Your Opinion - A single change..

[SebC]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

They regressed to who they are. November 2018-Feb 2019 is the outlier here. 4 months of spectacular play. The other 38 months of hockey in the last 6 years are the true Flames: a bubble team.

Outlier, sure. But it wasn't just statistical noise. It was an outlier for a reason. Find that reason and replicate it.

[dino7c]

The Flames played over .600 hockey since November when Peters was fired

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by dino7c

The Flames played over .600 hockey since November when Peters was fired

Yup, coaching isn't this issue. It probably would have been better if the regular season played out since the remaining schedule was favourable for the Flames.

I am not saying that they shouldn't look for a new head coach, but it won't solve the bigger problems.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And with the new arena coming, revenue is more important than ever.

Why is this? You are suggesting the Flames need to focus on short term profits with a new arena coming in?

I actually don’t believe that the best business decision is to to try to squeeze all you can out of the current core. Championships are what increase franchise values and revenues over the long term.

[GS Skier]

Originally Posted by dino7c

The Flames played over .600 hockey since November when Peters was fired

And if we all know anything its that playing musical coaches really hasn't worked that well for anyone in the league. Best comeback I heard is "fire the coach, let the players off the hook" Edmonton plays musical coaches ... you're always starting over again regardless of the roster.

Can't believe the posters who think that's a solution...at all. Each to their own I guess.

One change? Deal from strength or at least depth and we have a glut at Left Defense. Wan't something good? Trade a quality D like Hannafin. Its the only place where we do have 3 more young options. You'll get quality for quallity in a trade but the forward lines need a quality BIG right hand shot.

I don't believe for a second he needs "to go" at all. I like Hannafin and hes an important top 4 defenseman but trading a core forward just leaves another hole. Hannafin has done nothing wrong but lots of teams want a guy like him and Valimaki is coming back, Kjillington can play bottom 6 and the coaches stated flat out Mackey will play in the NHL soon. We can resign either Forbort or Gustaffson cheap too.

My 2 bits.

[bluejays]

The one thing I think would be a good long term benefit would be to deal both Johnny (good contract to production ratio) and Monahan (same reason). You said one change, but if they're traded together for a retool based on high draft picks that could work.

[Hi-Psi]

Gaudreau and Monahan traded together in one deal. Preferably for current NHL players/prospects but picks would be OK too. You can't trade one without the other IMO.

[Azhouse]

Coach

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

Coach

Not singling you out.

8 teams left.

Tampa Bay, Boston, Colorado, Vancouver all have first time hired NHL Head Coaches and Dallas has a Head Coach who hasn’t been one in 16 years

They have given them time to develop..

Pretty good chance one of them will be a part of a Stanley Cup winner.

St. Louis did it last season with Berube.

You know what those teams have in common. They have high character top players that are accountable and thrive on being the best.

[Azhouse]

Agreed, but let’s face it ownership isn’t gutting this team. The OP asked for one change. I guess I could have said trade all the gutless players for better ones. I would like to see player changes but why can’t we have nice things like a proven winner and not all of these bargain basement retreads and first time head coaches.

I harken back to Sutter who took a scrappy group of nobodies to the final.

[TheSquatch]

I don't understand how coaching makes Monahan faster. I don't understand how coaching makes Gaudrea a mutli-dimensional threat carrying the puck over the blueline. I don't understand how coaching makes Forbort a good 6th. I don't understand how coaching, frankly, had anything to do with the Flames mediocre performance.

It's a mediocre team, because they draft in mediocre positions, and our highest all time draft hasn't panned out (elite 1c Sam B). He's not a bust, but he's not what we needed.

This team looks utterly, totally different, if Sam Bennett turns into a Ryan Getzlaf. The slotting is sooo much better, the lines all work.

So my answer is the team needs a forceful top center. You can't trade for those, it doesn't ever happen, so I expect another mediocre year.

Even the Flames up-and-comers, guys like Dube and Mangiapane, Anderssson... they are NHLers, legit, for-sure NHLers. But that's all, they aren't superstars. I love Rasmus Andersson, his attitude and his game, but he got undressed a few times in these playoffs because he's not super fast, he's not an elite skater. He's an NHL D-man, and hopefully a real good one. But he's not actually utterly top-caliber.

Not to say they don't have valuable pieces etc, but in just about every position, I'd say the Flames have players who are less than the best in the league (exception being Norris Gio 2 years ago, but he hasn't looked anything like that since, and this year he looked... pretty bad some times). I think we overvalue our players, anyone who shows a flash, we think "Oh my god this guy's AMAZING" but when the going gets tough, we are reminded "Oh this guy's pretty middle of the pack actually."

So I'd like to see a big upgrade at 1C, it makes life easier for everyone else on the team.

[Elkyiv]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

I don't understand how coaching makes Monahan faster. I don't understand how coaching makes Gaudrea a mutli-dimensional threat carrying the puck over the blueline. I don't understand how coaching makes Forbort a good 6th. I don't understand how coaching, frankly, had anything to do with the Flames mediocre performance.

It's a mediocre team, because they draft in mediocre positions, and our highest all time draft hasn't panned out (elite 1c Sam B). He's not a bust, but he's not what we needed.

This team looks utterly, totally different, if Sam Bennett turns into a Ryan Getzlaf. The slotting is sooo much better, the lines all work.

So my answer is the team needs a forceful top center. You can't trade for those, it doesn't ever happen, so I expect another mediocre year.

Even the Flames up-and-comers, guys like Dube and Mangiapane, Anderssson... they are NHLers, legit, for-sure NHLers. But that's all, they aren't superstars. I love Rasmus Andersson, his attitude and his game, but he got undressed a few times in these playoffs because he's not super fast, he's not an elite skater. He's an NHL D-man, and hopefully a real good one. But he's not actually utterly top-caliber.

Not to say they don't have valuable pieces etc, but in just about every position, I'd say the Flames have players who are less than the best in the league (exception being Norris Gio 2 years ago, but he hasn't looked anything like that since, and this year he looked... pretty bad some times). I think we overvalue our players, anyone who shows a flash, we think "Oh my god this guy's AMAZING" but when the going gets tough, we are reminded "Oh this guy's pretty middle of the pack actually."

So I'd like to see a big upgrade at 1C, it makes life easier for everyone else on the team.

There are 2 such centers up north and they're not any better. I'm not convinced that that's what is needed.

A great coach can get a lot out of a roster without superstars.

[Azhouse]

But the criteria for this thread is “a single change”. So I didn’t change Gaudreau for a multi- dimensional threat, plus trade Monahan for someone faster plus trade Forbort for a better #6. If I could only do “a single change” it would be the coach. Sheesh. Subjective and my opinion. A coach with experience and tactics would help this group.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Elkyiv

There are 2 such centers up north and they're not any better. I'm not convinced that that's what is needed.

A great coach can get a lot out of a roster without superstars.

Why didn’t Tippett? He is certainly experienced?

[Azhouse]

Tippet. Pffft.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by timbit

Why didn’t Tippett? He is certainly experienced?

Tippett got way more out that roster than most coaches would. Go look at the the preseason predictions and expectations for the oilers. The fact that they were headed to be a division playoff team is definitely an over achievement, and I'd put a lot of credit on tippet.

[Elkyiv]

Originally Posted by timbit

Why didn’t Tippett? He is certainly experienced?

experienced in losing

[dino7c]

The Oilers MVP (and supposedly league MVP) is on the ice for more goals against than for

there's your problem

[timbit]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Tippett got way more out that roster than most coaches would. Go look at the the preseason predictions and expectations for the oilers. The fact that they were headed to be a division playoff team is definitely an over achievement, and I'd put a lot of credit on tippet.

NO PLAYOFFS! Again.
Was Hitchcock no good either?

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by timbit

NO PLAYOFFS! Again.
Was Hitchcock no good either?

Were the flames even in a playoff spot (point %) at the season's end?

Oilers had a top PP, which is attributed to their big 2 C's, but they also had a top PK. That's coaching.