Practice Notes - April 7

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

His play driving numbers haven't dropped at all. Just doesn't have the shooting percentage of recent seasons.

I don't think he's been anywhere near as bad as the average fan is suggesting.

Production cut in half, and that hurts the team. So as an absolute, easily an issue.

But not sure I agree on him dogging it or mailing it in at all.

I think he was pretty bad for the first 30 or 40 games, but his play has been absolutely fine for quite a while now - still isn't scoring, as he's having an off year, production-wise, but he has righted the ship otherwise.

But early in the season, when they were trying to figure out lines, and get the team going, he was bad.

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by TheChief

On the surface one could look at Mangiapane's stats and say he contributed to the team taking a step back this year. I dont look too much into the advanced stats but on the eye test there was maybe a few bad shifts or bad changes this year but I think it was more to do with some of the other slumping guys he had been playing with early on until getting moved back to Backlund's line. There's no doubt he has been more "snakebitten" this year, but I still see the effort game in and game out.



I cant see a way in which the organization doesn't run it back next year. For everyone blaming Sutter constantly in every thread I come into I ask you this... is he strapping on the pads and scoring goals? He had to deal with massive personal changes this summer, two 40 goal men out of the lineup...the new guys haven't been great and we haven't got lots of saves.


and through all the issues we have had this year, can anyone really say that the team has ever quit? I mean that loss against the kings (8-2) was probably the only one this year we were not in all game.



To me the whole media circus surrounding Sutter is a media induced story (lets be honest they have it out for him). I think in the room the players know what he expects and respect him for it. (well maybe not Kadri)

I agree. I think Kadri is a player who has always been his own motivator, and has frustrated a lot of coaches.
I obviously have no idea what are the interpersonal dynamics in the Flames’ dressing room, but in watching the games it appears to me that the effort is there almost every game. One can question the line selection at times, and the abilities of the players to get a shot on goal instead of a shot on goalie, but to me, it doesn’t look like a team that has stopped listening to the coach.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Sutter wears on me, I get why people want him gone.

But any player that mails it in ... especially in year one with a new fan base cheering him on is a special kind of a suck hole and gets the blame 100% from me.

Now I'm not saying Kadri is mailing it in ... he had a pretty odd game last week that suggests that to some degree, but I'm sure there's frustration etc.

But I don't like the pass to players playing like crap by blaming it on a coach, especially when all 32 coaches are essentially preaching the same thing with slight variations.

You're not going to bring in a next coach that cares less about team defense for certain players.

Yup. I put a fair bit of blame for this season on Sutter, but that doesn't excuse Kadri's attitude, and the way he has handled things.

People blame Huberdeau, but he's trying. And he never complains or mails it in. Kadri's behavior has made the situation worse, and that is inexcusable.

[Burning Beard]

Mangiapane had a rough start but is coming on stronger now. Not the first guy to have a rough start after signing a big contract. Also like the rest of the team had to deal with unprecedented changes to the team. I feel like his contribution to the meh performance of this team has been overblown. Honestly .889 goaltending is the story of the year.

[Strange Brew]

The expectations around Mangiapane’s production need to be reset IMO. He just doesn’t get a ton of shots on net. And his early career shooting percentage was not sustainable. Going forward, maybe he is a 12% scorer. That might get him 25 goals, but even then that would mean he needs to get more shots on net than he currently does.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I’m talking motivation. Not all players respond to Darryl’s schtick, he’s the kind of guy that players either thrive or wilt under.

For whatever reason he’s not pushing the right buttons with these guys. They’re far from blameless - I can’t wrap my head around what we are seeing from Kadri - but I do believe there’s causality to their lack of production due to a poor relationship with the coach.

I don't think anyone could argue he's not pushing the right buttons.
That said, correlation <> causality

In a crappy season full of underperformance I would expect everyone to be pissy. The relationship with top players on every underperforming team is strained.
In WPG Schiefle got benched and called out, and refused to talk to the media
In Vancouver it's been Miller and Boeser
The Flyers and Penguins have been train wrecks leading to, surprise, lots of drama.

Sutter started the year pumping Huberdeau and Kadri's tires and giving them plenty of time to play their way into performance. They never did. Was it because he was a dick or did he become a dick after they sucked. I'm not sure.

[Enoch Root]

Early in the year, it wasn't just shooting percentage, he wasn't generating enough good chances.

The second half of the year, the game has been there, and the chances have been there, he's just continued with the career low shooting percentage

[Sylvanfan]

I'd like to see them get Lindholm back where he's at the right faceoff circle shooting on the PP. He score so many goals from that spot the past few years and he's nowhere around that this year. They certainly miss Tkachuck who might be the best player in the NHL within 4 feet of the net for making short passes and getting shots off from tough angles. They must be hoping Huberdeau can do some of that same stuff in tight.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

The expectations around Mangiapane’s production need to be reset IMO. He just doesn’t get a ton of shots on net. And his early career shooting percentage was not sustainable. Going forward, maybe he is a 12% scorer. That might get him 25 goals, but even then that would mean he needs to get more shots on net than he currently does.

This. He's an energy third line player that was lucky enough to have a career year in a contract year. That resulted in an overpay from our gm and subsequent outsized expectations. Good for the player, not so good for the team.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by TheChief

Posters beating the Sutter drum in every thread is starting to become the norm it seems. I hate to be Kevin Lowe but how many cups has anyone here won?


Let the man work

Darryl and Kevin know a thing or two about winning.

[TheChief]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Darryl and Kevin know a thing or two about winning.

Kevin... i'm not sure how much he has won since going to hockey ops? Darryl on the other hand has 3 cups and a finals run with Chicago. Oh and he has missed the playoffs 5 times in 20 years coaching and in 3 of those 5 teams he was taking over late in the season or fired early.



Id say he knows how to win.