[PGT] Flames lose another season opener

[Delthefunky]

Originally Posted by Pointman

Brodie was excellent on the left side playing with Engelland, rather than Giordano. His struggles started when Gulutzan came in however it is not so much about playing on the left side, but rather the overall system. Brodie in Gulutzan system looks like Bouwmeester in Sutter's system and it goes way beyond playing on the left side or playing without Giordano.

Also the stat of Backlund shutting down McDavid in the limited time GG managed to get Backlund on the ice against McDavid shows that we need another defensive center, who can contain him. So that we would always have a top defensive center on McDavid even if Oilers have the last change. If there was no McDavid, our centers group could be the last of our worries, but he is there and the only way to beat Oilers in playoffs is to have at least two centers who can stop him. Like in 2004 we had Conroy AND Yelle so we could always have Selke caliber center against ops top line. If that means moving Jankowski, Bennett or even Monahan, so be it.

Jankowski could eventually be that guy

[dino7c]

If anyone gave McDavid the Hemsky treatment they would be suspended. He might give it to himself though.

[Wyguy]

Well, fortunately, depending on the size of the suspensions, each player should be back and ready to hit him as hard as ever by the next time we play the Oil!

[djsFlames]

I guess the Penguins have no elite players either. I mean 10-1?!

Kane > Mcdavid now. He could notch 200 assists this year!

Gotta love the first weekend of the season...

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Regehr would take Hemsky hard into the end boards. CGY needs to do the same thing, grab hold and run him hard into the boards. He needs to pay a harsh physical price. It needs to be relentless.

Agreed, Last spring Anaheim got in his face as soon as he hit the ice and didn't let him circle unimpeded thru the neutral zone where he starts his speed attack, Gully needs a game plan where everyone on the ice disrupts his flow, see 97 on the ice? give him a little shot or even a ticklish rub but don't let him skate, without his crazy speed his skill is actually fairly average

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Agreed, Last spring Anaheim got in his face as soon as he hit the ice and didn't let him circle unimpeded thru the neutral zone where he starts his speed attack, Gully needs a game plan where everyone on the ice disrupts his flow, see 97 on the ice? give him a little shot or even a ticklish rub but don't let him skate, without his crazy speed his skill is actually fairly average

have to disagree with you there. he has a boadload of talent and still has a lot of room to become a better player. look how young he is.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I guess the Penguins have no elite players either. I mean 10-1?!

Kane > Mcdavid now. He could notch 200 assists this year!

Gotta love the first weekend of the season...

I felt the same way watching that game as I do when I see a pro golfer put on in the drink.

[bubbsy]

Whether it's playing him physically or not, teams will need to have a very organized game plan every time he touches the ice.

I'd be fine to just play a full on prevent and trap at the defensive blue line whenever he's on. Force them to dump and chase, and then try to win the game against the other lines.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by dino7c

If anyone gave McDavid the Hemsky treatment they would be suspended. He might give it to himself though.

Give Brouwer the order to take care of McDavid Bobby Clarke style. No more McDavid, no more Brouwer, win-win.

(I kid)

[codynw]

Originally Posted by theinfinitejar

Jesus. I know it's one game and all but that's pretty ####ing stark.

That statline may be one game, but Backlund has a pretty massive sample size of being one of the best shutdown centers in hockey. That wasn't a fluke, that's just what he does. I wish Backlund could just play 30+ minutes a night sometimes.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Agreed, Last spring Anaheim got in his face as soon as he hit the ice and didn't let him circle unimpeded thru the neutral zone where he starts his speed attack, Gully needs a game plan where everyone on the ice disrupts his flow, see 97 on the ice? give him a little shot or even a ticklish rub but don't let him skate, without his crazy speed his skill is actually fairly average

Yeah, no.

Even without his speed he has insane skill. His speed is what separates him from everyone else in the same way Crosby's will and work ethic along with his insane skill separates him from everyone else.

[red sky]

There should be no attempt at offense when he is on the ice. Honestly. There is at least 35 minutes of game time with him on the bench to exploit the Oilers. The second goal was a result of an offensive turnover which allowed McDavid to wind up. It's unexciting hockey but there needs to be different strategies when he is on the ice. In this case, the best defense is not offense but defense.

[Wyguy]

^^^^^
I agree, but I dislike it very much how GG really didnt do anything about it. Hopefully something changes, anyone know when we play them next?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by red sky

There should be no attempt at offense when he is on the ice. Honestly. There is at least 35 minutes of game time with him on the bench to exploit the Oilers. The second goal was a result of an offensive turnover which allowed McDavid to wind up. It's unexciting hockey but there needs to be different strategies when he is on the ice. In this case, the best defense is not offense but defense.

Need to possess the puck though. And better to do it in their end.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by red sky

There should be no attempt at offense when he is on the ice. Honestly. There is at least 35 minutes of game time with him on the bench to exploit the Oilers. The second goal was a result of an offensive turnover which allowed McDavid to wind up. It's unexciting hockey but there needs to be different strategies when he is on the ice. In this case, the best defense is not offense but defense.

The problem with pure defense is that it often means no puck possession.
The best way to contain McDavid is to keep the puck away from him. If the Flames can keep McDavid in his own zone while the puck is passed around, he won't have many opportunities to score. The Flames should play very patiently and carefully while in the offensive zone.

When the Flames are in their own zone, I agree that it's important to play conservatively. Giordano did a great job of this in Wednesday's game. He managed to push McDavid into bad angles. That's about all you can do. If someone tries to outskate McDavid, they're going to lose.

[dirk diggler]

as much as I despise Kesler and the ducks, they went out with a plan and weren't intimidated of him, they knew they had to play him hard and let the chips fall where they may. McDavid is clearly in the Flames head and having GG not making adjustments doesn't help.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by red sky

There should be no attempt at offense when he is on the ice. Honestly. There is at least 35 minutes of game time with him on the bench to exploit the Oilers. The second goal was a result of an offensive turnover which allowed McDavid to wind up. It's unexciting hockey but there needs to be different strategies when he is on the ice. In this case, the best defense is not offense but defense.

I completely disagree with this, the best defense is to let the guy float up near the blueline while you trap his team deep on an offensive forecheck with the intent to bury it. You just need to make sure that your blueliners are aware of where he is and play him like you are a safety. Then you crush him when he reaches for a pass and leave him in a coma like a soap opera star.

[red sky]

If you can't skate with him you wont be able to hit him.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by red sky

If you can't skate with him you wont be able to hit him.

True to an extent, though I don't think Regher could skate with Hemsky. Memories...

Part of the thing that sets McDavid apart from other speedy players is his size though. While not huge, he's bigger than your usual speed and skill guy, and seems a lot stronger on his skates. He aims for the middle of the ice too, which makes angling him to the boards like Reg used to do, much more difficult.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I completely disagree with this, the best defense is to let the guy float up near the blueline while you trap his team deep on an offensive forecheck with the intent to bury it. You just need to make sure that your blueliners are aware of where he is and play him like you are a safety. Then you crush him when he reaches for a pass and leave him in a coma like a soap opera star.

He's not much of a cherry picker though. His breakaway last night was from a giveaway deep in his own zone which he took and then just flat out beat everyone else down the ice. Including maybe the best skater on the Calgary.

I agree you can't play 100% defence - that's what took away a lot of the Monahan line's steam away last night. But you can be defensively aware. Brodie can't play as far in as he was (though the Flames were pressing for the tie at the time and had the puck, so it's understandable).

I do think you try to do a hard line match against him. GG shouldn't have settled for top line v. top line as much as he did, even though that would have limited JG and Monahan's ice time even more. Throw the 3M line plus Gio against him every chance you get, even if it means a snap change. They absolutely have to win faceoffs to control the puck, change lines and get the best matchup possible. Getting the 3M line also gets Tkachuk out as often as possible and if anyone's going to take McDavid off his mental game, it's Matt the brat.