I'm annoyed at how useless Ritchie has become. There were times (I don't remember how long ago) that he looked like he could be a really effective player in the bottom 6.
Definitely the year to try and make a run
Hartley did it with Wideman in 14/15. Peters did it with Frolik in 18/19. Sutter's doing it now with Markstrom?
The math is simple:
This year is probably their best shot. So add some offensive pieces or stay irrelevant.
- Coaches like Sutter have short shelf lives
- Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Kylington and Mangiapane are all impending free agents
- Flames have actually have some cap space to add and the assets to spend
Bit of a stretch there. Just wasn't his night, let in three softies and the team responded well to the kick in the ass.
When I was watching the replays, it almost seemed like the first two deflected off our own guys, or at least took some slightly weird bounces off someone or something? It was a little hard to see at most of the replay angles. Did I imagine it?
Sure, maybe Markstrom could have saved them, but I could also imagine pulling Markstrom wasn't purely blaming the goalie. It could have been like a, "Yo, you guys are failing your goalie. You guys are making it harder for him and you kinda broke him. I'm giving him a rest. Don't fail your other goalie as well." sort of thing.
The more I think on it, the more likely I think that if we do move for a bigger name at the deadline, the more likely it is that Dube and Valimaki are going back the other way. Still somewhat appealing trade pieces for a seller to take back, and really the only cap hit we can move out.
It kills me as a born and raised Cochranite to see Dube go, but Sutter doesn't seem to care much for him and he's not stepped up this year.
Maybe Pitlick going out too, but I'm not sure Tre owns up to his mistake on that one.
Sure seems like this team is willing to abandon young talent quick to its own peril. I get that Dube hasn't been great this year, but honestly it isn't as if the team is super deep up front at the moment...
Pitlick is worth absolutely nothing. 2 pts in 25 games means he goes unclaimed on waivers.
He's probably waiting until closer to the TDL in order to maximize available cap space, which is what most teams do every single year. Not making a trade between the start of the year and the deadline is more the default than the exception.I have a hard time understanding what the GM of this team is currently doing.
There's a really high chance with a good addition to this team, that you're going to get a first round matchup against a team that is deeply flawed in the Pacific division as a clear favourite. Only the Knights are a complete team, and the likelihood of seeing them in round one is next to zero. You're also going to be the only team in the Pacific with a legendary playoff coach at the helm too.
I kind of wonder if this might be a repeat of 2014; where there were some really good players available, but far too many sellers. It drove prices down like crazy that year. I'm wondering if that's the sticking point right now?
He's probably waiting until closer to the TDL in order to maximize available cap space, which is what most teams do every single year. Not making a trade between the start of the year and the deadline is more the default than the exception.
If it's just one or two times you can make up the excuse. With Markstrom, when the game was close, he hasn't made the tough saves needed to winWhen I was watching the replays, it almost seemed like the first two deflected off our own guys, or at least took some slightly weird bounces off someone or something? It was a little hard to see at most of the replay angles. Did I imagine it?
Sure, maybe Markstrom could have saved them, but I could also imagine pulling Markstrom wasn't purely blaming the goalie. It could have been like a, "Yo, you guys are failing your goalie. You guys are making it harder for him and you kinda broke him. I'm giving him a rest. Don't fail your other goalie as well." sort of thing.
Markstrom has been trash this year. We've won almost no close games. Pressure is on and he lets in beach balls. He was atrocious last night. Don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I've been saying it all season, if you can get out from that contract you do it. If someone is crazy enough to offer a first because his stats are good, you make that deal now.
Markstrom has been trash this year. We've won almost no close games. Pressure is on and he lets in beach balls. He was atrocious last night. Don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I've been saying it all season, if you can get out from that contract you do it. If someone is crazy enough to offer a first because his stats are good, you make that deal now.
I think we might've been watching different games, because Dallas had countless high danger chances early that Markstrom stopped, that were still made despite a couple bad goals. Saying he was atrocious feels like an outright dismissal of Markstrom holding them in it despite poor goals (one of which was a pure circumstance, crazy play that he wasnt expecting). Like, just looking at this chart I see no way to argue Markstrom wasn't significant in keeping things in tact while Dallas was allowed to just, walk in and take dangerous shots right in the slot.He was atrocious last night.