GDT: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Flames (34-16-6) @ (づ◔ ͜ʖ◔)づ Panthers (23-24-8) - Feb 14 | 5PM MST | SNET-W

[super6646]

You obviously don’t know the difference between fact and speculation. Maybe Johnny and Rittich are hurt too! They haven’t looked nearly as good since the break either

Gaudreau has been snake bitten as hell and still produced, and Rittich has regressed but still playing reasonable. Tell me your honest opinion, do you think he's healthy right now? I'll eat my hat on this one if I'm wrong in the end.

 

[Lunatik]

If I die of cancer, this thread is the cause.

 

[Sparky93]

Gaudreau has been snake bitten as hell and still produced, and Rittich has regressed but still playing reasonable. Tell me your honest opinion, do you think he's healthy right now? I'll eat my hat on this one if I'm wrong in the end.

1. Gaudreau hasn’t even been close to the level he was before the break. As far as Tkachuk is concerned, I don’t know. I love the kid, but I think he tops out a lot closer to 60 point player, than a PPG player and paying to be a PPG player would be a horrible mistake. In all honesty, the “Ratchuck” thing was getting out of hand and was going to start effecting us negatively. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple people sat him down and told him to tone it down. It’s one thing to be an agitator and back it up, but it’s completely different to turtle.

 

[Anglesmith]

Tkachuk is definitely bad right now, and it's not just luck. He's not getting to the net, which is the biggest issue. A lot of his goals over the year have been from around the crease, and right now he's a perimeter player. One of the hallmarks of his game that I've seen in the last few is getting the puck below the goal-line and blindly flicking it between his legs towards the slot. A low-percentage and low-IQ play that usually leads to a 3-on-2 against.

That isn't what Tkachuk is all about. I believe he'll come out of this slump, but he has to make changes first. Hopefully they work with him in the video room.

 

[super6646]

1. Gaudreau hasn’t even been close to the level he was before the break. As far as Tkachuk is concerned, I don’t know. I love the kid, but I think he tops out a lot closer to 60 point player, than a PPG player and paying to be a PPG player would be a horrible mistake. In all honesty, the “Ratchuck” thing was getting out of hand and was going to start effecting us negatively. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple people sat him down and told him to tone it down. It’s one thing to be an agitator and back it up, but it’s completely different to turtle.

Telling him to stop being an agitator doesn't mean you lose all your offensive instincts. His passing is way off the mark and he looks lost. Gaudreau has regressed but is still creating at a good mark.

Look, I can't say I know anything, but I don't think he looks right and I just can't see otherwise until he gets better. We will see at the end of the year if it turns out to just be a huge slump or that Tkachuk is hurt bad. Otherwise, I just hope to god he starts playing better.

Also, thanks for being respectful and not turning this into a hurl of insults. I understand people can't ever agree, but things get way too personal here sometimes (even I do it and go too far).

 

[Mobiandi]

Sharks are losing 3-1 so thats something

4-1

 

[super6646]

Sharks are losing 3-1 so thats something

4-1

That's nice. Means we also have a game in hand. Now let's please win in Pittsburgh.

 

[Deen]

Elias is our best player. Better than Johnny. Consistent and steady.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

The vocal majority is over analyzing a small sample size as per usual. Just like they did earlier in the season.

This team will figure it out in a few games.

 

[FlamerForLife]

This is the first time all season that we've lost more than 3 games in a row. Every team goes through at least one of these losing streaks a season, if not more. The sky is not falling, this is just part of what happens in an 82 game season and judging by how the team has played this season I'm sure we'll snap out of it soon and be fine.

 

[Dack]

Elias is our best player. Better than Johnny. Consistent and steady.

Hard no

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Elias is our best player. Better than Johnny. Consistent and steady.

Elias is a 45pt 2nd liner without Johnny who never hit 18 goals in a season. He's having a great season because he's the lone skilled RHS in a cushy situation.

Johnny IS the cushy situation.

 

[Deen]

Elias is a 45pt 2nd liner without Johnny who never hit 18 goals in a season. He's having a great season because he's the lone skilled RHS in a cushy situation.

Johnny IS the cushy situation.

When Johnny starts digging pucks out of the corners I'll agree with you. As is stands Elias is the most complete forward on the team imo.

 

[Anglesmith]

So that terrific play with a few minutes left by the top line and Andersson was enough to put us in first place in the division again. We can all go to bed happy. Shootouts be damned.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

When Johnny starts digging pucks out of the corners I'll agree with you. As is stands Elias is the most complete forward on the team imo.

Alex Burrows dug all the pucks out of corners for Daniel and Henrik Sedin for years.

Lindholm doesn't even play center 80% of the time unlike Backlund, if "completeness" is the criteria. You think Backlund wouldn't produce more playing PP1 and RW with Gaudreau?

Let's call a spade a spade, Lindholm is a very good, versatile complimentary forward. All good teams need one or two. TJ Oshie, Patric Hornqvist, Tyler Johnson, Tomas Hertl. They're invaluable. But these kinda guys don't make an entire team click.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

When Johnny starts digging pucks out of the corners I'll agree with you. As is stands Elias is the most complete forward on the team imo.

The Flames are lucky in that we’re loaded with some really nice young talent. Lindholm is one of those players. There’s been some games where Janks has looked like the best, some others where it’s been Bennett on more than a few occasions. Early on in the season Tkachuk was dominant and so was Monahan. Overall Gaudreau has been the most deadly but I agree hands down that Lindholm is our most complete player. He’s such a great player and it’s a treat to watch him.

 

[flames23]

If what Hrudey said was correct (in what his thought was) then we have lost 9 straight in the shootout.

I didn't catch that as was watching on center ice and had the cats broadcast.

 

[Deen]

Alex Burrows dug all the pucks out of corners for Daniel and Henrik Sedin for years.

Lindholm doesn't even play center 80% of the time unlike Backlund, if "completeness" is the criteria. You think Backlund wouldn't produce more playing PP1 and RW with Gaudreau?

Let's call a spade a spade, Lindholm is a very good, versatile complimentary forward. All good teams need one or two. TJ Oshie, Patric Hornqvist, Tyler Johnson, Tomas Hertl. They're invaluable. But these kinda guys don't make an entire team click.

Elias is like a more deadly Backlund though. Dude has it all.

 

[Anglesmith]

I thought that Bennett had a great game start to finish tonight.

 

[Lunatik]

The vocal majority is over analyzing a small sample size as per usual. Just like they did earlier in the season.

This team will figure it out in a few games.

Our biggest problems aren't really a small sample size anymore, it's been since Christmas which is 20 games. The only major difference between now and before the break, is goal scoring is down.

 

[Deen]

James Neal could step up any time now.

 

[Lunatik]

James Neal could step up any time now.

He had 7 points in his last 11 games heading into tonight.

 

[Deen]

He had 7 points in his last 11 games heading into tonight.

He's been stat padding though. Needs to make them count at crucial times, like tonight.

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

On the bright side! Smith had a pretty good game. Games like tonight and against Vancouver happen.. Just running into some hot goalies. The first Florida goal literally went off the dudes chest and in, which is luck we aren't getting right now even though we've been the better team 2 or 3 of the last 4 games.

 

[Kranix]

Seems like they still haven't shaken off the all-star break rust