Flames extend Huska for 2 more years

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

As someone who gutted out the Panthers rebuild, you have to understand Jiri's point. Bad teams struggle to score because they lack talent, but also because they are typically hemmed in their zone for large portions of the night because they can't defend. Last year the Flames managed to stay out of their own zone more often, but this year they can't because they really do lack talent on defense and offense. When Jake Bean is playing 20 minutes a night, you're going to have a bad time.

The year I became a Panthers fan in 2013/14, I had to suffer through one of the worst seasons ever. That year, their top scorer was Nick Bjugstad. He had 38 points. Yes, you heard that right, their top scorer had 38 points total. That year, Huberdeau and Barkov were just breaking into the league and had 28 and 24 points respectively. Were they terrible offensive players? No, but they were developing and had very little around them for support.

I suspect we are experiencing that sort of a season for the Flames. Take heart...it will only take a decade from now to reach the pinnacle of a Stanley Cup Championship season.

A decade? Oh boy, I need to start eating clean and working out more if I'm to last long enough to see the Flames win a Cup again.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by fotze2

I truly believe coaching is overrated.

Our once great poster here Jammies once said the following I still keep tucked up under my notes app.

It is humanity's admiration for "leadership" as a simplistic, popular and illusory explanation for collective success.

I personally prefer: "It's the Jimmy's and Joe's, not the X's and O's".

[P-bobby]

I appreciate everyone’s points. It’s clear people see things differently, and that’s fair. I just don’t buy that the Flames’ offensive issues come down purely to talent or not wanting to drive the net. Most NHL players know what it takes to score and don’t enjoy floating wrist shots from the blue line for fun. When a team consistently plays the same low-event, perimeter-heavy game over multiple coaches, that’s structural. Huska’s system might not ask for soft hockey, but the way it’s executed and reinforced produces exactly that.

And yes, Parekh has to round out his game defensively, no argument there. But part of developing an elite defenseman is letting him do what makes him elite in the first place — move the puck, join the rush, and make plays. If all he learns is to rim pucks around the boards and play it safe, he becomes another stay-at-home defender instead of the dynamic player he can be.

[Strange Brew]

The rebuilding blueprint is well established at this point. YOu save some money on a mediocre coach while you're a bad team, hopefully helping build some good habits for the younger players by keeping games somewhat competitive.

Then you shoot your shot with a more elite coach who is willing to come here because of all the potential and blossoming talent. Flames aren't near this point.

[really?]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Exactly. Short of PP and zone entries there is hardly any 'offense system' in hockey.

Huska is preaching go to the net hard. He has from day one as coach. It's the number one thing to break a slump, and why Farabee looks good (he keeps trying to raid the crease).

Agreed, but getting to the net is different than getting there with the puck. The Flames aren’t loaded with guys who are crafty enough in traffic to individually disrupt the defensive structure of the opponent. The best teams have forwards who can be counted on to handle through traffic and create odd man situations in the O zone. The Flames are acquiring these types through the draft, but the current roster has players who lose pucks trying to penetrate the defensive perimeter, which tends to create numerical mismatches as the defending team gains the puck and leaves the zone.

Huska is doing the best he can to minimize the team chasing the play for the majority of the game. If he encourages creativity in the offensive zone we can expect more goals, but the majority will be on the other side of the board. The Flames have some solid players, all NHL caliber, but they just don’t have a significant number of individual stars to do much more than control the puck on the perimeter and then crash the net. It’s hard to play a hard disciplined game every night in the hopes of a 2-1 win, and I applaud last years’s effort, but it has to be hard to maintain the commitment to detail and effort when facing teams with superior skill.

[Erick Estrada]

The team was fun to watch last season so I'm not exactly sure where this "boring" hockey under Huska came from. He's been tasked with making chicken salad out of chicken #### and 99% of the time it's not going to be pretty. Losing teams are never exciting to watch.

[P-bobby]

I have to say, I’m genuinely surprised by the replies here. It really feels like a lot of people genuinely like Huska’s style of hockey, and that’s fair everyone has their own opinion.

For me, it’s just boring hockey. I don’t see how anyone can watch this system and not notice how predictable and low-event it is.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by P-bobby

I have to say, I’m genuinely surprised by the replies here.It really feels like a lot of people genuinely like Huska’s style of hockey, and that’s fair everyone has their own opinion.

For me, it’s just boring hockey. I don’t see how anyone can watch this system and not notice how predictable and low-event it is.

Well this post strongly suggests you have completely misunderstood the points being made, so let me try again.
- No one enjoys how the Flames are playing right now. But we aren't watching a system. We are watching a team. You can't disconnect the system from the talent. You can only observe the totality of both.
- Some of us believe it is not a systems issue or hockey style issue, but it's reflective of the talent on the team (or lack thereof).

No one has said "I like Huska's style".
The debate is around whether his style or system is a driver of the poor performance, and a bigger driver compared to the lack of talent.

Watching a team with no talent IS boring.

[P-bobby]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Well this post strongly suggests you have completely misunderstood the points being made, so let me try again.
- No one enjoys how the Flames are playing right now. But we aren't watching a system. We are watching a team. You can't disconnect the system from the talent. You can only observe the totality of both.
- Some of us believe it is not a systems issue or hockey style issue, but it's reflective of the talent on the team (or lack thereof).

No one has said "I like Huska's style".
The debate is around whether his style or system is a driver of the poor performance, and a bigger driver compared to the lack of talent.

Watching a team with no talent IS boring.

Fair enough, we’ll have to agree to disagree. I get that some people see this as mostly a talent issue and not a systems problem. That’s a valid perspective, even if I see it differently.

I’d just ask that we keep it respectful, no need to be condescending. We can have different takes without talking down to each other.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I don't think I was condescending at all. I felt you mis-represented points being made and aimed to clarify them.
There's been thoughtful responses in this thread so to take that and say "people genuinely like Huska's style" when literally no one said that, is what I was reacting to.

[ST20]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Parekh needs to learn to become an overall dman. Compared to Buium he's got way more holes in his game. They are not trying to develop him into MA Bergeron, they are trying to develop him into an elite dman. That means he has to be able to defend as well as generate offense. So yes I see that as part of the development path.

In my opinion this is the problem. He's a rookie and his offensive talent isn't even proven in the NHL yet. They are neutering him to become a better two way dman before playing to his strengths and seeing if his offence translates. I think they will hurt his development if they focus on his weaknesses first and that we haven't even talked about his lack of a consistent partner yet.

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

No one has said "I like Huska's style".
The debate is around whether his style or system is a driver of the poor performance, and a bigger driver compared to the lack of talent.

Watching a team with no talent IS boring.

I think what many people are complaining about comes down to Huska's system not being conducive to player development. This is the exact same system and talent as last year and the offence has been bad both years. He's not a bad coach but I think he is the wrong coach for this team.

In my opinion, his style is good for a veteran laden team ready to compete for the cup and not a team full of developing young or young-ish middle of the pack players that are on their last legs for showing what they can be before they age out and settle into what they are. We know that this team can't win so many want to see a style that allows talent (or what little talent we do have) to shine rather than a style focused on playing simple shutdown hockey. Who knows, maybe if we open it up a little the Huberdeau contract may become tradeable. I don't think his talent has disappeared but the talent and system around him has and I don't think it is just a talent issue because there are many bad teams with high scorers.

[Flamesfan05]

I know it’s too late now but why couldn’t Parekh go to the NCAA?

We are watching Huska turning him into another Bennett situation

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by P-bobby

I have to say, I’m genuinely surprised by the replies here. It really feels like a lot of people genuinely like Huska’s style of hockey, and that’s fair everyone has their own opinion.

For me, it’s just boring hockey. I don’t see how anyone can watch this system and not notice how predictable and low-event it is.

Did you enjoy the games last year?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by ST20

I don't think it is just a talent issue because there are many bad teams with high scorers.

Are there?
If we look at last year's bottom teams:

San Jose: Celebrini 63
Chicago: Bedard 67
Nashville: Forsberg 76
Philly: Konecny 76
Boston: Pastrnak 106 (exception to be sure)
Seattle: McCann 61
Buffalo: Thompson 72
Anaheim: Terry 55
Pittsburgh: Crosby 91 (another exception)
NYI: Horvat 57

Calgary had Kadri at 67.

So of the bottom teams, they almost all have a lack of a high scorer. The 2 exceptions are teams that have an elite player holding over from their competitive days.

[P-bobby]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Did you enjoy the games last year?

I guess I’m going back on myself a bit here, but yes, I did enjoy the games last year….. just not the system. The team could be exciting at times, but the way they were being run on the ice felt slow and predictable. If that makes any sense, it’s like enjoying the players without enjoying how they were being asked to play.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by P-bobby

I guess I’m going back on myself a bit here, but yes, I did enjoy the games last year….. just not the system. The team could be exciting at times, but the way they were being run on the ice felt slow and predictable. If that makes any sense, it’s like enjoying the players without enjoying how they were being asked to play.

The thing is, Huska has gotten a number of players to career highs in points, and under him even Huberdeau increased his points versus Sutter.

Is Huska directing players to not play offensively because hat's his preference or is he working with the tools he has. If I have a gourmet chef kitchen, I can make groumet food. If I have a fire pit, I can roast hotdogs.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by P-bobby

I have to say, I’m genuinely surprised by the replies here. It really feels like a lot of people genuinely like Huska’s style of hockey, and that’s fair everyone has their own opinion.

For me, it’s just boring hockey. I don’t see how anyone can watch this system and not notice how predictable and low-event it is.

Not sure many if any said they like the style.

The majority seems to see a lack of talent and not the coach as the primary culprit.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

I know it’s too late now but why couldn’t Parekh go to the NCAA?

We are watching Huska turning him into another Bennett situation

Massive negative hot take guy reporting for duty!

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by P-bobby

I appreciate everyone’s points. It’s clear people see things differently, and that’s fair. I just don’t buy that the Flames’ offensive issues come down purely to talent or not wanting to drive the net. Most NHL players know what it takes to score and don’t enjoy floating wrist shots from the blue line for fun. When a team consistently plays the same low-event, perimeter-heavy game over multiple coaches, that’s structural. Huska’s system might not ask for soft hockey, but the way it’s executed and reinforced produces exactly that.

And yes, Parekh has to round out his game defensively, no argument there. But part of developing an elite defenseman is letting him do what makes him elite in the first place — move the puck, join the rush, and make plays. If all he learns is to rim pucks around the boards and play it safe, he becomes another stay-at-home defender instead of the dynamic player he can be.

Oh, to be clear, I don't think your premise that Huska coaches a low event style of game is wrong, and I do think it limits some offensive creativity.

However, we want the young players to have a solid foundation of playing defense at all times, because we know that if you don't bake it into them young, they never really learn how to do it (see: Edmonton's superstars).

If your team is going to suck anyway, you may as well build the defensive foundation and lose by not scoring a lot, but also not giving up a lot. The Panthers rebuild suffered from this for years until Maurice took over, and it delayed how quickly they were able to compete.

My comment about a 10 year process was tongue in cheek because it could have happened faster if the team learned foundational defense systems first. I think you have to take that small win in an otherwise god awful year.

[Lewis_D]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Massive negative hot take guy reporting for duty!

It's interesting that consensus last year was that even though Huska plays a low-event/anti run & gun style of hockey he does a decent job developing young talent. But after sheltering a 20 year old defenceman with a clear weakness on the defensive side after 8 games he's all of a sudden some bum who doesn't know what he's doing.


I'm not saying people can't be critical of Huska, I get that we'd like to see Zayne on the PP1 unit. But I also think many people are finding something to cope about because Parekh didn't come out of the gates playing like Makar on opening night after spending the summer hyping him up to be the next Bobby Orr.