[PGT] Flames 2 @ Canucks 3 (OT)

[stemit14]

I really want baertschi to take glencross's spot in the lineup an ferland to take Raymond's spot. I think this line up would look much better:

Gaudreau-jooris-hudler
Baertschi-Monahan-jones
Colborne-granlund-ferland
Bouma-stajan-byron/engelland

[Fischy13]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

no chance, the puck had way too much speed for anyone to catch it. Just unlucky can't do anything about those ones.

I overlooked who was at the top of the circle, I thought it was Raymond, but looked like Hudler. When the camera switches you can see Raymond behind him. Still, none of them go hard after it.

[wired]

I said to myself when the Flames lost 5, that they were going to lose 11 before they righted the ship.
I really hope I am wrong, but at this point....not sure.

[wired]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I really want baertschi to take glencross's spot in the lineup an ferland to take Raymond's spot. I think this line up would look much better:

Gaudreau-jooris-hudler
Baertschi-Monahan-jones
Colborne-granlund-ferland
Bouma-stajan-byron/engelland

Glencross needs to sit a game or two IMO.

[browna]

Originally Posted by SHOGUN

LOL @ the people saying to trade/waive Colborne, Raymond, and Glencross. You guys realize we are year 2 into the rebuild? These guys are perfect stop gap players for our younger players to develop in the AHL. I don't expect the Flames to make the playoffs, because they're not that good. That's the truth. You can come up with excuses saying they outplayed/outcorsi'ed their opponents the last eight games, but the reality is, they only gathered 1 pointed the last eight. If they don't make the playoffs, great... another high draft pick in a deeeeeeep draft to add to the cupboards. If they make the playoffs, awesome... playoff hockey has always been the goal, and if we reach it earlier than expected, that's awesome too.

People need to put things into perspective and decrease their expectations about this team and just ride the wave. I guarantee you guys will sleep easier at night and not be so angry.

The bigger issue in development IMO is seeing the disparity in effort. The top 4 defenseman, for the most part, are working their butts off (all 6 defenseman actually), but there's inconsistent buy in from the the forwards.
Jones, Hudler, Jooris, Bouma, JG, and Granlund (though he gets lesser ice), I don't think you can fault their effort most every night this year.

Most every other forward, vets (Stajan, Raymond, Glencross, Bollig, McGrattan) or guys that have been in the league for a few years (Colborne), the effort has been average at best, certainly in consistency game to game. And its such a wide variance that you wonder if some of those rookies like Granlund, Jooris, JG, Ferland, and even Monahan, may wonder why their teammates can turn it on sometimes, and then look totally tuned out....and further, you hope they don't start taking on some of those players traits to just "get by" game in and out.

[thymebalm]

One other thing..

I think Jooris is awesome, but doesn't anybody else think it's a little premature to put him as our top line center?

Backlund was the only one of those hurt guys that we really missed. Colborne a distant second. But an established center to take some weight off Jooris is so key.

Hopefully he'll be the piece that turns the tide in the new year. What's currently in the locker room is not getting it done.

[Enoch Root]

^ I don't think it's a lack of effort, I think it's a different mindset, a different style.

Those older guys seem to still play the type of game the Flames played when BSutter coached: chip it out, chip it in, don't get caught.

Conversely, most of the younger guys totally buy in to the balls to the wall, full steam ahead, style

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

The Canucks celebrating like they just won the Stanley Cup.

Can we not win in Vancouver? We cannot, for the life of us, beat Vancouver.

I HATE Vancouver. I just hate that cruddy city and low-class hockey team.

I hate losing to that disgraceful team and fanbase as much as anyone... however their wins over us last season were the difference in us drafting Sam Bennett and them landing outside the top five.

Vancouver is a terrible team, trending down. They might be better than us now, but they're where we were a few years ago. They have several disappointing seasons in store before the bottom out.

I hope that just like last year, their hollow wins over us this year see us land another blue chip player while pushing themselves just outside the range to land one themselves.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I hope some people in the organization are pissed off

losing 8 in a row is not acceptable

Well, Burke won't have to hold the presser if the manager of the team steps up. After all, there's blood all over his hands.

[browna]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

One other thing..

I think Jooris is awesome, but doesn't anybody else think it's a little premature to put him as our top line center?

Not when he's the one giving the most effort of the other options, in a particular game, as was very clear this evening. In addition to effort, he does know where to be when both Hudler and JG have the puck and are doing some unconventional things with the puck.

[Finger Cookin]

Jooris is in over his head on our second line. He's definitely not ready for the top line.

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by Karl Racki

Exactly. Gio made a bad play, but in Gio fashion hustled back and got to the two-on-one man. If Jooriis and Byron skated back as hard as Gio did, game doesn't end there. Ultimately Gio made the decision that set up the goal, but can't blame his effort, as always.

This.
Gio and Brodie covered their men. It was up to one of the forwards to cover Tanev.

[Enoch Root]

The fact that Giordano caught Sedin was pretty incredible really

[nwflamesfan]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

I would be thrilled if the Flames traded Glencross and or Stajan for draft picks.

I'll take this

[codynw]

Originally Posted by wired

Glencross needs to sit a game or two be placed on waivers IMO.

Fixed your post.

[N-E-B]

Glencross has 6 goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 34 games on a dirt cheap contract.

Can we please stop posting garbage like "put him on waivers" or "trade him for a bag of pucks"? Was he bad tonight? Yes, but everyone on this team at one point or another has been terrible during this stretch. Glencross is a steal for how little he makes.

Now Stajan or Raymond? Fair game there.

[robbie111]

Just an observation from the games I've watched recently and comparing them to our games 10 games ago. When we were winning it was based on a SPEED first situation where other teams were having trouble keeping up to us. Opposition never had much time to move the puck and our defense was confident joining the rush and pinching because the forwards had the speed to cover them.

In the recent games defensemen are not joining the rush as much because they have been burned as forwards have been unable to back them up as effectively defensively. This has lead to a more dump and chase style in which the flames tend to give away possession of the puck.

My guess is that Stajan, Raymond and Colborne all might have come back from injury too soon as they were under the pressure of seeing success by the young forwards. Perhaps if they would have had a chance to ramp up fitness over the Christmas break instead of coming back soon it may have worked out better for them and the team. That's just an observation though and hindsight is always 20/20.

What I'd like to see after the Christmas break is Granlund given PP time as I think he is a bit more creative offensively than Jooris. Glencross is apparently playing with injuries from what I have heard from Steinberg on the fan 960 and wears 2 knee braces. Perhaps he could be given a bit of time to heal up. I really liked Ferlands forecheck game and physicality and think he is a vast upgrade over Bollig who should be moved for whatever we can get for him at this point. Bollig does not have Ferlands speed needed to finish checks. I could see keeping Stajan as a 4th line center to win faceoffs. I would like to see Culkin and Wotherspoon called up and given a chance to play as our #3 pairing. Both could add to our speed game and really the 3rd pairing has been an issue all season long. Byron looks like he is playing hurt to me and does not have the same speed he had in earlier games and maybe I'm wrong on that case but he might need a bit of a rest as well to heal up, just a guess from what I have watched lately. If that were the case I'd really like to see Poirier given a few games to see where he is in his development. Raymond came back too early and you can see it in his shot as it doesn't have any zip on it and his speed is not where it needs to be for him to be effective. Guess is he came back earlier out of fear of losing his job to the kids.

So thoughts are rest Glencross, Raymond and Byron and make sure they are healthy and up to pace when they come back into the lineup. Trade Bollig and bring Ferland back up. Keep Stajan for faceoffs, and possibly bring up Poirier Wotherspoon and Culkin. Also SPEED was what helped us in allowing our D-Pairings to be as adventurous offensively as they were and unfortunately when we don't have it we are ineffective.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Why do we suck so much in Vancouver?
This has passed the point if ok now; time to waive some vets and bring back what worked. If we're gonna lose anyway, lets at least bring back the team we were all enjoying.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by skcli

Glencross would be a better Captain than Ference up north. He belongs there

He was already an Oiler. Been there done that.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Buff

Once, the Flames lost 11 in a row. They not only made the playoffs but they made it to the Stanley Cup final.

What are the chances of the Flames losing to the Oilers twice in a row in 4 nights?

That was one strange year and one strange bounce that made it all possible.