Quote:
Originally Posted by Macindoc
That’s his problem... The Flames do not have the personnel to play Wards’s system, and the system doesn’t suit today’s NHL.
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In my opinion, this is it. The system doesn’t work for the team we have. Even pre pandemic, a shakeup of the core proved challenging and building a team to play this style of system by a slow annual process doesn’t really work.
My bigger concern is the heavy similarities in coaching system and styles between the coaches we’ve chosen since Hartley. Peter’s spent his first summer reviewing the previous system and film and created and (I think) adjusted his system. The results were stellar for a large part of the season but late season and playoff adjustments proved to be difficult to implement and in year 2 it seems the system reverted back to something much more similar to Gulutzan’s. Ward continued along that path. Has this core had 3 different coaches or 3 coaches who were very much the same?
Peter’s seemed to be better at getting more from the team than Gulutzan or Ward but maybe that also came with a short shelf life and obviously there were some deep value issues that resulted in his departure.
To me, this represented an opportunity for Treliving to find a coach who had a system that suited the group and one who had strong ways of motivating and ensuring team cohesiveness. Was Ward the answer? The final portion of last season and the Dallas series suggested no to me. I was very disappointed that Treliving decided to re-sign Ward and more so that it was for 2 years. Players get 1 year show me deals, why not the coach?
I have generally liked Treliving’s trades and contracts. Perfect, no, but that’s normal. I am concerned that he has become lost in the trees. He seems to have some core beliefs around coaching and systems that will deliver the requisite results. Is this why we keep repeating the same pattern with this group?
Do I think the core needs a shake up, a major redefined mentality? Yes! A thousand times, yes. I’m probably one of the few that thought that when Hartley was dismissed and Gaudreau and Monohan re-signed. Thing is making a significant move is very difficult and this team probably needs more than one. Getting the right players back is a challenge. Sutter had to blow up the core once and the returns and results were not great. Marc Savard seemed like a pretty good player after he left. Ruslan Zainulin, not so much.
Can the right trade be found and made during the season? Maybe. Could we find a coach with a system that works better for this group? A coach who can make adjustments more quickly? A coach who is a better motivator? A coach who can create or recreate some cohesiveness when locker room tension flares up? A coach that can have the team ready to start? I’d take just some of those at this point.
Still, not a peep from our GM. Are his hands tied or can he not see the forest anymore? One thing that has also concerned me is that “the process” is sometimes too slow and methodical. In my opinion, some decisions take too long and the time/timing has an adverse effect.
Why is it taking so long to figure out that the ship is sinking? Surely, we could at least give everyone a life jacket and prepare the emergency rafts? At a minimum, we have enough staff to shake up the coaches behind the bench and look for some new found energy. Charge up the paddles and clear the patient, she needs a jolt. The rhythm is erratic and fading. Is there any sign of life left?
