Stewart on the top line isn't that terrible since we don't have anyone that's clearly a better option. But not in game 1.
My problem with this move is the treatment of Bennett.
He just signed a show me contract and the Flames are not really giving him much opportunity.
It's easy for us to discount the human/money aspect of it, but the difference between a disappointing former 4th overall vs 4th overall that's scoring 50 points is millions of dollars.
Now, Bennett has himself to blame for a lot of this and it's why he sees Ferland given the gravy minutes. But Ferland actually worked for his spot in this lineup. He wasn't great, but at least he was on the same team and worked for the same coach as Bennett. What has Stewart done to deserve these minutes?
Just think about this. If Bennett and Ferland were UFAs today, who gets a better contract?
Bennett can't be too happy about this.
...I'm taking more issue with Stone performing well in a position, and then not getting the opportunity again.
And that is silly because again, THIS IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME. Stone will undoubtedly get more opportunities, and it is weird to continue to view this one adjustment in isolation as punitive.
__________________
Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
I would agree. I'm not a pro Gultuzan guy but I can almost make sense of this if I squint a little. Starting off with a two point night and a scrap sticking up for Johnny gets him settled in and feeling good about himself.
It's a sprint right now and Stewart has shown in the past that he can be a real force for short periods of time if he's feeling good about himself.
Its such horse#### that the only guy who GG refuses to stubbornly try on the top line is Bennett... when Ferland was ice cold for 5 games did GG take him out after 2? No he forced the issue.
GG is so focused on this RH shooting winger on the RW that he refuses to even try putting his best 6 forwards in the top two lines for more than 2 games.
I get that they think having Bennett on line 3 gives the overall lineup more balance and less top heavy but cmon. This is a terrible message to send Bennett «#hey you were doing awesome on the top line playing 20 mins but we need you to go back to your checking line role and 14 mins. Oh but you played great#»
I actually cannot believe that this guy is allowed this much leeway and tre should step in when something so glaringly dumb is happening
Its such horse#### that the only guy who GG refuses to stubbornly try on the top line is Bennett... when Ferland was ice cold for 5 games did GG take him out after 2? No he forced the issue.
GG is so focused on this RH shooting winger on the RW that he refuses to even try putting his best 6 forwards in the top two lines for more than 2 games.
I get that they think having Bennett on line 3 gives the overall lineup more balance and less top heavy but cmon. This is a terrible message to send Bennett «#hey you were doing awesome on the top line playing 20 mins but we need you to go back to your checking line role and 14 mins. Oh but you played great#»
I actually cannot believe that this guy is allowed this much leeway and tre should step in when something so glaringly dumb is happening
Ummm, he's not. He likes RH/LH defence, like pretty much every coach. He uses Ferland and Frolik on RW. They shoot left.
I would agree. I'm not a pro Gultuzan guy but I can almost make sense of this if I squint a little. Starting off with a two point night and a scrap sticking up for Johnny gets him settled in and feeling good about himself.
It's a sprint right now and Stewart has shown in the past that he can be a real force for short periods of time if he's feeling good about himself.
Lots of feel good for him already, so hopefully he really brings it tonight:
Being picked up by waivers by a team still in the race and not a bottom feeder
Put on our top scoring line with two youngsters to start (seems to give some vets a second wind)
Got a warm welcome and was told don't change who he is, play exactly the way he knows he can (minus the inconsistency)
Not brought in as some big-shot fish like Statsny or McDonagh, so a lot less pressure on him and the team to succeed
Is a Gordie Howe hat trick too much to ask for his first game as a Flame?
__________________
Until the Flames make the Western Finals again, this signature shall remain frozen.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Gaskal For This Useful Post:
And that is silly because again, THIS IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME. Stone will undoubtedly get more opportunities, and it is weird to continue to view this one adjustment in isolation as punitive.
I'm laying out two examples this week of Gully not rewarding performance/changing circumstances based on lack of performance. I'm 100% certain we can look at the season and show more than enough situations just like this to argue that it's a trend with his coaching (see: every PP from November-January).
I think this trend with his coaching has negatively impacted this season, and I believe there are enough examples in history to back that up. So saying it's not a zero-sum game as a broad way to dismiss the results/the history doesn't seem fair.
Brouwer did have a good game. The Flames locked it down in the 3rd, and Brouwer did have a PP assist (on PP unit 2) and a 5v5 goal after he was put on that PP in the 2nd period. Those things did happen. If they were directly related to each other, then Gully is a player whisperer and one hell of a coach.
I'm taking more issue with Stone performing well in a position, and then not getting the opportunity again.
Re: Stone and the PP, what if they wanted to rest a D as they were potentially down to 5 for the rest of the game with Dougie out?
We'll see how long the experiment lasts, but it says a lot about our RW situation that a guy who was picked up on waivers steps right onto our first line.
It says more about the coaching staff than the roster. Bennett should be on that line and there shouldn't even be a debate.
GG didn't send Bennett to the press box after his astounding stretch of 1.00 dumb offensive zone penalties per game while putting up no offence. I'd call that pretty stubborn of him in Bennett's favour.
I'm laying out two examples this week of Gully not rewarding performance. I'm 100% certain we can look at the season and show more than enough situations just like this (see: every PP from November-January) where it is a trend with his coaching.
Why do you keep saying things like this? Do you view every decision the coaches made as either a reward or a punishment? Does it not make more sense to view decisions made about Brouwer and Stone's usage of the man advantage, and in this AM's morning skate as neither rewarding nor punitive? There are plenty of instances where we can agree that players have been either rewarded or censured this season for their play, but so what? I think it is abundantly fair to expect that posters to be much less reductionistic when forming their opinions.
__________________
Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
If Bennett plays two periods with the top line tonight will that placate those who've lit a candle for Sam? Who got there not on play but only because Hathaway wasn't a good option when Ferland went down, if your playing the "earned" card.
Not a GG fan but the reaction to this move is over the top ridiculous even for CP. Get Stewart fired up and harness the energy. Plus it's a big body which JG and SM are used to already from Ferland.
But you keep telling us that Brouwer is on the PP because GG wants a R shot.
Which is it?
I didn't tell you any such thing. In fact, I think one timers are somewhat overrated power play weapons.
But if I was to tell you, I'd tell you powerplays are quite different than 5 on 5 line combos anyway. I do think Johnny is better on LW though, for puck protection purposes. He needs to have the puck on his stick near the wall, at least until he gains the zone.
Holy over reaction.. I think it's worth noting in the flames written article it says Stewart skates and practices with Monahan in the summer. Apparently he knows Monahans game really well. So let's just give him some shifts and see what happens
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Braden For This Useful Post:
Re: Stone and the PP, what if they wanted to rest a D as they were potentially down to 5 for the rest of the game with Dougie out?
Entirely likely, but given that it was the end of the period I would have thought they'd go back to Stone, or perhaps anyone other than our worst performing PP player.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Braden
Holy over reaction.. I think it's worth noting in the flames written article it says Stewart skates and practices with Monahan in the summer. Apparently he knows Monahans game really well. So let's just give him some shifts and see what happens
I hadn't heard that, do you have a link? I'd heard he works out at the same place Stajan and Versteeg do. I believe he mentions it in his interview with the Fan 960 yesterday.
GG didn't send Bennett to the press box after his astounding stretch of 1.00 dumb offensive zone penalties per game while putting up no offence. I'd call that pretty stubborn of him in Bennett's favour.
Didn't take him off the top line after he took Johnny out first shift in AZ.
