Calgary Flames

[Shift Disturber]

Well, after the shit-show in Detroit, and the slow start in Philly, this team has put together five solid periods in a row. Tonight may have been their best game.

Doubly sweet is the Coilers continue to play down to their namesake.

[newper114]

random post but wow is Johnny Hockey good or what!

good to see Tkachuk with 2 assists this game also.

[rataylor22]

I would first switch the Hams, and go Gio-Hamonic, Brodie-Hamilton. See if that works. Every player seems to play their best hockey with Gio, so see if he can get Hamonic back on track. Failing that, it's time for the dumb dumb behind the bench to stop pretending he knows how to make NHLer's better by switching their postitions, and put Brodie back on the right side where he's always been better and more comfortable.

[Bass56]

Mike Smith, eh? What a good addition for the team! Made my night with his latest SO!

[mike hall]

I hate calling for anyone's head, because these are people with real jobs and real families, but Gulutzan is in over his head and needs more seasoning in the minors before he's ready to be an NHL coach again. They are basically wasting career years from Gaudreau and Smith.
Brodie is completely lost.
Bennett, although playing better recently, is having the worst season of his young career.
Hamilton is a legit stud d-man, but you wouldn't know it watching him on this team. Brouwer is on the #1 powerplay unit. BROUWER.
The Backlund line, once a formidable possession line, is getting worse every game but will seemingly never be split up for some reason.
Hamonic is playing without any confidence, and maybe it's because he's caught Brodie disease - I'm not sure - but Hamonic is just not playing like the guy they acquired.

There are some good points too. It's fun watching Gaudreau, as he's elevated himself to another level with his acceleration and play-making. Perhaps most importantly, he's seemingly reduced his turnover fetish somehow.
And, of course, MVP Mike Smith so far - let's just hope they don't burn him out, because he's been terrific.
Monahan and Gio remain solid as always, and Tkachuk often looks more and more like the steal of his draft.
And Kudos to Jankowski for turning himself from "project" into legit NHL Top 9 forward with upside.

Beyond those 6 guys though, this team is a train wreck and if/when those guys slump, it's going to be a sad stretch for Flames fans. I can't help but think, given the team on paper, that a legitimate stud coach (e.g. Tippett) will get more out of this group consistently.

What are the chances of a Gm firing the coach he hired? Isn't it usually GM gets fired and the new GM brings in a coach of his liking? I agree i never liked gulatzan and specially Dave Cameron.

The biggest question mark is how or why Brouwer is on the first PP unit it's nuts. Why hasn't bennett been giving that opportunity

[rataylor22]

What are the chances of a Gm firing the coach he hired? Isn't it usually GM gets fired and the new GM brings in a coach of his liking? I agree i never liked gulatzan and specially Dave Cameron.

The biggest question mark is how or why Brouwer is on the first PP unit it's nuts. Why hasn't bennett been giving that opportunity

Jim Rutherford fired Mike Johnston, while the Penguins were having a winning season and in a playoff spot but not playing well. Gulutzan was the wrong hire from the start, still is, but I don't see him going anywhere.

[JagrBomb]

I hate calling for anyone's head, because these are people with real jobs and real families, but Gulutzan is in over his head and needs more seasoning in the minors before he's ready to be an NHL coach again. They are basically wasting career years from Gaudreau and Smith.
Brodie is completely lost.
Bennett, although playing better recently, is having the worst season of his young career.
Hamilton is a legit stud d-man, but you wouldn't know it watching him on this team. Brouwer is on the #1 powerplay unit. BROUWER.
The Backlund line, once a formidable possession line, is getting worse every game but will seemingly never be split up for some reason.
Hamonic is playing without any confidence, and maybe it's because he's caught Brodie disease - I'm not sure - but Hamonic is just not playing like the guy they acquired.

There are some good points too. It's fun watching Gaudreau, as he's elevated himself to another level with his acceleration and play-making. Perhaps most importantly, he's seemingly reduced his turnover fetish somehow.
And, of course, MVP Mike Smith so far - let's just hope they don't burn him out, because he's been terrific.
Monahan and Gio remain solid as always, and Tkachuk often looks more and more like the steal of his draft.
And Kudos to Jankowski for turning himself from "project" into legit NHL Top 9 forward with upside.

Beyond those 6 guys though, this team is a train wreck and if/when those guys slump, it's going to be a sad stretch for Flames fans. I can't help but think, given the team on paper, that a legitimate stud coach (e.g. Tippett) will get more out of this group consistently.

They have a loaded top line and arguably one of the best D groups in the league, makes sense that Smith is doing great.

But the rest of the forwards are pretty average. This team doesn't have the forward depth to go far in the playoffs, if they even make it all.

[bondon]

Question for the resident Calgary Flames fans:

What are your thoughts on the structure and style that the Flames are playing under right now? Asking because I drafted Smith very confidently this year because I believed the Flames had the best d group on paper...things haven't really looked that way. It seems like outside of the top line the rest of the team isn't doing so hot.

If you were coach for the day what would you change?

[Axeman33]

The D may not be impressing you as much as you wished but Smith has been everything the Flames had hoped for so for IMO. He's been excellent most games for the Flames.

[kgray]

I only caught highlights of the game but Gaudreau set of two easy tap-ins that were missed by his line-mates - impressive stuff. I liked the shootout goal but I understand your point - borderline call.

[Shift Disturber]

Well here we are - out of the playoffs and good portion of our future mortgaged. No 1st and 2nd this year, no 2nd and 3rd in 2019. It is looking more likely that the 1st given up for Hamonic will be a lottery pick, albeit low probability of a top three...I've already been playing with the draft lottery simulator. The Oilers' collapse has partially hidden the disaster 180 miles south.

At the very least the coach needs to go. Gulutzan has failed to get the best out of this team (I have to hope they're better than this) and has failed to adapt when the results have clearly called for it. The bizarre loyalty to Brouwer is just one problem...dismal powerplay, mediocre PK, lack of production from the bottom 6, Bennett not developing even though he's getting top 6 exposure and PP time. They scoop up never-been Chris Stewart and Gulutzan remarks about his big-body veteran presence....great, another one, just what we need...how many more times are they going to dip into that dry well?

I was a fan of Treliving but I am starting to have serious doubts about his judgement. Why load up on marginal d-men for the long term when there are two budding stars on the farm and one in junior and one more in college? At least he had the sound judgement to not move one of them for a washed up rental.

I don't know if this team needs an overhaul or just a few tweaks...any insights out there?

[Zorro]

I would think a few tweaks and definitely a healthy Mike Smith is needed.. Any team who loses their starting goalie and lacks a capable backup is bound to struggle..

[Taco97]

This team majorly bungled the trade deadline - ouch.

[Shift Disturber]

This team majorly bungled the trade deadline - ouch.

How so? What should they have done?

[Shift Disturber]

I would think a few tweaks and definitely a healthy Mike Smith is needed.. Any team who loses their starting goalie and lacks a capable backup is bound to struggle..

For sure, but this was a failing of the GM. He seems to be the only one who didn't realize that Eddie Lack was no longer an NHL goalie. To bring him in as the backup, with only two prospects goalies behind him in the organization, was an invitation to failure. Mike Smith is 35 - was it realistic to expect him to play 65 games, and then be ready for the playoffs?