problem by inserting one AHL guy.

They are facing a big strong lineup with some of those players their best players. Our physical play is coming almost exclusively from fourth liners. The mix isn't there yet and of course it's way to early in the rebuild for them to have all the holes filled.

There is not really much they can do / next couple of years they just need to balance out their lineup.

Agreed, but they've got to do something.

Its tough to replicate what the Ducks have, love them or hate them Getzlaf and Perry are huge, they're physical, they're mean and they're insanely talented.

That combination of size, grit and talent is unbelievable. You look at the Sedins and Canucks fans want them to be what Getzlaf and Perry are and the Sedins cannot ever be that.

In Bob I trust because that was a goddamn clinic.

[JiriHrdina]

Yeah the problem with the Ducks is their big tough guys, can also play at a very high level. You aren't going to answer that by bringing in a tough guy who can't play or even skate at this level.
With Ferland out, you bring in a guy that can replace his role - which probably is Wolf.

[Vulcan]

The only way I see McGrattan playing is if we have a starting lineup of Bollig, Wolf, McGrattan on offence and Engelland, Potter on defence. Start a brawl and take out their top line. In other words Torts Act II. I doubt Boudreau will bite though.

[jg13]

Time to release the Wolf.

[ScorchyScorch]

Gaudreau - Bennett - McGrattan

one clears the path, the others do what they do best. I'm sick of us getting pushed around, especially our skilled kids. inflict some fear.

[PantherExtreme]

The only way McGrattan could impact the series is if hes willing to come up and "JohnScott/Kessel" anyone who tries to run our small players. If he is not willing to force a fight with anyone but Jackman he would be of no use. Other than that Flames just need to focus on speed, turnovers, and powerplay, maybe hit their D on forecheck if possible but not try to compete physically as that will be hopeless with our injuries.