[PGT] Kings 3 Flames 0

[SportsJunky]

Looking forward to the reset next season. Lots of blame to go around.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I get that the season is over ,but with the commitment that the flames just gave Backlund ,you would think he would be one of the last players to pack it in and start thinking about golf season. Guess not. Very disappointing to see considering he is part of the veteran group.

I really don't think this final stretch of games would be an intelligent time to evaluate and make decisions for this roster going forward, as unfortunate as that may be.

There is a dark cloud over this organization right now and it won't be corrected with Gaudreau, Tkachuk, and Monahan missing the rest of the season.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by madmike

The lack of depth on this team is becoming more and more apparent.

The Flames have 3 really good forwards complemented by a bunch of 3rd and 4th liners. With all 3 of the good forwards out, things are getting really ugly.

Top three forwards as well as Brodie out. It would be interesting to see how the Penguins would fare with Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Shultz all out of their lineup. I expect they would probably be in a similar predicament.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Here's a good article on Gulutzan with Dallas down the stretch:

http://nationalpost.com/sports/hocke...t-in-2-seasons

“We had some good discussions,” Nill said. “It’s part of the business. Sometimes you have to go through peaks and valleys. In the end, this is going to make him a better coach.”

Narrator: It didn't.

[kukkudo]

Originally Posted by Toonage

“We had some good discussions,” Nill said. “It’s part of the business. Sometimes you have to go through peaks and valleys. In the end, this is going to make him a better coach.”

Narrator: It didn't.

Treliving read that and was like he will make the Flames great again, I will hire him!

[shadowlord]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Top three forwards as well as Brodie out. It would be interesting to see how the Penguins would fare with Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Shultz all out of their lineup. I expect they would probably be in a similar predicament.

And with their #1 G, Murray missing a month's worth of games.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by 3rd liner

If they accomplish just one thing the rest of the season; Don't lose to the greasers on Saturday..... though given the way both teams are playing the last few games, and our depleted lineup, doesn't look encouraging.

Losing to the Oilers is like a Gulutzan tradition at this point.

Face it, our first line is gone and everyone else has checked out and punched their tickets for their holidays, we're likely going to lose every game for the rest of the season.

[nik-]

haha yeah, there's no way the Oilers don't smash us this weekend. Nationally broadcast embarrassment coming right up.

[kukkudo]

If its the same lineup again on Saturday it will be a slaughter fest

[Locke]

This is the way the season dies. Not with a bang, but a whimper.

[Barnet Flame]

I’ve taken account of our injuries, coaching handicap and the lack of give a #### attitude of our remaining players and reduced my hopes and expectations from wanting to celebrate a win to wanting to celebrate a goal.

And I’m still disappointed.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I was going to post the same thing. You would think with all these injuries the $5 million dollar man could step up but he's been more invisible than whipping boys like Stajan, Lazar, and Bennett. I was never warm to the idea of paying him that kind of money and he's certainly not doing much to change my mind. Lots of fans like to call out the young guys like Gaudreau, Monahan, Hamilton, etc but Backlund is a veteran forward on this team and I don't see any offensive skill nor do I see any intangibles from this guy that make me think he's part of the solution going forward for this team.

Without Tkachuk it's very evident that Backlund and Frolik form 2/3 of an average 3rd line and this is where they need to be stapled next season. Really disappointing season from both of these guys.

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The Backlund contract was brutal the day he signed it. Good player, but he's not a $5mil+ player.

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I have a feeling Backlund is banged up this year and will be getting some off season surgery once the year is done.

Yes, thank you.

Let's be careful to not throw everyone under the bus just yet. Lots of problems that are behind the scenes that we have no idea about. We still like the players on this team, right?




Right????

[old-fart]

How many minutes after the final whistle in the final game of the season until this pathetic coaching staff is fired? Shouldn't be more than about 15...

[Badgers Nose]

I hope they thump us 12-0 so that the outrage leads to some changes.

Screw this busted process, get someone in here that won't just sit happily on half a team and a bunch of bureaucrats coaching the team.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Yes, thank you.

Let's be careful to not throw everyone under the bus just yet. Lots of problems that are behind the scenes that we have no idea about. We still like the players on this team, right?




Right????

Having a feeling he's banged up isn't the same as actually being banged up and any nagging injuries he may have aren't nearly serious enough to take him out of the lineup seeing the Flames are actually sitting all the guys that are banged up. To me this was an opportunity for him to step up and show some leadership and he's disappeared which is disappointing.

[Monahammer]

I thought last night was a great representation of Bennett's NHL career so far- he looked great at times, was physical... but he ended up doing nothing on the score sheet except give the kings a few pps and goals.

I think we have a bust boys. I keep hoping to see him turn it around but the result is just always the same.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Having a feeling he's banged up isn't the same as actually being banged up and any nagging injuries he may have aren't nearly serious enough to take him out of the lineup seeing the Flames are actually sitting all the guys that are banged up. To me this was an opportunity for him to step up and show some leadership and he's disappeared which is disappointing.

Except that he was also one of our very best players when Monahan and Gaudreau went through their mini slump a month or so ago, but of course we ignore that and just assume that he's dogging it now that the team is well out of contention. Ok then.

He's been asked to do the heavy lifting all year long as a defensive shut down center, and he's done it to a large degree. Tkachuk and Frolik are solid defensive wingers, but really it's Backlund's job to take care of his own zone and produce some offense. That's what he's done. Sure, 40-some points isn't amazing, but that's pretty good production for a guy that we send out to shutdown the other team's top forwards. I'll take that for Backlund's contract when you look at what $5 million actually buys you these days.

And I'm aware he has a team worst -20, but -10 of that has come in the last week or so when the rest of the team tanked, nobody was scoring with awful shooting percentages, and the save percentage went in the toilet. I don't put that number solely on him, and I think it's a mistake to read too much into what's happened to the team down the stretch. Changes need to be made, but not to the core necessarily.

Also, it's not like Backlund was getting those dollars for his leadership skills. We save those dollars for Brouwer!

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Yes, thank you.

Let's be careful to not throw everyone under the bus just yet. Lots of problems that are behind the scenes that we have no idea about. We still like the players on this team, right?




Right????

That must be one hell of an injury considering he's scored 5 goals since January 1st (38 games). (Ferland, Giordano and Bennett all have 6)

He's 7th on the team in points over that span. Worse shooting percentage than Lazar since the new year. Second most shots on the team during that span. Third in minor penalties (Kudos to Bennett for last nights game, moved him back into second place).

Backlund is 10th in goals per 60 on the roster behind Troy Brouwer, Matt Stajan and Sam Bennett since Jan 1.

Everyone on the team is banged up, so I'm sure Backlund is too, but if they shut monahan and his 30 points and -4 down Backlund must be super human if they are keeping him in for his 17 points and -14.

[CroFlames]

zamler stop making PGTs. Every time you do, the following game is an embarrassing spanking.

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I’m sorry, but it’s becoming extremely apparent that Bennett is a bust. He has the hockey IQ of a potato. Toe drags don’t work against professional hockey players and he still Can’t seem to grasp that 4 years in to his NHL career. He can’t physically dominate his opponent like he could in junior, and as a result he is not capable of producing offence because he can’t read the game.

I will fully admit I was happier than a pig in #### when we drafted Bennett, but I’m not a professional scout. It scares me that our scouting staff seems to have completely missed out on his level of hockey IQ.

Bennett busting is one of the key reasons we are where we currently
Are. Monahan is a good player, but he’s a second line Center on a contending team. The Flames thought they were getting their top line Center in Bennett which moves everyone else down improving scoring depth. Instead they got a third line winger who hasn’t improved in 3 seasons.

This “he’s only 21” BS has got to stop. Professional sorts is a young man’s game. If you haven’t accomplished a damn thing in 4 seasons, it’s not very likely all of a sudden something is going to clicks. Bennett’s excuses ran out last year. There’s nothing in his game that would suggest he’s ever going to break out at this point.

Once again, same argument as Backlund from years ago.

Bennett was always ranked high on every scouts list and was going at that position, so it's a moot point to question our scouts on that decision in hindsight.

He can keep up with the speed and athleticism in the NHL, which is tough to do. Yes, his IQ doesn't seem as high and he isn't as physically immanent as he was in junior, but he is an NHL'er. Claiming he is not an NHL'er is like saying you'd rather have Glass, Stajan, or Stewart in the lineup before Bennett, which is an absolute joke. If Bennett fell off the wagon and gave up on hockey and can't even crack a lineup, then he's a bust, otherwise, he's simply not living up to expectations.

The fact that people can't grasp that players develop differently is so ridiculous.