Q&A with Gulutzan

[sureLoss]

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...uring-forwards

WG: On the flip side, what is the greatest challenge for the 2017-18 campaign?

GG: “The challenge, for sure, is managing expectations. We weren’t a 5-10-1 team to start last year, and we weren’t a 16-5 team to end. We finished with 94 points. I think, realistically, we can do better than that. But to make a jump from 77 to 94 to 118 isn’t realistic. So we have to manage that expectation. Our goal is we think we could be a 100-point club. That’s kind of what I think a lot about in the summer — trying to manage that expectation but also have something in mind that we think we could be.”

WG: What sort of homework does a coach do during the off-season on some of his new roster additions — guys like Mike Smith and Eddie Lack and Travis Hamonic?

GG: “I have to give credit to my assistant coaches. Jordan Sigalet has been in constant contact with both goalies and been watching them at goalie camps that the NHL guys go to. He’s spent time with them. Paul Jerrard, at a skill development camp in Winnipeg, he got to see Travis Hamonic skate in the summer. So we’ve touched base with our new guys and kept in contact with our old guys. We feel, with the work we did in May and that we’re doing now, we have a real good grip on the players we have.”

WG: Let’s stick with Hamonic for a second … How do you expect him to complement his likely defence partner T.J. Brodie?

GG: “I think No. 1 is he can certainly play the same up-style game that Brods can. If you look at Travis, he’s a really good skater. He’s not void of offence, however, I think he’s going to be more of an anchor there that can really let Brods skate and move and play his game. I think there’s going to be a lot of predictability for T.J. and I think that’s going to open him up to play a real in-the-play, tight-gap, in-your-face, big-time skating game. And T.J. also has another year of playing on the left side under his belt, which gives him 82 games of an adjustment, and he’s got another right-handed partner. I think that stability is going to help T.J. tremendously.”

WG: How does a young guy — whether it’s American Hockey League all-star Mark Jankowski or first-round pick Juuso Valimaki or any of the others — really impress his boss during camp?

GG: “The one beauty is, if you look at it … You can look at who’s pencilled in, so to speak. At our D, there’s a spot. You look at forward, with the guys that we have now, there’s some room. There’s room to add somebody. So I think this year is going to be one of the most competitive camps. Because if I’m a young player with the Calgary Flames who’s scored 20 goals in the American League or has had a great junior year or signed as a depth player, I’m looking at it and saying, ‘You know what? There is some availability here, and it’s going to go to the guy who earns it.’ So I’d be excited if I was a young guy. That’s not always the case in this league. You guys can do the math on both those positions — there is some room.”

other tidbits:
Ferland expected to start on the top line with JG and SM (pending on how he shows up at camp of course). Also hoping that some young guy will come to camp and surprise.
expects Lazar to play both C and wing in the beginning
says to take Bennett in your pools as Sam had a good summer and GG expects him to take a big leap this year

[Bingo]

Very good sign that Bennett is mentioned twice ... first in getting quicker, then again as his pick for the guy to have a jump in production this year.

Additional mentions to Monahan, Lazar and Tkachuk for having good summers.

[Huntingwhale]

I love the quote about Tkachuk training with Gary Roberts. Beast mode, engaged!

[bax]

Man, the season can not get going soon enough

[Strange Brew]

So Hamonic will be an anchor. That choice of words gave me a chuckle. He's definitely looking to Hamonic to improve Brodie's game and production this year.

[Enoch Root]

Brodie wasn't as active in the rush last year, and a lot of people blamed Gulutzan. I think there were two other factors that were bigger: lack of familiarity with the system and with playing the left side, and; lack of trust in his defensive partners.

I know some won't agree with me on the second point, but as a defenseman, I always adjusted the way I played, based on who my partner was and the style they played. If I played with a guy that always rushed and pinched, I played back more. If I played with a guy that sucked defensively, I played more conservatively. You have to.

I think with Hamonic, and with it being year two on the left side with Gulutzan, that we will see the re-emergence of Brodie this year.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Brodie wasn't as active in the rush last year, and a lot of people blamed Gulutzan. I think there were two other factors that were bigger: lack of familiarity with the system and with playing the left side, and; lack of trust in his defensive partners...

Yeah, I think Gulutzen basically affirms this in saying that Brodie will benefit from Hamonic's "predictability." I read that as an implicit indictment of his defense partners from last year.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Yeah, I think Gulutzen basically affirms this in saying that Brodie will benefit from Hamonic's "predictability." I read that as an implicit indictment of his defense partners from last year.

Sans Stone.

Edit: Sandstone?

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

So Hamonic will be an anchor. That choice of words gave me a chuckle. He's definitely looking to Hamonic to improve Brodie's game and production this year.

That and "predictability" for Brodie made me laugh.

[Gaskal]

Interesting story about all the ECHL Wranglers players burning through their cash in Vegas so fast they'd show up at every (crappy) team meal. No wonder the GK management are so intent on players taking up residence away from the Strip and spending as much time around the arena as possible.

[Erick Estrada]

I'm interested in the Sigalet goaltender relationships and how it plays out on the ice. There's a lot of pressure for the goaltending to improve this season (this team is not going to get to 100 points if goaltending is below average again) as we simply haven't seen that since Sigalet joined the team. I think this season will go a long way to determining if he's part of the solution or part of the problem. Hopefully it's the former not the latter.

[Love]

Gulutzen sounds like a great coach. I love all of the mentions he gives of keeping in contact with his guys even throughout the offseason.

[Fire]

Hopefully fans won't be calling for his head after the first 5 games like last season if the Flames get off to a slow start.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Fire

Hopefully fans won't be calling for his head after the first 5 games like last season if the Flames get off to a slow start.

I'll give him 15 games.

No excuses this year

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Brodie wasn't as active in the rush last year, and a lot of people blamed Gulutzan. I think there were two other factors that were bigger: lack of familiarity with the system and with playing the left side, and; lack of trust in his defensive partners.

I know some won't agree with me on the second point, but as a defenseman, I always adjusted the way I played, based on who my partner was and the style they played. If I played with a guy that always rushed and pinched, I played back more. If I played with a guy that sucked defensively, I played more conservatively. You have to.

I think with Hamonic, and with it being year two on the left side with Gulutzan, that we will see the re-emergence of Brodie this year.

I hope so. This team goes as Thomas James Brodie goes.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Fire

Hopefully fans won't be calling for his head after the first 5 games like last season if the Flames get off to a slow start.

I would have to think another slow start would be a major disappointment for the organization as well as fans. Certainly not worthy of calling for his head but starting off the season strong is something this organization needs to figure out if they are going to meet their goals. This is on the players as much as the coaches as these guys need to be sharper to start the season as guys like Gio and Monahan seem to be perennial slow starters.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm interested in the Sigalet goaltender relationships and how it plays out on the ice. There's a lot of pressure for the goaltending to improve this season (this team is not going to get to 100 points if goaltending is below average again) as we simply haven't seen that since Sigalet joined the team. I think this season will go a long way to determining if he's part of the solution or part of the problem. Hopefully it's the former not the latter.

At the same time, it's not exactly like Sigalet has been given a dynamic duo to work with. It's another pair of goalies covered in question marks and concerns, just like last season.

We'll see how it plays out. If the goalies finish middle of the pack in save %, I'll consider it a success.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I hope so. This team goes as Thomas James Brodie goes.

That's a fairly ridiculous claim. No single player will define the season, good or bad. He's our #3 d-man getting paid 4 and some change - he's not our saviour, and he's not asked to be.

This team goes as far as the entire 22(23?)-man roster will carry it.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I hope so. This team goes as Thomas James Brodie goes.

Certainly hope this team's success isn't tied to their 3rd best defenceman!

[calumniate]

A coach talking hockey pools.. classic!