[PGT] Colorado 4 Calgary 2

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by skcli

Every team has similar schedule why this team need to get to the break quicker? You cannot blame the schedule. This team has no top end talents.

I don't think anybody is disputing the team doesn't have top end talent but when a team looks as tired as the Flames did tonight it's easy to look at the schedule and say "that's a rough stretch".

This was the Avs 9th game in the last 18 games, compared to the Flames who played 9 in 15. That's 3 extra days of rest / break in that stretch.

Against the Leafs it was 3 in 4 for the Flames, and 8 games in 13 days, and the Leafs were waiting in town with 2 days rest while the Flames headed to Seattle. That was the Leafs 8th game in 20 games at that point. Huge difference.

Over the course of the season it's the same for everyone, but in these last two games the tired Flames were playing teams that had much more rest. And elite talent.

Which is a rough combination when you're tired playing against more skilled players that are rested.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I think in order to be a Colorado or Pittsburgh you have to plummet quickly or have one really, really down year and strike draft gold before the losing culture sets in.

If you purposely tank your team and miss on those lotteries or pick the dud a couple of times when you're picking top 5 then it can snowball into an ongoing thing that's harder and harder to turn around (Buffalo).

It's a dangerous game to play.

I think the Flames are better off collecting picks and trying to find diamonds in the rough wherever they end up picking.

Trust in your drafting. Maybe you unearth that next gaudreau/kucherov/point

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't think anybody is disputing the team doesn't have top end talent but when a team looks as tired as the Flames did tonight it's easy to look at the schedule and say "that's a rough stretch".

This was the Avs 9th game in the last 18 games, compared to the Flames who played 9 in 15. That's 3 extra days of rest / break in that stretch.

Against the Leafs it was 3 in 4 for the Flames, and 8 games in 13 days, and the Leafs were waiting in town with 2 days rest while the Flames headed to Seattle. That was the Leafs 8th game in 20 games at that point. Huge difference.

Over the course of the season it's the same for everyone, but in these last two games the tired Flames were playing teams that had much more rest. And elite talent. Which is a rough combination when you're tired playing against more skilled players that are rested.

Do you have any evidence that rest matters? Whoever loses the first game out of the break will be excused for being "rusty". It just seems so cliché unless I can see some analysis.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by butterfly

I don't think anyone projected Kucherov, Pastrnak, or Kyle Connor, but here we are. Scouts have to hit, no more Honzeks.

Kucherov is the outlier for sure. (stupid Tyler Witherspoon even though the scouting staff liked Kucherov)

But even Pastrnak and Connor aren't Mackinnon - still a decent gap between those guys.

[littlereddevil]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't think anybody is disputing the team doesn't have top end talent but when a team looks as tired as the Flames did tonight it's easy to look at the schedule and say "that's a rough stretch".

This was the Avs 9th game in the last 18 games, compared to the Flames who played 9 in 15. That's 3 extra days of rest / break in that stretch.

Against the Leafs it was 3 in 4 for the Flames, and 8 games in 13 days, and the Leafs were waiting in town with 2 days rest while the Flames headed to Seattle. That was the Leafs 8th game in 20 games at that point. Huge difference.

Over the course of the season it's the same for everyone, but in these last two games the tired Flames were playing teams that had much more rest. And elite talent.

Which is a rough combination when you're tired playing against more skilled players that are rested.

Exactly. Flames have a chance of winning when they are competing hard and have the energy. Tonight they looked completely gassed from this heavy schedule. Even Coronato, who's normally buzzing, looked flat. This break couldn't come any sooner. Hopefully they get some much needed returns to the roster from Bahl and Zary and they'll be ready to compete hard again after the break. Won't be easy but this team has already exceeded expectations this year.

[traptor]

It's funny getting smoked back to back by the leafs and Avs top players.

Really highlights the skill discrepency.

I don't think we even need a Matthews, MacK or Makar type player.
But we don't even have anyone close to the Nylander/Necas level.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by traptor

I'd be happy with a Necas at this point.

Tre was in on him.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by littlereddevil

Exactly. Flames have a chance of winning when they are competing hard and have the energy. Tonight they looked completely gassed from this heavy schedule. Even Coronato, who's normally buzzing, looked flat. This break couldn't come any sooner. Hopefully they get some much needed returns to the roster from Bahl and Zary and they'll be ready to compete hard again after the break. Won't be easy but this team has already exceeded expectations this year.

That's fine and dandy.

We need optimal situations to win against better teams, which includes being rested.

But what does that mean for playoffs? (which should be how we judge success)
Playoffs is a war of attrition.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by butterfly

I don't think anyone projected Kucherov, Pastrnak, or Kyle Connor, but here we are. Scouts have to hit, no more Honzeks.

Christ people want to give up multiple good assets for Calum Ritchie and Honzek might be better than him. He certainly is not in the bust category yet.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Do you have any evidence that rest matters? Whoever loses the first game out of the break will be excused for being "rusty". It just seems so cliché unless I can see some analysis.

Fill your boots.

https://www.tsn.ca/yost-rest-makes-a...mance-1.120073

Flames had big "rest disadvantages" in both the Leafs and Avs game when looking at schedules over the last 15 days.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Knowing that our D has talent coming down the pipe in the coming years, if you can snatch up a 1C whose stock is low(er) i.e. cozens/wright, I wouldn't hesitate to offer any of our vets.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Had a bad game. Only the second time this year with under 16 minutes ice time.

He’s had a really bad month.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't think anybody is disputing the team doesn't have top end talent but when a team looks as tired as the Flames did tonight it's easy to look at the schedule and say "that's a rough stretch".

This was the Avs 9th game in the last 18 games, compared to the Flames who played 9 in 15. That's 3 extra days of rest / break in that stretch.

Against the Leafs it was 3 in 4 for the Flames, and 8 games in 13 days, and the Leafs were waiting in town with 2 days rest while the Flames headed to Seattle. That was the Leafs 8th game in 20 games at that point. Huge difference.

Over the course of the season it's the same for everyone, but in these last two games the tired Flames were playing teams that had much more rest. And elite talent.

Which is a rough combination when you're tired playing against more skilled players that are rested.

100% true.



But then the same argument gets made at the start of the season where the schedule makers had the Flames overly rested, and they responded with a strong start.


I think this is how it is for teams without that top-end game-changing talent - they don't need to play 60 minute games. They can turn it on and take the game over, and win games they didn't deserve to win. Flames lose games that they deserve to win, and then when they are too tired to out-work the opposition, they are almost seemingly 'automatic losses'.


I still have confidence that the Flames find a way to sneak into the playoffs, but I am less sure about it than I was last week. I think LA falls out of the picture given Vancouver's easier schedule.



Flames need some bounces to go their way again too. Lucky the 4 Nations break is here - that's a grueling schedule to go through playing every other day with a back-to-back, all against top teams. They will need to outwork everyone on that road trip, or they may find themselves far back from the playoff picture.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

This is what game breaking elite talent gets you.

That's why so many of us wanted a top 5 pick. So frustrating.

This is entirely new information.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

This is entirely new information.

Draft the best player in the world. Simple!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Nm

[prizefighterinferno]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Had a bad game. Only the second time this year with under 16 minutes ice time.

It's been talked about quite a bit on Flames Talk, he's been injured for a while, missing skates and taking time off just trying to make it to the break. Seems like the last couple weeks whatever he's been dealing with has been really affecting him though because his play has been pretty sh***y (love you Backs).

[stemit14]

Really do need the break and really do need Zary and Bahl back. I think Backlund-Coleman need to be the new 4th line when Zary comes back. I know they have decent advanced stats but there is just zero offensive ability in Backlund these days.

Huberdeau-Kadri-Farabee
Klapka-Zary-Coronato
Sharangovich-Frost-Posposil
Lomberg/Stromgren-Backlund-Coleman

Andersson-Bahl
Weegar-Soloviov
Pachal-Hanley/Bean

New 4th line becomes a strength instead of a weakness. Zary and Coronato get to build chemistry together. I know some want Coronato to be with Huberdeau and Kadri but I don’t like that much - Kadri is a little too much of a puck hog and Coronato doesn’t get many puck touches when he is on Kadri’s line (saw it tonight though small sample is in a bad game for everyone). I know Klapka seems like a stretch to be that high up in the line up but he plays better when elevated it seems.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Groot

Draft the best player in the world. Simple!

It's crazy to think there was a time 4 seasons into MacKinnon and Monahan's career that there was actual debate to who the better player was.

Monahan: 217 points and 107 goals in 319 GP

Mackinnon: 206 points and 75 goals in 300 GP

I honestly wonder if you went back in time to the 2017 offseason and offered Colorado Monahan + 1st for MacKinnon if they'd had taken it.

I feel like the might have. They drafted Makar, didn't have a good season, and MacKinnon looked to have stagnated in his development.

[kyuss275]

All I can say is , Go sharks!!