GDT: Flames @ Philly, the Forgotten Game - 5 PM MT, SNET-W

[StreakingRed]

Liked what I saw from Hathaway.

Oooooo baby.
Let's get us some Matthews.

 

[Dertell]

At least it's safe to say now that Nakladal/Wotherspoon are a pretty good bottom pair. Seems like I might've been wrong about the latter.

Hope Jokipakka won't ruin it.

 

[BigRangy]

Can't wait to draft Dubois at 4.

 

[Johnny GODreau]

Can't wait to draft Laine at 2.

Fixed.

 

[Gritty]

Can't wait to draft Dubois at 4.

Absolutely!

It's looking statistically likely that we will have one of the top 5! (4. Dubois 5. Chychrun for me).
Should be a pivotal draft/offseason for this franchise.

 

[BigRangy]

Fixed.

That's the dream, but the Flames aren't finishing in 30th. (I Hope)

 

[AgeOfBennett]

RIP Tyler Wotherspoon career.

That's actually incredibly impressive.

Edit: Well the tweet you posted was, didn't seem to quote it with what you said

 

[SKRusty]

At least it's safe to say now that Nakladal/Wotherspoon are a pretty good bottom pair. Seems like I might've been wrong about the latter.

Hope Jokipakka won't ruin it.

Well in a little over a week Wideman is back from his suspension which will almost certainly push either Nakladal or Wotherspoon back into the AHL since Jokipakka would have to clear waivers.

Since Wideman and Engelland are both Right shots I would say Nakladal is more likely to be sent down.

Nakladal and Wotherspoon still only played 14 min again showing that no matter what these guys do Hartley will not keep the old guard out of the line-up. This will then mean either Jokipakka or Wotherspoon will be bench warmers for the rest of the season.

Wotherspoon has still yet to be on the ice for a goal allowed at even strength.

 

[Bouma Fett*]

I like Wotherspoon, could care less about Nakladal, not really any better than Diaz was.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Well in a little over a week Wideman is back from his suspension which will almost certainly push either Nakladal or Wotherspoon back into the AHL since Jokipakka would have to clear waivers.

Since Wideman and Engelland are both Right shots I would say Nakladal is more likely to be sent down.

Nakladal and Wotherspoon still only played 14 min again showing that no matter what these guys do Hartley will not keep the old guard out of the line-up. This will then mean either Jokipakka or Wotherspoon will be bench warmers for the rest of the season.

Wotherspoon has still yet to be on the ice for a goal allowed at even strength.

Only just

I'm pretty sure one of the goals against during the Ottawa game last week he literally was 5 seconds off the ice when they scored. Nakladal didn't have a chance to change but Tyler did and Gio jumped on just in time to get scored on.

 

[Slush]

That's the dream, but the Flames aren't finishing in 30th. (I Hope)

That would be nice. We want Auston Matthews! Just think of having him with Monohan, Gaudreau, Bennett. That would be a great young core to have.

 

[Anglesmith]

I have to say, though, as this losing tailspin spirals on, it does worry me. As 'fun' as it is to dream about a higher draft position and the quality of player we can get in June, the reality is that a team capable of losing this heavily is going to need major, major improvements in order to start winning heavily again. And given the cap is going down and given the players we have on the roster, we aren't really going to be able to address that in the offseason. It's just going to be a couple of young prospects coming onto the team next season, who shouldn't be relied on to provide anything more than depth.

Or, on the other hand, it's just a matter of stabilizing goaltending, having a good start to the year and having our the boys ride a wave of confidence.

 

[Rangediddy]

That would be nice. We want Auston Matthews! Just think of having him with Monohan, Gaudreau, Bennett. That would be a great young core to have.

Monahan.

This is Monohan:

and this is Duohan:

 

[Johnny GODreau]

Monahan.

This is Monohan:

and this is Duohan:

 

[Volica]

I have to say, though, as this losing tailspin spirals on, it does worry me. As 'fun' as it is to dream about a higher draft position and the quality of player we can get in June, the reality is that a team capable of losing this heavily is going to need major, major improvements in order to start winning heavily again. And given the cap is going down and given the players we have on the roster, we aren't really going to be able to address that in the offseason. It's just going to be a couple of young prospects coming onto the team next season, who shouldn't be relied on to provide anything more than depth.

Or, on the other hand, it's just a matter of stabilizing goaltending, having a good start to the year and having our the boys ride a wave of confidence.

With an average to above average goalie, this Flames team would be in a spot to compete this year. We're really not that far off. Considering we have the absolute worst SV% in the league; and have the worst PK and second worst PP... This is what's really hurting us.

This team's showing improvement. We've lost 4 games in a row now, all of which were win-able games. 2 performances hurt because we couldn't do anything on special teams, and two hurt because we got below-average goaltending. The same trends are happening. As long as we see improvement in some of those, I'm okay with losing out the rest of the season.

 

[moon*]

That's putting a lot of weight behind a average goalie.

We are 12 points back of Colorado, I am not sure putting Jaroslav Halak on this team gets us an extra 12 points.

The goaltending issue has been such a big issue that it has taken away from the fact that this team has issues all over the place other than goaltending.

Our 2nd line of Backlund-Frolik-Colborne/Bennett/player x isn't close to good enough. The bottom 6 has a lot of guys but really isn't anything more than average if not below average. The team upfront is way too soft and easy to push around. The forecheck is fairly ineffective as well.

Defensively Gio-Brodie are a. playing too much and b. relied to do way too much. Having them as both the key offensive and defensive guys is asking too much of them and leaving them in bad spots too often.

No partner for Hamilton and a moronic decision to often play Russell and/or Wideman ahead of him for many nights has been a major issue as well and likely a contributor to the issues of Gio/Brodie having to play too much.

The bottom pairing has likely been the lone bright spot defensively as Engelland and Wotherspoon have been great there. While Nakladal and Smid haven't been trainwrecks in their short stints.

Coaching has been a huge issue as well. Easy to pass it off as goaltending being the issue, but every year that Hartley has been here it has been hard to figure out what the plan is defensively. If anything it appears the block all shots approach may be a system but it is putting guys in awful position leaving the opposition with grade A chances. This has been a long term issue with Hartley not a one year bad goaltending thing. The special teams are obviously a nightmare and while some of that is due to lack of talent, they shouldn't be this god awful. Much like the stupid stretch pass or bust plan the biggest concern for me with coaching and the special teams is there seems to be zero adjustments, or at least zero good adjustments that gets made by this coaching staff. Finally, as if the other issues aren't bad enough I think many will agree the ice time/roles that Hartley puts guys in is baffling for the majority of the time. Every coach has favorites and Hartley is no different but the pattern of overplaying poor performers while spouting off the "always earned, never given" BS makes zero sense at all.

Flames fans are lucky because the basis of a quality team exists. We have 3 young top level (potential elite) forwards. 3 top level defensemen (2 who are very young) and a likely top 5 pick in the upcoming draft.

It shouldn't be panic time in Calgary but the issues are much, much deeper than just needing an average goaltender this year as adding that may make us closer but nowhere near good enough.

 

[Rangediddy]

That's putting a lot of weight behind a average goalie.

We are 12 points back of Colorado, I am not sure putting Jaroslav Halak on this team gets us an extra 12 points.

The goaltending issue has been such a big issue that it has taken away from the fact that this team has issues all over the place other than goaltending.

Our 2nd line of Backlund-Frolik-Colborne/Bennett/player x isn't close to good enough. The bottom 6 has a lot of guys but really isn't anything more than average if not below average. The team upfront is way too soft and easy to push around. The forecheck is fairly ineffective as well.

Defensively Gio-Brodie are a. playing too much and b. relied to do way too much. Having them as both the key offensive and defensive guys is asking too much of them and leaving them in bad spots too often.

No partner for Hamilton and a moronic decision to often play Russell and/or Wideman ahead of him for many nights has been a major issue as well and likely a contributor to the issues of Gio/Brodie having to play too much.

The bottom pairing has likely been the lone bright spot defensively as Engelland and Wotherspoon have been great there. While Nakladal and Smid haven't been trainwrecks in their short stints.

Coaching has been a huge issue as well. Easy to pass it off as goaltending being the issue, but every year that Hartley has been here it has been hard to figure out what the plan is defensively. If anything it appears the block all shots approach may be a system but it is putting guys in awful position leaving the opposition with grade A chances. This has been a long term issue with Hartley not a one year bad goaltending thing. The special teams are obviously a nightmare and while some of that is due to lack of talent, they shouldn't be this god awful. Much like the stupid stretch pass or bust plan the biggest concern for me with coaching and the special teams is there seems to be zero adjustments, or at least zero good adjustments that gets made by this coaching staff. Finally, as if the other issues aren't bad enough I think many will agree the ice time/roles that Hartley puts guys in is baffling for the majority of the time. Every coach has favorites and Hartley is no different but the pattern of overplaying poor performers while spouting off the "always earned, never given" BS makes zero sense at all.

Flames fans are lucky because the basis of a quality team exists. We have 3 young top level (potential elite) forwards. 3 top level defensemen (2 who are very young) and a likely top 5 pick in the upcoming draft.

It shouldn't be panic time in Calgary but the issues are much, much deeper than just needing an average goaltender this year as adding that may make us closer but nowhere near good enough.

We've seen teams come out of nowhere to compete with less than what we have. They typically don't sustain it, but we have enough top end talent to happen to find ourselves adding a couple of solid players that make the lines fall into place, find Kiprusoff incarnate (Gillies) and get a coach that can get a winning system in place. I'm still comfortable with what we have but yes, we do need a lot of help to get there.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

Monahan.

This is Monohan:

and this is Duohan:

That is terrible!!!

 

[Kahvi]

With an average to above average goalie, this Flames team would be in a spot to compete this year. We're really not that far off. Considering we have the absolute worst SV% in the league; and have the worst PK and second worst PP... This is what's really hurting us.

By compete I think you mean a playoff spot?

Thats the point most people (read: Edmonton fans and main board) dont seem to understand. Flames goalies have been pretty awful, other than Rämö after his recall. Hiller and Ortio both have something like 0.86 SV%.

 

[Volica]

By compete I think you mean a playoff spot?

Thats the point most people (read: Edmonton fans and main board) dont seem to understand. Flames goalies have been pretty awful, other than Rämö after his recall. Hiller and Ortio both have something like 0.86 SV%.

Compete as in fighting for a playoff spot. They wouldn't be a lock; but how many games were given away by just a bad goalie performance. I can think of a few off the top of my head and I'm sure they are more out there. Clearly the problems run deeper; worst PK, second worst pp, can't hold onto the puck worth a damn... No size down the lineup; but they'd be in a better spot.