How does this team always so confused to start the year?
Why is Gaudreau playing dump and chase?
Why is Ferland on the top line?
Why is Brodie playing on the wrong side even though its clear he ****ing sucks on that side?
These are the questions we need to answer.
For what it's worth, I agree with you about how frustrating it is that Gaudreau looks great in every situation except with the Flames. Looks great at the ASG, looks great at the WC, then looks different with the Flames. I'm not quick to look for a reason for that in the system we're playing, though, nor for his linemates, because unlike Bennett, he wasn't pulling his weight as far as moving his feet goes.
Systematically, the Flames' forwards were really not skating when they had the puck last night. I don't think there's a system in the world that has that as a central feature. "Hey guys, I know you want to skate and make plays, but it's important that we don't move our feet too much when we have the puck. Remember to just glide until an Oiler comes to help you out." Doesn't happen.
The only thing I can think is that maybe our wingers were drawn in too much in the defensive end. They were obviously protecting the slot, and it worked really well. Over the whole game, the Oilers had basically McDavid breakaways and point shots. They got the first goal on a cycle play where the Flames were dog tired, turned it over, and lost their composure, but that was an isolated incident and overall there were few quality chances for the Oilers from zone play. But the downside to that is that their blueliners are constantly open, our wingers have to do a lot of skating in the defensive zone between their guy and the slot, and when we do get the puck, we have to wait for the wingers to skate forward before there is a breakout option. I'm not sure how the system demands that breakouts work, but it seemed a hell of a lot more difficult for our team to turn a turnover into a breakout than for the Oilers, which these last couple of years has been the hallmark of games we lose.
There were startlingly few times we had Gaudreau actually skating in space with the puck, with some freedom to move. Gotta find a way to make that happen more often. But the track record of this team is such that I have no doubt that it will happen.
