The Deal With Geoff Ward

[bubbsy]

My take on ward still being coach is that ownership has come to terms that the team, and/or coach suck, and in a shortened year, no real benefit to making the playoffs vs not, they are happy to just ride this out for the season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

My take on ward still being coach is that ownership has come to terms that the team, and/or coach suck, and in a shortened year, no real benefit to making the playoffs vs not, they are happy to just ride this out for the season.

Truth

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The chart above shows their stats. They were 27th in shots against down the stretch but had the 9th best save percentage in the league, Talbot was great to end that season before Covid struck.

And a couple of things:

1) Peters said in the lead up to 19-20 that they were going to try to play a bit of a heavier style that they thought was more suited to success in the playoffs, so not making it up.

2) Its very clear from watching the games that the structure they play, especially in the defensive zone in how they collapse in front of their net and their breakout is a lot different to 18-19.

and to your last post - this team is not aggressive in the offensive zone at all and plays very passive under Ward in all three zones.

Does your chart account for how the game generally changes down the stretch at all? How games are generally tighter checking which is a disadvantage for the Flames as their top line generally feasts on run and gun, but can't ever seem to figure it out in the playoffs? I'd say the swing is pretty big when your first line looks like the Harlem Globe Trotters at times but when the calendar flips over they look like a 3rd grade gym class.

In regards to Peters, playing a so called "heavier" style doesn't mean they needed to completely revamp their systems. They had 50 wins the previous season, why would anyone completely trash a seemingly successful system? Playing heavier could've just meant finishing your checks more instead of flying by.

We're going to have to disagree on the defensive schema because I don't remember seeing a significant difference there. This team doesn't even struggle immensely when their defense is set and allowing lower percentage shots. This team struggles when they're turning pucks over due to the opposition's pressure or when they're being over aggressive in the offensive zone and not paying attention to the details or not being above the puck. This absolutely is an aggressive team offensively, that's why they give up the line so easily and get torched so much on odd man rushes.

[Pickle Juice]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Truth

Please!! If you have any bit of an investment out there, I don’t care how small or how large... if you don’t care how it goes, your not from planet earth! Money is the end all be all. It’s not just about this year it’s about the future of the flames.

Imagine as a fan being able to buy the team you love! If you think one owner doesn’t love their own team and doesn’t want them to win you are delusional. And if you think it’s about a million or 2 to chose a leader and they aren’t willing to do that? Again your messed? Everyone cares from the top down. Only one team wins every year and if it was that easy we all would have a job.

My blame is the coach in this instance and I pray BT makes a quick move!

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

The one number that jumps off the page is the team going from 1st in Goals/Game in the latter part of 18'-19', to 30th in the early part of '19-'20. Clearly, this kind of fluctuation doesn't happen spontaneously and must have been (at least partially) the result of them doing something different in response to the Colorado series.

I think what we can take away from it is that this core can only be at its best when it's playing the system it played in '18-'19. Whether that best is good enough to compete with the top teams in the NHL in the playoffs, is another conversation. However, going back to the '18-'19 style is probably the only hope this team has of salvaging this season.

I've been assuming that they don't actually know what they were doing differently then. Because if they do, it is insane not to go back to it.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

My take on ward still being coach is that ownership has come to terms that the team, and/or coach suck, and in a shortened year, no real benefit to making the playoffs vs not, they are happy to just ride this out for the season.

Unfortunately I agree. Going to be a long shortened season.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

My take on ward still being coach is that ownership has come to terms that the team, and/or coach suck, and in a shortened year, no real benefit to making the playoffs vs not, they are happy to just ride this out for the season.

And honestly this might go back to the offseason and why Ward was made full time head coach to start with.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Pickle Juice

Please!! If you have any bit of an investment out there, I don’t care how small or how large... if you don’t care how it goes, your not from planet earth! Money is the end all be all. It’s not just about this year it’s about the future of the flames.

Imagine as a fan being able to buy the team you love! If you think one owner doesn’t love their own team and doesn’t want them to win you are delusional. And if you think it’s about a million or 2 to chose a leader and they aren’t willing to do that? Again your messed? Everyone cares from the top down. Only one team wins every year and if it was that easy we all would have a job.

My blame is the coach in this instance and I pray BT makes a quick move!

Right.

And with no revenue coming in from attendance, the team will lose a LOT of money already this season (win or lose)....so now you want to pile onto those losses by getting rid of a guy you still have to pay to do a job your bringing someone else in, that will in all likelihood cost two or three times more? (Unless they just promote Edwards, Gelinas or Huska)

Im all about changing coaches at some point if it makes sense. IMO there are 2 reasons not to right now. Im still of the belief Jesus himself couldnt get what is needed out of this group...and financially it just doesnt make much sense.

[Iggy Snipe]

I feel bad for Geoff Ward, because he did a good job picking up the pieces last year, but should never have been put in this position. He is not a head coach, and the Flames built a roster they felt they could win with, and allowed a coach with zero experience to take the reins.

[Gaskal]

Well if that's the case, they should just pay Darryl five heads of cattle and a new tractor to come back and finish this season out.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Pickle Juice

Please!! If you have any bit of an investment out there, I don’t care how small or how large... if you don’t care how it goes, your not from planet earth! Money is the end all be all. It’s not just about this year it’s about the future of the flames.

Imagine as a fan being able to buy the team you love! If you think one owner doesn’t love their own team and doesn’t want them to win you are delusional. And if you think it’s about a million or 2 to chose a leader and they aren’t willing to do that? Again your messed? Everyone cares from the top down. Only one team wins every year and if it was that easy we all would have a job.

My blame is the coach in this instance and I pray BT makes a quick move!

I have no idea what any of this is trying to say in response to my post.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

My take on ward still being coach is that ownership has come to terms that the team, and/or coach suck, and in a shortened year, no real benefit to making the playoffs vs not, they are happy to just ride this out for the season.

No.

I think the chances that ownership has been involved in this in any way at all is very unlikely.

Fans want a change. And fans are always impatient. But Treliving isn't going to do anything off the cuff, he will continue to assess and manage the situation in the same deliberate manner that he always does.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

No.



I think the chances that ownership has been involved in this in any way at all is very unlikely.



Fans want a change. And fans are always impatient. But Treliving isn't going to do anything off the cuff, he will continue to assess and manage the situation in the same deliberate manner that he always does.

I think it's self preservation for Brad. He knows there's no way he gets to hire another coach. Though he's really in a no win situation for himself. If things keep going as is he's likely toast anyway.

[Gaskal]

Ok, so on top of him finally realizing the 4th line should be given like 5 min a night, he finally stopped doing the square peg in round hole thing and went back to lines that work. Defensemen (I guess at the very least Rasmus) were more aggressive in pinching. Middle of the ice was used in a few breakouts.

More progress!

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Ok, so on top of him finally realizing the 4th line should be given like 5 min a night, he finally stopped doing the square peg in round hole thing and went back to lines that work. Defensemen (I guess at the very least Rasmus) were more aggressive in pinching. Middle of the ice was used in a few breakouts.

More progress!

Yeah, the defence has been too passive this year. I absolutely expected Giordano to fall back a bit due to age, but he's our only other D than Anderson with more than 1 goal. For me it's absolutely inexcusable for a guy like Hanifin to have 0 goals and 3 assists in 22 games after they go out and get him a more steady stay at home partner to play with. This isn't Ken Daneyko who's going to stay in the league by kicking the crap out of 90% of opponents and seldom venturing outside his own zone to keep a job. This is a mobile guy who can take some chances. He's never going to be a 50 point guy, and I think he has a terrible shot....but he's been a 30 point guy, so theres no reason he can't still be a 30 point guy like he was 2 years ago. They need to get the defence more engaged in contributing to creating offence.

[Tkachukwagon]

Looking forward to this thread tomorrow

[Ashasx]

Who will Geoff blame the result on tonight?

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Who will Geoff blame the result on tonight?

We didn't bump back hard enough on the power play. If you do that properly it's unstoppable.unstoppable I tell you.

[jg13]

nvm

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Who will Geoff blame the result on tonight?

23rd game in 2 months of nights, gonna catch up to the boys.