Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
I think the biggest problem defensively is that the D back in so far that they allow the attacking player to walk right into the slot to take a shot. It's astounding how far they back in without pressuring the attacker.
There are other issues of course, but this one drives me insane. Especially since it is the exact opposite of what Gulutzan said his system would be when he was hired.
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This. This SOOOO much.
I shake my head at people who call Hartley's system terrible defensively. I criticized it because I thought it was too passive, and thought that Gulutzan (as both Enoch and I seem to remember) was going to bring in a more aggressive defensive system. Have the Flames been better defensively under Gulutzan, especially when you keep in mind the massively upgraded D? I also think the forwards under Hartley were better defensively and would rotate with less errors when defencemen pinched.
The defence this team has is sick. I don't care what people are saying. This is a back-end full of thoroughbreds, and Kulak coming out this year and being so damn poised with the puck was one of the highlights for me this season.
Gulutzan has almost nullified the defencemen. He is not making as much use of them offensively like Hartley did. He is not getting them to play better defence than Hartley.
Hartley's passive shot-blocking was REASONABLY effective, but I thought that it had a lot of room for improvement. Hartley made sure the defencemen were clogging-up the lanes, but allowed more shots from the outside (so systematically, it looked worse than it really was in advanced metrics). As soon as a defencemen got it, they moved the puck up the ice - not backwards, not D-D-D.... UP THE ICE. Brodie was a GOD under this system. Flames learned to place their sticks in lanes at all times as well.
Gulutzan has removed the shot-blocking. Makes defencemen instead slide by the goalie (I don't find this horrible - but then they get out of position if they don't actually stop the puck, and give up a grade A chance). I find Gulutzan's system seems even more passive at contesting the zone entry. They don't block, but they do chase a bit more - but then they seem to get drawn out of position more, giving up a grade-A chance at times.
It isn't tighter defensively. Yes, they allow a tonne less shots, but they seem to allow grade A scoring chances. I am not going to say they are high-danger chances - that is a discredit to how good these chances are - breakaways, uncontested tap-ins, etc. Shooters having time and space in home plate.
Give me a coach that will use what the strength of this team is - Defence. Give me a coach that can get this team to play well in their end AND still have that quick transition game that this assembled D-corps is tailor-made for.
People say that Hartley's Flames making the playoffs was a 'fluke year'. No. Look at the season before that. Look at why Ward picked them to make the playoffs the following year. Most 1 goal games. How many times did they get blown out? Cali on this board even picked them (and got mocked) to make the playoffs that year. They played well defensively, and were starting to create this lethal transition game. Doubly impressive considering the actual fricken roster that people seem to forget.
This isn't a "I wish Hartley was still here". This is meant to be a damning statement that Hartley was let-go so that this team could improve. The talent has greatly improved (especially in net). The Division has gotten worse. We should have seen the Flames comfortably in a playoff position this year. How then, does it feel like Gulutzan has been a step-down from Hartley? DEFENSIVELY!
Want an interesting stat to chew on?
2013-14 Calgary Flames
GA/G - 2.90
2017-18 Calgary Flames
GA/GP - 2.95
Ok, so scoring is up. That 2013 Flames team was 7th last, and this year's is 16th last. It is difficult to compare years across the board. However, you are looking at a fricken rebuilding team with a patchwork of defencmen. Giordano playing as a #1 for the first time in his career. Brodie coming out of nowhere. Russell - a waiver wire clear who the Flames traded for - on the 2nd pairing. Wideman 'can't play defence' was playing great defensively. No shut-down line (Backlund was still only really emerging as shut-down center, and there was nobody else). Stajan was the #1 center, and he only played 63 games!
That team was allowing less GA/GP than this year's version. That's pretty atrocious when you think about. Factor this in:
Karri Ramo
Reto Berra
Joey MacDonald
Joni Ortio
These were your goalies that year. Fresh from the KHL Ramo adjusting to the NHL rink, I may add.
Anyone that wants to say that this defensive structure has been more sound than it was under Hartley needs to dig a little deeper.
Still not convinced? How about Shots Against per game played?
2013-14 Flames:
28.6 shots against/game. That was 8th BEST in the NHL.
2017-18 Flames:
31.4 shots against/game. 10th best in the NHL.
Again, the Flames are allowing more shots, even though Hartley's system was designed to give-up those low-percentage perimeter shots. They also fell 2 spots in the rankings. Once again, that is a comparison between this team and the 4th worst team in the NHL - a rebuilding year.
The results don't add up. This was supposed to be a strong possession team (which it most definitely is) that is stingy giving up chances (which it most definitely isn't), and who could move the puck so fast.
Instead, we get a team that has a strong possession game and not much else. They are arguably WORSE at playing defence.
I really have to illustrate this to really make the point hit home. Here are the 2013-14 Calgary Flames defencemen, including the games played:
64 - Giordano
81 - Brodie (his second full season at the age of 23)
68 - Russell
46 - Wideman
82 - Butler
56 - Smid
14 - Wotherspoon
10 - Billins
45 - Shane O'Brien
9 - Breen
14 - Derek Smith
4 - Cundari
Take a long look at those names. Remember them playing? Remember how fricken terrible some of those names were? Please compare them to this year's roster, and try to rationalize why that group allowed LESS shots on net. Please tell me how Hartley's inept defensive system was the 10th best in the NHL at limiting the puck reaching the goalies that year.
Anyone that thinks that the Flames have a better coach with a better system need to take another look - offensively AND defensively.
Massively upgraded team vs a rebuilding team. The numbers aren't far off. Some numbers were actually better for that rebuilding squad.
Gulutzan has to go. Flames need a coach that is better than Hartley, not worse. Flames have worse now. That's reality, especially when considering you have a massively upgraded and more experienced roster from the forwards to the defence to the goaltending. Massively upgraded, massively more experienced. Much less turn-over and injuries too to really drive this point home.
. I highly doubt we can sign Johnny T, but that's what it will take to make this season feel better.
