Sportsnet's Eric Francis RIPS Johnny Gaudreau and Flames

[Dack]

Francis doesn't have connections in the Flames locker room he makes his stuff up.

 

[Brad Marchant]

Francis doesn't have connections in the Flames locker room he makes his stuff up.

Francis is definitely the edgy teenager of Flames writers, but he isn't wrong (mostly) here. Johnny doesn't look like he is trying and when he does, he isn't even coming 10% close to playing with the smarts and confidence that he did during the season. He isn't getting any support either, the rest of the team isn't trying too, but he is supposed to be a gamebreaker who can will his team to victory every once and a while.

 

[Dack]

Francis is definitely the edgy teenager of Flames writers, but he isn't wrong (mostly) here. Johnny doesn't look like he is trying and when he does, he isn't even coming 10% close to playing with the smarts and confidence that he did during the season. He isn't getting any support either, the rest of the team isn't trying too, but he is supposed to be a gamebreaker who can will his team to victory every once and a while.

I know it's not hard to see. They've played like a bottom 5 team in this series for whatever reason. Total collapse from top to bottom.


However this doesn't change the fact that Eric Francis is both a tool and doesn't know anything about what's happening in the Flames dressing room.

 

[Devonator]

Funny how just a few weeks ago people were penciling in a Lightning - Flames final. Now one of them has been utterly embarrassed and the other isn't far away from it.

Gotta love the playoffs

To be fair, I don't think most people were thinking the Flames were coming out of the west...at least not outside Calgary....I think most people felt Vegas or St. Louis or San Jose...

 

[JPeeper]

I agree with some of that but not Gaudreau. Mackinnon may be outplaying him but JH is making excellent plays. He's skating right with the Av's and not shying away from contact. He's the last player I'm looking at judging the Flames. They need to get younger and keep improving the team.

Have you watched literally even 5 minutes of this series?

Gaudreau has been the worst player on the ice pretty much every game.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Quick, Flames fans, someone make a thread when Johnny Hockey scores 2 in a losing effort!

 

[sharkhawk]

It might happen, but this really sounds like a “edgy” writer that likes to put down the local team to get clicks. There the private Hudson’s of hockey writers. Oh man, we’re all going to die. There the kind of guys you wouldn’t want to be in a foxhole with. We had them in Chicago during the cup years, every time the hawks were down in a series. They’re down 3-1 but we’re 2:50 from being tied 2-2. They’ll probably lose, but if the team has his attitude they’ll definitely lose

 

[The National]

He’s right but an obnoxious approach at criticism.

 

[IceManCat]

Maybe he’s hurt ?

 

[AvsFan29]

I guess when you pat yourself on the back, and participate in feverish circle-jerks about your regular season success, the fall from grace is a long one.

I have sympathy for Smith, but Calgary hasn't earned any respect, and the clowns on their team (Tkachuk/Bennett) are the worst example of hockey players that this league has to offer.

I also have no sympathy for some of the Calgary fans who called me a cocky idiot for disagreeing that the Avs would be swept.

I haven't seen a fan base so sure of themselves in a while, despite the fact that they've actually had no recent playoff success.

I picked Colorado to win this series, and yes, I am bias, but I've seen lots of fans of other teams around here also take Colorado.

When you look at the stats leading up to the playoffs, it's not a mystery as to why the Avs are beating the pants off Calgary.

Anyways I can't wait until this series is over. Getting really sick of it, and hopefully Calgary can keep their crying to themselves.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

This is why when people were getting wet for Calgary I kept saying they aren't a threat. Gaudreau chokes every playoffs, his game isn't suited for playoff hockey. He's been the worst player on the ice every game. And Monahan isn't a 1C you can win a cup with. Smith has actually been playing great, if he was his usual self this series would have already been over.

 

[Sniperberg]

Even the Guildford Flames would do better than Calgary.

 

[The S5]

I'm shocked that a guy that is 5'7" 160 pounds isn't physically dominant. Shocked I tell ya!

 

[Kamiccolo]

My earlier thread got closed as it was missing a linked source.

So here it is..

Eric Francis on w Sportsnet 650

http://pmd.sportsnet650.ca/podcasts...l-19--The-NHL-playoffs-continue-to-dazzle.mp3

Eric Francis starts at 1:57:15

Summary of what Francis says in the interview.

- Flames are done. He cancelled his hotel booking back to Colorado and will cancel his flight soon too. He thinks Flames are done in CGY next game.

- Flames top line has been a No Show.

- Gaudreau is sorta a one trick pony. Compares him to Marner . He says Marner back checks tho and Gaudreau doesnt have that in him. Never seen him block a shot. If Gaudreau isnt putting up points he isnt contributing any other way.

- Gaudreau and Mackinnon both w 99 pts in reg season and 1 guy has taken over the series...the other guy has completely disappeared. It had happened before 2 yrs ago when Gaudreau didnt show up vs the Ducks and Flames got swept.

- Francis says When the going gets tough we see what happens to Gaudreau and this might follow him the rest of his career.

- " you can write this down.. TJ Brodie will be traded"

"hes too high risk and makes too many mistakes "

- " Mike Smith can win the conn smythe and the Stanley cup and the Flames wouldnt bring him back.next year because hes so wildly unpopular in Calgary"

Wait how is Marner a one trick pony though? Arguably thus far in the series (which this could change) Marner has been the best player on both ends of the ice. He's been blocking shots, scoring goals, some sick assists, PKing (short handed goal), PP points, hitting people hard (including Chara), and PPG in the series thus far.

 

[NyQuil]

Not very professional.

Just petulant.

Sounds more like a disgruntled fan than a journalist.

Cancelled his flight and reservations?

LOL.

 

[Brad Marchant]

I have sympathy for Smith, but Calgary hasn't earned any respect, and the clowns on their team (Tkachuk/Bennett) are the worst example of hockey players that this league has to offer.

Lol so you are saying Flames aren't trying at all yet you have no respect for 2 of the VERY FEW amount of Flames who are actually giving it their all and playing playoff hockey? Methinks the idea of 'earning your respect' is flawed because you had your mind made up long ago.

 

[Avelanche]

I do notice that Goudreau loves to cherry pick alot. He is rarely in his own end trying to win battles for loose pucks. He will battle in the offensive zone for pucks but rarely in the defensive zone.

mackinnon does this too though.

 

[Echo Roku]

Wow, you can really tell almost no one here listened to what he said

He spends most of his time giving credit to the Avs over the Flames being bad, and OP’s just noting the guy’s Flames criticisms. Which makes it seem a lot more negative than it really is

 

[bdub24]

Johnny One-Dimension

 

[Echo Roku]

Wait how is Marner a one trick pony though? Arguably thus far in the series (which this could change) Marner has been the best player on both ends of the ice. He's been blocking shots, scoring goals, some sick assists, PKing (short handed goal), PP points, hitting people hard (including Chara), and PPG in the series thus far.

Actually he praises Marner for contributing well all around when he’s being shut down offensively, and says Gaudreau doesn’t do much outside of offense

Basically says they’re similar styles of play, and Marner is an example of something Gaudreau should try to be

 

[IndustryLeech]

I agree with some of that but not Gaudreau. Mackinnon may be outplaying him but JH is making excellent plays. He's skating right with the Av's and not shying away from contact. He's the last player I'm looking at judging the Flames. They need to get younger and keep improving the team.

You're watching different games than the rest of us, friend.

 

[AvsFan29]

Lol so you are saying Flames aren't trying at all yet you have no respect for 2 of the VERY FEW amount of Flames who are actually giving it their all and playing playoff hockey? Methinks the idea of 'earning your respect' is flawed because you had your mind made up long ago.

I don't respect them because they play a style of hockey that I have no respext for. Tkachuk is constantly embellishing, or straight up faking high-sticking calls.

Bennett sucker punches people and gets real tough once the refs step in.

It's embaressing, and it's not how hockey should be played.

 

[wayninja]

The way some of you are talking, you’d think game five had already been played.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

Mike Smith was pretty well despised in AZ, too. That guy is just an absolute ******* and a complete wreck mentally when things get rough for him.

Having watched him in Calgary, Arizona and Dallas as an opposing fan I find him to be filth as a hockey player. Him and Dubnyk both throw tantrums, hack and slash other players and whine to the refs when things don't go their way.

 

[al secord]

Very professional piece of journalism.