- Jan 9, 2009
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Flames Fwd line combinations, D pairings, PP units, PK units, and goalie discussion
- Thread starter Rubi
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Mazatt
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- Apr 30, 2019
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One can only hope it's a sign of changes to come. The Flames playing all of their top guys on the same unit just isn't working out and I'm glad Sutter might be addressing out, even though he got started on it last night with Hanifin on the top unit.
If Hanifin and Andersson are both practicing, could that also mean we're seeing a shift away from Gio on the PP all together?
If Hanifin and Andersson are both practicing, could that also mean we're seeing a shift away from Gio on the PP all together?
Volica
Papa Shango
- May 15, 2012
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What an odd tweet. “Individual PP work” would imply they aren’t working as a unit, but rather working on individual skills. Yet it reads like he wants it to say they are practicing as a unit.
Sure looks like it. And as much criticism as there has been, Andersson has looked a lot better on the PP than Gio has (even if he only has 1 more point).
Nanuuk
Registered User
Hopefully Darryl takes the PP reins away from whoever has been responsible for it this season. I think they need to have two D men at the point that aren't afraid of blasting a shot now and again (hello Michael Stone). Not that I want Stone in there, but he did shoot the puck every so often.
Our PP has been playing it too cute. Fancy pants hockey that is getting us now where. If we had someone competent on the one timer, I could see trying to set him up in open ice. But we don't really. We park a big goober in front and try for a screen shot. Fair enough. But we have to shoot for that to be effective.
Our PP has been playing it too cute. Fancy pants hockey that is getting us now where. If we had someone competent on the one timer, I could see trying to set him up in open ice. But we don't really. We park a big goober in front and try for a screen shot. Fair enough. But we have to shoot for that to be effective.
Mazatt
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Doesn't make a whole lot of sense for that to be a unit given that there are 6 players on the ice practicing. If it was 5 guys "individually" maybe, but sounds like it's actual individual work sans Andersson/Hanifin being considered as the QB's for that group of 4 guys.
Nanuuk
Registered User
We've relied to often on a 'core' group of PK'ers primarily from our 4th line. When we do this the Coach (more often than not) overweights the 5v5 ice time to the remaining 3 lines and we can't roll all 4 lines. Sutter has changed this. We are seeing different PK'ers. Which is good because if we ever wanted to trade a 4th liner we have someone else that can step in on the PK.
Yeah, but I don’t know what’s “interesting” about a group of players coming out early for practice to work on individual skills. Pretty common occurrence I’d assume.
Sutter probably feels the PP is to predictable, which it is. Running a LD verses a RD could even change which side of the ice they set up on, assuming the two defensemen were just subbing out. Having two different versions of PP1 could be extremely useful against scouting, strong side goaltending, even exploiting weaknesses in the overall PK structure or personnel in general.
Mazatt
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Just looking at the current 1st unit, it makes a lot of sense to have Hanifin there if they want to run it through Gaudreau on the left side and open up Mangiapane, Dube, and Hanifin for one-timer opportunities, if those forwards are any indication of their plans for an altered unit look.
Alternatively, Andersson then makes the most sense if they want Gaudreau on his off-side down on the right since he opens up Andersson for one-timer opportunities, and that's where Andersson's main value lies on the powerplay. Could be a situation where Ward is getting comfortable seeing how different guys fit together, and which defencemen works best with each potential alignment.
OvermanKingGainer
#BennettFreed #CurseofTheSpulll #FreeOliver
Ward is very comfortable, beer in his left hand, tv dinner tray in front, fork in his right hand as he eats some salisbury steak whilr watching Sportsnet break the games down
JPeeper
Hail Satan!
- Jan 4, 2015
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The PP started so hot to start the season and they were moving the puck well and skating, it looked like a completely different powerplay, guys were on their off wing and making the cross seam pass. Then all of a sudden they reverted back to the bullshit we see now with dumb zone entries and everyone standing around.
What ever they do, they need to make Monahan an option. It baffles me how they use Monahan in the high slot area when he can never get a shot off from there because he has all 4 PK'ers surrounding him. Why is everyone around him? Because they don't move the puck quickly enough or move around quickly enough.
I will re-iterate what I have said multiple times over the years, but look at how Winnipeg uses Schiefele, they put him in the same spot, but they move the puck way more efficiently and have Scheif move around to get open and he has always been able to get his shot off.
- Jan 9, 2009
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Nanuuk
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As far as the PP goes, I'd like to see Mangiapane for low slot attempts, Monahan for high slot shots, Looch to blot the sun out, Ritchie for some good corner work, Valimaki left point, Andersson right point.
Mazatt
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Just wanted to actually use this for it's intended purpose. The old coaching addage is that you don't change lines when winning. Sutter stuck with that for the first bit (and even said that he wouldn't have changed the lines coming out of the final Ward win, given that they had won). Now that we've lost, it might be time for him to look around and consider some changes based off what he saw. Already saw some of it with Hanifin to the top unit, and the mismanagement of Andersson on the 2nd unit (Getting a guy whose powerplay skill is his one-timer to play on the strong side is just silly), where he's getting his own ideas and changes out there.
He wants to be strong down the middle (implies the current centre configuration will stay the same) but anything beyond that could be interesting. Has openly 'called-out' Valimaki to some extent with the comment on his quickness, and is surely recognizing things he wants to do different with the ice time allocations and all that.
Biggest thing I want is no more top line Brett Ritchie, and no shutdown line featuring Looch. Figure the dream of Kylington/Valimaki with Giordano/Andersson won't be on the way given the Sutter comments but a man can dream they come to fruition.
He wants to be strong down the middle (implies the current centre configuration will stay the same) but anything beyond that could be interesting. Has openly 'called-out' Valimaki to some extent with the comment on his quickness, and is surely recognizing things he wants to do different with the ice time allocations and all that.
Biggest thing I want is no more top line Brett Ritchie, and no shutdown line featuring Looch. Figure the dream of Kylington/Valimaki with Giordano/Andersson won't be on the way given the Sutter comments but a man can dream they come to fruition.
DFF
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- Feb 28, 2002
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DFF
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ritchie because they don’t have many options and others have tried and failed. Yes, that included Bennett.
Looch on checking line is the dumbest thing. Hopefully it was just a brain fart. The man is slow and can’t skate to save his life. How can he check anybody?
Mazatt
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I mean, the Flames have options, just not ones they want to use. Bennett, Leivo, Simon, I'm fine with those guys not getting their chances. But they have Tkachuk, Lindholm, Dube and *Mangiapane who haven't seen significant time there and they keep giving them bargain bin players and expecting them to produce like years ago.
*Mangiapane got some time but it was a limited audition.
Lucic is one spot in the lineup that feels like necessity more than anything. The bottom 6 as a whole isn't full of great checking guys outside of Ryan/Backlund/Mangiapane (imo) and then it comes down to if you want Lucic or Bennett as a bruiser with Backlund, since Ryan is necessary on the 4th line. And realistically, Bennett's probably better for that spot given speed and potential offense alone, but Lucic has also been in a spot where he isn't terrible other than bad giveaways? Idk, just don't think Lucic has the poise for a shut-down esque line facing up against the McDavid's and Matthews' of the league.
Anglesmith
Setting up the play?
I'm ready for Sutter to bring back the bubble lines. Gaudreau and Monahan need a more capable third wheel.
Anglesmith
Setting up the play?
DFF
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- Feb 28, 2002
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Really? Who do you move to the first line without severely damage the other lines?
our bottom 6 struggled to score all year long
who is from the minor that can really help?
Anglesmith
Setting up the play?
We have essentially two top-9 forwards on the fourth line right now. If we put the bubble lines back together (which we know can work), our fourth line would be Ritchie-Ryan-Leivo, which would be a pretty good mix.
The minors is a bit of an unknown given how we haven't had much need to try guys with the big club. Buddy Anderson has shown the ability to fit in and be a good physical presence on the fourth line, and I don't think we know enough to be able to confidently say that no one from the AHL would be capable of slotting in.
DFF
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Although he didn’t score, I thought Bennett played well and made the 4th line competitive
put Ritchie there probably will make it useless and I don’t know if Bennett mixes well with Johnny and Monahan. His style is different.
But I agree moving Bennett up is the better option,
just saying we would lose the 4th line then
