The team needs a shakeup. what to do?

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

Fire GG.
See how the team responds.
Go from there.

I'm with this plan but only when the Flames can actually acquire a top notch coach. No point in firing GG for another coach of similar experience of capability.

I'm on board with getting Julien if he becomes available. Flames should be very aggressive in pursuing a coach with a proven track record. They missed the boat on Boudreau and can't afford to do it again.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Last year we needed just an average goalie and most thought that would have put the Flames into the playoffs. At a .913 save percentage, Chad Johnson is that "average" goalie. Gaudreau/Monahan last year were a combined .88 ppg and -2. This year, they are currently at .64 ppg and -35. That's a 27% reduction in ppg. Never mind improving, if these guys performed at last years clip, I think it's safe to say our GF/GA differential would be flipped.

They were paid to carry this team and they aren't. They need to be shaken. Is it the new system? Is it the post "big contract" slump some go through?

I think the latter. Which probably just means we have to wait for them to fight through it. Growing pains. And they hurt.

[1_Flames_Fan]

I Wouldn't do anything now but off season definitely go after a proven NHL starting goalie. At this point I wouldn't re-sign Johnson or Elliott. Also some anchor contracts are coming off the books next year which should be helpful.

[CSharp]

Why keep going after goalie? The more Treliving tries to bring in a #1 goalie, the more the Flames will rebuilding for the next who knows when. His focus should be getting a big #1 centerman and building the team tougher. There never has been a goalie problem. Yes, you see a lot of goals scored with all the of the goalies for the past 4 or 5 years, but for cripes sakes, the Flames defence suck - just admit it, they suck. They're soft and they're smaller with the exception of Engelland. None of them will hit anyone on a consistent basis and they turn the puck over too many times. I wouldn't even bother looking to upgrade the goalie position until the Flames can score more consistently to beat other teams. There are other important holes to fill on this team and the goalie position is not one of them until they've got to a point where they have a cup contender team and that's the last remaining puzzle to upgrade. I think too many of you are putting the goalie position above everything else when the big hole in the team are their defence and puck possession up front.

[Classic_Sniper]

Time to bring up David Rittich. From mid December onwards, Chad Johnson has a sv% of .878 and Brian Elliott has an overall sv% of .891 on the season. You can't win in this league with these kinds of numbers. This is Jonas Hiller all over again. We need someone who can give this team a chance to win and maybe the answer is Rittich. His sv% is second only to Juuse Saros in the entire AHL and Saros has played real well for Nashville right now.

[EVERLAST]

The comments regarding needing a coach and needing a goalie trouble me.

The rest of the Team is off the hook then? I see only 3 players consistent enough that cannot be the case.....all on the 3m line.

So what message are they getting that the rest are not ?

And disuss. ...Honerable mention goes to Hathaway and at times Gaudreau but even he cannot carry this team on his back while getting cheapshotted unanswered all the time.

[Macho0978]

Trade UFA's, draft another high draft pick and maybe pick up a UFA for next season

Non UFA's that are worth moving. Stajan and Bouma

Once you trade the UFA's give bigger roles to Kulak, Ferland and Jokkipakka to see how they play and maybe call up Jankowski & Andersson

Hopefully we win the draft lottery and get a top 3 pick. If not still should add a good prospect

If the Leafs, Oilers and Blue Jackets can do it I can't see why the Flames can't improve dramatically next season. Johnny and Monny bounce back, Tkachuk gets a year older and Bennett too. Maybe get a shot in the Arm from the AHL or the up coming draft. If we miss again next year do the same and maybe move Gio after that. All depends on who plays well behind who though. Maybe move Backlund if Jankowski plays well or Bennett steps up. I don't see the reason for the panic because we lost 3 games in a row by 12 goals. Sucks but when your not an elite cup contending team it happens

[Cycling76er]

Lots of mention about picking up Julien. I know this is all just fan chatter but I'm curious as to what the relationship was like between him and Dougie Hamilton. If that was any part of his motivation to sign elsewhere it would be awkward as arse if we hired him.

[Toonage]

He played Dougie with Chara. I think he liked him.

[MarkGio]

I think the Flames are on the right path because anyone who believed they were a legit contenders was a homer. The only thing that bothers me is how boring the games are.

Watching the Flames lose under Hartley was tolerable because we got to see Gaudreau and Monahan and Brodie become dynamites and there was always hope that they will only get better and that the building process is showing signs of promise. It was easy to say "with a good goalie this team will be a threat" because Hartley hockey could score goals.

Under Gulutzan, it's harder to watch games because there's no creativity or goals, so the promise is less apparent and the hope dwindles. Because now it's like Gaudreau, Monahan, and Brodie don't look so bright and maybe the Flames will have to tear it down again like the Oilers, Blue Jackets and Islanders had to with their rebulds 2.0

I'm sure managers of the team believe this season is just another step in the process, but as a fan it doesn't seem that way.

[Flash Walken]

For me as a fan the Flames last year were basically unwatchable. I haven't turned off or avoided turning on more Flames games than I did last season. It was just awful hockey to watch.

I much prefer this season to last season based solely on things being more entertaining.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by Locke

Can we make Gulutzan a healthy scratch? He may benefit from watching a few games from the press box.

I'd be okay sending him down to Stockton to coach a few games to develop some confidence.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

For me as a fan the Flames last year were basically unwatchable. I haven't turned off or avoided turning on more Flames games than I did last season. It was just awful hockey to watch.

I much prefer this season to last season based solely on things being more entertaining.

There were games last season that were hard to watch but I've found this season the worst season since 2002/2003. Even when they were winning this season it wasn't overly entertaining. I prefer winning over anything but outside of three players this entire season has been forgettable since the opening puck drop in October.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Time to bring up David Rittich. From mid December onwards, Chad Johnson has a sv% of .878 and Brian Elliott has an overall sv% of .891 on the season. You can't win in this league with these kinds of numbers. This is Jonas Hiller all over again. We need someone who can give this team a chance to win and maybe the answer is Rittich. His sv% is second only to Juuse Saros in the entire AHL and Saros has played real well for Nashville right now.

The SV% is such a BS individual stat for any given individual goalie. The SV% will go up IF and WHEN the Flames makes it harder for the other team to place those shot scored against the Flames netminders. If you look at the past few games (besides the one with the Habs), the rookies there were probably not that great, but the Flames made them look great - why, because most of the shots were easy to save besides the ones late in the 3rd period. If the Flames did the same thing to the opposition and made the shots easy for their goalies, I'm 100% sure the goalies we had last year and this year will have a 91+SV% easy. The Flames don't have goalie issues, it's what's in front of the goalies that are issues. This team is a goalie killer. I bet you that if you put Price or any of the elite goalies in the Flames net all season long and he'd suck as bad as it looks right now for Johnson and Elliot.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by CSharp

The SV% is such a BS individual stat for any given individual goalie. The SV% will go up IF and WHEN the Flames makes it harder for the other team to place those shot scored against the Flames netminders. If you look at the past few games (besides the one with the Habs), the rookies there were probably not that great, but the Flames made them look great - why, because most of the shots were easy to save besides the ones late in the 3rd period. If the Flames did the same thing to the opposition and made the shots easy for their goalies, I'm 100% sure the goalies we had last year and this year will have a 91+SV% easy. The Flames don't have goalie issues, it's what's in front of the goalies that are issues. This team is a goalie killer. I bet you that if you put Price or any of the elite goalies in the Flames net all season long and he'd suck as bad as it looks right now for Johnson and Elliot.

Save% can certainly be misleading based on the defense in front of the goaltender. But when you look at the more indepth numbers such as the save% from the slot or from high danger scoring areas, then the numbers can reveal a lot. I believe the team has a goaltending issue right now because of the statistics and the eye test. Too many low percentage shots that are finding a way into the net, way too often and it's deflating the confidence of the team.

Just look at Chad Johnson's .940 save% by mid December to the .878 that he's been sporting since. It's the same defense and the same system and yet there's a drastically different result. The team didn't alter its strategies. It's just Johnson not performing as well. He and Elliott need to be way better and the defense can be better as well.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

There were games last season that were hard to watch but I've found this season the worst season since 2002/2003. Even when they were winning this season it wasn't overly entertaining. I prefer winning over anything but outside of three players this entire season has been forgettable since the opening puck drop in October.

I guess I just found last season as equally forgettable but without the wins.

I'm not going to bother going through the game threads or post game threads to find the sky is falling or 'this team is boring' posts but I remember them being there.

Just look back on the opening of the season last year, 5-1 loss, 5-2 loss, 6-2 loss, 4-0 loss, 6-2 loss , 4-1 loss and that's all in the month of October. It was meaningless hockey then, it's meaningless hockey now, I honestly just don't see much difference.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Save% can certainly be misleading based on the defense in front of the goaltender. But when you look at the more indepth numbers such as the save% from the slot or from high danger scoring areas, then the numbers can reveal a lot. I believe the team has a goaltending issue right now because of the statistics and the eye test. Too many low percentage shots that are finding a way into the net, way too often and it's deflating the confidence of the team.

Just look at Chad Johnson's .940 save% by mid December to the .878 that he's been sporting since. It's the same defense and the same system and yet there's a drastically different result. The team didn't alter its strategies. It's just Johnson not performing as well. He and Elliott need to be way better and the defense can be better as well.

Shot location is inadequate as a proxy for shot danger.

Cross crease tap in can be the same location as a rebound stuffed in to a goalie's pad.

Flames give their opponents turnovers, time and space, lanes to make lovely cross slot passes, and pay for it. The execution is not there.

Add the couple of softies, but that's been a problem more so the past few games.

Johnson even says as much last week. The team in front has a lot to do with a goalie's stats. And he said that before this recent extra crappy stretch.

[Par]

Originally Posted by Cycling76er

Lots of mention about picking up Julien. I know this is all just fan chatter but I'm curious as to what the relationship was like between him and Dougie Hamilton. If that was any part of his motivation to sign elsewhere it would be awkward as arse if we hired him.

Dougie liked Julien, Dougie did not like Bruins management and Jeremy Jacobs.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Cycling76er

Lots of mention about picking up Julien. I know this is all just fan chatter but I'm curious as to what the relationship was like between him and Dougie Hamilton. If that was any part of his motivation to sign elsewhere it would be awkward as arse if we hired him.

In Hamilton s last season with Julien , as a 21 year old, he played on average more than a minute and a half more per game than his first two seasons in Calgary.
Hmmm.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

The comments regarding needing a coach and needing a goalie trouble me.

The rest of the Team is off the hook then? I see only 3 players consistent enough that cannot be the case.....all on the 3m line.

So what message are they getting that the rest are not ?

And disuss. ...Honerable mention goes to Hathaway and at times Gaudreau but even he cannot carry this team on his back while getting cheapshotted unanswered all the time.

It is strange that so many of our top players are struggling under the new coach isn't it? There is something to attacking as a 5 man unit and holding the puck more often but what happened to the speed of this team? Under Hartley the Flames were a fast team that generated a ton off the rush and that doesn't happen to often anymore. It is rare that we see the 4 on 2 rushes that resulted in a lot of points for Gaudreau, Giordano, and Brodie. The Flames were a top 10 team offensively under Hartley and barely top 20 this year.

The team has completely lost their identity of being a scrappy group that never gives up and always outworks the opposition.

Hiring a guy who failed as a head coach and then has been an assistant on a team that has 2 bottom 6 finishes in the last 3 years was a risk. GG wasn't the guy I was hoping for and 51 games in it really looks like a mistake. Gulutzan has no charisma, no edge, he is very vanilla which describes the way the Flames have played even when times were good.

Coaching is the biggest problem with the team in my opinion. Our players have played better than this. They own some of this but I feel Gulutzan is the biggest problem with the group right now.