[GDT] Flames at Canucks 8pm Mountain - The day the flames actually played some D

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by pgsieve

Who will be the CP wiping boy now!?! Grossman - out, Widedog -out

LOL on the hot stove lounge probably Gulutzan, or Johnson. all depends on the outcome right.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Two years ago, Wideman was benched early in the year by Hartley, and looked terrible. He came back for a career year

[Karl]

Originally Posted by AC

Stajan is the only option at this point, but I haven't minded his game. I thought maybe with the back-to-back you could let Stajan sit.

Maybe.

I'd rather actually sit Ferland for a game right now (despite the fact it's the Nucks and he wrecked them in the playoffs 2 years ago).

Ferland's been completely MIA and no good over the 1st 2 games. You could sit Ferland and move Staj to 4th line LW and Freddie can be the centre there with Staj & Chiasson for example.

[calgaryblood]

Engelland has played great I'm glad it's not him sitting. He's honestly one of the only few bright spots so far this season. So underrated. He might be slow but his positioning more than makes up for it.

[Flash Walken]

Wideman made the decision for coaching and management.

There's no way a serious hockey person could look at that combination of games and justify keeping him in the lineup.

Going from McDavid to the Sedins is like going from a Ferrari to a Yugo. Hopefully the flames don't overshoot them all night going plaid.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

Two years ago, Wideman was benched early in the year by Hartley, and looked terrible. He came back for a career year

Wideman has always been a bad skater, but age has made him completely immobile. He's not the same defenceman he was even 2 years ago.

He should only ever be on the powerplay, never on the PK or 5 on 5. And even on the powerplay, his lack of hockey IQ often puts him in bad situations.

He's just not an NHL calibre player anymore. This is his last NHL contract.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Stajan. We should be so lucky to have him claimed in the expansion draft.

Why???

Stajan has played too well so far to truly deserve a healthy scratch at this point. It's early but he's been one of our better forwards so far. I'd scratch Ferland or Bouma first.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Engelland has played great I'm glad it's not him sitting. He's honestly one of the only few bright spots so far this season. So underrated. He might be slow but his positioning more than makes up for it.

Engelland is under valued by many. I agree I am glad it is Wideman sitting and not Engelland.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by Karl

Why???

Stajan has played too well so far to truly deserve a healthy scratch at this point. It's early but he's been one of our better forwards so far. I'd scratch Ferland or Bouma first.

I'm a huge Bouma
And Ferland fan and I fully agree with this.

[Bunk]

I give Gulutzan some credit to adjusting to mistakes and poor play quickly. Yeah, some decisions like Grossmann and splitting up Gio-Brodie were poor, but at least he doesn't seem to be stubborn. Now he needs his players to perform. He's set them up, they ultimately gotta knock 'em down.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Hamilton could replace...
Stajan or Chaisson.

Stajan & especially Chiasson are totally not deserving of being healthy scratches at this point considering they've been two of our better forwards so far early on after the 1st 2 games.

How about Freddie replace one of Ferland or Bouma right now?? Ferland's been very no good the 1st 2 games and Bouma's been very ineffective so far despite the effort being there with him.

[FlamesNation23]

Complain all you want about Gulutzan, but at least he is able to see that a player is playing poorly and make the appropriate changes. I remember how frustrating it was to see Harley leaving in Butler game after game and he was just absolutely brutal.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I give Gulutzan some credit to adjusting to mistakes and poor play quickly. Yeah, some decisions like Grossmann and splitting up Gio-Brodie were poor, but at least he doesn't seem to be stubborn. Now he needs his players to perform. He's set them up, they ultimately gotta knock 'em down.

New coach has to fire things out himself.


Hopefully.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

Calgary Flames @NHLFlames

Glen Gulutzan has confirmed Chad Johnson will start tonight vs. the #Canucks.

News Update

Calgary Flames @NHLFlames
Glen Gulutzan has also confirmed defenceman Brett Kulak will play tonight in Vancouver.

Kristen Odland ‏@Kristen_Odland
Wideman out tonight. Kulak in. Johnson starting in net.

While I haven't been too happy with Gulutzan, at least he is quite aware of where the weak spots are in the lineup, and adjusting. Sitting out 5.25 million in salary on the 3rd game shows he is not afraid of making a bold move.

It's a new coach, and a new system, with a training camp that was not only short but missing the top 2 players. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and hopefully the ship starts sailing smooth after these first few hiccups before the season is no longer salvageable.

[Southside]

We are playing the Canucks so maybe Ferland will show up. Time for him and Bouma to earn their keep. Those 2 are absolutely the guys on the sit/start line at this time.

[djsFlames]

Hopefully this has the same impact on Wideman as the last time he sat, because he's not going to sit out forever and we need him to play a lot better.

Feeling better about the defence tonight with Kulak in. Also the Canucks have no real impact player of McD's ilk. Sedins are in full on regression. They'd better win this, and if not, then they should at least make it close, and <4 goals against please, thank you very much.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

LOL on the hot stove lounge probably Gulutzan, or Johnson. all depends on the outcome right.

Stajan of course. Thats a no brainer

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Karl

Why???

Stajan has played too well so far to truly deserve a healthy scratch at this point. It's early but he's been one of our better forwards so far. I'd scratch Ferland or Bouma first.

He has been horrible. Just cause hes an ex leaf.....

[Karl]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Hopefully this has the same impact on Wideman as the last time he sat, because he's not going to sit out forever and we need him to play a lot better.

Feeling better about the defence tonight with Kulak in. Also the Canucks have no real impact player of McD's ilk. Sedins are in full on regression. They'd better win this, and if not, then they should at least make it close, and <4 goals against please, thank you very much.

Sadly, I doubt Wideman is capable of playing much better anymore. He's clearly even slower than he was last year, nevermind 2 years ago. He just doesn't physically have it anymore because he has no footspeed left and he can't compensate for it anymore.

He needs his minutes severely limited at this point, as in no more than 10 minutes a game (including the PP, so about 8 ES minutes) or else there is a great risk of him becoming a massive liability and costing the team games more often than not because he can hardly skate anymore.

Long story short, the game is passing Wideman by. He's basically done as a hockey player.

[Enoch Root]

No way do you sit Ferland against the Nucks - they are just the opponent to get him going.

But if he's poor tonight, then he would definitely be a candidate to sit after that.