What is wrong with the Calgary Flames?

[qwerty]

The actual answer is scoring from their bottom 6. They lost 2 consecutive fluke games against the President’s Trophy candidates when you consider the amount of soft or strange goals that were scored.

But when you look at most of the losses in the last stretch or most of the season actually, you’ll see that this team is having a hard time scoring enough goals to put teams away or at least to give them more of a cushion.

Constantly expecting your team to win or protect 1 goal games is tough in this league. I’d wager to say the Flames have the least productive bottom 2 lines in the league. If the top 2 lines don’t score every game, the Flames usually lose.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

The weird thing is that we probably should have won every one of those six games.

This team has lots of talent. If they can pull it together and make the playoffs I think they could be a dark horse.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

The Flames roster is fine, our coach just isn’t getting the most out of the players.

 

[HugginThePost]

The weird thing is that we probably should have won every one of those six games.

This team has lots of talent. If they can pull it together and make the playoffs I think they could be a dark horse.

Everyone will scoff at this an claim you’re a massive homer.....

.....but it’s actually true. They are playing pretty damned good hockey right now. They just seem to be making stupid mistakes at the very worst times.

I mean seriously, that game tying goal against the Knights!?! Have you every seen anything so dumb? I’m surprised Smith didn’t lose his f***ing mind!!

 

[53or8]

How many times can you blame the coach before you realize you have average players playing better than they should

 

[DJJones]

just because we're the better team for 50 minutes a night doesn't mean we deserve to win when we fall apart in the ten minutes.

Teams mentally weak. More than enough skill, bad coaching, and maybe not enough leaders/experience.

 

[crackdown44]

How many times can you blame the coach before you realize you have average players playing better than they should

If they were playing better than they should there probably wouldn’t be a need for this thread?

 

[53or8]

If they were playing better than they should there probably wouldn’t be a need for this thread?

Good old hf knee jerk reaction thread

 

[bob27]

Ebbs and flows of the season. They should make the playoffs if they remain healthy and Smith keeps it together.

Bob Hartley is a horrifically bad coach.

GG is a bottom coach in the NHL but he is a huge upgrade on Hartley.

The problem wasn't firing Hartley too soon it was hiring him at all. He was fired much too late.

I still can't believe this bozo won Jack Adams. What a joke.

 

[DJJones]

If they were playing better than they should there probably wouldn’t be a need for this thread?

Yes, fans are mad that they are underachieving. If we weren't skilled enough we would be thrilled we just lost in regulation for the first time in 12 games

 

[Baxterman]

How many times can you blame the coach before you realize you have average players playing better than they should

It can be both.

Yes the roster is pretty average but the coach is terrible as well.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Flames have 2 players you realistically expected to score over 60 points this season. That isn't a whole lot of depth. This should be a playoff team just because how stacked that defense is but offensively this is the team you would expect to struggle.

 

[Scrantonicity 2]

We may never win again. We truly miss the man, the myth, the legend Dennis Wideman.

 

[Coffey]

The Flames roster is fine, our coach just isn’t getting the most out of the players.

That's how I see it too.

 

[Anglesmith]

They've been playing better hockey since the All-star Break. I'd be surprised if they don't get back on track soon. The two games against Vegas and Tampa, the two top teams in the league, were actually very good games by the Flames. They self-destructed in the final minutes vs. Vegas due to a flukey, bizarre mistake by a trusted veteran, and Smith had a rare off-game against Tampa. The defence, which people have mocked all season it seems, has actually been very solid for months. They owned the longest streak of games with 3 or fewer GAA in the league just before the last BoA. If the PP was a contributing factor over the last few months, the Flames would be comfortably in a playoff spot right now.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Don't really think it's the primary reason for the middling performance but losing Frolik and Versteeg for big chunks of time along with Jagr not working out has put a lot of strain on the rest of the forward group. That's 3/4 of the opening roster's RWs.

 

[Snakepit]

Problem is very simple

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

People actually dont understand how much coaching can make a difference. Look at Johnston with the Pens, and how every player (Minus Fleury) especially Crosby and Kessell struggled mightily with him. And I actually like Gulutzan's system, it's just his usage and deployment is absolutely insane.

 

[karnige]

Mike Smith is the reason the team was so successful. but he's been soso lately. if it wasn't for the man in the first place they aren't even close to the playoffs.

 

[IPS]

I think a lot of it comes down to how overrated Gaudreau is. He's really not as good as some of the folks want you to believe on here and it really hurts Calgary to not have game-breaking talent on a consistent basis.

 

[Tkachuky]

I think a lot of it comes down to how overrated Gaudreau is. He's really not as good as some of the folks want you to believe on here and it really hurts Calgary to not have game-breaking talent on a consistent basis.

is this a joke? somehow this slump is gaudreau fault and he is overrated?

 

[qwerty]

is this a joke? somehow this slump is gaudreau fault and he is overrated?

[mod] I saw a stat the other day that showed the 3 players who have contributed the most towards their team’s goals and the 3 were Gaudreau, Eichel and McDavid at approximately 40%. Those are MVP like numbers and the Sabres ans Oilers are in the league’s basement. So it just goes to show how important his game breaking ability has been to his team’s success this season.

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Losers of six straight, they are really playing their way out of a playoff spot.

This is definitely not an anti jinx thread.

They are having bad luck.

 

[FlamerForLife]

They are having bad luck.

You are my favourite poster.

 

[Bando]

How many times can you blame the coach before you realize you have average players playing better than they should

It's funny when an oilers fan says this.