Far from elite, the Calgary Flames organization as a whole is in some stormy seas. After another pathetic effort at home, shut out for the third time in a young season, the bored fans have to wonder what on earth is going on. Well here’s what we know.
From an organizational point of view things are toxic. After trying desperately to score a new arena, then meddling in a local civic election, then comparing the mayor to Trump, the Calgary Flames have tainted themselves as rich cry babies the city is starting to loathe. That’s a distraction.
Then there’s the coaching. The team has never had good starts under Gulutzan. Never. That’s preparation, and the team lacks it. The players are now not responding to the coach. Think about this. After a win in LA, what does the coach do? Rips the players to the media. Yes, I agree, the team is being bailed out by a hot goalie and they’re nowhere near elite status, but don’t rip them in th emedia. Then he did the same thing after the Vancouver win.
With 4 days off and some practice time, you’d think the best line up would be ready for tonight’s game. No. Lines shuffled, no chemistry, more penalties, the same players hurting the team, and again, zero offence. Carolina comes away with a 2-1 win which should’ve been 4-0.
The players themselves should shoulder the bulk of the blame. The forwards are lost. They’re killing penalties too often, and more importantly, the best lineup isn’t on the ice. Some of the best players are in the minors. The organization is too busy playing favorites to Bartkowski, Brouwer, and Stajan, to be bothered with what matters most: wins.
Until the team starts practicing what they preach, giving ice to the best players, this team will continue to flounder and will struggle to even make the playoffs. It’s early, and they’ve been fortunate to get some wins, but 3 shutouts without any correction, that’s of concern.
Apparently, the Caroline Hurricanes played a solid game that encompassed a strong defensive core while the Flames contributed to the final ten minutes of the game. When the entire game is wasted killing penalties, there is no more fuel left to play. That’s where the problem lies – there is a difference between how players perform i.e. with intensity or aggression. Playing with aggression increases their chances of becoming targets for penalization. What had Sam Bennett been penalized for last night? That’s what had happened against the Canucks too. Subsequently, the Flames have been targets for as long as one can recall but more importantly the Brian McGrattan strategy is not working.
The only thing the Flames need to do is play their game regardless of their line mates because consecutive losses can diminish their chances for post season games. But the question is: Do they really want to play or waste time playing?
Welcome back, Anar!