[PGT] Embarassing loss to Sharks 5-2

[skcli]

Gio is a minus 15....Yikes. Can be a comparison with Ference !

[Strange Brew]

Not to get too negative but there are not a lot of guys in Stockton just pounding the door down to make the big club. The best one is already here - Granlund.

The best bet for improving next year is to hopefully pick up a first rounder and some 2nds for our deadline sales. Then maybe package those up for another Hamilton type trade at the draft, while still keeping our own first.

Hudler might be most important player on the team right now. Need him to start finding his mojo so he could net a first rounder in return. He would have last year.

[saillias]

I'd be ok with a bigger firesale than just the UFAs and the dead weight. Backlund, Bouma, Jooris, Stajan, Colborne, if there's interest in these players see what kind of return we can get.

I'd even be open to trading a prospect like Hickey, Kylington or Andersson if we can get a Saad or Hamonic type player.

[FlameFan21]

Accurate visual analogy?

Spoiler!

I dunno... Just trying to lighten the mood.

[Looch City]

Kipper could fly out to North America, get on the ice the same day, not stretch or warm up...and he would still be better than the three goalies we have right now.

[Max Cow Disease]

This certainly doesn't come close to past frustration levels I've had with this franchise. The frivolous years of veteran-laden underperformance where there was neither an end in sight nor an evident plan from management to hit the reset button...now those were the rough years.

Seeing these young guys do what sometimes happens during a rebuild and stink up the joint for vast portions of a season as they develop? I can digest that. Remember, most of the pieces that matter on this team either can't or can just barely legally order a beer in the USA.

[Gundo]

Am I the only one who is okay with this and hopes this is more of a reason to start moving pieces to continue the rebuild?

[Hells Bells]

Benn, Seguin, Klingberg, Sharp and Spezza are going to have field day.

Even if Niemi plays like crap, I can't see the Flames winning.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by skcli

Gio is a minus 15....Yikes. Can be a comparison with Ference !

Is he really? Guess I'm not shocked. He just has not been good. And he still gets tough minutes.

I wonder if he is feeling the pressure of playing up to his contract. Maybe he plays better with something to prove.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Not to get too negative but there are not a lot of guys in Stockton just pounding the door down to make the big club. The best one is already here - Granlund.

The best bet for improving next year is to hopefully pick up a first rounder and some 2nds for our deadline sales. Then maybe package those up for another Hamilton type trade at the draft, while still keeping our own first.

Hudler might be most important player on the team right now. Need him to start finding his mojo so he could net a first rounder in return. He would have last year.

Hudler is
A) not getting crap as a Ufa this summer
B) not getting the flames crap at the deadline. Maybe a second rounder at this point

So ya....Hudlers gotta clean his crap up so we can get something.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Gundo

Am I the only one who is okay with this and hopes this is more of a reason to start moving pieces to continue the rebuild?

Let's see, who are the guys we can move (for something other than flat out garbage) that lots of us wouldn't mind moving? Ummm....Russell, Jones, Hudler, maybe Backlund???

That's about all I got.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Is he really? Guess I'm not shocked. He just has not been good. And he still gets tough minutes.

I wonder if he is feeling the pressure of playing up to his contract. Maybe he plays better with something to prove.

I almost posted hopefully Gio gets caught carrying oxi over the border..... but then I just said it in my head....Oops said it out loud.


Kidding folks, kidding.

[DoubleK]

What's Backlund worth on the trade market? 2nd rounder?

[Jbo]

Last year already seems like a distant sweet dream. How can a team that played so well last year, be such absolute garbage this year. Almost 0 of the Roster was turned over, and all of the additions in the off-season were solid.

I just do not get it, but a few stray observations:
- Gio is not the same player. It may be the injury or a bad slump, but he has been awful in most games. Bobbling the puck, not tying up sticks or missing his guy. Been ugly stuff.

-JG is trying to do everything by himself. What sucks is that teams know he is the major offensive driver. They clog him up and tune in on him. There is no balanced scoring from other members.

-Goaltending. Nothing to be said. Bad goals/Bad rebounds/no consistency/ can't make a big save when the team needs it. etc tec.

The list goes on and on. Too many passengers, bad penalties, bad PK, bad PP, face-offs below average.

The only positives this season for me so far is Brodie, JG and Bennett. Just cannot understand how a team that looked so fantastic last year is so so brutal now.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Well. I guess it's good I missed this one...

[Karl]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

What's Backlund worth on the trade market? 2nd rounder?

I hope so.....

[ThaBrink]

Originally Posted by saillias

I'd be ok with a bigger firesale than just the UFAs and the dead weight. Backlund, Bouma, Jooris, Stajan, Colborne, if there's interest in these players see what kind of return we can get.

I'd even be open to trading a prospect like Hickey, Kylington or Andersson if we can get a Saad or Hamonic type player.

Colborne has been fine, and Bouma has been okay in the limited time we've seen him. I'd like to keep them both unless we get something ridiculous back for them.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

What's Backlund worth on the trade market? 2nd rounder?

His contract brings his trade value down IMO. You could say that about a lot of players. This team is almost right at the cap and has basically the worst record in the league. Seems like a strange place to be for a rebuild.

I do think he gets a 2nd still. But that is not a lot of return for a guy management claimed was very important last year.

[Phanuthier]

Just got back from the game... I didn't think it was as bad as many people thought it was I guess. We were outplayed, but not as bad as the 5-2 (really more like 5-1) showed it was, but whenever we needed a save, Hiller let in a goal and the goalie that played on the other side of the ice was much better. The 2nd, 4th and 5th goal were absolute backbreakers... goaltender just slaughtered us.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Just got back from the game... I didn't think it was as bad as many people thought it was I guess. We were outplayed, but not as bad as the 5-2 (really more like 5-1) showed it was, but whenever we needed a save, Hiller let in a goal and the goalie that played on the other side of the ice was much better. The 2nd, 4th and 5th goal were absolute backbreakers... goaltender just slaughtered us.

He's been just awful this season.

Didn't he Flames just pick up Poulin from the Isanders?

Why haven't they tried him out?