Dear Murray Edwards, John Bean, Brad Treliving, Geoff Ward, Calgary Flames

[Classic_Sniper]

PROBLEM:

This is the Calgary Flames right now at this very moment:



The image above says everything about this Flames team right now, they are slowly but surely kill themselves every game via the neutral zone right now, on both sides of the ice. From turnovers on their own breakouts, to defending the opposition’s breakouts. As of this moment IMO, these are the 2 biggest short term issues with this team that need to be addressed ASAP.


DEALING WITH PRESSURE:
From what I’ve seen from the opposition, they either drop back to clog the neutral zone or they come back hard with a layered attack on their backcheck and the Flames are falling right into their trap every single time. The opposition wants this. They’re forcing long passes from the Flames that are getting easily picked off, flip passes cross ice that aren’t being cleanly received, rushing the puck up ice with little support and turning it over with ill-advised passes or when the opposition defense decides to step up. Enough with the tunnel vision already players; the skilled plays are rarely working because the back pressure is too hot, their gaps are too good and you're just not that talented. They need to start pulling back and make the easier play instead of trying to force low percentage plays that result in a turnover + an easy counter attack by the opposition. If nothing is there, restart, find the open ice that isn’t completely flooded with bodies and just take the path of least resistance because it’s there.


FORECHECK/BACKCHECK:
On the opposite side of things, the Flames are so late on the forecheck right now (aided partly by their awful neutral zone breakouts) that it’s actually hurting they way they can defend on the backcheck. They commit to an aggressive forecheck by sending F1 and F2 in deep, but without speed or any discernible pressure, it just ends up as an easy breakout for the opponent. Not only that, but they continue to shoot themselves in the foot further by sending in the F3 in an already futile forechecking effort allowing the opposition odd man rushes or the easiest of zone entries all because you left yourself completely vulnerable. There’s nothing wrong with just dropping back and going 1-2-2 most of the time and start feasting on other team’s turnovers. Being aggressive is fine at times, but when you’re playing no confidence and not working hard, this tactic won’t just fail, but it’ll hurt you.


Please fix these above problems and I believe this team can get back to playing competitive hockey instead of being blown out every second game. Talks about the future or what to do after this season can be had at another time, but the race for a playoff position is still very much in the balance. Just fix the above issues first so fans aren't subjected to any more torturous 60 minute efforts.

[kyuss275]

Not one of those four guys looks at Cp .

[Wastedyouth]

L. O. L.

[PegCityFlamesFan]

Hahaha. The endless threads weren't the answer. This personalized one will finally get their attention.

[bluejays]

Maybe this will inspire Eric Francis' next article.

[FlamesAddiction]

I’m not really down with criticizing the owners. They allowed management to spend to the cap and have also let them bury and buyout players. I could be wrong, but Edwards seems pretty hands off which isn’t a bad thing. Teams with meddling owners don’t always do well either.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I’m not really down with criticizing the owners. They allowed management to spend to the cap and have also let them bury and buyout players. I could be wrong, but Edwards seems pretty hands off which isn’t a bad thing. Team with meddling owners don’t always do well either.

Allowing the team to spend to the cap doesn't make a good owner. What's the direction? Was the push to win early and stay in the playoffs after 2015 from the top? What's the investment in other areas of the team? What's the investment in the coaching roles?

Our ownership seems pretty content with a little playoff revenue and getting their new arena.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Not one of those four guys looks at Cp .

Of course they do everyone does.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by nik-

Allowing the team to spend to the cap doesn't make a good owner. What's the direction? Was the push to win early and stay in the playoffs after 2015 from the top? What's the investment in other areas of the team? What's the investment in the coaching roles?

Our ownership seems pretty content with a little playoff revenue and getting their new arena.

Edwards hired people to take care of the direction and manage things. Sure, he should hold them accountable and I am sure he will.

Is there any evidence that he dictates anything? I’m not sure he even watches the Flames.

[pylon]

I wouldn't hold your breath on anything big anytime soon. These teams right now, I think are just on cruise control with all the uncertainty right now. If you are gonna crap the bed, you might as well do it in a season when there is next to no revenue coming in, you're gonna lose millions, and the playoff incentive is next to zero.

I think if you silently polled the GMs, players and owners in the league, you would be shocked at how much the IDGAF dial is cranked right now. They just want to get through this year, and put it in the vault.

Let's be honest, in a market like Calgary, they could bomb out this year, and if they put up a 10 game winning streak, and were .650 winning percentage by xmas 2021, nobody will remember the crap record, in the year without fans in the stands.

[PaperBagger'14]

Ok, nothing else has worked so let me try something too:

1) Geoff Ward clips his toe nails in the locker room

2) Brad Treliving farts before leaving elevators

3) John Bean went to his kids Christmas recital at school and booed the other kids

4) Murray Edwards cut off a cart return insert end that gives your loonie back and steals dollars from shoppers currently in the store

Feel free to expand on this

[Reggie Dunlop]

John Bean please read.

[1qqaaz]

I think the problem is bigger than forecheck/backcheck issues.

In the grand scheme of things, the Flames are a team that appears to strive for perpetual mediocrity. Mediocrity is the problem: the team can barely make the playoffs or barely miss it, seats are filled, and the status quo goes on. The team usually drafts between 10 and 20. Picks are spent on low quality rentals. The future is sacrificed, yet the team accomplishes nothing. High end coaches aren't necessary when striving for mediocrity. Neither are superstar talents.

At the end of the day, it's up to fans to stop filling the seats unless the team actually makes things exciting or promising.
Bean and Edwards aren't going to read this, but some fans still.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Not one of those four guys looks at Cp .

But they all talk to Craig Conroy, he'll spill the beans

[Huntingwhale]

Dear Murray Edwards,

Please fix the breakouts and have the Flames sustain pressure in the offensive zone.

Thanks,
CP

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by pylon

I wouldn't hold your breath on anything big anytime soon. These teams right now, I think are just on cruise control with all the uncertainty right now. If you are gonna crap the bed, you might as well do it in a season when there is next to no revenue coming in, you're gonna lose millions, and the playoff incentive is next to zero.

I think if you silently polled the GMs, players and owners in the league, you would be shocked at how much the IDGAF dial is cranked right now. They just want to get through this year, and put it in the vault.

Let's be honest, in a market like Calgary, they could bomb out this year, and if they put up a 10 game winning streak, and were .650 winning percentage by xmas 2021, nobody will remember the crap record, in the year without fans in the stands.

See, I think this is the perfect year to start a rebuild and blow it up. It has to happen as this team just isn't good enough so why not make on of those years when there is no gate revenue? Who knows how next year is going to be too, we have no idea when fans will be allowed back to games and really, I think fans are going to go to games as soon as they can regardless of the team on the ice.

This isn't a good year for the Flames, might as well take advantage of it. As for people saying this draft isn't good, I'm sure there's going to be a few good players to come out of it and I think teams are going to be a lot more willing to trade picks this year. IF we had a competent GM and scouting staff, I would try to get get picks and prospects this year to start the rebuild.

[10W30]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

But they all talk to Craig Conroy, he'll spill the beans

To be fair, Craig Conroy likely talks to THEM!

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I think the problem is bigger than forecheck/backcheck issues.

In the grand scheme of things, the Flames are a team that appears to strive for perpetual mediocrity. Mediocrity is the problem: the team can barely make the playoffs or barely miss it, seats are filled, and the status quo goes on. The team usually drafts between 10 and 20. Picks are spent on low quality rentals. The future is sacrificed, yet the team accomplishes nothing. High end coaches aren't necessary when striving for mediocrity. Neither are superstar talents.

At the end of the day, it's up to fans to stop filling the seats unless the team actually makes things exciting or promising.
Bean and Edwards aren't going to read this, but some fans still.

I don’t disagree, this is one biggest long term issues for this team. But we’ll have all spring, all summer, all off season to talk about that. In the short term though, because the playoffs are still a possibility with some of the teams faltering a bit and all the head to head matchups, the breakouts and forecheck/backcheck has to be addressed because it’s killing them every game.

This isn’t even specific to just one department, this is an everyone problem. It’s on the GM for not finding the right personnel, it’s on the coach for being too stubborn and it’s on the players for being lazy and not executing. If these 3 vital cogs are just stuck on rinse and repeat and us fans are subjected to this win one night, blowout loss the other night for the rest of the season, then John Bean or Murray Edwards should step in and end the misery already.

[GioforPM]

Y’all realize Edwards is one of 5 owners, right? While I believe he’s got the largest stake, and he’s the chairman, I would imagine he doesn’t have an outright majority. So he’s not gonna be hands on as you might think.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by pylon

I wouldn't hold your breath on anything big anytime soon. These teams right now, I think are just on cruise control with all the uncertainty right now. If you are gonna crap the bed, you might as well do it in a season when there is next to no revenue coming in, you're gonna lose millions, and the playoff incentive is next to zero.

I think if you silently polled the GMs, players and owners in the league, you would be shocked at how much the IDGAF dial is cranked right now. They just want to get through this year, and put it in the vault.

Let's be honest, in a market like Calgary, they could bomb out this year, and if they put up a 10 game winning streak, and were .650 winning percentage by xmas 2021, nobody will remember the crap record, in the year without fans in the stands.

Couldn't agree more.