[PGT] Chicago 5 - Calgary 3

[really?]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I would be open to trading anyone except for Tkachuk and Lindholm. I do think it may be time to move on from Backlund and Gaudreau this off-season.

Tkachuk-Lindholm-???
???-Monahan-???

This is the top six I would move forward with in the off-season. I wonder if there is a deal that can be structured around Konecny+Sanheim for Gaudreau+Kylington.

I share your thinking. The Flames have been churning coaches and bringing in "leadership" for the better part of a decade. Nobody outside of the braintrust know the dynamics of who/what is the origin, but clearly there is a cultural issue on the team. Tkachuk and Lindholm don't carry that aroma, and I add Anderson to that group.

At this point fans need to understand major changes are coming, or resign themselves to another decade of mediocrity, or worse. If players like Gaudreau are moved on, a deal as you suggest is as good as it would get. Prospects, picks and pre-apex performers are what the Flames need, not high cost mediocrity. The deal as you suggest might draw Philly's attention given Gaudreau's contract and name value around town, but most teams are going to be looking to ship out Zucker and Kadri types in deals. Best to say no to those type of returns. Better to have a bag of sprouting beans than a field of weeds.

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

The idea that Kane outworked Gaudreau tonight should horrify us... and I mean, how old is Kane now, is he ten years older than Johnny? Feels like he should be. (It's 5, just checked, but he's on the other side of 30).

That was the influence that coach Q had on Kane as a youngster. Q and his moustache were never afraid to frown and staple his butt to the bench for a couple of shifts, as a youngster, if a lack of effort was perceived. Kane got the memo early, and it wasn't a recurring issue. Some think Kane is a "floater" and yes, he occasionally cheats the zone, but, if he is the high forward in a rotation, he DOES bust A on the back check. Consistent effort is a learned behavior, and a respected coach has every right to demand it.

IMO, that is a main reason that my guys have 3 cups over the decade, consistent 200 ft effort, whereas, a team, like the Oil, keep drafting "generational" talent, and failing, miserably.

If the coach can't demand the effort from JG, then, it is up to his veteran teammates to remind him that time is ticking on THEIR careers, as well as his, and failure due to lack of effort is not acceptable.

[skcli]

One one time last night it proved this is a bubble team. The current forward core with JG, Monny, Backlund are too soft and cannot compete in tough games. Get rid of them and get some draft picks and a #1 goalie. Time to move on from them, look at the future, and make some tough decisions. The current brand of hockey is neither entertaining nor sustainable.

[The Familia]

Originally Posted by Red

That is true.
I am amazed at how the "top team in the west" keeps getting thrown around here. This was probably the worst "top team" ever. Showed in the playoffs.

I said this same thing at the start of the year and was ridiculed for it. This team is mediocre at best...just like the franchise has been for the past 30 years. This roster is flawed and will be where they should...either missing the playoffs or getting destroyed in the first round.

[EVERLAST]

This team is like a boxer with 1 punch knock out power.

Except sometimes he fights a guy who can take that punch.

Dont just stand there dummy keep punching until the other guy cant get up or the ref stops it.

Way too many passengers on this team watching their teammates to get the win....FFS ....dont just be happy with the win ....annihilate your opposition for 60 minutes .

My favorite MMA fighter Masvidal knocked a guy out in 5 seconds but kept punching the downed fighter until the ref pulled him off and stopped the fight.

Asked later if those punches were necessary Masvidal responded " they were super necessary ! My job is to keep punching until the ref pulls me off"

This team has no killer instinct ....they claimed losing.to the Avs in 4 straight woke them up.....yep ....looks like it.

Outside of 3 maybe 4 players this team WONT be making the playoffs and hopefully Treliving needs to clean house.

This is on the players. We've changed way to many coaches to cater to whatever is happening in that locker room.

[zamler]

Treliving is the architect he shouldn't be the one trying to make repairs.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by zamler

Treliving is the architect he shouldn't be the one trying to make repairs.

He just signed an extension, he isnt going anywhere anytime soon.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Red

That is true.
I am amazed at how the "top team in the west" keeps getting thrown around here. This was probably the worst "top team" ever. Showed in the playoffs.

Many top seeds have bowed out in the first round
We can acknowledge the flaws with the team without ignoring or minimizing what they accomplished during the regular season last year

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by transplant99

He just signed an extension, he isnt going anywhere anytime soon.

This says everything you need to know about the Edwards era flames.

You can't escape terrible ownership.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Many top seeds have bowed out in the first round
We can acknowledge the flaws with the team without ignoring or minimizing what they accomplished during the regular season last year

No kidding they weren't even the worst "top team" last season.

[monkeyman]

It's a long season, this team has had a horrible start and many of their top players have had poor seasons thus far. The positives are, the depth looks good, we've had decent goaltending for the most part, and we're still in the playoff race. I'm ok with keeping the majority of this core together for the year and see how it plays out. The absolute worst thing a GM could do is make a reactionary trade.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

This boils down to the Flames not respecting their opponents. The teams they face from now until the end of February are all bad pretty much with a couple of exceptions. It seems like they feel that those are easy points, don't try and then oh crap it's 3-0.

This team needs to get their head out of their posterior and realize that all teams are capable of being good except the Oilers. In order to actually win or make the playoffs, they need to try for more than the last 5 minutes.

if they actually try, they might win. I also wonder why they don't do the things that make them successful in the final 5 minutes all the time. The way they approach the game is entirely different.

We've been saying this for YEARS.

It's a fundamental issue with the locker room culture that this franchise just can't seem to get rid of. There's not enough commitment to winning by the top end players through the rosters over the years.

Plenty of times the roster on paper looked ideal, but how many times have we said that the games the team should win, they've lost due to lack of focus and effort from the drop of the puck to the last whistle? And how many times have we've seen these brief bursts at the end of the games that make the score a lot closer than it was a few minutes ago?

For whatever reason, this team doesn't want to commit to playing full games on a regular basis. Thing are never gonna change until the locker room culture somehow, someway get changed to one that has the top players being the leaders in committing to a full 60 each game of the season. (Or as close to it as one can reasonably expect)

[Flash Walken]

I agree with some of the sentiment above, but the flames haven't had an 'ideal' roster since the 80s.

Even last year they had significant holes in the lineup that were badly exposed in the playoffs. They did nothing to address them at all during the off-season, and age related decline has made those holes even worse.

A significant portion of this board wants to fool themselves every year into thinking the on paper roster is any better than 10th-15th in the league. Either they are wrong basically every year, or the flames are the single unluckiest franchise in league history.

I know what's likelier.

It's rebuild time again, folks.

[Red]

Originally Posted by dino7c

No kidding they weren't even the worst "top team" last season.

Who was?

[Red]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Many top seeds have bowed out in the first round
We can acknowledge the flaws with the team without ignoring or minimizing what they accomplished during the regular season last year

Nothing to do with bowing out. The team was bad before and after. Meanwhile the really good teams had rough starts. It was a very strange season in the West.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Red

Who was?

Tampa got swept in the first round.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Red

Who was?

Tampa, who have 2 conference final and a cup final appearance in the last 6 years.

Posters on this board like to pretend that the flames getting blown out by the avs isnt a big deal because tampa got blown out by Columbus, but the situations couldn't be more different.

[Red]

Originally Posted by heep223

Tampa got swept in the first round.

TB was a powerhouse for years prior and will most likely return there soon.

Flames have been a borderline playoff team in the same time with 2 wins in the last 3 playoff series combined.

Lightning in a bottle.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I agree with some of the sentiment above, but the flames haven't had an 'ideal' roster since the 80s.

Even last year they had significant holes in the lineup that were badly exposed in the playoffs. They did nothing to address them at all during the off-season, and age related decline has made those holes even worse.

A significant portion of this board wants to fool themselves every year into thinking the on paper roster is any better than 10th-15th in the league. Either they are wrong basically every year, or the flames are the single unluckiest franchise in league history.

I know what's likelier.

It's rebuild time again, folks.

I don't think this team needs a full rebuild. They have a young core and for me they just need to make some hard decisions on a couple of players to do a re-tool on the fly. If it was me Backlund and Gio would be gone this summer. Gio is not getting any younger and we could still get a great haul for him. The other player would be Johnny hockey if they really don't think they are going to be able to re-sign him. I have my doubts that Johnny wants to stay out west. Between Johnny and Gio i would like to think 1 of those players could bring a gritty top 6 center. After that you hope the rest of players traded, bring in young d and young wingers.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Well, that was a fun push but too little, too late.

Team really missed Brodie. He is quite under appreciated by a lot of people when he is in. Those are 20 minutes you really don’t need to worry about.

Kylington looks like Johnny taught him that thing he does where he skates the puck into two opponents and turn it over.

Stone was great as a spectator and screen on Kane’s goal.

Otherwise, Mangiapane was flat out bad. Rittich had a rough first.

And who knows why Johnny is just so mediocre?

Refs had a tough game again. Not sure how they missed the Hawk that tripped two guys in 3 seconds.

2019 was pretty much a mess. Here is to a team with more focus in 2020