Flames’ assistant coach Ward: ‘We need guys that hate to lose’

[viper0220]

I think the coaches are out touch, what we need from Ward is a better powerplay.


Flames' assistant coach Ward: 'We need guys that hate to lose' - Sportsnet.ca

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[Flames Fanatic]

I think the coaches are out touch, what we need from Ward is a better powerplay.


Flames' assistant coach Ward: 'We need guys that hate to lose' - Sportsnet.ca

I mean Ward gave us a significantly improved PP on what we had. Yes it's not looking great right now, but Ward can't exactly make the players like Johnny play better either.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Damn, I'm merely not fond of losing. Could have been my big break.

 

[Rangediddy]

Damn, I'm merely not fond of losing. Could have been my big break.

I hate losing more, and I refuse to let you convince me otherwise.

 

[Calculon]

 

[Fig]

First off... Francis. No idea how I should approach the wording.

From the article:

Ward pointed out it’s not just about hustle and heart, but being more mentally engaged so the self-inflicted wounds that have dotted their losses are reduced.

This could fit along the lines of a group that is over thinking things and making mental lapses.

“I was talking to Wardo this morning about it and he explained what he meant,” said captain Mark Giordano

“He’s been around a lot and has a lot of great points, so I take a lot of it to heart. What he means is, the only way we’re going to get out of this funk and get wins is when we figure out that the work has to be the most important thing, and defensive play. And then everything else will fall into place. We’ve got to get those details back.”

Again, could be a type of comment that fits with the "Don't get fancy and be a hero, stick with the system. Otherwise, like a phalanx, we die if the entire unit doesn't stick together." As much as it annoys me to say this, this is a repeat of comments I remember making during the Gully era.

“There no secret what they’re doing – they’re working really hard, they’re holding onto pucks in the o-zone and they’re chipping them in and going and getting them,” said Giordano of the lunch bucket line.

In theory, one could read between the lines here and realize there's a KISS comment here. Keep it simple, stupid.


But that's just my interpretation. I don't know how badly some of the comments are pulled out of context and how much of it is just poor wording of comments which require more inflection.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Hot take: this is strategically being put out there to justify a future trade.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I hate losing more, and I refuse to let you convince me otherwise.

I guess I'll concede to you then. Aww shucks

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He’s right.

 

[Oil Dood]

Is Johnny G hurt? He does not seem himself this year. I want an Oiler/Flames matchup in the playoffs so bad.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Is Johnny G hurt? He does not seem himself this year. I want an Oiler/Flames matchup in the playoffs so bad.

Our systems under Peters have always been about hitting him in stride in the neutral zone with a Brodie/Gio stretch pass. This year none of our D have been using the stretch, which appears to be a system change to my eye. While the rim & tip breakout works for some teams, it's a system that requires having excellent 200 foot centers (i.e. Sam Bennett, Derek Ryan, Dillon Dube, Mikael Backlund most years). When your centers are lacking in any area:

- Backlund's total inaccuracy this season shooting the puck, though that seems to be a fluke
- Lindholm struggles to complete controlled entries through the middle
- Monahan isn't a center
- Jankowski's relatively passive defensive zone coverage

it's going to create a mental drag on their linemates. I believe Gaudreau is not buying into the system change because he knows full well that it just doesn't work without the right pieces down the middle.

With poor breakouts, the opponents have too much time to anticipate and limit Gaudreau's space. Unfortunately Gaudreau as a winger is restricted by the fact that breakouts along the walls are spacially limited. He needs a center. The Toews to his Kane. The Kuznetsov to his Ovechkin. The Sam Bennett to his Gaudreau.

 

[Oil Dood]

Our systems under Peters have always been about hitting him in stride in the neutral zone with a Brodie/Gio stretch pass. This year none of our D have been using the stretch, which appears to be a system change to my eye. While the rim & tip breakout works for some teams, it's a system that requires having excellent 200 foot centers (i.e. Sam Bennett, Derek Ryan, Dillon Dube, Mikael Backlund most years). When your centers are lacking in any area:

- Backlund's total inaccuracy this season shooting the puck, though that seems to be a fluke
- Lindholm struggles to complete controlled entries through the middle
- Monahan isn't a center
- Jankowski's relatively passive defensive zone coverage

it's going to create a mental drag on their linemates. I believe Gaudreau is not buying into the system change because he knows full well that it just doesn't work without the right pieces down the middle.

With poor breakouts, the opponents have too much time to anticipate and limit Gaudreau's space. Unfortunately Gaudreau as a winger is restricted by the fact that breakouts along the walls are spacially limited. He needs a center. The Toews to his Kane. The Kuznetsov to his Ovechkin. The Sam Bennett to his Gaudreau.

Him and Monohan have been quite good together in the past, something seems off. Too bad because Tkachuk is emerging into one of the leagues best, you guys need Mono and Johnny to get going before it is too late. The pieces are still there, and one good streak and you are back in it.

 

[super6646]

Him and Monohan have been quite good together in the past, something seems off. Too bad because Tkachuk is emerging into one of the leagues best, you guys need Mono and Johnny to get going before it is too late. The pieces are still there, and one good streak and you are back in it.

Damn I can’t remember the last time an oiler fan was rooting for our success lol.

 

[Fig]

Damn I can’t remember the last time an oiler fan was rooting for our success lol.

You'd be surprised how many Flames and Oiler fans behave in a certain way, but behind the scenes, we're all rooting for 55:45 success Calgary/Edmonton and vice versa. I know this because I've PM'd them and discussed with them. I've always been open about the idea of the return of Death valley. I don't think either team will be relevant without the other team being relevant as well. It sucks we get in each other's way, but rivals must spur each other on. A bad rival doesn't give us much in terms of a check and balance for true determination. I don't think it's a coincidence that the 80s and 04/06 were so similar in time frames for the peak of our results. Both teams languished or were mediocre seemingly at the same time as well.

Seriously, the tears would be so much damn sweeter if we pummeled the other team into a pulp in the playoffs on our way towards contending for the cup.

 

[Oil Dood]

Damn I can’t remember the last time an oiler fan was rooting for our success lol.

Oh I am not rooting for your success but....you have to admit the Battle of Alberta has not really been that much of a battle(except between our fan bases). The animosity and tension just is not there. We need some QE2 playoffs....with the Oil winning of course.

 

[Fig]

Oh I am not rooting for your success but....you have to admit the Battle of Alberta has not really been that much of a battle(except between our fan bases). The animosity and tension just is not there. We need some QE2 playoffs....with the Oil winning of course.

Water down the product and it's a fail all around. Oil and water don't mix, water puts out fire. Pure oil and fire though... that's combustion.

 

[bronco73]

Oh I am not rooting for your success but....you have to admit the Battle of Alberta has not really been that much of a battle(except between our fan bases). The animosity and tension just is not there. We need some QE2 playoffs....with the Oil winning of course.

It's outright sucked. When the Flames are good (which has usually been the case in the last 12 or so years) the Oilers have been awful. The few times when the Oilers were good the Flames have been bad.

The only way we get that rivalry back is if both teams are at the top of their games. It might still come this year, but I'm not betting on it yet. The games they play against each other should be good still, but it won't be like the old days where it didn't matter what team you were playing against, because they were just the next stepping stone on the way to the EDM/CGY rivalry. Two teams at the top of their games and the top of the league. Man I miss that.

 

[lightstorm]

Hot take: players have no confidence in yet another bargain-bin coaching staff

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Hot take: players have no confidence in yet another bargain-bin coaching staff

Hot take: Flames fans were frothing at the mouth for ownership to throw money at Boudreau. How much a coach earns isn't always a 1:1 for how successful they will be/are.

If I had to guess, I think our highest paid coaches in recent years have been Brent Sutter and Mike Keenan.

 

[Fig]

Hot take: players have no confidence in yet another bargain-bin coaching staff

I think Gully was rumored to being paid $800K per season. I think Peters is rumored to be in the $1.6-1.8 mil range?

When Trotz won the cup, he was being paid less than what Peters is paid now. I believe a few of the other newer coaches weren't making big bucks either. Salary for coaches isn't the same as bargain bin. There's huge discrepancies between coach quality and player quality from a dollar to dollar basis. The cheaper coaches could be superior to the more expensive coaches.

Several years ago, the superstar coaches with the massive contracts were AV and Babcock. Both have been fired since. Coaches salaries have crept up since then, but Travis Green can hold his own with that inferior Canuck roster vs quite a few of those 5 mil dollar coaches. Now, imagine if the rosters were equal.

Coaches - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps