[PGT] Flames lose to Hurricanes 3-2

[Goriders]

Huberdeau Kadri Lindholm
Ruzicka Backlund Toffoli
Mangiapane Dube Coleman
Lucic Lewis Ritchie

Didn’t Lindholm play RW at one point?

Figured try and get your best players on one line to see if it could create a spark. Third line put all of the underachievers??

Try bringing up AHL guys next? Look at trades as a last resort??

Something has to change to try and generate some offense. Not sure what to do with the powerplay.

[topfiverecords]

I wonder if Sutter would consider playing against some teams that aren’t very good as opposed to all of these good teams we’ve been playing.

Could help some guys gain some traction.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Sec214

If teams call you asking for any of your players. You accept those offers.

Rooney or Dube hit waivers.

Huh?

You trade any player and for whatever the other team asks?

Some pretty shrewd GMing there!

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by Goriders

Huberdeau Kadri Lindholm
Ruzicka Backlund Toffoli
Mangiapane Dube Coleman
Lucic Lewis Ritchie

Didn’t Lindholm play RW at one point?

Figured try and get your best players on one line to see if it could create a spark. Third line put all of the underachievers??

Try bringing up AHL guys next? Look at trades as a last resort??

Something has to change to try and generate some offense. Not sure what to do with the powerplay.

Change...I figure that if Sutter was an NFL head coach every down/play would be "fullback up the middle".

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Yeah, I meant as a finish. That's also kind of my point, that even if Markstorm plays like his average self the rest of the way this will be a terrible season for him. At least in my eyes .905 would make Markstrom one of the worst starting goalies this season.

I hope Markstrom finds his game and gets a couple of shutouts to bump up his numbers, but that doesn't seem likely with the way we have been playing D this season. I know the team's expected goals against are among the top 10 teams, but it seems like we give up a lot of grade A chances against relative to a low quantity of shots.

Flames are top ten in high danger against so that's not true.

If Markstrom gets back to average Markstrom the rest of the season the Flames will be fine. Doesn't really matter how the season starts it's how it ends right?

[Manhattanboy]

I just don’t see anything in Markstrom’s game to provide confidence that he will trend back up to his long term stats. I’ve said it before even his highlight reel saves seem to be more luck than skill. His low save percentage stats certainly are troublesome but it’s the bad goals game after game. Bad timing. Momentum killers.

If I’m Sutter I’m starting Vladar every game for the foreseeable future.

Re Sutter it seems many have lost trust. That’s fair. I wonder what the meetings have been like among all of the coaches. There’s some good brain power among the assistants. I doubt they are on the same page as Sutter. Do any of them have the nads to question Sutter?

[Manhattanboy]

Funny watching Sunday Night Football and comparing Rodgers and Markstrom. Both with terrible numbers this year compared to their averages. And Rodgers just tosses an awful pass that’s intercepted by the Eagles who get a TD on the very next play.

No guarantees in sports.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Flames are top ten in high danger against so that's not true.

If Markstrom gets back to average Markstrom the rest of the season the Flames will be fine. Doesn't really matter how the season starts it's how it ends right?

If the Flames are top ten in high danger chances then I'm starting to question the legitimacy of high danger chances, lol. In all seriousness, though, what are they in high danger chances after the amazing start to the year?

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Flames are top ten in high danger against so that's not true.

If Markstrom gets back to average Markstrom the rest of the season the Flames will be fine. Doesn't really matter how the season starts it's how it ends right?

To clarify, you are saying that the Flames are top 10 in high danger shots against, as in, they have allowed among the fewest high danger shots against.
Correct?

[dino7c]

I wonder if some of you don't watch many other teams.

Flames don't allow much...it seems worse since so many have ended up in the net. Goalies bail teams out, it's their job.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah with the schedule being so odd, some injuries to key players ... some rough goaltending to start the season people are pretty quick to fire a coach and trade members of the team's core.



Wonder if they'll retract any of this silliness when the Flames win 7 of 8 against middling teams and start their way up the standings?

The odd thing to me is that after the trade and the signing, it seemed like it must have been 85-90% of this forum was preaching patience because of the removal of our two stars and insertion of 3 new guys and acknowledgement that it will take time. I don't know, maybe their version of time was 2-3 weeks max? It would seem that there has to be a segment of this group who are now unhappy after they themselves were expecting some growing pains.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I just don’t see anything in Markstrom’s game to provide confidence that he will trend back up to his long term stats. I’ve said it before even his highlight reel saves seem to be more luck than skill. His low save percentage stats certainly are troublesome but it’s the bad goals game after game. Bad timing. Momentum killers.

If I’m Sutter I’m starting Vladar every game for the foreseeable future.

Re Sutter it seems many have lost trust. That’s fair. I wonder what the meetings have been like among all of the coaches. There’s some good brain power among the assistants. I doubt they are on the same page as Sutter. Do any of them have the nads to question Sutter?

I’m sure Muller does

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I wonder if some of you don't watch many other teams.

Flames don't allow much...it seems worse since so many have ended up in the net. Goalies bail teams out, it's their job.

Roger that, either goalie has got to start stealing a few. Vladar kept his team in it in Carolina...if he does not get the start after that perfomance heads need to roll.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Flames are top ten in high danger against so that's not true.

If Markstrom gets back to average Markstrom the rest of the season the Flames will be fine. Doesn't really matter how the season starts it's how it ends right?

I was looking at 5 on 5 chances against, so that's my bad. There the Flames were 9th in expected GA according to moneypuck.

I agree with you that it a season is a marathon and not a sprint, and I really want you to be right. That said, this team looks a lot more like the versions that missed the playoffs following a good season. I try to stay positive, but everything seems worse when the Flames are losing.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

To clarify, you are saying that the Flames are top 10 in high danger shots against, as in, they have allowed among the fewest high danger shots against.
Correct?

The Flames are 23rd in High Danger Shots against in all situations with 75 high danger shots against, so they allowed among the most high danger shots against. NJD are first with 43 high danger shots against. In all situations the Flames are 18th in expected goals against per 60 with 3.23GA/60.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I just don’t see anything in Markstrom’s game to provide confidence that he will trend back up to his long term stats. I’ve said it before even his highlight reel saves seem to be more luck than skill.

He makes a lot of fortunate pad saves along the ice.

I don't consider it luck, but I do think those kinds of saves have less value than saves that are elevated, because any Chad Johnson type can make those.

[activeStick]

xGF vs xGA to date

Flames in the upper right quadrant which is good

https://twitter.com/user/status/1596912183505727488

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

To clarify, you are saying that the Flames are top 10 in high danger shots against, as in, they have allowed among the fewest high danger shots against.
Correct?

Correct.

9th at 2.45 / 60

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by activeStick

The odd thing to me is that after the trade and the signing, it seemed like it must have been 85-90% of this forum was preaching patience because of the removal of our two stars and insertion of 3 new guys and acknowledgement that it will take time. I don't know, maybe their version of time was 2-3 weeks max? It would seem that there has to be a segment of this group who are now unhappy after they themselves were expecting some growing pains.

Nobody has to be patient. Doesn't really matter if they are or not any way.

I'm not a big reaction guy. I don't plan cup routes and I don't throw the baby out with the bath water after a loss.

They're not fun to watch right now. They don't look creative at all. They need rebounds or good bounces to create offence. They're not getting the big save. Their special teams are in decline.

Not fun hockey at all.

But when I see the schedule break down and the team PDO ranking it's pretty jarring. You can always pick the due for a fall or due for a rise clubs by stats like that and 9/10 you'll be right.

The Flames are going to be playing a lot of middling teams going forward. If they still struggle they could be in trouble. But if they win say 7 of 8 it doesn't mean Sutter is a genius and that all the players are suddenly on the same page ... just things leveling out.

[VilleN]

I know a lot is being said about depth, and goaltending being issues - which I think is valid. However, I really think one of our biggest problems right now is that Huberdeau hasn't found his game yet. We lost Tkachuk and Gaudreau - Huberdeau was supposed to replace Gaudreau's offense and Weegar would help strengthen the back end while adding some offense to compensate for losing Tkachuk. To an extent, I think Weegar has done that. Without Gaudreau being the driver on offense, and so far Huberdeau has not come close to taking on that responsibility we have a pretty neutered and disorganized offense. I do think Huberdeau will find his game, but until that happens I think we're going to struggle.

Edit: Forgot Kadri - I think he has lived up so far in adding some toughness and offense that we lost with Tkachuk.