[GDT] Locker Clean Out Day!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I become a tad bitter towards hockey media in general. It's unfortunate that click bait is a sign of the times and what's worse is it's lost its overall fun outlook. A lot of fear mongering and whataboutism.

It's one thing when us nerd fans spin round and round endlessly but it's another when you're trying to sell the franchise to the genpop.

Like why not spin focus towards the future instead of digging on the Markstrom story. Or creating the very toxic space you're fear mongering about players wanting to leave.

You keep asking them why would they want to stay they'll eventually want to leave because the media instantly keeps prodding.

There has to be a better way.

I just kind of miss pre internet hockey reporting. It wasn't available 24/7 and news bombshells felt more organic. Instead of manufactured or even manifested.

The whole garbage bag day thing skews it as well. It's not a pleasant day for these guys - it's a reminder they didn't succeed. you aren't gonna get too many rosy responses, especially from guys who didn't have a great year.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You were able to assess the man's coaching ability from a 10 minute, end of season, media spot?

You've been against him all year, maybe you were listening for what you wanted to hear?

He doubled down on his system which does not fit this roster, I heard what he said. This team should have comfortably been in a playoff spot with the roster they had to start, the talent was there. Maybe people need to stop defending a coach that is not right for the construction of this roster.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Royle9

After listening to the Markstrom clip in its entirety I think he handled it very professionally and as best as he could.

The guy wants to win, and he'll do that here or wherever Calgary wants to send him.
Doesnt sound like he blocked anything, but more so was upset that he was asked to potentially waive and then when it didn't happen he felt it was handled poorly.

Cant fault the guy for that, he's very blunt in saying his relationship at least from his end hasn't strained with Calgary/Craig and that he's going to focus on family and getting better in the off-season.

Probably gone, but I have no hard feelings for his decision. Much like Tkachuk he's handled it extremely well.

He must have the thinnest skin of any athlete in the NHL. He negotiated a NMC and is mad the Flames asked him about a trade that didn't happen?

He is a professional athlete being paid millions of dollars and he can't handle even being asked about a potential trade?

Getting rid of Markstrom will be addition by subtraction. Great seasons, brutal seasons. He's all over the place and seems like a whiner.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Geez that's harsh. But you hated him from the start so not surprising.
He has a family and his family is important to him. I know we all like to pretend that millions of dollars should mean that doesn't matter. But let's remember he negotiated a no trade clause to be here including to give his family stability.

I don't really blame him for being upset. Nor do I think the Flames screwed up. It just didn't work out. #### happens move on. But calling him now a "whiner" seems unnecessary.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

He doubled down on his system which does not fit this roster, I heard what he said. This team should have comfortably been in a playoff spot with the roster they had to start, the talent was there. Maybe people need to stop defending a coach that is not right for the construction of this roster.

I don't think his system will win at the NHL level. Super passive version of zone defense, and their puck management in the neutral zone is absolutley brutal. They don't protect centre ice at all and are always happy to let he other team gain the zone and simply set up their defensive structure and hope for a mistake to gain possession of the puck.

Seems like a system that worked well for Huska in junior where there is less skill. At the NHL level when you give up the zone easily and give the other team too much time they will burn you.

Then you factor in just bizarre line combinations and it was a mess of a season.

I like everything Conroy has done with he exception of his coaching hires.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Geez that's harsh. But you hated him from the start so not surprising.
He has a family and his family is important to him. I know we all like to pretend that millions of dollars should mean that doesn't matter. But let's remember he negotiated a no trade clause to be here including to give his family stability.

I don't really blame him for being upset. Nor do I think the Flames screwed up. It just didn't work out. #### happens move on. But calling him now a "whiner" seems unnecessary.

Seriously? He has a NMC clause and could just say he doesn't want to move for his family. They tried to get a trade done, asked him if he would waive and it unfortunately fell apart. That's part of he business he is in and not at all unusual.

This isn't someone who got traded with no warning and has to immediately move their family, who I would feel bad for.

If the mere discussion of a trade sets him off then I think it's fair game to question his mental toughness.

[Jiri Hrdina]

See it's that stuff that is unnecessary.
"Question his mental toughness"
Can we not? We have no idea what his life is.
Perhaps the possibilities of a trade caused disruption with his family.

The guy is allowed to be upset. Doesn't mean anyone did anything wrong. But also doesn't mean that he isn't "mentally tough".

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

He must have the thinnest skin of any athlete in the NHL. He negotiated a NMC and is mad the Flames asked him about a trade that didn't happen?

He is a professional athlete being paid millions of dollars and he can't handle even being asked about a potential trade?

Getting rid of Markstrom will be addition by subtraction. Great seasons, brutal seasons. He's all over the place and seems like a whiner.

lol. You act like the players are immune to the media. There is a difference between being asked to waive his NMC and thinking he isn’t leaving the US on a road trip because he thought he was traded. Especially if it fell apart because Maloney/Edwards stepped in and killed it.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

See it's that stuff that is unnecessary.
"Question his mental toughness"
Can we not? We have no idea what his life is.
Perhaps the possibilities of a trade caused disruption with his family.

The guy is allowed to be upset. Doesn't mean anyone did anything wrong. But also doesn't mean that he isn't "mentally tough".

Well I would say the way he is complaining about it in the media is unprofessional, and comes off as whining. If nobody did anything wrong then why drag "upper management"?

Combine that with the fact he somehow can't play well against our biggest rival and I won't shed a tear when he is traded.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Bonded

lol. You act like the players are immune to the media. There is a difference between being asked to waive his NMC and thinking he isn’t leaving the US on a road trip because he thought he was traded. Especially if it fell apart because Maloney/Edwards stepped in and killed it.

Of course hey aren't immune. But the very nature of a NMC is that he has to be consulted for a trade to occur.

Like it or not these guys get paid millions of dollars, and part of that is dealing with this stress. This is part of the business he has chosen to be in, and complaining the way he did is a bad look.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You were able to assess the man's coaching ability from a 10 minute, end of season, media spot?

You've been against him all year, maybe you were listening for what you wanted to hear?

No idea if Huska is a good coach, but anyone who likes or doesn't like him has had a whole year to evaluate him, plus 4 years in the AHL. That's much more than a 10-minute presser.

[Savvy27]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

He doubled down on his system which does not fit this roster, I heard what he said. This team should have comfortably been in a playoff spot with the roster they had to start, the talent was there. Maybe people need to stop defending a coach that is not right for the construction of this roster.

Are you sure that he is wrong? Between November 4 (after the 2-7-1 start and when Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary had joined the team) and the trade deadline, over 52 games the Flames went 29-19-4 for a .596 Pts% which was 13th in the league and would have been good for 98 points and tied with Vegas for the final wildcard spot (one of the rare seasons when 96 points isn't good enough to get in).

During those 52GP the Flames were:
9th in Regulation Wins with 24
6th in GF/G 3.37
21st in GA/G 2.94
30th in PP% 14.0%
7th in PK% 81.8%
19th in 5v5 Possession 50%
6th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
12th in 5v5 Save% .914

I'd say that Huska's assessment that the adjustment period to the new system and the terrible powerplay as the culprits for the disappointing season is about as accurate as you can get.

And looking a little deeper, once the Flames got Kylington back into the line up (January 25) they went 10-5-0 (.667 and a 109 point pace) to the trade deadline before losing both Tanev and Hanifin:

5th in Regulation Wins with 9
9th in GF/G 3.40
11th in GA/G 2.93
26th in PP% 17.4%
7th in PK% 81.3%
10th in 5v5 Possession 52.0%
7th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
15th in 5v5 Save% .916

Huska is a first year NHL coach who had an incredibly disruptive season where the team lost 3 of the their top 6 D, four if you consider Kylington missed 49 games. He lost the expected first line center in Lindholm as well and honestly had a shell of the player when he was here.

When he actually had Markstrom playing at a high level and a D-core with Weegar, Tanev, Hanifin, Andersson, and Kylington, the team played pretty damn good. Even if the 15 game sample size is too small, the 52 game sample size would have had them in the mix for a playoff spot.

Conroy has plenty of work to do to restore the D core to an acceptable level and the coaches need to fix the PK without Tanev and Hanifin, but I think that this coaching staff is going to have the team playing at a competitive level for a playoff spot next season. Obviously the Flames don't have any superstars, but they have a pretty talented roster. Your assessment of Huska is too negative given the context of things outside of his control.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

Are you sure that he is wrong? Between November 4 (after the 2-7-1 start and when Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary had joined the team) and the trade deadline, over 52 games the Flames went 29-19-4 for a .596 Pts% which was 13th in the league and would have been good for 98 points and tied with Vegas for the final wildcard spot (one of the rare seasons when 96 points isn't good enough to get in).

During those 52GP the Flames were:
9th in Regulation Wins with 24
6th in GF/G 3.37
21st in GA/G 2.94
30th in PP% 14.0%
7th in PK% 81.8%
19th in 5v5 Possession 50%
6th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
12th in 5v5 Save% .914

I'd say that Huska's assessment that the adjustment period to the new system and the terrible powerplay as the culprits for the disappointing season is about as accurate as you can get.

And looking a little deeper, once the Flames got Kylington back into the line up (January 25) they went 10-5-0 (.667 and a 109 point pace) to the trade deadline before losing both Tanev and Hanifin:

5th in Regulation Wins with 9
9th in GF/G 3.40
11th in GA/G 2.93
26th in PP% 17.4%
7th in PK% 81.3%
10th in 5v5 Possession 52.0%
7th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
15th in 5v5 Save% .916

Huska is a first year NHL coach who had an incredibly disruptive season where the team lost 3 of the their top 6 D, four if you consider Kylington missed 49 games. He lost the expected first line center in Lindholm as well and honestly had a shell of the player when he was here.

When he actually had Markstrom playing at a high level and a D-core with Weegar, Tanev, Hanifin, Andersson, and Kylington, the team played pretty damn good. Even if the 15 game sample size is too small, the 52 game sample size would have had them in the mix for a playoff spot.

Conroy has plenty of work to do to restore the D core to an acceptable level and the coaches need to fix the PK without Tanev and Hanifin, but I think that this coaching staff is going to have the team playing at a competitive level for a playoff spot next season. Obviously the Flames don't have any superstars, but they have a pretty talented roster. Your assessment of Huska is too negative given the context of things outside of his control.

All but a few horrific teams would look like this if you take out their bad stretches of hockey.

[Savvy27]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

All but a few horrific teams would look like this if you take out their bad stretches of hockey.

I guess I'll just have to take your word for it.

It's not cherry picking... Zary and Pospisil joining the team was a major turning point and if you disagree with that then I'll just have to disagree right back. And the trade deadline was another major turning point because they traded their top pairing.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

All but a few horrific teams would look like this if you take out their bad stretches of hockey.

He's not just removing bad stretches of hockey though, they are actually huge turning points with major roster turnover and also account for the learning curve of starting the season with a new coach.

It's different if he just cherry picks spots where the team was the same but just sucked.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

Well I would say the way he is complaining about it in the media is unprofessional, and comes off as whining. If nobody did anything wrong then why drag "upper management"?

Combine that with the fact he somehow can't play well against our biggest rival and I won't shed a tear when he is traded.

Except he isn't doing that.

He was asked a question and answered it.

The rest of your conclusion is nothing more than your personal feeling towards the guy.

Dont conflate the two.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

He doubled down on his system which does not fit this roster, I heard what he said. This team should have comfortably been in a playoff spot with the roster they had to start, the talent was there. Maybe people need to stop defending a coach that is not right for the construction of this roster.

Sure....other than the fact that literally half his starting defense was traded away along with his "play in every situation" center.

Scotty Bowman could not have gotten this club into the playoffs this season.

I have doubts about Huska as an NHL coach as well, but very little of it stems from results this season which was unlike anything ever seen by this organization.

[Dan403]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

Are you sure that he is wrong? Between November 4 (after the 2-7-1 start and when Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary had joined the team) and the trade deadline, over 52 games the Flames went 29-19-4 for a .596 Pts% which was 13th in the league and would have been good for 98 points and tied with Vegas for the final wildcard spot (one of the rare seasons when 96 points isn't good enough to get in).

During those 52GP the Flames were:
9th in Regulation Wins with 24
6th in GF/G 3.37
21st in GA/G 2.94
30th in PP% 14.0%
7th in PK% 81.8%
19th in 5v5 Possession 50%
6th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
12th in 5v5 Save% .914

I'd say that Huska's assessment that the adjustment period to the new system and the terrible powerplay as the culprits for the disappointing season is about as accurate as you can get.

And looking a little deeper, once the Flames got Kylington back into the line up (January 25) they went 10-5-0 (.667 and a 109 point pace) to the trade deadline before losing both Tanev and Hanifin:

5th in Regulation Wins with 9
9th in GF/G 3.40
11th in GA/G 2.93
26th in PP% 17.4%
7th in PK% 81.3%
10th in 5v5 Possession 52.0%
7th in 5v5 Shooting % 9.6
15th in 5v5 Save% .916

Huska is a first year NHL coach who had an incredibly disruptive season where the team lost 3 of the their top 6 D, four if you consider Kylington missed 49 games. He lost the expected first line center in Lindholm as well and honestly had a shell of the player when he was here.

When he actually had Markstrom playing at a high level and a D-core with Weegar, Tanev, Hanifin, Andersson, and Kylington, the team played pretty damn good. Even if the 15 game sample size is too small, the 52 game sample size would have had them in the mix for a playoff spot.

Conroy has plenty of work to do to restore the D core to an acceptable level and the coaches need to fix the PK without Tanev and Hanifin, but I think that this coaching staff is going to have the team playing at a competitive level for a playoff spot next season. Obviously the Flames don't have any superstars, but they have a pretty talented roster. Your assessment of Huska is too negative given the context of things outside of his control.

Don’t confuse us with facts.

We’re busy being outraged.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

He doubled down on his system which does not fit this roster, I heard what he said. This team should have comfortably been in a playoff spot with the roster they had to start, the talent was there. Maybe people need to stop defending a coach that is not right for the construction of this roster.

I'm neither for nor against the guy.

Just doubting you landed on your conclusion or proof from a press conference.

You were already firmly in your corner.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Ped

No idea if Huska is a good coach, but anyone who likes or doesn't like him has had a whole year to evaluate him, plus 4 years in the AHL. That's much more than a 10-minute presser.

He's the one that said the presser was the confirmation point!