[PGT] Blues defeat Flames 3-2, Nov. 11th

[Rhett44]

If we came last, regardless of who we draft they would be the most talented forward on the team.

I'd be just as excited with the other options as with McKenna.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

So …just a question for all those cheering the losses … what do the Flames do when losing, losing, losing finally destroys every ounce of energy, creativity and joy in the young players, including Wolfie? Got a plan for that?

Really…I want to know, because there’s a human aspect, too. (And yes, I’ve worked for a terminal organization…accountants always are the last to go….)

They draft some high end talent and all that energy comes back. The Flames aren't the only team to ever finish last. They'll be ok.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

4-12-2 is monumentally bad.

It'd be something out of the ordinary to see Conroy not do something in the coming weeks. GMs usually don't just 'sit there' when this sort of stuff goes on...unless it really does fall into some sort of Plan (even if it was plan "B", "C", "D", or "E")

The rest of November goes:

Sharks (8-6-3) (Away Record: 4-3-0)
Jets (9-6-0) (Away Record: 4-3-0)
@ Blackhawks (8-5-3) (Home Record: 3-2-1)
@ Sabres (5-6-4) (Home Record: 5-3-2)
Stars (10-4-3) (Away Record: 5-1-2)
@ Canucks (8-8-1) (Home Record: 3-4-1)
@ Lightning (8-5-2) (Home Record: 4-3-0)
@ Panthers (8-7-1) (Home Record: 5-1-1)
@ Hurricanes (11-5-0) (Home Record: 5-2-0)

Not the most daunting schedule, plenty of 'middle' in there, sprinkled with a bottom team (Buffalo) and some top teams (Jets, Stars, Hurricanes)

Conroy has pretty much done nothing to improve the team’s chances to win since he took over as GM. Doubt he will deviate from that fairly consistent plan that he has had since the beginning.

[GranteedEV]

Big -2 points

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Conroy has pretty much done nothing to improve the team’s chances to win since he took over as GM. Doubt he will deviate from that fairly consistent plan that he has had since the beginning.

I mean more in the sense of action, not action to improve.

Move out Andersson etc.

I also disagree with your comment he's done nothing to improve the team's chances to win. The Frost/Farabee trade was exactly an attempt at that.

[1_Flames_Fan]

Close one, almost got a point. Can't get a streak going and have Edwards start dreaming of playoff revenues.

[Calgary4LIfe]

There is always 3 parts to a rebuild:


1) The sell-off
2) The accumulation of talent
3) Rebuilding of the culture


Good teams do all 3 well. Some teams don't. There are no guarantees in a rebuild, but there are no guarantees with anything at all either.


Did the Flames have a good culture? While I will say the culture wasn't terrible, I can't say that the culture had been good in the last decade either. My argument is that they were such a Jekyll and Hyde team year over year. I think organizations with strong cultures show more consistency. It definitely wasn't anywhere near Buffalo bad, but it also wasn't anywhere near Boston either. That's part of the reason that the Flames were a bubble-team year over year for the most part.


Conroy has a real focus on building the culture here. It will be a really good fresh start in a couple of years - new arena, new franchise players, and a completely different atmosphere and hopefully 'aura' around this organization.


This season and next will be difficult to watch, and difficult to stomach. You find things to focus on in that meantime outside of the wins and losses.

[FlameFan21]

Didn't get shutout again...



I'm just completely checked out.

[Enoch Root]

I thought it was a perfect game... played hard, had a chance to win, and in the end, came up just short.

They are going to win some games, and I'll enjoy it when they do. But this was as close to a must lose game as they are going to face.

Liked Coronato, Honzek, Klapka, Kuznetsov...

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I thought it was a perfect game... played hard, had a chance to win, and in the end, came up just short.

They are going to win some games, and I'll enjoy it when they do. But this was as close to a must lose game as they are going to face.

Liked Coronato, Honzek, Klapka, Kuznetsov...

Binnington also put on a clinic as far as "not allowing the next one" goes under crunch time/some solid pressure from the Flames.

They put it on the ice tonight, and came up short.

[Dion]

I gave them an A for effort. Those 2 quick goals seemed to spark their effort more.

Team is snake but when it comes to scoring goals. Maybe they overachieved last year. Still the team has to play for pride and themselves.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Klapka needs to play higher in the lineup and stay there

But for who? Not Huberdeau, Coronato, Farabee or Coleman. Or Honzek for that matter - he’s been just fine. Sharangovich was benched tonight - I think Huska’s about done with him. So he sits and Klapka plays with who?

[Red Potato Standing By]

Originally Posted by jg13

They get their joy back by watching McKenna and Dupont go to work in a Flames jersey

Or they become buffalo west and flames fans start sounding like cooler fans cheering for losses.

[GioforPM]

Some good stuff. Wolf (aside from the second goal). Young guys Kuz, Honzek, Coronato played well. Huberdeau was good, I thought Weegar was better. Bahl is still playing well.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

So …just a question for all those cheering the losses … what do the Flames do when losing, losing, losing finally destroys every ounce of energy, creativity and joy in the young players, including Wolfie? Got a plan for that?

Really…I want to know, because there’s a human aspect, too. (And yes, I’ve worked for a terminal organization…accountants always are the last to go….)

Ok, let's assume for a minute that having a losing season and getting a top pick is a) avoidable and b) not the correct way forward.

My question for you is, what's the correct way forward then? And how do we pursue it?

It's nice enough to say "I'd rather win than lose". But there needs to be a realistic plan to actually achieve that, and unless you have one to share, I don't really know what you're expecting here.

[ComixZone]

Ryan Lomberg: 08:58 TOI, Even, 0 Shots, 0 Giveaways, 2 Hits
Yegor Sharangovich: 08:21 TOI, -2, 1 Shot, 0 Giveaways, 0 Hits
Connor Zary: 12:44 TOI, Even, 0 Shots, 3 Giveaways, 0 Hits

These fellas are certainly not having banger seasons.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Really starting to worry about Zary. He's the weakest Flames forward right now IMO. Last by far in shot attempts per game.

His skating has taken a step backwards, too. He'd only improved to an average skater, now, he's back to well below average.

[SuperMatt18]

I do wonder if we see some sort of bad contract for bad contract trade.

Sharangovich isn't trusted by Huska, never really was and isn't going to be able to get out of his funk with how he's been used by Huska and always on a short leash.

Romanov has been bottom pair making $6.25M for the Islanders.

Samuelsson has been rumoured to be on the block as a cap dump for Buffalo for a while.

Graves from Pittsburgh hasn't fit in with them and could be another look.

Or maybe somebody like Kotkaniemi

If you're going to keep bouncing him all over the lineup and bench him half the time then might as well move him out and try to see if a dman fits better.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

But for who? Not Huberdeau, Coronato, Farabee or Coleman. Or Honzek for that matter - he’s been just fine. Sharangovich was benched tonight - I think Huska’s about done with him. So he sits and Klapka plays with who?

Play Klapka with Kadri and leave him there

[SuperMatt18]

Klapka probably does deserve an elevated role and Zary and Sharangovich both have lost top 9 minutes IMO.

Huberdeau - Frost - Coronato
Farabee - Kadri - Klapka
Honzek - Backlund - Coleman

And that leaves Sharangovich, Lomberg, Kirkland, and Zary as the forwards to fill out the roster.

IMO Lomberg is the one that needs to come out. Zary and Sharangovich both need some sheltered minutes right now to try to find their games. They aren't going to get better in the press box and you can't keep bouncing them around the lineup.

Sharangovich - Kirkland - Zary could work. Personally I'd rather see Sharangovich - Kerins - Zary and take a bit more risk for some more offense off the 4th line.

But really it all starts with the need of taking out Lomberg and trying to let those guys have consistent line mates for a handful of games and try to find their game on the 4th line.