GDT: Calgary @ Vancouver 8 PM MT (SN/SN1)

[Tkachuk Norris]

What in the world all Monahan does is score. What is that 8 G in his last 8 games? and people still discredit him.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Why so long? It's basically the same team

I feel that way about every team. You look at the GPG in the NHL and it's always way higher at the start of the season because people aren't truly in the groove yet.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Wasnt impressed from what I saw. Lackluster effort by the skaters and Smith hasnt left me impressed in any way.

 

[CamPopplestone]

Hudler wasn't honestly that bad in his last year. His skating took a dive. But he still put up 40+ points didn't he? Comparable to his first two years here and his career numbers. Hudler was a 40-50 point second line winger we played on the top line due to chemistry/lack of options. His huge points year was an abberation, not the norm. Sure, he didn't score much that last year but he still put up assists.

Given a lot of contracts I was happy overall with his 4x4. Hudler delivered everything you could ask from his type of player as a Flame imo.

 

[JPeeper]

Some of the things that are bothering should be fixed by just playing more games, like Mike Smith's timing (plenty of top goalies this preseason are rocking sub .880 save percentages, ie. Price, Bobrovsky), and defensive pairings making errors. Brodie and Hamonic need time to build chemistry which will just take more games played. I'm hoping it won't take too long, but it should get better.

The thing that really annoys me (aside from Brouwer being anchored to Bennett no matter what) is the special teams. Our PP has looked awful all pre-season and outside of a couple of goals in the post season from Mony last year, it sucked last year too (first unit). I have no idea how it ended the year ranked so high because it never looked dangerous. If I recall it was a lot of 2nd unit goals from backlund and Hamilton which raised our PP up. Cameron needs to be fired, his pp set up is awful. First unit can never get zone entry because they HAVE to do the stupid bump back rather than just carry it in. And when they set up they got Brodie who isn't a legitimate threat from the point, Brouwer in front who sucks and loses every puck battle and Versteeg who is alright but shouldn't be the focal point.

And they won't change things up because they're hell bent on the same crap.

I'd love a PP unit of Monahan as the trigger man, Tkachuk in front, Dougie and Versteeg on the back and Gaudreau the focal point on the wall or point. Also Bennett getting no powerplay time while Brouwer it even Ferland does is criminal.

 

[King In The North]

We chased the puck way too much, and the forwards weren't where they were supposed to be when the D tried to outlet pass. Granted, they were just throwing the puck along the boards blindly.

On the powerplay, I like the quick 1-2 passes into the O-zone. Got a little pass-happy. Bennett looked good.

Everyone looks slow because we're just over committing on chasing the puck, they always seem 1-step behind in retrieving the puck.

I hope we play smarter right out the gate. I am tired of making excused for the first few games.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

What in the world all Monahan does is score. What is that 8 G in his last 8 games? and people still discredit him.

I don't think I've ever seen someone question Monahan's scoring ability. It's other areas that people overrate. As a goal scorer, he's very high end (I'd argue elite), and there's no debate about that.

Also, this game was barf-worthy. Seriously nothing redeeming about it from the Flames POV.

 

[King In The North]

I haven't seen Monahan grind in the corners much, they need him to do that and not just Ferland.

Monahan is pretty smart positionally on both ends.

 

[djpatm]

Saturday will be telling.

I'm done buying this Pre Season excuse at this point. The other team on the ice was also playing a pre season game.

I'm less excited for Wednesday now. I can't handle another blow out loss to the Oilers and if they play like that again two games from now, it's going to be ugly.

 

[Lunatik]

Saturday will be telling.

I'm done buying this Pre Season excuse at this point. The other team on the ice was also playing a pre season game.

I'm less excited for Wednesday now. I can't handle another blow out loss to the Oilers and if they play like that again two games from now, it's going to be ugly.

You don't understand what pre-season is for do you? It's not to go out and win games, it's to work on little things that will help you win games when the season starts. I cannot believe I have to regurgitate this every year because people still can't grasp that the point of the pre-season isn't to win games.

 

[Anglesmith]

Saturday will be telling.

I'm done buying this Pre Season excuse at this point. The other team on the ice was also playing a pre season game.

I'm less excited for Wednesday now. I can't handle another blow out loss to the Oilers and if they play like that again two games from now, it's going to be ugly.

It's hard to compare pre-season motivation level between teams in different situations. If you look around the league at other teams, you'll see that the Flames aren't the only ones having a poor pre-season.

I think the deal is that for teams that had a poor season the year before, or teams that have a lot of kids vying for jobs, you expect to see a lot of fire in their game to prove themselves individually and as a team.

Look, if the problem with this team right now is that the 3M line isn't good, that's not a realistic concern long-term. We know that they're good. They have enough track record for us to know that that problem plaguing us in the pre-season isn't going to be a major issue in the regular season. As just one example.

Legit concerns that we had from last year that haven't been assuaged by this preseason are the third line and powerplay. I would say. We were hoping that the third pairing would be improved by the emergence of a young guy to complement Stone, but even if it is Bartkowski, it will still be a third pairing better than Bartkowski+ a young guy last year. That pairing is going to be a lot more sheltered come the regular season.

The good news for us is that Gulutzan was mad at the team after last night's game. Basically said he's going to bag skate them and get them to increase their intensity. Should be a good effort on Saturday, and hopefully that eases concerns.

 

[djpatm]

If he's going to bag skate them, he clearly demanded a better effort from his team yesterday and they came out with that stinker. That's the concern.

Like I said, if they have another bad effort on Saturday, I'm guessing it's unlikely they will just snap out of it by Wednesday. I'm not worrying about the season, I'm specifically worrying about a bad start which I'm so f***ing sick of with this team.

 

[RedHot]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Hathaway - Stajan - Brouwer
Lazar - Hamilton

3 balanced lines who can score, a shutdown line, plus one liability line. Jankowski learns the league playing with Backlund and Frolik. Bennett gets proper linemates. Top line does top line things. And Jankowski can always move around in case of injuries or if things don't work out.

Bennett's development is more important then giving TB another shot. Because the two cannot co-exist on the same line.

 

[DomBarr]

whether the flames win or lose a preseason game really doesn't matter and when a team brings in a new set of goalies there is an adjustment period especially if a goalie interjects themselves into the D Zone exit and transition game that takes the team a while to get used to it and adjust their own habit.
However, when a team ices a line-up that has the 1st, 2nd and 3rd line forward lines most likely how they will line-up in the regular season the fans shouldn't be complaining about a lack of effort.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Hathaway - Stajan - Brouwer
Lazar - Hamilton

3 balanced lines who can score, a shutdown line, plus one liability line. Jankowski learns the league playing with Backlund and Frolik. Bennett gets proper linemates. Top line does top line things. And Jankowski can always move around in case of injuries or if things don't work out.

Bennett's development is more important then giving TB another shot. Because the two cannot co-exist on the same line.

Swap Bennett and Jankowski and I'm all about it.

 

[HighLifeMan]

My biggest concern to this point in the preseason is the play of Mark Giordano. At no point has he looked at all like himself. A slow start out of the gates for Giordano will be tough to overcome for this team. He needs to turn it "on" and in a hurry.

A few other thoughts ;

Tanner Glass is not needed on this team, he is not overly tough or intimidating and has poor puck skills. Garnett Hathaway can play that role significantly better as he is clearly a more talented hockey player.

I am not worried about Smith. The first goal was stoppable to be sure, but the remaining two can't be hung on him whatsoever. He is still trying to figure out the team in front of him, and he has always been a player who thrives when the games matter the most. Preseason hockey does not seem like something he is overly interested in getting up for.

Dougie Hamilton needs to be the trigger man on the powerplay. It blows my mind that we have arguably a top three - five offensive defensemen in the world and we elect not to use him on our top PP unit. He is an offensive catalyst with an absolute bomb of a shot that he can get through and on net with consistency. If he is once again third on the team in PP TOI/G for defensemen Gulutzen is doing something seriously wrong.

I hate to rag on the guy but for someone who has a ton to prove Troy Brouwer sure looks uninspired out there.

Last note.
Freddie Hamilton is not an NHL player.

 

[djpatm]

Gio is not the only slow starter. Hamilton and Brodie have seemed to stink up the joint for the first two months of the season too.

I fully expect a similar start to last year. There's just something with this core. They need a shot of life. Maybe a shot Jagr will do the trick?

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Or pick up Iginla and really go all in with the slow starters.

 

[Anglesmith]

We couldn't have gotten off to a worse start than we did last year, and we finished strong and played extremely well in the playoffs. So I find it hard to nod along with the notion that the team can't handle a bad start.

Obviously, a good start is better than a bad start, and under no circumstance is a bad start something we or the team should want. I'm just saying let's not pretend that it's the be all and end all.

 

[King In The North]

I wonder what the correlation is between the first 10 games and making the playoffs/playoff record.

Are the teams that go deep performing well right out of the gate?

 

[CraigsList]

Maybe I am the only one that thought Smith was decent. The first goal should have been saved by him, but the 2nd was a fluke deflection and the 3rd was a breakaway from tired defenseman. Hardly Smith's fault on those ones.

 

[Anglesmith]

I wonder what the correlation is between the first 10 games and making the playoffs/playoff record.

Are the teams that go deep performing well right out of the gate?

Well, I'm pretty sure Nashville was just as pedestrian as we were last season. 3-6-1 to start the season? Something like that.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Maybe I am the only one that thought Smith was decent. The first goal should have been saved by him, but the 2nd was a fluke deflection and the 3rd was a breakaway from tired defenseman. Hardly Smith's fault on those ones.

I'd agree on the 2nd, the waived off, and 3rd goals, but I missed the first one.

 

[Anglesmith]

I'd agree on the 2nd, the waived off, and 3rd goals, but I missed the first one.

So did Smith.

 

[Rangediddy]

I just hope Smith doesn't expect the defense to adjust to him playing the puck more rather than just fitting in to the existing system and only playing it when the opportunity is there. Last night he looked like he was making a effort to go out of his way to play the puck because so much focus was put on his ability and willingness when he got here. Like he's trying to show us what he's capable of rather than just making the right play.

The defense looked unsure of what he was going to do anytime he played the puck. Not a good approach.