GDT: WCQF Game #4 ★ Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars, 1:00PM CT ★ FS-SW, CBC, SN, NBCSN ★ Calgary Lead 2-1

[BigG44]

It's a shame Heatherington isn't an option. He's not perfect, but he's a guy you'd like to have at this moment to see if can offer better quality minutes on the 3rd pair. I still have him behind Hanley probably, but it would be nice to have him.

He probably cost you Caamano or Bow in the bubble, but obviously ... so grateful you have Bow not with Bishop already struggling with injuries.

 

[serp]

I think Harley would be a upgrade over Sekera or Fedun. The issue with replacing Sekera is I think Bones likes having him as an option on the PK. Harley has such a cool and calm presence back there and his ability to actually create outlet passes and make smart decisions will help with the Stars transition game keeping them out of their own end which something Sekera has been awful at. Harley won’t be like Makar or Heiskanen buzzing around out there, but he doesn’t need to be. He looked unspectacular in Colorado game, but he also didn’t make any glaring mistakes. That’s what we need. Sekera and Fedun have both been liabilities out there. Bayreuther also has that calm ability to move the puck up ice that I think would benefit the Stars. I wouldn’t mind him getting in the lineup either.

Which i would agree with if the PK was actually doing well but its not. Lovejoy was amazing on the PK so i could accept him beeing awful 5on5 for 5-6 minutes. Sekera is not that.

 

[BigG44]

Harley was not unspectacular in the Colorado game. He had a rough time against one of the most skilled teams in the league, and they happen to be the team if Dallas advances they'll play in the next round.

He wasn't assisting with the transition game or helping get out of zone. He was pretty overwhelmed. The guy you're describing wasn't on the ice in the round robin. That's the guy your hoping to see next season after a pre-season and some growing pains early in the season. He's a year removed from being drafted. None of this is a knock on him. Most teenagers can't step into the NHL playoffs and play at a high level especially when their overall defensive game isn't that strong. The chance of him ever being a major contributor in return to play was slim.

 

[serp]

It's a shame Heatherington isn't an option. He's not perfect, but he's a guy you'd like to have at this moment to see if can offer better quality minutes on the 3rd pair. I still have him behind Hanley probably, but it would be nice to have him.

He probably cost you Caamano or Bow in the bubble, but obviously ... so grateful you have Bow not with Bishop already struggling with injuries.

I mean last season the team played Heatherington over Bayreuther in the PO's so they could've taken him instead of Bayreuther . Now they have 2 small-ish mobile puckmovers and 18 year old Harley as reserve defenseman . IDK if the fact that both Oleksiak and Johns beeing healthy at the start was the reason they didn't take Heatherington but its what they did.

 

[DieselPig]

Yeah, I think we all agree Sekera has been awful. Unfortunately tho, I expect we are going to see the exact same lineup in Game 5 as last game. Lord help us. I will admit the nervousness I feel when Sekera or Fedun are on the ice can make things a little more exciting lol

 

[BigG44]

Which i would agree with if the PK was actually doing well but its not. Lovejoy was amazing on the PK so i could accept him beeing awful 5on5 for 5-6 minutes. Sekera is not that.

Yeah it's a rough situation to be in. I thought Dallas' scoring would be the reason they were out of the playoffs fast. I was not optimistic about their chances against Calgary, and that mostly had to do with pessimism about how pathetic and uninspired they played prior to the stoppage and early in the bubble. They won me over to the point that I think they can advance in this series. That said, I don't think it's anything close to a lock. The Flames could win this too because the Stars are bipolar.

With the optimism that's developed during the first round though, it's feeling like their team play and defense, the thing that was supposed to be on point and their identity, is the thing that will cause them to fail against a top offensive team like Colorado.

It's not like I thought they ever had a chance in this tournament, but it's crazy to think their crappy defensive play would potentially be the biggest cause of them failing. They don't seem to have an answer, and I just really hope we don't have to hear all next season Gaglardi and team employees (I'm looking at you Bogorad and Razor) live in a fantasy world saying if only Johns didn't get hurt. He was struggling too. I can't count the number of times Gaglardi, Bogorad, or Razor talked about not having Oleksiak and to a lesser extent Johns in the St. Louis series. I'm almost positive Bogorad has mentioned it a few times in the bubble ... the what if fantasy where Dallas advances to the Conference Finals if they had Oleksiak. That situation at least holds more water than what's going on this year. Dallas isn't magically back to normal in the bubble with Johns back in the lineup.