GDT: Flames @ Hawks 2.0, November 1 - You have failed us for the last time, Matxhuos!

[InfinityIggy]

We were the better team for the first 55 minutes. Fortunately, we know most of the struggling players can get back up - it's not like Brodie, Gaudreau and Monahan suddenly became garbage.

A small positive (at least for me) is Hamilton getting 19:23 minutes of icetime, 3rd amongs Ds. Hopefully it sticks.

Hamilton shockingly (perhaps not quite that shockingly) seems to be slowly morphing into our best defenceman. It's bizarre.

 

[BigRangy]

Hamilton shockingly (perhaps not quite that shockingly) seems to be slowly morphing into our best defenceman. It's bizarre.

Probably because there's no garbage LHD for him to drag around.

Wideman actually wasn't terrible. Got completely lost a few times but moved the puck well.

Engelland continues to be the biggest piece of useless player on this team, but Monahan is making a damn good push lately. Monahan has to be injured, there's no way he's this bad.

Liked the game apart from that. Bounce 1 in in the first and the Flames probably walk away with this one.

 

[Anglesmith]

Yeah, Wideman's been pretty good lately.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Probably because there's no garbage LHD for him to drag around.

Wideman actually wasn't terrible. Got completely lost a few times but moved the puck well.

Engelland continues to be the biggest piece of useless player on this team, but Monahan is making a damn good push lately. Monahan has to be injured, there's no way he's this bad.

Liked the game apart from that. Bounce 1 in in the first and the Flames probably walk away with this one.

Eh he seemed fine tonight, last game he took a really stupid penalty though. He has been fine in the games he is used on the bottom pair, because he is a bottom pair D.

Him and Kevin and both been fine when used in limited roles, and both been exposed when asked to play more minutes.

On Wideman I mostly agree, had a dreadful start but has been more or less acceptable recently.

Its really down to Gio and Brodie just not playing up to the level they did last season that is dragging us way down (in regards to D), in my opinion.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Chiasson had a no good very bad game in my opinion.

He should move to Australia, but even in Australia will he have no good very bad games.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

thought we outplayed them. Officiating was terrible, but that wasn't why we lost. No idea what to do with Tkachuk

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I will take a loss like tonight over a loss like the Capitals and Blues losses, any day. Flames looked excellent with the exception of the Johnny line even if they did fall apart after the game slipped away.

I would really like to see our lines look something like

Tkachuk / Backlund / Frolik
Gaudreau / Bennett/ Brouwer
Versteeg / Jankowski / Monahan
Ferland / Stajan / Hamilton

I love Lance Bouma but I just don't think he's been effective this year, and Chiasson is a tire fire.

Hopefully it's time to #FreeKulak too

I guess I am not watching the same PPs that you were...they looked hopeless to me.

I definitely liked elements of Brodie + 4F


Gaudreau and Bennett on opposite wings was working well too. It's a few tweaks away from a good PP. Not there yet, but easily the best it's looked in a long time. The results should follow.

 

[Shawnofthedeadz]

Man... Monahan has been unfairly been thrown under the bus here. Sure, he isn't playing as well as we are accustomed to, however, Gaudreau has been equally as bad this season.

Ultimately, their line has no chemistry under this new system and they should have been split up a long time ago. IIRC, one of the main reasons the Kane and Toews line was split up originally was because they became to easy to shutdown. Clearly, this is the case here, as teams have been able to effectively shut our top line hard with their top players.

Actually, the person I am most frustrated is with Glen. He has been effectively garbage at managing our top players... Well, at least our start is slightly better than last year maybe the guys with stop sleeping on their money and wake up.

 

[TkachuksMouthguard]

Monahan has been awful. Might have been the worst game I've seen him play, including his rookie season.

Can't receive or make a pass, he looks a step behind and has been losing most puck battles. And it's not like he's been a defensive stalwart to make up for his poor offence.

What's going on Sean

So has Johnny. Has absolutely no clue what to do at this point and I bet he is super frustrated cause he is playing like he is frustrated. All the pressure is on him, big pay day, expectations to continue delivery and no one else on the team is doing anything to take the pressure off him. So he plays like he has to do it by himself and opponents know it. There has been zero typical Johnny domination and flair like in the past.

Your best players have to be your best players. Money and Johnny are not at the moment.

That plus another bad fumble of the puck by Tkachuck on a good play that could of resulted in a nice chance. Kid needs to work on his hands... over thinking it every time he touches the puck. Last game up.

 

[Skobel24]

Seriously, it's time to split up Monahan and Gaudreau. They've had time to re-adjust, it's not happening.

Put Gaudreau with Bennett and Brouwer.
Put Monahan with Tkachuk and one of Chiasson/Ferland/Versteeg.

 

[Rick M]

I'm wondering if Monahan is fully recovered from his back injury. Also, the fact that both he and Johnny missed training camp is likely a big part of the problem. They had no chance to get sharp and adjust to GG's new system(s) before the start of the season.

 

[DCDM]

Just now going back to watch some of the highlights of this game. How the hell did Kane score that first goal? Dreadful effort from the three Flames skaters as well as Elliott.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I'm wondering if Monahan is fully recovered from his back injury. Also, the fact that both he and Johnny missed training camp is likely a big part of the problem. They had no chance to get sharp and adjust to GG's new system(s) before the start of the season.

If I was betting, I would put my money on 'no'. Back injuries are a weird thing and can linger for a long time.

 

[FLAMES666]

With everyone complaining about certain players I am surprised Brodie isn't being mentioned. Easily the most under performing player this year. 2 assists and a -8 on the season is an absolute joke.

 

[DCDM]

With everyone complaining about certain players I am surprised Brodie isn't being mentioned. Easily the most under performing player this year. 2 assists and a -8 on the season is an absolute joke.

I recommend going back about 4 pages, Brodie got absolutely roasted by this board after Motte's goal.

 

[tmurfin]

With everyone complaining about certain players I am surprised Brodie isn't being mentioned. Easily the most under performing player this year. 2 assists and a -8 on the season is an absolute joke.

He's been mentioned, especially in game. But still, people pick at the Chiasson's and Engellands as easy targets, when guys like Brodie and Gio have been our worst players so far. That's why we're losing, not because of the little guys. Join those two, and split Mony/Johnny, it's too obvious at this point.

And as much as I blame Monahan, I blame Gaudreau. They've both been bad. Johnny's just flashier so it looks like he's doing more, when really, he just hogs the puck until he loses it, they can't connect with each other at all this year. Bennett's been one of our best offensive players, but man he's gotta stop taking dumb penalties.

 

[Skobel24]

With everyone complaining about certain players I am surprised Brodie isn't being mentioned. Easily the most under performing player this year. 2 assists and a -8 on the season is an absolute joke.

That -8 doesn't mean much considering the way Elliott has played for half of the year.

 

[tmurfin]

That -8 doesn't mean much considering the way Elliott has played for half of the year.

It means something when you consider the way Brodie's personally played ALL year

 

[Rangediddy]

That -8 doesn't mean much considering the way Elliott has played for half of the year.

You mean how Elliot played for 3 games? He's been great since his bad start

 

[Skobel24]

My bad, for some reason I thought he was a -6 or so in those first 3-4 games.

 

[Flameshomer]

With everyone complaining about certain players I am surprised Brodie isn't being mentioned. Easily the most under performing player this year. 2 assists and a -8 on the season is an absolute joke.

I've been mentioning him a lot. Him and Monahan have been our worst players, which hurts as a fan. Sit them both!

 

[Anglesmith]

So has Johnny. Has absolutely no clue what to do at this point and I bet he is super frustrated cause he is playing like he is frustrated. All the pressure is on him, big pay day, expectations to continue delivery and no one else on the team is doing anything to take the pressure off him.

I wouldn't say that. I would say the rest of the team is doing what they need to do in just about every way. Backlund and Frolik are playing out of their minds and their line is dominant with Tkachuk. Bennett/Brouwer/Versteeg are a good third unit who generate chances and will score every now and then, but are a little snake-bitten at times, and the fourth line is good for a fourth line. It's literally just the first line that is doing nothing when on the ice.

And like I've said, I think the problem is the way the team plays when Johnny has the puck. I don't think they give him enough options, which would make him much more dangerous. There's a lot of "four guys standing still while Gaudreau skates" entries, and then surprise surprise, the puck ends up with the other team. Especially on the PP, I'd love to see all five guys skating relatively fast when they hit the blueline.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Release the Kulak-en!!!

 

[SmellOfVictory]

I wouldn't say that. I would say the rest of the team is doing what they need to do in just about every way. Backlund and Frolik are playing out of their minds and their line is dominant with Tkachuk. Bennett/Brouwer/Versteeg are a good third unit who generate chances and will score every now and then, but are a little snake-bitten at times, and the fourth line is good for a fourth line. It's literally just the first line that is doing nothing when on the ice.

And like I've said, I think the problem is the way the team plays when Johnny has the puck. I don't think they give him enough options, which would make him much more dangerous. There's a lot of "four guys standing still while Gaudreau skates" entries, and then surprise surprise, the puck ends up with the other team. Especially on the PP, I'd love to see all five guys skating relatively fast when they hit the blueline.

There may be some of that, but JG is also making a lot of crappy passes to nowhere when there are options available, and he's ragging the puck way too much. I've also noticed he's getting played closer defensively this year, and I don't think the refs are calling penalties against the guys covering him the way they did in previous years (not saying it's right or wrong, but it's a contributing factor to his lack of space).

 

[tmurfin]

Thank god for that "expendable" guy Frolik