The Flames and season openers

[browna]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I feel Ferland on the top line to open the season was setting up Monahan and Gaudreau to fail. They need a better skill player to play with.

They do. Hudler was ideal and maybe Jagr will be too...kind of similar puck possession styles, not speed based.

Regardless the Flames need a second line that can do some damage scoring wise to take advantage of teams that game plan for the top line. If Jg and SM had a few chances tonight, and they would be weak ones, the second line had one at the most. And if Ferland drops from the first line, it’s likely down to the third line.

[FireGilbert]

This opening night curse is getting ridiculous. It's not even like the Anaheim curse with bad luck playing a part, the team has just failed to show up. During the Iginla years they were a veteran team that didn't take the early season seriously, then the team sucked and didn't win many games during the entire season, and it's a short sample size, but the Gulutzen Flames seem to think the first games of the season are still pre-season.

[calgaryblood]

Yeah Ferland isn't a top line player. Not even a top 6 player.

He's not effective when he's not hitting. He's so passive lately.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So take McDavid out of the equation how would the Flames win the game putting up a goose egg? They had nothing on offense tonight and were shut down by a mediocre defensive group. Simply better coached and prepared to open the season for two years in a row now.

Do the Oilers still win without McDavid?

The Flames gave the Oilers too much respect and played most of the game that way. Coaching? Maybe. Still the players share fault in this loss as they played like a scared team who didn't believe they had a chance in beating the Oilers. They were nervous all night and were afraid to make any plays.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I feel Ferland on the top line to open the season was setting up Monahan and Gaudreau to fail. They need a better skill player to play with.

That's just blame shifting IMO. Monahan and Gaudreau need to be better regardless of who they're playing with. They did nothing tonight and it wasn't 100% Ferland's fault. Ferland needs to be better too of course but its silly to put the bulk of the blame on him when all 3 were bad.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by Dion

Take McDavid out of the equation and it's a different hockey game. They have one line that can score and that's it.

Would have been 0-0 game


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[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

That's just blame shifting IMO. Monahan and Gaudreau need to be better regardless of who they're playing with. They did nothing tonight and it wasn't 100% Ferland's fault. Ferland needs to be better too of course but its silly to put the bulk of the blame on him when all 3 were bad.

When the majority of your players look lacklustre, it sometimes pays to look at all variables. This was supposed to be a far more productive preseason with both Monahan and Gaudreau at camp. Brodie is finally free of Wideman. These guys all know "the Gulutzan system" but they all looked brutal tonight.

At least goaltending didn't fail them.

[Thor]

Its because of our arena, clearly we need a new one and then championships and opening night victories become the norm.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

So sick of reading this.

They were better in every zone, first to the puck and way better defensively.

It wasn't just Mcdavid.

Also, you can't just take McDavid out of the equation. I get the sentiment, but he's part of their team. The Flames have to deal with it and find a way to stop him. It's not easy but it's possible.

[Robbob]

Not that it matters, but the Flames are 1-13-1 over the last 15 season openers.

[Finger Cookin]

It's just an odd anomaly. There's probably some random game number during the season where the Flames are 12-3 or 10-2-2 over the same 15 year stretch. It's no more or less meaningful that this result is in the first game of the season.

[NiklasSundblad]

Is GG going to start every season as coach with baffling player assignments? It has ruined my day, and that is after I stayed up late to listen to the Jagr announcement with a huge grin on my face.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Dion

Take McDavid out of the equation and it's a different hockey game. They have one line that can score and that's it.

Take McDavid out and it'll still be the same result. The Flames played right into the Oilers hands last night. They had zero comeback or any form of fight. It almost felt like the Flames a good couple years ago. Get scored on and they absolutely deflate.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Take McDavid out and it'll still be the same result. The Flames played right into the Oilers hands last night. They had zero comeback or any form of fight. It almost felt like the Flames a good couple years ago. Get scored on and they absolutely deflate.

tbh that was pretty much the Flames until they won on the road in Ottawa last season.

[Toonage]

I didn't think the Flames were deflated, they just couldn't set up. Aggressive Oilers forecheck kept them stuck in their own zone and when they did get the puck out more often than not it was to change lines because they were all kept out there too long. GG talked about not winning any battles and he was right.

The Oilers had McDavid out there for 1/3 of the game against the Flames top line. Home advantage meant they could keep him away from the 3M line as much as humanly possible meaning it was left to our bottom 6 for the most part to generate offense. They didn't match up well against the Oilers bottom 6 which is what really says something.

The 4L played the best they could, so I look right at Versteeg-Bennett-Brouwer and ask what more they could have done. Does Jagr fix that? I sure hope so.

Sorry for the stream of consciousness.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I thought after last year's debacle they would have learned, but no, there we were with three games left with a team of tryouts in Winnipeg. They should have played 4 games close to full roster to get up to actual regular season preparedness.

Even with four games I don’t think it would have made a difference. They just don’t show up ready to put in a good effort in season openers for some reason. And it’s frustrating as hell.


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[Locke]

Its basically Tradition now.

[Wyguy]

Originally Posted by Five-hole

Bingo posted the stats earlier.. we are 1-13 in our last 14 season openers, and 10 minutes away from being 1-14. Unbelievable.

Why can't this team start a season on the right foot?

Different cast of actors, same story. Every year.

Why do I get more prepared for game 1 of the season than the #@%*ing players getting paid millions of dollars to play hockey? Completely embarrassing.

Ikr, I planned everything at work hours in advance so that I would finish exactly when the game started. Got ready have everything there, pumped myself out and was 100% ready. Trashed talk the Oilers to everyone in my family that are all blind for McDavid. And by the end of it I was just bored and upset, wasn't worth not getting any sleep that night.

[Wyguy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You know there's a lot of variables in sports that make it actually difficult to repeat the same patter over a decade. Players, coaches, and GM's have all changed yet it's the same every season. Team simply doesn't come out ready to play in October. Part of it is an anomaly but part is that key players like Monahan and Giordano don't get going until November. As much as it's expected it's something that gets more annoying every season. Honestly does anyone think they are going to win in Anaheim next week? I don't.

I think it was just one game at the beginning of the year and they weren't able to handle the Oilers. Come saturday we will be ready to take on the Jets and put up a good fight. Monday night at the Honda centre we need to bring absolutely everything, we need to crush it. If we can't win in Edmonton and at the Honda Centre in the regular season there is no way we can hope to beat them at home in the playoffs. But, I'm expecting all our good players to play like they should, and hoping that the 4th line can be a little bit better but was already pretty good.