Glen Gulutzan-16th Flames Coach

[cross16]

Versteeg has been the flames worst player so far this year and Bennetts played well since going to the wing. Swapping them make no sense. 

The third line basically creates itself so no you don't really praise Gulutzan for it. Especially considering Jankowski should have been up here all year but that's just as much on treliving

[CheersMan]

8 minutes ago, cross16 said:

Versteeg has been the flames worst player so far this year and Bennetts played well since going to the wing. Swapping them make no sense. 

The third line basically creates itself so no you don't really praise Gulutzan for it. Especially considering Jankowski should have been up here all year but that's just as much on treliving

According to who?

Versteeg can create and make things happen, unlike Bennett. 

[cross16]

45 minutes ago, CheersMan said:

According to who?

Versteeg can create and make things happen, unlike Bennett. 

 

In terms of shots created, chances  created or high danger chances, Versteeg is the worst regular forward on the roster 5 on 5.

im not sure how you can watch the flames this year and think Versteeg has created much of anything. 

[MAC331]

17 hours ago, cross16 said:

 

In terms of shots created, chances  created or high danger chances, Versteeg is the worst regular forward on the roster 5 on 5.

im not sure how you can watch the flames this year and think Versteeg has created much of anything. 

As some of these certain realities settle in such as these lines and roles we may start to see more consistent efforts. First players have to accept their roles on the team and I think Versteeg struggled with being 4th line material. He either gets with the program or I could see them cutting him loose. As a team they have to play for each other 100% if they want to achieve success. I don't mind Versteeg for one of the PP units because he can be very crafty and creative.

[cross16]

There is a lot I like about Gulutzan, but his "development" of Bennett has become indefensible. Highest drafted player ever and the flames and basically throwing it away. 

 

Very sad. 

 

 

[tmac70]

14 hours ago, cross16 said:

There is a lot I like about Gulutzan, but his "development" of Bennett has become indefensible. Highest drafted player ever and the flames and basically throwing it away. 

 

Very sad. 

 

 

I am not a GG fan but will agree on the Bennett topic. As he was drafted on certain merits, which fit the marching orders from above, to this day I still don't under the system the coach has implementing. One day its 5 man team, next its dump and chase, one day its we are a speed team, hard nose team but ladies hockey is played more physical and chippy than we play. For me GG has no set pattern of play. Every presser is we are learning, learning what it boardinging changes every game, no wonder these guys look lost some games. I listen to Travis Green in a press conference after Van lost, loved his comments. " our team is only going to be successful if we play one way, we are not talented enough to win games any other way" What a revelation a coach that under stands the talent and players he has. IMHO GG is lost, every game is different and with out Smith we are at Arz level

[redfire11]

I can't explain GG's obsession with Versteeg. You could see both Janks and Jagr struggling without Bennett. Bennett is the perfect grinder for those 2 and is the energy that Jagr lacks. I guess GG gave Versteeg a promotion for that perfect pass on the PP (Too bad it is was to a CBJ player).

[DirtyDeeds]

On 11/20/2017 at 10:23 AM, cross16 said:

 

Since the start of the season at 5 on 5 the flames are a top 10 team in Corsi F%, Fenwick F% and a bottom 10 team in Corsi against. That would not be possible if they were playing the majority of the season in their own zone.

 

 

Now Cross. If you are going to start quoting advanced stats you also have to start using the proper terms:

 

If the data disagrees with your points:

It is not sustainable long term

 

It the data agrees with your points but out of norm:

It is setting new parameters

 

If the data is in normal parameters and supports your points:

I've been telling you fools.......

[DirtyDeeds]

On 11/20/2017 at 10:35 AM, JTech780 said:

With the mood on these forums you would think we were at the bottom of the standings instead of being 3rd in our division and gaining on Vegas and LA.

 

Can this team play better, of course, but the fact that we haven't played our best hockey yet and we are still 3 games over 500 and are in a playoff spot should be encouraging because this team will find its footing and then we will be pushing for that division lead.

Add:

American Thanksgiving and over 75% of the teams who are in a playoff position are likely to stay in said playoff position.

 

[redfire11]

With the game in Dallas tonight GG should be at his best. With the Stars woes and a heavy laden veteran lie up this could be a landing spot for GG next year.

[JustAFlamer]

Can anyone honestly tell me what "Systems" the team keeps getting raked over the coals for not executing are?

Poor ending to the dallas game yes, but after 1+ year of this coach and still have no clue what the game plan is.

and this is not from adaptations constantly going on, team just simply has no identity.

 

Really feel bad for Smith, still getting peppered with grade A scoring chances facing 40+ shots a night

wake up GG realize that even with consistant great goaltending still getting outplayed and whatever the system is supposed to be is not working.

 

Even Hartley was gone a year after winning Jack Adams because could not adapt, and his resume was way better than yours.

 

[redfire11]

11 hours ago, JustAFlamer said:

Can anyone honestly tell me what "Systems" the team keeps getting raked over the coals for not executing are?

Poor ending to the dallas game yes, but after 1+ year of this coach and still have no clue what the game plan is.

and this is not from adaptations constantly going on, team just simply has no identity.

 

Really feel bad for Smith, still getting peppered with grade A scoring chances facing 40+ shots a night

wake up GG realize that even with consistant great goaltending still getting outplayed and whatever the system is supposed to be is not working.

 

Even Hartley was gone a year after winning Jack Adams because could not adapt, and his resume was way better than yours.

 

The Flames are considered to have one of the better defenses in the league. We also have one of the higher scoring top lines in the league. We have seen we have one of the best goalies in the league. Yet we are a slightly above average team. This 40 shot against has to stop and it is all about execution as JAF above has said. The 2 fundamentals are forechecking and backchecking. I see VERY little consistency every game in these categories which screams to me there is NO system in place to execute these. THAT is on GG.

[MAC331]

31 minutes ago, redfire11 said:

The Flames are considered to have one of the better defenses in the league. We also have one of the higher scoring top lines in the league. We have seen we have one of the best goalies in the league. Yet we are a slightly above average team. This 40 shot against has to stop and it is all about execution as JAF above has said. The 2 fundamentals are forechecking and backchecking. I see VERY little consistency every game in these categories which screams to me there is NO system in place to execute these. THAT is on GG.

LOL the clear observation is that our great D on paper has not played very well. I wouldn't blame the coach to much, players have to execute and their are parts of our game that are not good right now. Doesn't mean things will remain that way.

[DirtyDeeds]

12 hours ago, JustAFlamer said:

Can anyone honestly tell me what "Systems" the team keeps getting raked over the coals for not executing are?

Poor ending to the dallas game yes, but after 1+ year of this coach and still have no clue what the game plan is.

and this is not from adaptations constantly going on, team just simply has no identity.

 

Really feel bad for Smith, still getting peppered with grade A scoring chances facing 40+ shots a night

wake up GG realize that even with consistant great goaltending still getting outplayed and whatever the system is supposed to be is not working.

 

Even Hartley was gone a year after winning Jack Adams because could not adapt, and his resume was way better than yours.

 

Mike Smith told us what system we are playing. "Run and Gun"

He also told us what some players are doing wrong, playing east/west instead of north/south.

 

So much for the possession game that BT hired him for.

[redfire11]

1 hour ago, MAC331 said:

LOL the clear observation is that our great D on paper has not played very well. I wouldn't blame the coach to much, players have to execute and their are parts of our game that are not good right now. Doesn't mean things will remain that way.

The "clear observation is" there is NO consistent execution of any sort of system.

A great example is LVK. Clearly a defense that is inferior to ours, or is it? Watch a LV game and see how a Good Coach, a good system can make a good team.

Watch how their D attacks and defends their own blue line. Watch how their forwards back check and cover in behind the attacking D. Watch how few times the LV D let their opponents control their defensive zone. Now go and look up LV's SA/GP. But wait they only have 3rd pairing Defense men so its is clear to me they have a superior coach.

" I wouldn't blame the coach to much,"  We are not blaming GG enough!!!!!

[MAC331]

10 minutes ago, redfire11 said:

The "clear observation is" there is NO consistent execution of any sort of system.

A great example is LVK. Clearly a defense that is inferior to ours, or is it? Watch a LV game and see how a Good Coach, a good system can make a good team.

Watch how their D attacks and defends their own blue line. Watch how their forwards back check and cover in behind the attacking D. Watch how few times the LV D let their opponents control their defensive zone. Now go and look up LV's SA/GP. But wait they only have 3rd pairing Defense men so its is clear to me they have a superior coach.

" I wouldn't blame the coach to much,"  We are not blaming GG enough!!!!!

Maybe you should go sit down with him so he can explain his systems and what the players are "suppose" to be doing to execute them. I don't think anyone on here could satisfy you on the topic.

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, DirtyDeeds said:

Mike Smith told us what system we are playing. "Run and Gun"

He also told us what some players are doing wrong, playing east/west instead of north/south.

 

So much for the possession game that BT hired him for.

 

That seems weird.  E/W and run & gun?  

 

The run & gun part of his comments make sense, because we are very much a transition team.  But the defense is struggling to defend.  Every night, whether we score or not.  I don't know how we are so passive and still manage to win games.  Perhaps Smith is the only reason.  IMHO, they need to change the defensive structure.  I don't know if that GG or Jerrard, but it currently sucks.  Perhaps the forwards are to blame for not giving the D any options, but that is only when we have the puck.  There are long stretches where we don't have it.

 

When this team plays really well, they seem like world beaters.  I don;t know if that is a flawless execution of the system or instinct kicking in and them figuring out on the ice how to win. 

[DirtyDeeds]

7 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

That seems weird.  E/W and run & gun?  

 

The run & gun part of his comments make sense, because we are very much a transition team.  But the defense is struggling to defend.  Every night, whether we score or not.  I don't know how we are so passive and still manage to win games.  Perhaps Smith is the only reason.  IMHO, they need to change the defensive structure.  I don't know if that GG or Jerrard, but it currently sucks.  Perhaps the forwards are to blame for not giving the D any options, but that is only when we have the puck.  There are long stretches where we don't have it.

 

When this team plays really well, they seem like world beaters.  I don;t know if that is a flawless execution of the system or instinct kicking in and them figuring out on the ice how to win. 

I was having this debate with Cross. I think Smith is stealing us games.. lots of them.  and he is masking the poor play of our D.

 

I am beginning to think the D is not suited for the D systems. Trouble is there is little difference in D systems. The main difference here is the ability of Smith to handle the puck. He hasnt show us a lot of mistakes with that so I dont get it either. Would changing the D systems and simplifying it help? It might..

 

I see some forwards coming back and helping out. I know you are meaning the forwards need to get into open/spots to give the D a place to exit our zone. A lot more of the both would be ideal.

[robrob74]

13 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

That seems weird.  E/W and run & gun?  

 

The run & gun part of his comments make sense, because we are very much a transition team.  But the defense is struggling to defend.  Every night, whether we score or not.  I don't know how we are so passive and still manage to win games.  Perhaps Smith is the only reason.  IMHO, they need to change the defensive structure.  I don't know if that GG or Jerrard, but it currently sucks.  Perhaps the forwards are to blame for not giving the D any options, but that is only when we have the puck.  There are long stretches where we don't have it.

 

When this team plays really well, they seem like world beaters.  I don;t know if that is a flawless execution of the system or instinct kicking in and them figuring out on the ice how to win. 

 

Is part of it getting up for the better teams? They looked good against the high end teams but average against others. 

 

Is GG demanding enough to expect perfection during practice? 

 

I feel like teams should be prepared to play at a high level regardless of their opponents.

[travel_dude]

2 minutes ago, DirtyDeeds said:

I was having this debate with Cross. I think Smith is stealing us games.. lots of them.  and he is masking the poor play of our D.

 

I am beginning to think the D is not suited for the D systems. Trouble is there is little difference in D systems. The main difference here is the ability of Smith to handle the puck. He hasnt show us a lot of mistakes with that so I dont get it either. Would changing the D systems and simplifying it help? It might..

 

I see some forwards coming back and helping out. I know you are meaning the forwards need to get into open/spots to give the D a place to exit our zone. A lot more of the both would be ideal.

 

Said elsewhere, but Kulak is the only guy that seems to use his teammates.  Doesn't try to freeze the puck and take it off the boards to safety.  Doesn't get too cute with passes up the ice.  He gets in trouble behind the net and he passes it to the open forward nearby.  He made a bad choice last game, but there were no options that were safe.  He reversed the play and it ended up in the net.  Sure the ref got in the way and Hammy mishandled it, but other options should have been there.

 

When I say simplify, I just mean use the simple play when it's available and have that as an option.  It seems like the D only have one choice some times.  

[travel_dude]

5 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

Is part of it getting up for the better teams? They looked good against the high end teams but average against others. 

 

Is GG demanding enough to expect perfection during practice? 

 

I feel like teams should be prepared to play at a high level regardless of their opponents.

 

If you have to play perfect to win, then you will never have a winning season.  You need to be able to make mistakes and survive them.  Last year every mistake ended up in the net, some of that was shaky goalies.  This year every mistake in a game we play well end up in the net.  They are not usually leaky goals, they are more the perfect variety.  The GWG against CBJ was a perfect setup and goal.  Against Dallas, I would say most of the goals were unstoppable.  

[MAC331]

9 minutes ago, DirtyDeeds said:

I was having this debate with Cross. I think Smith is stealing us games.. lots of them.  and he is masking the poor play of our D.

 

I am beginning to think the D is not suited for the D systems. Trouble is there is little difference in D systems. The main difference here is the ability of Smith to handle the puck. He hasnt show us a lot of mistakes with that so I dont get it either. Would changing the D systems and simplifying it help? It might..

 

I see some forwards coming back and helping out. I know you are meaning the forwards need to get into open/spots to give the D a place to exit our zone. A lot more of the both would be ideal.

I don't think anyone should be doubting that Smith is winning us games and why they are afraid to take him out. Our D has not been good and they need to be a whole lot better if the team play is expected to get better, Hamilton is like he is on a holiday letting Giordano do all the work. Brodie is still reckless as ever and Hamonic is off and on with his play. Stone is playing like he has to cover for everybody and needs to settle down and do his own job. I agree that what was to be a strength is not at this time and it is causing a lot of other breakdowns.

[MAC331]

5 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

If you have to play perfect to win, then you will never have a winning season.  You need to be able to make mistakes and survive them.  Last year every mistake ended up in the net, some of that was shaky goalies.  This year every mistake in a game we play well end up in the net.  They are not usually leaky goals, they are more the perfect variety.  The GWG against CBJ was a perfect setup and goal.  Against Dallas, I would say most of the goals were unstoppable.  

I think the team played a good game last night but you are correct that the mistakes killed us.

[cross16]

People overrate systems. This is not a system issue and it's not hard to see what Gulutzan wants. The breakdowns are individual. Hamilton with two unforced errors and turnovers that became goals. That not systems that poor play by your dman. Stone with a bad clear then versteeg and Brouwer with a soft play on the boards and it's a goal. Hamonic with no one around him fires it directly out of play and takes a penalty. 

 

You can't legislate stupid and the flames lost last night because of stupid errors by players that just simply should not be making them.

[DirtyDeeds]

9 minutes ago, cross16 said:

People overrate systems. This is not a system issue and it's not hard to see what Gulutzan wants. The breakdowns are individual. Hamilton with two unforced errors and turnovers that became goals. That not systems that poor play by your dman. Stone with a bad clear then versteeg and Brouwer with a soft play on the boards and it's a goal. Hamonic with no one around him fires it directly out of play and takes a penalty. 

 

You can't legislate stupid and the flames lost last night because of stupid errors by players that just simply should not be making them.

You forgot Brodie. He has made as many or more bonehead plays as any D on our team.

 

Which brings up the question. If "all the D" are making the stupid plays why do you insist it is an individual problem?