[PGT] Flames 2 Blues 5

[Jason14h]

When 2 lines have not scored a single goal all season you will have troubles winning.

[Racki]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

So the team has improved by 1 point at the same mark last year. That was with a new coach new system, and some players injured and missing training camp. IMO don't see much of an improvement compared to last year so far accept having a legit goalie now.

This seems like the same mediocre Flames team we have seen in the past and I don't know if its the players or the coach. Yes its too early but if they have a sloppy November they are going to need another flukey 10 game winning streak to save the season again.

Exactly. If not for Mike Smith an argument could easily be made that they would be 3 to 5 points below last year's pace. I really haven't seen much progression this season at all.

[dino7c]

Some of you expected a sweep on this road trip? JG over a point a game isn't good enough for some? He makes 6M...he certainly earns his contract. This place is weird sometimes.

Sure they are 1 point better than last year NOW...I think their next 10 will be much better than last season. We shall see.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Brodie has almost no offensive instincts. How he has the most puck possession time of this team's pp time is beyond me. Why not move Giordano or Hamilton or both up to the top pp unit??

What? The strongest part of Brodie's game is his offensive instincts.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Some of you expected a sweep on this road trip? JG over a point a game isn't good enough for some? He makes 6M...he certainly earns his contract. This place is weird sometimes.

Sure they are 1 point better than last year NOW...I think their next 10 will be much better than last season. We shall see.

This next stretch of 10 games is where the proof will be in the pudding. If the Flames come out of it with 12-13 points against some stiff competition, it will be clear there has been necessary improvement on last year against some of the top teams in the league.

[stone hands]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Some of you expected a sweep on this road trip? JG over a point a game isn't good enough for some? He makes 6M...he certainly earns his contract. This place is weird sometimes.

Sure they are 1 point better than last year NOW...I think their next 10 will be much better than last season. We shall see.

it seems like a lot of people expect the flames to be 10-0 right now and they suck because they aren't

the first game of the season aside, they have looked fantastic outside of some really undisciplined hockey(which can be cleaned up). I would be more worried if they actually played bad hockey, but they look fine right to good right now

[colbym72]

We all ask for a decent start and I think we got it. 5-5 we can work with. 5-10-1 like last year seemed impossible to recover from. CGY is 10th in Scoring Chance % according to Natural Stattrick and 15th in high danger scoring chance percentage. Hopefully the goals start to come as the Flames play starts to come together

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

Many people here defend Gulutzan, but I have yet to see why people think he's a good coach? Because of a fluke 10 game run last year? If you go back to last year, most of those came against non playoff teams and due to an easy schedule.

The 10 win streak was against Nashville, TB, Fla, Carolina, LA, Detroit, NYI, Mtl, Winnipeg, and Pittsburgh. So while 7 of 10 weren't PO teams, TB and NYI missed by a single point (and had the same number of points as Calgary) so not exactly pushovers. The three PO teams the beat were the Stanley Cup winner, the Stanley Cup runner up and the team that finished first in the Atlantic.

Over the season the Flames beat Anaheim, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Minnesota, Ottawa, San Jose, Toronto and St. Louis. Their overall record against PO teams was just under 50%, mainly due to Edmonton (0/5), Washington (o/2) and Anaheim (1/5). They had winning records against Pittsburgh, SJ, Ottawa, Minnie, and StL.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

What? The strongest part of Brodie's game is his offensive instincts.

Sort of - I think it's his transition game (skating and first passes). I think his game in the offensive zone (his shot and shot choices) while not exactly a weakness, is not as good as Gio or Hamilton.

The thing about Calgary's defence is that the rep of having a good D corps is mainly about their offensive side. I doubt any opposing players are afraid of Calgary defensively. Gio is great in his own end and Hamonic is good as well. Hamilton can be good at times, but needs to work on it sometimes relies on reach versus skating and strength, and Brodie just isn't very good in his own end - he has a tough time in puck battles.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Racki

Exactly. If not for Mike Smith an argument could easily be made that they would be 3 to 5 points below last year's pace. I really haven't seen much progression this season at all.

The goalie is part of the team. This is the same bs argument Oiler and Canuck fans used to throw around back during the Kiprusoff years.

"Without Smith, this team would be much worse" - yes absolutely. But where would this team be without Giordano? Backlund? Gaudreau? Where would the Penguins be without Murray? Or Crosby? The Oilers and McDavid? The Leafs and Matthews?

You take away one of the best players on a team and it goes without a question that the team would be worse.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The 10 win streak was against Nashville, TB, Fla, Carolina, LA, Detroit, NYI, Mtl, Winnipeg, and Pittsburgh. So while 7 of 10 weren't PO teams, TB and NYI missed by a single point (and had the same number of points as Calgary) so not exactly pushovers. The three PO teams the beat were the Stanley Cup winner, the Stanley Cup runner up and the team that finished first in the Atlantic.

Over the season the Flames beat Anaheim, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Minnesota, Ottawa, San Jose, Toronto and St. Louis. Their overall record against PO teams was just under 50%, mainly due to Edmonton (0/5), Washington (o/2) and Anaheim (1/5). They had winning records against Pittsburgh, SJ, Ottawa, Minnie, and StL.

So, yes, most of the wins were not against PO's teams.

After the streak, we were very average.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

So, yes, most of the wins were not against PO's teams.

After the streak, we were very average.

You tried to make it sound like they played pushovers, which they didn't. I guess they should just not have counted those wins.

After their streak they were average as far as wins and losses. But one loss came after they clinched and they sat a bunch of guys. And the ones they really needed to win, against LA, they won 2/3.

This was a team with lesser goaltending and lesser defence. I think they played about to the team's capabilities. I had higher hopes, but that was based on Elliott being as good as Smith appears to be now.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by _Q_

The goalie is part of the team. This is the same bs argument Oiler and Canuck fans used to throw around back during the Kiprusoff years.

"Without Smith, this team would be much worse" - yes absolutely. But where would this team be without Giordano? Backlund? Gaudreau? Where would the Penguins be without Murray? Or Crosby? The Oilers and McDavid? The Leafs and Matthews?

You take away one of the best players on a team and it goes without a question that the team would be worse.

I think the Smith thing has been somewhat over stated. I love the guy, he's been a great add, but the team is in an imbalanced balance right now when you think of it.

They have an above average and potentially unsustainable save percentage, but an equally unsustainablely low shooting percentage.

Puts them right on the break even mark in the PDO (luck index).

So they are what they are, but they're not getting carried by a goaltender any more than they are a team of Laddy Smids shooting the puck (6.3% shooting percentage is generally in the defensive defenseman range).

Its 10 games in, thing will balance out.

Right now they are taking some great strides in how they are playing, I'd expect a good string of results to follow.

But I'll step aside and let the hand wringing continue!

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

All Rittich does is put up great starts in the A. Don't know why we had to reach out and make a trade that just created a logjam in the pipeline in goal and was lateral at the very best.

Are the Heat doing some kind of win and you play thing or is there another reason why Gillis has played 5 games to Rittich's 2 this year?

I don't care where they were drafted or how hyped they were as prospects. Last year Rittich was better and he's been better in a tiny sample this year.

[PeteMoss]

Also noticed Magianpane is leading the AHL in scoring right now and Hathaway is top 10.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by 868904

No he put up points and if you are a defenseman fans will overlook your defensive shortcomings especially if you are young. He wasn't and has never been good defensively, which is fine as long as he puts up points, but don't suggest that he is some defensive stud. He lacks hockey sense in the defensive zone, makes terrible reads and dumb decisions but the physical tools are tantalizing.

Why is it wrong to suggest the Bruins gave upon him? They saw enough to know he wasn't the complete package. He is still a good player just not very good in his own end. His struggles to begin last year are well documented, his better play in the second half had as much to do with being partnered with Gio then him figuring things out. Every game Gio is bailing Hamilton out and it's no coincidence that Brodie no longer looks all world since not being paired with Gio.

You are right that he has all the tools to be a number one, the physical tools but he lacks the head and the hockey sense to take that step from a 2 or 3 to a number 1. I just don't see it in him but I'd love to be proven wrong.

He will never be a shut down guy, I agree. But to suggest he's just some flashy offensive stats and nothing more is kind of silly, or at very least dramatic.

The guy gets the puck out of his own end, and generally in a way that creates offence the other way. He's proven that now in six seasons, which is no longer a small sample size.

So while some defenders box guys out, anticipate and lean on the opposition and look fierce ... Hamilton gets the puck and moves it up the ice avoiding prolonged time in his own zone.

And it's not all Giordano.

Hamilton has had at least 50 minutes of ice time with 12 different defense partners and has averaged 54% in shot attempts when on the ice. That's not smoke and mirrors. He's been on the ice for a 55% share in goals scored.

The only partners that have been able to push him under the water mark in goal share were Jokipakka, Engelland and Kris Russell. He even propped up Dennis Wideman.

This isn't a player that was moved by a team cutting their losses. It was the third example of an organization not wanting to pay on 2nd contracts.

[Flash Walken]

Score 2 goals or less, lose the game.

Rinse and Repeat.

I don't know how much longer being a bottom 5 offensive club can continue before changes are made to the roster.

[Stanley]

Our bottom 6 is terrible...

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

What? The strongest part of Brodie's game is his offensive instincts.

When he is winding up from the defensive zone than yes. But once he is inside the offensive blueline I think the team has better options.

[FBI]

Call up Stockton's whole 1st line as our 4th. 1/3 of the way there.