robrob74
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Posts posted by robrob74
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The PK may look better,. But taking penalties changes momentum.
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I've seen about 3 games all year. But the ones I did see, it seems like most are going through the motions, no great opportunities or big excitement. Sure they have the puck, but the scoring chances aren't high quality. The D still have mishaps that cost the game as well. Plus untimely penalties hurt us too.
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4 hours ago, cross16 said:
Gilles hasn't been played 11 games yet on the Ahl. Total. Talk of him being up here is extremely premature.
I'd much rather see him spend at least the next two season in the A. He's got lots to prove and no reason to be rushed.
I say see where he is at at the end of the year. Evaluate and let him fight for a spot in camp. He will earn it when he is ready. Could be two years, but he isn't super young with his college experience against young men.
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12 minutes ago, tmac70 said:
Our current struggles over the past few seasons, has been defense and defensive coverage. Goal tending is not our issue this year as even coaches and the talking heads agree. Unlike the offensive dman in the league the Doughy's, Keith's, Karlson's, Weber's, Ekblad they actually can play defense as well. Our dcore is offensively oriented and defensively challenged. Our GA average is directly aligned with how well our dman have played not our goalies. Reality check in place, average goal tending is not going to cover up how bad our defense is. This has been an issue for awhile but has been over looked based on offensive production, it has now been exposed.
I would say for some of us, it was exposed a few years ago, but that year we made the playoffs it was in spite of the numbers, while goalies made key saves atvthe most opportune times. I've been preaching team D as a problem the whole time, and that lies directly on our offensive D guys.
Teams are going to check the #1 line harder and I wonder if the offense will struggle because of it.
It'll be imperative for the team to play picture perfect D in order to get wins. Do we have the D to do it?
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Just now, The_People1 said:
Well ya, i'm talking next season. We may as well ruin Elliott this year and keep Gillies as far away from this year's team as possible.
I just wonder if the problem will be fixed by next year.?
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1 minute ago, The_People1 said:
Pretty sure the plan since last season was we needed a stop gap until Jon Gillies is NHL ready. It's too bad Gillies missed basically all last season on rehab. Otherwise, he might've already been here now.
They were talking contract extension with Elliott but i hope that doesn't happen at this point. I'd rather run with Gillies and Johnson next season if we had to.
I don't want to run with Gillies until the team improves the overall team game. It could ruin his confidence if he gets shellacked like we do now.
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I agree Phoenix, plus I think it is asking too much to have the goalie always having to bail you out all of the time.
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When we said that we need to change goaltending, my argument was always that we need to play better as a team otherwise it doesn't matter what goalies we get.
Johnson played well, sure, but he almost didn't get those points in both games. The Canucks game was probably the best played so far? But still was one we could've lost outright without a point.
We cant win if the team doesnt play well, I don't care how great your goalie is, even Roy let in how many in a game for Montreal?
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2 hours ago, CheersMan said:
I agree as well. His skating is fine and he plays the position well enough. With the true enforcer gone from the game Engelland’s role on this team is even more important. He is the only player on this team (minus Bolig) that keeps the opposition tough guy/ahole honest. See game 1 vs Lucic.
Something i noticed last noght too was, guys like Engelland keeping the other team's guys in line. When they crashed the net there was more response than what I've seen since well before Hartley.
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1 hour ago, MAC331 said:
I don't think Kerr or Steinberg have a clue about our situation if that is their thinking.
What are you talking about? We are all disappointed none of our prospects looked good given their opportunity to do more. Monahan and Gaudreau out gave others ample opportunity to make a case for themselves. The only one was Tkachuk. What could be considered veteran prospects, like Poirier and maybe now Shinkurak, they didn't do anything to make a case.
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3 hours ago, cross16 said:
Kulak played 13 mins last night. That is hardly top 5 D.he was fine but that's just it, he was fine but that's all you should expect from a 6th dman.
I wish people would get off Engellands back. He's been solid since signing here and is off to another good start this year. Other than getting trapped in that Canuck goal for way too long a shift the D last night was very good.
I was at the game game last night and I think Engelland looked like one of the best of all our D. He was involved and always mucking it up with the nuck's players.
Hamilton and Gio didn't look great. They may have played better than Engelland overall, but they're probably at 80% of their abilities. Brodie looked just ok too.
Although as a whole, aside from a few shifts, the D played a good road game and Johnson could see most of the shots. If he didn't, he was square and in position to make the save.
Miller had had a similar night as he didn't have to make any spectacular saves. The game was about a 55-45 split in my opinion. The Flames outplayed them for the most part. The shift killed us as Johnson couldn't get a stoppage, and I could see the legs catching up slowly in the 3rd.
Engelland has been good and looked like one of the better ones. Hamilton was disappointing. Given how long it took for him to get used to the system last year, it could be a long first 2 months for him.
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25 minutes ago, conundrumed said:
I saw his preseason games. He's positionally sound. Square to the shooter, absorbs puck, bringing back the pokecheck! lol
I don't mean he can't lose 6-1, just that all you can ask for is solid mechanics. He has that, but it doesn't make us much better if we don't get better elsewhere.
I definitely agree! It will be how they play team D. The offence could be a bit better, but it is hard to argue with some of the success. Although the forwards could give a bit more depth scoring. The PP needs to improve, and the PK as well.
Its good to have a positionally sound guy. I don't want to be Montreal last year and hide the warts with a Price situation.
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3 minutes ago, conundrumed said:
He found success in an incredibly defensive minded system. Like Mike Smith and every goalie that lands in Phoenix. Is that Burke, or team play?
Minny is really no different.
Elliott found similar success in a very good defensive system in St Louis, and we think we are getting a very good goalie.
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26 minutes ago, JTech780 said:
Mark Jankowski scored a Hatty tonight in Stockton's first pre-season game of the year. Gillies stopped 19 of 21 shots. Frattin, Poirier and Kylington with the assists as Stockton beat Tucson 3-2.
I have hi hopes for that kid. I don't need him to be a #1C, but seeing him succeed will be nice considering the mixed fanfare he received.
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One thing the Flames have that Colorado does not is an offensively gifted D core. If the Avs had that, maybe MacKinnon's numbers could be better.
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Burke was the one who signed Stajan. But he also explains how there needs to be a mix of skill and heavy players.
One thing I see though, other than Treliving's first year, I don't see Burke's influence at all, minus the Baertschi incident. But that draft year I think Burke was heavily involved in it. But we got back to seeing skill and hockey sense override the truculent.
How many smaller skilled forwards have we drafted the last few years?
Personally, I would still like our 4th line to be a good high energy line, that can play of course. I still think there's a place for them to change momentum by outworking and cycling for a shift here and there. Maybe get under the other team's skin...
But I still see the team drafting for skill.
Burke has also stated that he lets his GM do the job. It's the GM's decision. I believe him. There is no evidence that shows Burke makes the final say, or that he undermines his GM decision making.
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Can"t be the reason why he was hired, BH has much better interview skills.
I wonder what they see in him that makes him such a great hire too. Was working as Asst. to Willie Desjardins so life transforming?
What exactly did he accomplish in Dallas? L. Ruff got them going when he was unable to.
I think a lot are basing GG on the results. Let's look at what he has had to work with in those coaching situation. At the NHL level from what I know, the few teams:
Dallas
Not a playoff team due to player personel, and where were they within a build, rebuild? Did he teach and get the players to improve and play better?
Vancouver:
On a down turn. The Sedins have been their best players and who were their defensive players?
Aging and on the down. They did well in a year they thought they weren't going to make the playoffs. The next year was worse as the players got a year older and some reduction to the team.
Has he ever had a complete team to work with?
In a year or two, we should be as close to complete in a long time. Has he had a history of working well with young players? Does he know how to motivate them?
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To suggest, or bank on it, are two very different things.
The Flames are Repeating what they did with Jonas Hiller and expecting a different outcome.
You're asking me if it's possible that Elliot is the next Tim Thomas. Yes it's possible. Anything is possible. That doesn't make it a good strategy.
Really?
You're comparing Hiller to Elliot? I don't think it's the same situation at all.
Hiller was coming off a few seasons where he'd lost his job and played substantially less. He had Vertigo and had to work his way back to health. He was barely an NHL goalie anymore.
Elliot is coming off a few seasons where he's had some of the best goaltending numbers in the league, yet, maybe not full time, but great numbers indeed.
Actually, I just went over the numbers, he's had about 3 or 4 decent years. I think if he can get to his numbers the last few seasons and keep it up by playing an extra 10 games on top of that, we're golden.
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I don't think Wideman should play with Gio, due to the fact that Gio and Brodie face the best of the other teams. Offensively, it may make sense to do that for Wideman, but defensively Gio would need to cover for Wideman's lack of defense. Brodie could possibly do it, but does that make sense?
As much as Wideman is due for a bounceback year, he isn't in the long-term plans and he isn't great defensively. Would it not be better to play him with Wotherspoon on the 3rd pair? You could alternate Engelland, Spoon and Wideman to form that 3rd pair, and at least you developing a long-term player.
I totally get what you're saying, but I think that it makes the most sense my way, because Wideman can't play the left side on the 3rd pairing and be good. Engelland can't either.
I'd love to keep Giordano and Brodie together, but I think it's going to have to be that way as long as we have Wideman. Maybe they can get a trade mid-season if Wideman is doing well.
I guess the last part of your comments make sense too.
Giordano, Brodie
Yokipakka, Hamilton
Wotherspoon, Wideman/Engelland.
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If Wideman is still here this is how I'd do the D pairings:
Brodie, Hamilton
Giordano, Wideman
Yokkipakka, Engelland
Wotherspoon, Nakladal (Hoping)
I'd only do that because playing Widman on the 3rd line with Engelland is too risky.
The goaltending was a lot better.
I hope the team D is better.For me, the goals against will be determined by team play. I think it's what made the goals against horrible last year. The goalies were bad, yes, but I think the team play was just as bad for the first 2/3rds of the season, minus the winning steak.
If the team can play engaging hockey, I think they can do well. But all-in-all, a lot of other teams feel they've improved their rosters. It's going to be the same dog fight it is every year.
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We had more like a 2a & 2b last year.
But we also saw better play out of Ortio when he got starter minutes.
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I think players will be NHL ready when they're ready. Some can play in the league in a developing team, but end up a finge NHLer on a good team.
We are trying to figure that out with letting go a few.
Now, whenever our prospects are ready, they'll push regardless of age. Their personality/maturity also plays into it, as well as their skill. Age and pro experience matters but not in all cases.
What if Mangiapane pushes for a spot? Not saying he will. Or that he is more ready than others, IT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE... Sometimes we have bold to let some know it's not my true belief, but anyone could push.
I hope it's the case.
Also, I hope to ripen those in the AHL slower and develop them into NHLers to have a steady stream coming through. So Prybil could end up on the big club in a few months as he gets into game shape, or next season if it takes that long.
Like everyone else, he needs to show he can.
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It's nice that we're running through all facets now. Our drafting has been up around the top of the league for a couple years now imo, we're adding a dusting of International and NCAA FA's.
No saying who becomes an NHLer, but imo the train is firmly on the tracks to give ourselves a good shot at a solid pipeline to draw from, at last.
In a year or 2 I'd surmise we'll start seeing we have more positions of strength to draw from in filling out the roster/trade values, at last.
It's been yrs and yrs that this has had to be fixed and I'm really digging the progress now. Still work to do, but it's come a long way from being diabolically loathsome.
Our scouting is impressive and my general feel is that they are being given more respect for decision-making.
I hope so. I think we finally have a GM who knows how to deal from strength than with weakness. I was getting tired of constantly losing trades, so having strength up and down the lineup will benefit the team that way too. Fair trades and possibly winning them.
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It's like with Ramo the last few years, he thrived on the first few games. He could win the third or fourth game but his game started to suffer around or after a 3rd game. He could've used a 3 or 4 on and 2 off rotation. He'd let in bad goals in the 3rd or 4th game and the 5th was a definite no-no. I suppose that was 2 years ago now and a bit before he got injured last season.
I think it's better to play that rotation, so that the goalie knows he has the game off when it is coming.
I would like us to play Elliott on a 4 games 1-2 games off rotation. If Johnson plays a good one he gets a 2nd start. But Elliot knows he gets the net after the possible two games.
Of course he has to play well enough to keep the net. I think he can. Hoping our D and possession get better this year
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Flames Defense
in Flames Talk
Posted
The one thing I notice with the pp are the decisions made in forcing passes. It was the same with Hartley so I think it's a personnel issue more than the playbook.
Paases are consistently being made through the other team's guys and it is easy to stop. It is hard to judge what is making it so bad.