Pre-Game Talk: vs Flames/ vent about current slide

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Before the season started I looked at the schedule and realized November would be tough. I expected them to be around/just under 500 by the end of November, and figured if they could stay within reach they would have a good playoff shot. November is by far their hardest month.


So their record isn't concerning. At worst 4 points back with 68 to go. Whatever. After 14 games last year they had 2 more points, no big deal.


What is concerning is why do they look so bad like 30% of the time? This happened last year too. The Philly, Dallas, Ducks, SJS, and Kings games have been brutal. Now no team plays good 100% of the time but most don't look like crap this often. Aside from Lu and Montoya they're a mess.

Not trying to ramble but look at the effort against Dallas, Colorado, Boston and Washington. They looked great. That was a week ago. What changed?


Anyways thought I'd add some Flame lines and make a PGT

For Florida Bolland should be in for Thornton. Flames are meh, overachieved last year but aren't nearly as bad as their record.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bennett-Backland-Frolik
Colborne-Stajan-Jones
Raymond-Grant-Jooris

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Hamilton
Englelland-Wideman

Ramo

3-4 .889 sv% 3.53 GAA

Take advantage of the crappy east please Florida

Click to read more...

 

[I am not exposed]

Bolland is out!

And this:

http://alongtheboards.com/2015/10/f...ing-blow-with-an-injury-to-aleksander-barkov/

But even so, we always hear how we have great depth etc, but we just look terrible this road trip.

 

[I am not exposed]

Tallon has to do something. He knows if we don't make the big dance this year, he won't be around for next year.

 

[CatscratchFever]

Tallon has to do something. He knows if we don't make the big dance this year, he won't be around for next year.

It's been known that he is a builder GM, and not a finisher. Maybe this team needs a guy to make the tough decisions.

 

[Givememoneyback]

Pretty much lack top end talent, beyond Luongo, and everyone is playing above where they would be slotted on a playoff team.

 

[Drugs Delaney]

Looks like a free fall to me.

 

[jrockett1096]

It's been known that he is a builder GM, and not a finisher. Maybe this team needs a guy to make the tough decisions.

I am on board with this assessment. I don't think real change won't happen until a GM starts dealing some of these so called "blue chip" prospects + draft picks etc for high end talent this team lacks and its that GM who will relish the benefits by making the real tough decisions. To me the only untouchables are Barkov and Ekblad and everyone else should be up for grabs for the right players to lead us to the promise land.

 

[FrolikFan67]

i know its only 14 games but carolina is 1pt behind us...

but ya know, theyre doing a lottery for each of the top-3 picks this year. so even if we miss out on mathews we'll still have a shot at our boca kid chychrun (just messing around guys)

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

i know its only 14 games but carolina is 1pt behind us...

Hahahahah. It won't be long til they pass us.

 

[FrolikFan67]

Hahahahah. It won't be long til they pass us.

we're 10th worst in the league as of now, philly tied, and carolina and buffalo both only 1 pt behind, we could drop to 7th rather quickly, and we know the ducks won't stay down there for much longer either.

 

[Gentle Man]

i know its only 14 games but carolina is 1pt behind us...

but ya know, theyre doing a lottery for each of the top-3 picks this year. so even if we miss out on mathews we'll still have a shot at our boca kid chychrun (just messing around guys)

Been bullish with Carolina since before the season began. That team plays hard night in and night out.....makes up for the lesser talent they have.

thats COACHING.

 

[Android 16]

Despite all the guff we hear about a strong character team and a great locker room. I think that's part of the problem right now. This is a very fragile hockey club. You got guys who are too hard on themselves and have a severe lack of confidence. The locker room isn't really controlled by Mitchell and the vets. It is controlled by the young guys. And that's not a bad thing, because it has to be. The young guys are the team now. They need to grab a hold of things and start assuming leadership roles. Those are all aspects of a team that cannot be measured and that tend to get ignored completely by the analytics folks.

Injuries, lack of confidence, frustration, etc.

Now is the adversity time. According to the level of "character" of these guys, they SHOULD be capable of righting the ship. In fact they have to or Dale Tallon will be gone in no time. Not saying its right or wrong. But I know for sure Viola and Cifu are not going to accept failure.

 

[FrolikFan67]

I'm sure once everyone is healthy again we'll snap out of it, we shouldn't be playing THIS bad. but if they continue on this trend while the injuries are present, then we'll be putting a big dent on our playoff chances considering barkov won't return till the end of this month or start of next month.
if we have to play like garbage against the flames then i at least frolik gets another hat trick, at least ill have something to talk about with him after the game...
outside of the flames which is a winnable game but theyre still dangerous obviously, after that we have buffalo, who is also beatable, but after that....oh man. tampa, tampa again, ducks, rangers, kings, islanders, and red wings to end the month, plus the blues and preds to start december. it'll be like running a sprint on a bed of hot coals.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Again the east is so bad their playoff chances haven't been affected at all.

I'm not in the oh no they're a game under 500 in November, 4 points back of the playoffs, it's over mentality, I'm wondering why they just go through prolonged stretches of looking like crap.

Let's stick with the Caroling example. Just an awful team, but they play well and keep it close every game. Florida has looked like a midget team in so many of their losses. Like every team lays eggs sometimes, but not once a week.

 

[Brokin]

Despite all the guff we hear about a strong character team and a great locker room. I think that's part of the problem right now. This is a very fragile hockey club. You got guys who are too hard on themselves and have a severe lack of confidence. The locker room isn't really controlled by Mitchell and the vets. It is controlled by the young guys. And that's not a bad thing, because it has to be. The young guys are the team now. They need to grab a hold of things and start assuming leadership roles. Those are all aspects of a team that cannot be measured and that tend to get ignored completely by the analytics folks.

Injuries, lack of confidence, frustration, etc.

Now is the adversity time. According to the level of "character" of these guys, they SHOULD be capable of righting the ship. In fact they have to or Dale Tallon will be gone in no time. Not saying its right or wrong. But I know for sure Viola and Cifu are not going to accept failure.

I'm with you those thoughts.

The kiddies have to do what Toews, Stepan, Benn, and this year Domi and Duclair are doing and lead the way. Tallon has had his chance to show his wares as a GM, and it's time for his core to show if they have heart. This crap about veterans are the only ones to lead us and show the way is overblown. Out of all the veterans that have passed the urinals in the locker room, who other than Jagr and Mitchell has had one ounce of influence on the pups? Most have made a pit stop to pad their retirement and move on. They youngn's need to pull up their own britches and take control of the franchise.

I'm not in favor of change's, just for change sake. Let's face it, if Barkov, Bjugstad, Trocheck, and Ekblad are off limits, does anybody really believe you can get anything worthwhile for some of the guys that are left? The answer is: Tallon would get swiftly taken to the cleaners or it would just be a wash. Yes, many around the league are looking for high-end young Dmen. You would have to give up an Ekblad to get anything decent in return. The rest of our guys are all solid 3,4,5 and 6 defensemen with little upside.

ps: I'm not buying Bolland would have been a difference maker on the outcome of any of these games. I doubt even he could have prevented Tiffoli from making the pass to Carter after he interfered with Howden.

 

[Drugs Delaney]

I'm sure once everyone is healthy again we'll snap out of it, we shouldn't be playing THIS bad. but if they continue on this trend while the injuries are present, then we'll be putting a big dent on our playoff chances considering barkov won't return till the end of this month or start of next month.
if we have to play like garbage against the flames then i at least frolik gets another hat trick, at least ill have something to talk about with him after the game...
outside of the flames which is a winnable game but theyre still dangerous obviously, after that we have buffalo, who is also beatable, but after that....oh man. tampa, tampa again, ducks, rangers, kings, islanders, and red wings to end the month, plus the blues and preds to start december. it'll be like running a sprint on a bed of hot coals.

I still like this team. They just have to snap out of this funk. The last two games have been brutal. They should be ashamed. I'd just like to see them build a good following at home. I think they'll play better when their house is their house again.

 

[Juggernaut27]

Again the east is so bad their playoff chances haven't been affected at all.

I'm not in the oh no they're a game under 500 in November, 4 points back of the playoffs, it's over mentality, I'm wondering why they just go through prolonged stretches of looking like crap.

Let's stick with the Caroling example. Just an awful team, but they play well and keep it close every game. Florida has looked like a midget team in so many of their losses. Like every team lays eggs sometimes, but not once a week.

I don't get it either. And it's not the lazy, 'we know we are making the playoffs' disinterest they just look like they forgot how to hockey half the time.

For Bolland being so awful I sure do miss him our vaunted C depth seems to keep evaporating.

 

[Android 16]

I'm with you those thoughts.

The kiddies have to do what Toews, Stepan, Benn, and this year Domi and Duclair are doing and lead the way. Tallon has had his chance to show his wares as a GM, and it's time for his core to show if they have heart. This crap about veterans are the only ones to lead us and show the way is overblown. Out of all the veterans that have passed the urinals in the locker room, who other than Jagr and Mitchell has had one ounce of influence on the pups? Most have made a pit stop to pad their retirement and move on. They youngn's need to pull up their own britches and take control of the franchise.

I'm not in favor of change's, just for change sake. Let's face it, if Barkov, Bjugstad, Trocheck, and Ekblad are off limits.........does anybody really believe you can get anything worthwhile for some of the guys that are left? The answer is, Tallon would get swiftly taken to the cleaners or it would just be a wash. Yes, many around the league are looking for high-end young Dmen............so you would have to give up an Ekblad to get anything decent in return. The rest of our guys are all solid 3,4,5 and 6 defensemen with little upside.

ps: I'm not buying Bolland would have been a difference maker since he's been out on the outcome of any games. I doubt even he could have prevented Tiffoli from making the pass to Carter after he interfered with Howden.

All good thoughts. There's no way we move guys like Ekblad, Trocheck or Barkov. Tallon would get blindsided by any deal involving a core member. I have no doubt. Barkov's skill and two way play speaks for itself. Highly valuable to this team. Trocheck started the year off with a bang and is still producing at a moderate rate. He sounds more mature and plays a pretty well-refined game. Definitely trending upward and impressing. Ekblad, despite the numbers, has been good and he is already being marketed as the face down here as he should be; kid is a gem. Bjugstad has been alright but I have a feeling he is capable of more. Most of them are playing the right way. But something has to be different and starts in the room. That being said. Huberdeau is a case. There's something going on between the ears with him and he's gotta figure it out soon. He is capable of much more. Either that or maybe he's just not. But I still believe in him. Kid needs to quit being so hard on himself and just hit the refresh buttom every game. Find some extra motivation and harness it.

 

[Gentle Man]

I wouldnt mind shuffling the D lines a bit.

Kulikov Ekblad
Campbell Gudbranson
Mitchell Petrovic

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Changed it up abit, tired of making threads but the GDT was toxic, everyone fighting. Think of the children!

 

[Gentle Man]

So harvey said about Barkov is that he isnt close right? And GR said expect him back Thanksgiving?

Man, thats a horid stretch of games to miss...

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Vent thread? Did we really need to title the thread "vent"? Is there a time you guys don't vent?

 

[Android 16]

Vent thread? Did we really need to title the thread "vent"? Is there a time you guys don't vent?

Over a decade of dysfunction takes a while to vent about.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Tallon make a move, even if it's minor. Our center depth just isn't cutting it right now.

Something like a waiver pickup or an average player for a pick situation. It's dire straits out there and they need help.

 

[Mogo]

Gallant post game interview all smiling "I'm not unhappy other than 6-7 minutes in the 2nd period. I think we played a great 1rst period and good 3rd period"

Da ****!