The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[Backlunds_socks]

Originally Posted by RichKlit

Your relentless.

Originally Posted by fotiou22

Huh?

Originally Posted by Bingo

Look above

After the 10-game winning streak last year the flames went

6 wins and 7 losses, followed by 4 straight losses in the playoffs.

Proceeding that, this year, they are 6 and 6.

Where is the progress?

[sa226]

The progress is over by the cherry tree you're picking from.

Why do people keep bringing up the 10 game win streak, like the team went 10-72-0 last season?

What was the record from December on? January on? After the all Star break?

This is a complete guess based on my anecdotal experience watching this team. Gulutzans system seems to be a "thinking" system, for lack of a better word. It requires positioning and being on the correct side of the puck. Hartley's system was a reaction system, quick transitions and go. It required a considerable amount of time for the team to figure it out last year, but once they did away tbey went.

Fast forward to this year, I think they took it for granted that the system would come second nature, so we saw things like the loosey goosey Winnipeg game and winning despite not playing very well. The coach cracked the whip, then they went into a 4 to 5 game slide where they not only lost, but lost in a frustratingly boring fashion, but I think they were hunkering down to try and play the way they are supposed to.

Now they are starting to come out on the positive end of it. Last night they played a good game, they seem to be doing things second nature, rather than over thinking it.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see them going on a little bit of a run now.

I don't think its any coincidence that the team's smartest players have been the best. Gaudreau, Monahan, Backlund, Giordano. The lesser players and some of the newbies will come to.

This doesn't defend weird personnel decisions, or putrid special teams and discipline.

Some are acting like this is a broken team, destined for crappiness, I contend that this a better version of the team that went on the second half surge last year, they just need to get their crap together. And they are.

[Robbob]

108 to 92. That is the High scoring chances against through 12 comparing last year to this year.

[Party Elephant]

Can we rename the thread "Fire Gulutzan/Give Him Coach of the Year" again like we did last year?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

After the 10-game winning streak last year the flames went

6 wins and 7 losses, followed by 4 straight losses in the playoffs.

Proceeding that, this year, they are 6 and 6.

Where is the progress?

Well if you're going to ignore everything everyone says then I can cherry pick too.

Flames are unbeaten since Friday at 9:48PM

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bax

Grubauer played a great game, not to mention the Flames hit 3 posts.

The power play had lots of good looks for their limited opportunities. Unlucky to not get one.

Single game save percentage? You can’t be serious with this stuff?

Johnny did Johnny things but Bennett, Brouwer, and the 3M line all had god chances. Every team relies on their best player to create offense.

10 minutes for the 4th line? Since when is this an issue? This is commonplace in the NHL especially considering players on our 4th line are also penalty killers.

Grasping at straws here. What I don’t understand is why so many posters want to roll the dice on a new coach and having the team learn a new system in the middle of the season. That alone would probably sink our season. Our odds are much better to ride it out with GG and see if we can get back to being a dominant team. Last night was a step towards that.

If you can’t stand how Gulutzan coaches that’s fine, but even then replacing him in the off season is a much better idea than doing it now.

4 posts and a cross bar, by my count

and yeah, Grubauer was the reason the game was close - the Flames were dominant from start to finish

wanting Gulutzan gone is a valid opinion, but that poster is letting it blind him to everything else around him

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Well first I never equated Calgary and Edmonton.

I just said if I'm going to give the Oilers the benefit of the doubt for their underlying numbers I'm certainly going to do the same if there are stats that look similar for the Flames.

Additionally I talked about how they are trending a certain way, so showing season totals doesn't really do the trick.

First 6 Games
4-2-0
GF/GA - 17-17
CF% 5on5 - 49.6%
CF% All Situations - 47.8%
HDCF% 5on5 - 45.7%
HDCF% All Situations - 47.7%
Shooting Percentage 5on5 - 6.6%
Shooting Percentage All Situations - 9.0%

Last 6 Games
2-4-0
GF/GA - 10-16
CF% 5on5 - 53.5%
CF% All Situations - 53.1%
HDCF% 5on5 - 58.3%
HDCF% All Situations - 57.4%
Shooting Percentage 5on5 - 5.9%
Shooting Percentage All Situations - 5.3%

I see a team playing better but squeezing their sticks. Don't think that's much of a reach either.

Great post Bingo. And those stats match the eye test.

One difference last night vs the prior games though, was that they were shooting more, and crashing the net. If they keep doing that, the goals will come. Also, 4 posts and a crossbar. And Bennett was robbed on a goal mouth scramble. Then there was Brouwer's post on the breakaway.

It will come.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Robbob

108 to 92. That is the High scoring chances against through 12 comparing last year to this year.

So 92 is this year? Also, source?

[JFK]

I'll admit to being pretty wishy-washy about GG but how much better could our PP be if you take Versteeg off and just load it with our top players.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Brodie - - - - Versteeg

should be

Tkachuk - Monahan - Gaudreau
Giordano - - - - Hamilton

Gaudreau would have more options and more time on his off wing on the powerplay. Hamitlon might not have the hardest shot but he's got the most accurate and quick wrist shot on the team from the backend. Tkachuk deserves a larger role and allows more controlled board work with him on the first unit.

The Flames aren't the most talented group in the NHL but they're much better then Versteeg and Brouwer on the first PP unit.

[Backlunds_socks]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Well if you're going to ignore everything everyone says then I can cherry pick too.

Flames are unbeaten since Friday at 9:48PM

IM to micro picking stats.

Win losses are macro over a large period of time

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by jayswin

So is it the players and not the coaching when everything is working and we're winning? Or does it become good coaching at that point?

I think it depends on a number of things, including the background of the situation.

It was widely reported and acknowledged by the players last year that they struggled to understand the new system of Gulutzan and were having troubles executing, until the new year.

If you believe that, between then and now, what changed? Do we think the system has changed? Seems doubtful to me.

Has the coaching staff become crappy in less than a year? Probably not.

Have the players forgot the system? Doubtful as well.

For me, all of the background seems to indicate that this is a matter of not executing. Only my opinion though, and understand of course if you and others see things differently.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

IM to micro picking stats.

Win losses are macro over a large period of time

Huh?

If you're saying my sample size is small I think you missed the joke.

[Passe La Puck]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Huh?

If you're saying my sample size is small I think you missed the joke.

Not to derail thread (if that's possible)...but that is the ultimate statistical dis "your sample size is so small..."

[Backlunds_socks]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Huh?

If you're saying my sample size is small I think you missed the joke.

You are looking at micro stats, the macro stat in hickey would be goals, points, wins, losses.

[wired]

I have to follow my own advice and move on.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Ahhh finally, the semantics of micro versus macro stats. We're finally delving into the important conversations regarding hockey

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

You are looking at micro stats, the macro stat in hickey would be goals, points, wins, losses.

Statistics 201

Actually it's how many red marks are on your neck.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

So 92 is this year? Also, source?

Yeah, 92 this year. From :

https://www.naturalstattrick.com

[Backlunds_socks]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

Ahhh finally, the semantics of micro versus macro stats. We're finally delving into the important conversations regarding hockey

Lulz true

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

You are looking at micro stats, the macro stat in hickey would be goals, points, wins, losses.

Like it or not "micro" stats are telling.

A team on a win streak with terrible underlying numbers usually (not always) stumbles. Whereas a team that is sputtering with good underlying numbers usually turn it around.