cross16

not winning games in regulation is what is going to cost them the playoffs. There was no reason this should have been in OT

In its most simplistic form, the reason the flames are out of the playoffs is a lack of timely goals and timely saves. Got the timely goals tonight but couldn’t get the saves. Story continues. But honestly the management of this team is a joke. Stupid PP changes, Zadarov in OT is ridiculous, no Huberdeau in OT. I hate how this team has been coached this year.

This may have changed but the report the city commissioned to look into the project actually reported the creosote mitigation cost at much less than what the city was expecting. The project ultimately fell flat because the 900 million cost that CESC pitched wound up being only the cost to actually build the facilities. The city's report detailed that when you factored in interest costs, land costs, utilities etc it was going to be almost double and the project quickly lost support. I agree with Sak that with different people at the table taking a fresh look at things is not a bad thing but given the report the City commissioned i'd be awfully surprised to see what could have changed that would make CalgaryNext feasible again.

I don't think Kadri's number impacts Lindholm in anyway, his number was already pretty established and I don't think the market moved at all based on Kadri's deal. I think even before Kadri signed Lindholm already started with an 8. Tomas Hertl is at 8, Couturier at 7.75 (bump in cap puts LIndholm over 8), Sebastian Aho and he are similar the last few years. He's out producing Kopitar (10mill), Coture (8mill) Seguin (9.25). Think it was pretty wishful thinking to believe this was coming in under 8 and the Horvat deal just confirms that IMO. You can debate how much of a number 1 center Lindholm is, but what it doesn't' matter. Number 1 centers (debatable or not) are not getting less than 8 mill AAV in this marketplace and haven't for a few seasons now. The problem for the Flames is they built this team to win for the next 3-4 years and they are not going to do that without Lindholm. He really isn't' a trade option, he is a must sign based on how their team is constructed.

Tanev skating in his usual spot today.

He was not. Good teacher yes but make no mistake he pushed them hard to win. It's why he was let go.

Not important and a piece trying to stir up controversy that isn't there. I don't think Treliving should have liked the comments, I think in hindsight Sutter shouldn't have even liked the comment and like any good organization you should share feedback and discuss it. Very healthy process that should not be framed in any negative way as that piece tried to. Nothing story IMO.

At the same time though why is it other teams can keep this quiet and the Canucks didn't? Flames were almost certainly talking to Sutter while Ward was the coach and it that never got out. Also have to balance this with the fact that he is almost certainly used by teams when it's convenient for them. Can't have it both ways. I don't think he crossed a line either. I think it's fair to dislike the type of reporting Friedman and others do but I think that's a by product of fan demand and not the result of the individuals IMO.

Only 5 people getting points in the rankings for goals/assists tells you how wacky of a season it has been.

I hope the Flames can hang on to Love long enough for Sutter to retire because I think teams are gonna come a calling. Super impressive what he has done with that group the last two years. Coach of the year last year and top AHL team so far this year. He does a fantastic job IMO.

It is a decent return, but not great. It really hinges on Raty IMO who I don't really like as a prospect. He's got some skill, when he wants to use it, but I don't like his IQ and I find him too much of a perimeter player. If he can fix that then the Canucks likely like this deal and could love it if they hit on the pick. I use to like Beaullivier but his game has gone south. Barely top 9 rigth now and expensive to boot. Canucks should get to work on hoping he can get some chemistry with Miller or Pettersen and then flip him. Unprotected pick in 2024 and at the rate the Islanders are going I wouldn't be surprised if that picks is top 10.

The thought process here is so crazy. Sign a 29 year old player, despite the fact your trade offers are likely better than what you got today, to a 7 year deal and in the end you deal your 27 year old captain who is actually the better player? And you are telling your fans you don't want to rebuild? Think the Canucks have replaced the Oilers are the worst run franchise in NHL. Crazy amount of incompetency going on there right now.

I think the area of opportunity in terms of improvement in front of goalies is puck management. I don't think it's fair to point at the D because in terms of defending their own zone they are very good. In the last 30 games at 5 on 5 the Flames are top 5-7 in all major defensive metrics. Shots, Coris, chances, high danger expected etc they are top 5 or 7 across the board in all of them. (They are top 10 in both goals for and expected goals for just to point out) In terms of the goalies at 5 on 5: Vladar an Markstrom are both in the top 20 in shots against and expected goals against. Vlaar 25th in High danger against, Markstrom 33rd. Markstrom is 10th in rebound chances against, Vladar 13th. what stands out is rush attempts against. Markstrom is the 11th highest goalie in rush attempts against. Vladar 52nd. Flames could help Markstrom by managing the puck better and giving up less rush chances (in particular odd man rusehs). Part of that is they tend to trail the game with Markstrom in net and I think this year's versions of the Flames doesn't play the same two way game last year's did. This year's group doesn't cover up as well on aggressive play as last year's did so they give up more rush chances against. But still need both goalies playing better.

I don't think it was a bad game from Markstrom. Hard to say this in a 5-1 game against the worst team in the league but it would have been worse if it was not for Markstrom. The team was just that bad. Markstrom has a NMC which mean he can block an assignment so I don't think they are going to be in a position to send him down. While they could bring up Wolf they would be running 3 goalies. I'm not sure that is really going to benefit anyone, Markstrom, Vladar or Wolf.

It always comes down to the player wants and how determined he is. Fox was clearly very determined to make it to New York and if (key word here is IF) Coronato feels the same there is little the Flames can do. No indications that is the case here though and there was with Fox. But financially the Flames have a significant edge here. They can start the contract this season, without him having to play a game which not only gets money in his pocket but it starts the clock on unrestricted free agency. and getting him off that ELC. For him to reject the Flames and push to be a UFA he would be adding 2 years onto that timeline so instead of perhaps becoming an RFA in 2 years and a UFA in 6 he'd be looking at coming off his ELC in 5 years and a UFA in 8. Said this with Fox and it still holds, I think there is no way Coronato makes it to UFA and completes 4 years. He'll sign with the Flames or the Flames will trade him and at this point there is no reason to believe he wants to go elsewhere.

that assumes the team in front of them also plays well also. I don’t think Vladar is out playing Markstrom he’s just getting better results. Their stats are almost identical over the last 20 games. flames don’t have a number 1 right now is the primary point.

I think they’ve tried. Vladars pattern right now is 1-2 good games and then throw up a not so good. Dallas, Tampa Bay and Columbus are all games that I would say are not good goaltending performances. We just don’t talk about it because of the run support. I actually think Markstrom has been fine. The difference is the team falling flat in front of him.

I personally don't think you learn much about a team when they have a let down against a poor team. Those are going to happen throughout a season and they happen for every team. You learn more about them when you see how they respond. Especially tonight playing a good team and not having Tanev. We'll learn more tonight IMO.

Pelletier has been a nice bright spot for sure. I hope they have an enhanced role for him in mind out of the break. He brings a much lacking element of quickness to the forward crop. Not just north -south speed but lateral quickness. Can get himself into open ice and extend forecheck pressure, and that's not something this team has a ton of in it's top 9.

Not even meant to be positive. Be pretty hard to argue this team is worth being positive about this year. Just simply a fact that they are right there in their division and not really losing ground but also really clear they are going to need to play better to solidify a playoff spot or climb up. Let's see if they are capable of doing so.

They are 13-8-6 since Dec 1st. 15th best point % in that time. No team in the division earned more points in that time span and the Flames point % is higher then both Vegas and Seattle, and almost identical to Edm and LA. Yes the need to play better, yes last night sucked but they are very much keeping pace in their division.

I think generally speaking the effort level of this group has been high. Obviously last night excluded, but you have games like that throughout a season. What I would say about this team is they generally don't cheat you on effort. They battle, compete and keep doing so even when games feel out of reach. I actually think the work and compete level of this group is higher than it was last year. For me this comes down to a situation where either they haven't fully bought into how the coaching staff wants them to play or they just have not reached the point where they are fully on the same page. Likely a bit of both IMO.

Just a bad effort from top to bottom. No one was ready to play and no one seems to have found any intensity. this group doesn’t handle adversity or expectations well.

Vladar has been giving opportunities to seize the net and hasn't exactly run with it so I don't really get the constant complaining about the goaltending. I get the record is great but Columbus went to OT in part due to him. He's hasn't made this decision easy on the coaching staff. The Flames don't have a number one right now so they are managing their goalies accordingly. Makes perfect sense to me.

I personally would move Solovyov up that list. Next to Porier he's been the most impressive Dman for me. Just plays a really nice, steady game, very good at ending cycles, getting physical, and getting pucks the other way. Limits mistakes, good size, kind of player coaches like on their bottom pairing. They lean on him quite a bit (he's on their top pairing) and it wouldn't surprise me if he works his way into a call up in the near future. I quite like him in what i've seen so far. I haven't been very impressed with Kuznetsov myself. He really needs to add a puck moving component to his game and get more comfortable with the puck on his stick. He's good, not great, in his own zone, has a heavy shot once in the o zone, but he's really a non factor when it comes to the transition game. but I agree with the takeaway. I do think both Pelletier and Zary have top 6 potential but while the Wranglers are a good team it's mostly built on depth guys for sure. I think the Flames have a long list of players that warrant a look at the NHL level but of course it's low on elite talent. But should be noted that you don't tend to have elite or first line talent in the AHL.