[GDT] Calgary Flames at Dallas Stars 6:00pm TV: SN, VIC+ - RADIO SN960

[Locke]

Ah. I wasnt expecting Kuzmenko to draw in.

They are aware that he's effectively useless on the 4th line right? Like...this has been brought to the attention of the coaching staff?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ah. I wasnt expecting Kuzmenko to draw in.

They are aware that he's effectively useless on the 4th line right? Like...this has been brought to the attention of the coaching staff?

Spot duty 5v5....but will be prevalent on the PP im guessing.

This club desperately needs offense.

[FBI]

Maybe he can use Lomberg’s baby birth to capitalize and start to get it rolling..

[Vinsta13]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

https://twitter.com/user/status/1865811846156169285

I’d be curious to see

Kuzmenko Zary Pelletier

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by transplant99

That is insane.

And yet not surprising to me at all. This is why I said when they announced Huska as coach that if you thought the offence struggled under Darryl that last year you have seen nothing yet.

The guy is a fantastic communicator and a very good defensive coach but he is terrible at coming up with a system for the offence and player management/ line combos. I really worry how much he is going to stifle the development of our young skill players. He basically uses the same system that Darryl ran, a strict North/South brand that focuses on everything in the offensive zone funneled back for a point shot. The difference between him and Darryl is Sutter had them firing outside perimeter shots as well and they're was a focus on volume of shots as opposed to Huska more focused on everything coming from the point and everyone more focused on getting back defensively. If the team consisted of a bunch of big guys like Klapka that went and parked in front of the net and crashed and banged everything in sight it would be the right system but our roster is a skilled smaller group more suited to an East/West style of play and it doesn't work.

The only way the Flames win this game is if whomever starts in goal steals it so I am hoping Wolf as he has a higher ability to do so. Not sure the Flames can score enough regardless to win this one, Dallas has a much more talented team. At any rate GFG.

[Strange Brew]

I don’t really mind Lomberg with an occasional healthy scratch. I just don’t know about Kizmenko bringing any offense. We’ll see if being sat did anything to start his motor.

[Jiri Hrdina]

That’s a weird fourth line

[activeStick]

Huska is a very solid coach in my opinion. Zero people actually thought that these Flames would spend any significant time in a playoff spot this year, but here they've been, locked in a spot for a quarter of the year so far.

Paer of the reason the Flames are struggling with scoring is the style/system and part of it is the roster. A good coach deploys a style that suits his roster, which is exactly what Huska has done. The players available to him aren't going to score you a bunch of goals, so he needs to implement a defensive style that stifles chances. That's their best chance to win games. Nothing to do with Huska not being able to put out a more offensive style. Last year, they were middle of the pack in goals per game because Coleman and Kadri were on fire. This can't be expected every year (especially for Coleman) though Kadri needs to produce more. Sharangovich's injury set him back and the team is also missing his output. Add to this losing 2 very good puck movers (Hanifin and Tanev (Tanev is very underrated on how well he moves the puck up ice), and this lack of production should not be a surprise to anyone.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That’s a weird fourth line

Yup. Put Kuzmenko with Zary and Coleman, and put Duehr with Rooney and Pelletier. Seems ridiculously obvious.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Huska is a very solid coach in my opinion. Zero people actually thought that these Flames would spend any significant time in a playoff spot this year, but here they've been, locked in a spot for a quarter of the year so far.

Paer of the reason the Flames are struggling with scoring is the style/system and part of it is the roster. A good coach deploys a style that suits his roster, which is exactly what Huska has done. The players available to him aren't going to score you a bunch of goals, so he needs to implement a defensive style that stifles chances. That's their best chance to win games. Nothing to do with Huska not being able to put out a more offensive style. Last year, they were middle of the pack in goals per game because Coleman and Kadri were on fire. This can't be expected every year (especially for Coleman) though Kadri needs to produce more. Sharangovich's injury set him back and the team is also missing his output. Add to this losing 2 very good puck movers (Hanifin and Tanev (Tanev is very underrated on how well he moves the puck up ice), and this lack of production should not be a surprise to anyone.

I could not disagree more. There is plenty of skill and depth
on this roster, people need to stop jumping through hoops because Huska is a likeable guy. This teams 5 on 5 output is 30th out of 32 teams and they have not scores more than 3 goals since game 2. If you look at Huska's history as a coach none of his teams could score. It's like working on a production line and one employee is killing production but nobody wants to see him go because he is super nice and brings doughnuts in for everyone on shift. If it was not for getting unreal goaltending this team is probably bottom 5. I was fine with Huska being coach to start the year because he is perfect to get us to a top 5 pick but now I am afraid our goaltending is going to get us back in the mushy middle and he is going to stifle young guys like Zary.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I could not disagree more. There is plenty of skill and depth
on this roster, people need to stop jumping through hoops because Huska is a likeable guy. This teams 5 on 5 output is 30th out of 32 teams and they have not scores more than 3 goals since game 2. If you look at Huska's history as a coach none of his teams could score. It's like working on a production line and one employee is killing production but nobody wants to see him go because he is super nice and brings doughnuts in for everyone on shift. If it was not for getting unreal goaltending this team is probably bottom 5. I was fine with Huska being coach to start the year because he is perfect to get us to a top 5 pick but now I am afraid our goaltending is going to get us back in the mushy middle and he is going to stifle young guys like Zary.

Well, I'm not sure if you're accusing me of praising Huska because he's a likeable guy, but for the record, that's not why I say what I say. As an example, Huberdeau is also very likeable, takes the kids under his wing, spending time with them over dinner, etc. but I'd still prefer to see him off this team than remain on it despite him being a good guy and also putting in an honest effort in my opinion every game.

I don't see much skill at all on this team, let alone plenty of it. Up front, I'd say there are 2 players and that's me being generous to Kadri and Huberdeau. Huberdeau has been with the Flames now for 3 years and hasn't shown anything that deserves to be put in this category. Occassional but irregular insanely slick passes and setups aren't enough. I'm also not sure I'd put Kadri in this category for skill, he's likely more a tier below top guys around the league in skill. Sharangovich is unproven still, so I'd leave him off, but he could get there. Zary is getting there, but it's only been a season and Coronato is even more unproven. Kuzmenko is the most skilled guy IMO from a talent perspective, but he's obviously had his issues. On D, in terms of offense, we have Weegar and Andersson.

So, as I mentioned in my first post, 2 guys only now who can create offense from the backend and move the puck up either by skating or slick passing (see Tanev's insane pass last game to send Tavares on a breakaway!) is a massive step back from last year with Hanifin and Tanev gone. Forward group is more or less the same since Lindholm was an even bigger blackhole than Huberdeau is without Huberdeau's honest effort, except shooting % are lower this year for the guys.

The Flames will continue to struggle offensively with any coach until they start getting more guys up on the roster with that skillset.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Kuzmenko sucks. His a 1 goals and 1 shot per game doesn’t inject any offence.

[FlamesAddiction]

Kuzmenko starts on the 4th line, but he should still get PP time. If he shows life they could juggle him on the line-up.

[Goriders]

Time to win a game.

Looks like the time may have passed for barrie and kuzmenko minus trades or injuries

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Kuzmenko starts on the 4th line, but he should still get PP time. If he shows life they could juggle him on the line-up.

Yeah, I think this is Huska giving him a chance, but letting him know he needs to earn it before he gets moved up in the lineup. If he has a good 1st/2nd and someone struggles on those lines, can definitely see Huska bumping him up mid-game. I personally hope Kuzmenko shows well. I like him.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I don’t really mind Lomberg with an occasional healthy scratch.

It's not a healthy scratch. Lomberg's wife is giving birth to the third child so he stayed back in Calgary.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1865846779637637182

[WhiteTiger]

Go Flames go!


Sharky is a fellow AFOL! He's got some nice sets, too.