travel_dude

Iggy or Newy are the only names that really come to mind. Big Al is so much ingrained in the Blues. Newy probably is too. Since the number of guys available from the Flames family is small, it may have to be someone from another team.

One of the biggest problems I have is the duration of the UFA signings. Neal and Brouwer and Kadri and Coleman stand out. I get that the market dictates that we go in with the extra years to make it look better. But there are other things to consider. Players sign for one year deals all the time. It sets up a disposable asset, which smart teams fall back on. Being willing to make that deal is also part of it, in a good position or not to make the playoffs. Pro scouting has been something that has bothered me for years. In some cases they completely missed the boat. In others, they have not figured how a guy would play or fit in here. Jarnkrok and Rooney being examples of players that didn't fit. Not that I thought Rooney was a star, but he really didn't fit our 4th line.

So, each year we see a change in the coaching. BH - had success by letting the kids take the car out, wreck it or return it safely. Next year, it was all about proving he was a great coach and changed the mindset to hold players accountable and yell at them when they made mistakes. Gully - let the team decide how to play until he starts throwing sticks. The team takes it upon themselves to hold player only meeting to change their approach. squeaked in and lost in round 1. Dropped next year, BP - hard-nosed coach that got results until the playoff. Lost in round 1. 2nd year was a bad start after adjusting to the playoff loss. Wardo got them back into it enough to qualify the play-in series. Lost dreadfully to the Stars. Wardo - followed up a bad year with a year that we would not make the playoffs. Sutter - okay finish to the takeover year. Full year was a good run and the playoffs a letdown. Overplayed Markstrom to the point where he had little left in the tank for the playoffs. Questionable decisions in round 2. Use of 4th line against a fast team, when he had last change. This year a repeat of the Markstrom starts, more questionable use of players. My point is that each coach here had a life of one year at most. Year two of a coach should not end up being much worse results. Build in the success not downgrade the play. Clean up the areas that haunted us. Not make the rest of it worse. The players are accountable, but how much can you blame top players playing with 4th liners. Or being forced to play with guys that don't match. The latest change was to play your (former) top offensive star with your shutdown pair (Backs/Coleman). That's after most of the year playing on the wrong wing. Put Pelletier up with the top line and expect him to help carry it. Run a goalie for 10 games that was clearly showing some bad things for come of those games. The Dallas game should have been a wakeup. Even the ANA game was a team badly outshot scoring on 18 shots.

Yes, poor coaching choices, no doubt.

Not saying that I believe they will. Stranger things have happened.

Really the guy that stands out for me is Ras. Maybe he's not a captain, but he is more clear with his words than most of the team. Who else is there? I was trying to think if we have seen Pelletier, Ruzie and Duehr all play the same game. Can't say it has happened. Sit Lucic, gotta play Lewis. Sit Ritchie, gotta play Lucic. Play Ruzicka, gotta have Lewis. It's a shame to see a team that had a real chance at making the playoffs get ground into the ice by bad decisions. Anyone thinking Markstrom should play 8 or 9 in a row was fooling themselves. Energy brought from the kids snuffed out becuase they made mistakes and got sat. Gotta learn kid by eating popcorn. Give Markstrom the keys, because he was such a star all year. 10 games in a row with a record of 4-4-2. About par with our win % from the entire year.

Good thing we have that Jack Adams winning coach, playing all the Cup Ring winners. Yep, that's the team. Blame the GM all you want, the on ice product is all on the coach. He designs the play, the lines, the strategies.... Other coaches do better with less.

No Cowbell lit. Rusting in the barn.

The best thing I can say about Markstrom is.... He played 40 minutes.

Why the F are we even playing Huberdeau with Backlund and Coleman? Use the former assist leader on the shutdown line. Yeah, makes sense. Maybe try him with Lindholm agains after 60 games away from him?

Yes, because nobody else makes mistakes out there. Coachable moment? Yes.

That turnover will cost Pelletier.

I can't say I have ever seen a cross check result in being tossed from a game. It was a push with the stick, not brutal.

5 on 3 turned into a 4 on 3. Both are almost impossible to defend.

Refs are really strange. Zaddy kicked out. Kadri called for talking.

Garbage goal, but whatever. Could have used it 2 periods ago.

I posted my keeper/trader list in another thread. Didn't even bother with the UFA's. Still unsure about Stetcher. He's an ex-Nuck and all I saw from him was outplaying us at times. Not really any better than Gilbert, at least what I have seen. Maybe a little steadier.

I was wondering why we haven't been scored on in the 3rd. Vladar is in nets.

Ruzicka paying the ice time price. Lowest minutes of any player. Thank goodness that Lucic will be fresh tomorrow. Can't have young players on for one goal against in a 6-1 (so far) drubbing.

I suggest that the Dallas game was the end of any hope for Markstrom to finish the season strong.

Just remembered, this is only the 2nd period. Reffing is really poor, but not the reason why we are losing. Kinks only had one PP so far. Pelletier cross-checked in the head. Should have been a match penalty. Ref didn't see it, even though he had the puck. Probably spotter picked it up and sent him to the quiet room.

You can only bluff the house so long with a pair of 2's.

Actually, if I was keeping track I would say 8 and 55 on for all but one LA goal.

Hanifin-Tanev on for the last 2 goals. The first of that was D getting walked for a breakaway. The 2nd, Hanifin was a little high, but it didn't matter. The puck was a slight screen and Marky let it in 5-hole. Or should I call it 6-hole.