Matt Freakin Stajan! - Page 4 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Locke · 02-24-2013, 01:46 AM

The fact that Stajan and Bouwmeester have been our best players is the best indication of why this team is where it is in the standings.

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbit

He also leads in takeaways, hits and faceoffs. Hits surprised me....but this is a softer than soft team.

Think you need to double check or listen more closely to HNIC. Maybe he leads the centers. For team, plus minus, yes. As far as only forwards, Glencross has 12 takeaways to Stajan's 11 and obviously Jackman, Iggy and more have outhit him.

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbit

Actually, Bouwmeester has been very good in all aspects of the game, consistently.

Yes, especially in being top of the league in bad penalty killing and on for most team GA.

timbit · 02-24-2013, 01:55 AM

When the shortstop mishandles the ball....does the right fielder get an error, also?

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbit

When the shortstop mishandles the ball....does the right fielder get an error, also?

Yes, every year, year after year. It never, ever comes out in the wash and it is always everyone else's fault. We have been through this exercise.

timbit · 02-24-2013, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Yes, every year, year after year. It never, ever comes out in the wash and it is always everyone else's fault. We have been through this exercise.

I was talking about this season. I thought that was a given.

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 02:07 AM

Me too. Continuation of trend established 3 years running. Still buttery soft in his own zone. And more GA than any other D in the league as of a couple of days ago, with a couple games in hand. It's on NHL.com

And tonight's assist was good but lucky. If Minny capitalizes on the odd man rush, Bouw is late back. They flub, he is late getting back and benefits from what could be poor position with the assist and the plus.

I appreciate the improved offensive game because Bob lets him jump in.

But the Flames problem is not GF this year, it is GA. And as dazzling as he is with his offensive improvement, he still waves at guys and does not force them in the d zone. And it costs them. And the numbers support that…. And d men plus centers are the guys around the net, from where most goals are scored.

I like the improvement but he has not been great defensively, just ok-ish

timbit · 02-24-2013, 02:10 AM

What numbers are those? The ones that say he plays the most minutes against the best players on one of the very worst defensive teams with, up to this point...awful goaltending, as well?

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 02:19 AM

Not rehashing old arguments.

Let's just ask about conditions under which Dwayne Roloson and Manny Fernandez put up great GAA and sv%.

Bouwmeester's soft ass play creates more bad goaltending than goaltenders (who some contend are interchangeable) penalize him.

Of course, you are right. He has invented higher quality comp to which no other top pairings are subjected. Again, we have been down this path.

And that too is why he always is the key cog in a D corps that leads the league in GA and makes the playoffs.

timbit · 02-24-2013, 02:26 AM

I will give you the last word with one last question? Who has performed the best amongst the Flames D overall, up to this point? Have a great weekend.

DeluxeMoustache · 02-24-2013, 02:35 AM

Thanks. Wideman. More points, shots, blocked shots, takeaways. Less giveaways, more TOI. Way better Corsi, Fenwick, etc. Smarter.

A fine weekend to you as well

Chingas · 02-24-2013, 02:49 AM

^Great Stajan discussion. Not that I'm surprised, there is always someone whose blind hatred transcends all topics.

I am happy for Stajan, he has continued to battle and i feel like he is starting to get his payoff. It is quite curious how he was treated like top line kryptonite by Brent, and has taken Hartley so long to give it a try. With the odd exception of Backlund when he was in, Stajan's lines have been the most noticeable. Prior to tonight and His hookup with Sven, Hudler has been invisible since Stajan was centering his line. In short it goes to show the value of a true centre on any line, and Stajan has been without a doubt the most consistent/valuable centre for us this year.

BurningSteel · 02-24-2013, 09:13 AM

I like Ragin Stajan!

Cleveland Steam Whistle · 02-24-2013, 09:25 AM

It's still early, but the improved play of Stajan and Bowmeester are proof positive that coaching fit for your players is very key. Starting to wonder if D.Sutters biggest mistake or down fall as GM wasn't actually the player moves he made (not saying he gets a pass on all his bad trades) but rather his inability to properly hire a coach that could use the pieces he was assembling. Maybe not enough thought in what is my coach like and what tools would work in his system.

Right or wrong, D.Sutter clearly identified Bouwmeester and Stajan as key cogs for this team based on the contracts he signed them too, but B.Sutter clearly wasn't able to use them properly. And this isn't a B.Sutter bash, clearly the results as a whole are no better with him gone, if anything it's a D.Sutter comment.

Seems to me D.Sutter wasn't able to really transition the part of the GM job where he needs to assemble a team for his coach, or pick the right coach for his roster. Assembling a team he wants and expecting the coach to completely use the pieces the way he might as a coach simply won't work. Results went down hill the second he left the bench, and clearly he's a very good coach, but I think failing to get the coach roster match up part of his job may be the biggest reason this team didn't see the results it wanted post lock out.

TurnedTheCorner · 02-24-2013, 09:28 AM

The bar has really been set low for these stupid freakin' / frickin' threads.

kyuss275 · 02-24-2013, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

It's still early, but the improved play of Stajan and Bowmeester are proof positive that coaching fit for your players is very key. Starting to wonder if D.Sutters biggest mistake or down fall as GM wasn't actually the player moves he made (not saying he gets a pass on all his bad trades) but rather his inability to properly hire a coach that could use the pieces he was assembling. Maybe not enough thought in what is my coach like and what tools would work in his system.

Right or wrong, D.Sutter clearly identified Bouwmeester and Stajan as key cogs for this team based on the contracts he signed them too, but B.Sutter clearly wasn't able to use them properly. And this isn't a B.Sutter bash, clearly the results as a whole are no better with him gone, if anything it's a D.Sutter comment.

Seems to me D.Sutter wasn't able to really transition the part of the GM job where he needs to assemble a team for his coach, or pick the right coach for his roster. Assembling a team he wants and expecting the coach to completely use the pieces the way he might as a coach simply won't work. Results went down hill the second he left the bench, and clearly he's a very good coach, but I think failing to get the coach roster match up part of his job may be the biggest reason this team didn't see the results it wanted post lock out.

The worst part of it all had made those 2 players trade value near zero. This team has many holes to fill. It was noted that Feaster was looking for either a 2nd line center or a 1st round pick and 3rd line gritty player for Bouw this summer. No takers. If he had been playing like this for the last 2 years, Feaster might have been able to get all 3 things for Bouw. Maybe not a 1st, but not hard to imagine a true 2nd line center, 3rd line gritty player and maybe a later pick. Yes it would have made a hole back on D , but they could have filled 2 holes up front.

Stajan also would have had trade value. To start the year they would not have been able to get rid of him on waivers.

Some will say why would you trade either of them if they are good? The answer is because of ownerships mandate. They couldn't trade Iggy , which means they couldn't trade Kipper or Tangs. They needed to get more grit so Gio and Glencross could not be traded. Bouw would have at least given them some trade options in the summer.

The good part is that both players and Stempniak are still under contract for next year , giving the flames more options on the trade front going forward.

Enoch Root · 02-24-2013, 10:18 AM

Someone made a good point about Stajan and Tanguay's +/-

I am not a big fan of +/- but when comparing within a team, it does have some value.

One of the biggest problems the Flames have is that the top line loses the battle with the opposing top line on many nights. And they have been pretty regularly this year with Tanguay at C.

Bringing Stajan onto that isn't going to ignite it offensively, but what he does is stabilize it defensively. Last night was a good example - all 3 guys were pluses. Yes, they got scored on, but they won their battle and as a result, the team got a W.

If Stajan can bring that on a regular basis, the team is better for it.

I am happy for Stajan.

Oh, one more point. Another thing I have noticed about his play this year is that he is winning more battles along the boards. My biggest complaint was always how soft he was on the puck. But he has been angling guys off the puck along the boards and has generally been winning more battles. Keep it up!

Heavy Jack · 02-24-2013, 10:56 AM

I'm so happy Hartley finally put Stajan with Tangs and Iggy, I said I wanted to see it a few games back and last nights results showed why. That line was our best line for most of the night all though they did fall on their heels a few times. Iggy looked the most lethal yet and that shot of the post in the third was vintage Iggy release. He had 2 goals in his first 15 3 years ago and went on to score 43, if he gets going he could still flirt with 20 this year. Hopefully they keep combo together.

FlamesAddiction · 02-24-2013, 11:02 AM

Good to see him happy and looking confident again. That has always been his problem. He would get going on a good streak and then get rocked by a big hit, and then disappear again for a while.

Also, is it just me or does he look like he gained a bit a weight since last season?

Poe969 · 02-24-2013, 11:04 AM

It is pretty funny that Stajan was put with Iggy and Tangs last night.... Brent clearly didn't like him and wouldn't give him a chance and I'm really surprised that Harley put him on the first line because Stajan clearly isn't one of his top stars.

I'm not sure if it was meant to be a promotion for Stajan or a demotion for Iggy and Tangs but I'm guessing that they'll be broken up promtly so they can develop chemistry with others.