2019 Playoffs: What have we learned?

[redfire11]

Fair assessment bosn.

BT has some work ahead of him this off season.

[The_People1]

56 minutes ago, bosn111 said:

I don't know what we can say we really learned, until we get all of the info out of the team, some of which we may never get. I won't try and limit this comment just to the playoffs but to the season as a whole.

 

I was just listening to Elliotte Friedman on Fan960 during lunch hour and I agree with his take.  He basically said you almost kinda have to have two teams.

 

He elaborated that players tell him in private that they play differently when it's playoffs.  Not that this is a secret but, many players tell him they are willing to play much dirtier than they would during the regular season.

 

We need the balance between players who get us to the playoffs and then after we are in, almost a different team to grind through the playoffs.

[phoenix66]

Apparently resting your players before the playoffs is a bad thing .. we didnt go this far , but next year .. no 

 

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/report-lightning-management-gave-players-four-days-off-and-a-private-jet-for-golfing-trip-before-playoffs

[MAC331]

1 hour ago, The_People1 said:

 

I was just listening to Elliotte Friedman on Fan960 during lunch hour and I agree with his take.  He basically said you almost kinda have to have two teams.

 

He elaborated that players tell him in private that they play differently when it's playoffs.  Not that this is a secret but, many players tell him they are willing to play much dirtier than they would during the regular season.

 

We need the balance between players who get us to the playoffs and then after we are in, almost a different team to grind through the playoffs.

Good luck with that

[ABC923]

What we need is a culture of accountability.  I really do think it's a problem that so many of our guys take a vacation for the league mandated week off.  Your head falls out of the game.  Same thing with the extended rest Tampa gave their players.  Body rest is fine, but guys need to stay focused some how.  Continue working out and skating, watch tape, really anything to keep your head in the game.

[flames-fan-in-jets-land]

7 hours ago, ABC923 said:

What we need is a culture of accountability.  I really do think it's a problem that so many of our guys take a vacation for the league mandated week off.  Your head falls out of the game.  Same thing with the extended rest Tampa gave their players.  Body rest is fine, but guys need to stay focused some how.  Continue working out and skating, watch tape, really anything to keep your head in the game.

That mandated week off is total BS anyway. Having it just before or after the allstar weekend makes it into 10 days.

[Thebrewcrew]

7 hours ago, ABC923 said:

What we need is a culture of accountability.  I really do think it's a problem that so many of our guys take a vacation for the league mandated week off.  Your head falls out of the game.  Same thing with the extended rest Tampa gave their players.  Body rest is fine, but guys need to stay focused some how.  Continue working out and skating, watch tape, really anything to keep your head in the game.

Seeing as though the break is CBA binding, the team can’t do squat about what players do. This also isn’t just a Flames issue, players from every other team visit Mexico etc.

 

 

[ABC923]

31 minutes ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Seeing as though the break is CBA binding, the team can’t do squat about what players do. This also isn’t just a Flames issue, players from every other team visit Mexico etc.

 

 

I know it’s a CBA thing, and other teams deal with it too, but two years in a row now we leave that break noticeably worse than when we enter it.  My concern is certain guys on our team are maybe having too much fun, while other teams top guys are being more, shall we say, responsible?  There’s a difference between going for a run or swimming 20 laps in the morning and enjoying a margarita or two on the beach in the afternoon, and getting wasted 6 days straight and sleeping in until noon.  I’m not saying that’s what is happening as I’m not there, but it’s a possibility.

[The_People1]

2 minutes ago, ABC923 said:

I know it’s a CBA thing, and other teams deal with it too, but two years in a row now we leave that break noticeably worse than when we enter it.  My concern is certain guys on our team are maybe having too much fun, while other teams top guys are being more, shall we say, responsible?  There’s a difference between going for a run or swimming 20 laps in the morning and enjoying a margarita or two on the beach in the afternoon, and getting wasted 6 days straight and sleeping in until noon.  I’m not saying that’s what is happening as I’m not there, but it’s a possibility.

 

But at the same time, no one needs to go to Mexico to get wasted.  Right?

 

We got legal weed here in Canada.

 

Is the only team that doesn't party during their week off be the Vegas Knights?  How ironic.

[jjgallow]

16 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

But at the same time, no one needs to go to Mexico to get wasted.  Right?

 

We got legal weed here in Canada.

 

Is the only team that doesn't party during their week off be the Vegas Knights?  How ironic.

 

I just think, strategically, 

 

We need to look at that as a management problem.

 

I don't think we can say a key learning is "getting wasted right before the playoffs could affect results".

 

because, that's kind of a known.

 

We could say, however, we learned that management is cool with it.

[JTech780]

As we get further away from the ending of the season and the emotion of that starts to dissipate, I find myself becoming less concerned with the roster construction (though I would like to see some tweaks.), and becoming more concerned with why the team didn't show up to play.

 

When I look back at it, I don't think Colorado beat us because they had the better team or better roster, they beat us because they came ready to play playoff hockey and we weren't. I think we are capable of playing playoff hockey, we just need to be able to flick that switch when the calendar turns to April.

 

There are lots of excuses that can be used, Peters has never been a head coach in the NHL playoffs, we don't have much playoff experience, we clinched too soon and thus didn't have to play any meaningful games for a long time.

 

That last statement might have some merit when you look at the fact that all 4 division winning teams went out in the 1st round, and the wildcard teams who had to be playing at playoff level intensity just to make the playoffs all made it to the next round.

 

The difference in Colorado's intensity level and ours in the 1st round is the difference in intensity levels between the playoffs and regular season.

 

I would be more concerned if it was a couple of players not showing up, but when the whole team doesn't bring their level up that speaks more to a team that just wasn't ready for the playoffs.

 

I think you think you make tweaks to the team, but I think you give this team and coaching staff a chance to fix the mistakes next season.

[MAC331]

23 hours ago, JTech780 said:

As we get further away from the ending of the season and the emotion of that starts to dissipate, I find myself becoming less concerned with the roster construction (though I would like to see some tweaks.), and becoming more concerned with why the team didn't show up to play.

 

When I look back at it, I don't think Colorado beat us because they had the better team or better roster, they beat us because they came ready to play playoff hockey and we weren't. I think we are capable of playing playoff hockey, we just need to be able to flick that switch when the calendar turns to April.

 

There are lots of excuses that can be used, Peters has never been a head coach in the NHL playoffs, we don't have much playoff experience, we clinched too soon and thus didn't have to play any meaningful games for a long time.

 

That last statement might have some merit when you look at the fact that all 4 division winning teams went out in the 1st round, and the wildcard teams who had to be playing at playoff level intensity just to make the playoffs all made it to the next round.

 

The difference in Colorado's intensity level and ours in the 1st round is the difference in intensity levels between the playoffs and regular season.

 

I would be more concerned if it was a couple of players not showing up, but when the whole team doesn't bring their level up that speaks more to a team that just wasn't ready for the playoffs.

 

I think you think you make tweaks to the team, but I think you give this team and coaching staff a chance to fix the mistakes next season.

People let winning blind them. There were flaws with this team right from the beginning IMO but they played inspired hockey for Peters and got lucky with Gaudreau, Monahan and Lindholm lighting it up right up to the AS break. As a team this is when the poor play and bad habits started to show up. We were fortunate that most all of the other teams in the WC were also struggling with poor play. You can't just turn on a switch to a different style and hope to win. I am more a believer in having the right types to begin with and having a well tuned machine heading into the playoffs. Sometimes even this doesn't work as we saw with TB and WPG.

[travel_dude]

2 hours ago, JTech780 said:

As we get further away from the ending of the season and the emotion of that starts to dissipate, I find myself becoming less concerned with the roster construction (though I would like to see some tweaks.), and becoming more concerned with why the team didn't show up to play.

 

 

It seemed like we fell into a rut before the season finished.

The top line was moldy.

We had success against non-playoff team, but it was mostly secondary scoring or Smith winning close games.

Something happened after the All Star break, and even moreso after TDL.

Gotta figure that out before you identify guys you think shoulld be traded.

 

 

[phoenix66]

5 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

It seemed like we fell into a rut before the season finished.

The top line was moldy.

We had success against non-playoff team, but it was mostly secondary scoring or Smith winning close games.

Something happened after the All Star break, and even moreso after TDL.

Gotta figure that out before you identify guys you think shoulld be traded.

 

 

im seeing a trend, not just in us, but other teams as well.. breaks are bad

we rested players , Tampa sent theirs on vacation before the playoffs..  we slumped this year and last after being hot going into the AS Break and 5 day break after 

 

I know the union wont let the team do anything , but id say they need to find a way to keep the focus on the hockey.. its too hard to turn it back on 

Not sure if we do it now, but if we dont , we need to start doing the 7 game segments again .. or put more emphasis on it .. spend the year playing 7 game playoff series .. soon as you win 4 ..start another one 

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, phoenix66 said:

im seeing a trend, not just in us, but other teams as well.. breaks are bad

we rested players , Tampa sent theirs on vacation before the playoffs..  we slumped this year and last after being hot going into the AS Break and 5 day break after 

 

I know the union wont let the team do anything , but id say they need to find a way to keep the focus on the hockey.. its too hard to turn it back on 

Not sure if we do it now, but if we dont , we need to start doing the 7 game segments again .. or put more emphasis on it .. spend the year playing 7 game playoff series .. soon as you win 4 ..start another one 

 

The roster became stale, and they didn't have any solution to it.

Gio played really bad in the series, but he was intense.

Others played without intensity.

Very few paid the prices for being on the ice.

They was very little sacrificing the body to make a play.

Hamonic and Lindholm seemed to do it the most.

A couple of other players as well.

Backlund, Neal, Janko, Brodie and Tkachuk did very little.

JH and Monahan did little without the puck, but I'll give JH a minor pass, as he was doing everything else he could.

 

When you watch other games, you see the level you need to play.

You don't give up on a play after you fail to score on an open net.

[phoenix66]

10 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

The roster became stale, and they didn't have any solution to it.

Gio played really bad in the series, but he was intense.

Others played without intensity.

Very few paid the prices for being on the ice.

They was very little sacrificing the body to make a play.

Hamonic and Lindholm seemed to do it the most.

A couple of other players as well.

Backlund, Neal, Janko, Brodie and Tkachuk did very little.

JH and Monahan did little without the puck, but I'll give JH a minor pass, as he was doing everything else he could.

 

When you watch other games, you see the level you need to play.

You don't give up on a play after you fail to score on an open net.

Totally agree, that ties into it as well

gotta remember, even our fearless leader Gio, had what , 4 meaningful playoff games ?

Neal was in another category this year ..same with Frolik .. we have a team largely void of any meaningful playoff experience 

On the one hand no excuse, but on the other really only Johnny , Monahan, Neal and Frolik had no excuses at all

I personally think Backs had a good series .. made some mistakes yes, but i had no issue with his effort and drive 

 

We did become stale, either the coach did not address it early enough(like, in February ) or the players didn't buy into needing it .. I'll put more stock into how they respond to it 

 

 

Ive said for years , Edmonton sucked for so long cuz they kept getting kids and nobody to lead.. last time they made the playoffs I put a lot of credit on those that had been there .. Lucic and Hendricks and Talbot 

These players need to either learn and become those players , or get them more that can show them 

[MAC331]

2 minutes ago, phoenix66 said:

Totally agree, that ties into it as well

gotta remember, even our fearless leader Gio, had what , 4 meaningful playoff games ?

Neal was in another category this year ..same with Frolik .. we have a team largely void of any meaningful playoff experience 

On the one hand no excuse, but on the other really only Johnny , Monahan, Neal and Frolik had no excuses at all

I personally think Backs had a good series .. made some mistakes yes, but i had no issue with his effort and drive 

 

We did become stale, either the coach did not address it early enough(like, in February ) or the players didn't buy into needing it .. I'll put more stock into how they respond to it 

 

 

Ive said for years , Edmonton sucked for so long cuz they kept getting kids and nobody to lead.. last time they made the playoffs I put a lot of credit on those that had been there .. Lucic and Hendricks and Talbot 

These players need to either learn and become those players , or get them more that can show them 

You guys are grasping at straws here. All this team needs is to learn how to win together as a team and fix their talent deficiencies, All these lame excuses are becoming one huge WHINE. Move on, there is only so many ways you can say they stunk in the 1st round.

[phoenix66]

1 minute ago, MAC331 said:

You guys are grasping at straws here. All this team needs is to learn how to win together as a team and fix their talent deficiencies, All these lame excuses are becoming one huge WHINE. Move on, there is only so many ways you can say they stunk in the 1st round.

This is basically what I said  , not making excuses or whining . I'm just pointing out what some of the deficiencies you speak of were 

We choked, we stunk, we got our butts handed to us .. that's an indisputable fact 

 

some get fixed by getting replaced, change is inevitable .. some get fixed by throwing them back in the fire to do it again 

[travel_dude]

42 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

You guys are grasping at straws here. All this team needs is to learn how to win together as a team and fix their talent deficiencies, All these lame excuses are becoming one huge WHINE. Move on, there is only so many ways you can say they stunk in the 1st round.

 

Perhaps you need to move on instead of commenting about commenters.  This is as much a gripe session as anything else.  Otherwise, what is the point of having this thread open.

[MAC331]

23 minutes ago, phoenix66 said:

This is basically what I said  , not making excuses or whining . I'm just pointing out what some of the deficiencies you speak of were 

We choked, we stunk, we got our butts handed to us .. that's an indisputable fact 

 

some get fixed by getting replaced, change is inevitable .. some get fixed by throwing them back in the fire to do it again 

Let me say this another way that excludes Mangiapane and Czarnick that get us more talented size and speed within our forward group while getting the proper defense pairings and Goalie. My desired team.

Gaudreau, Bennett, Tkachuk (very high compete level with distractions away from Gaudreau)

Monahan, Lindholm, Kapanen ( speed and hockey IQ to better serve each other, Monahan could be our Laine on LW) Kapanen better than Neal.

Dzingel, Backlund, Connelly ( size, speed, checking and scoring)

Dube, Ryan, Hathaway ( good learning spot for Dube with Ryan and we keep the menace factor with Hathaway)

Quine, Rychel, Lazar ( good alternatives for size, some speed and also scoring)

DEFENSE
Giordano, Andersson

Hanafin, Hamonic

Valimaki, Fantenberg

Kylington

GOALIES

Mrazek, Rittich (two good Czechs to challenge each other)

Three(3) significant position changes, one significant trade, 4 significant UFA signings and we have a way better team through subtraction and additions.

[MAC331]

2 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Perhaps you need to move on instead of commenting about commenters.  This is as much a gripe session as anything else.  Otherwise, what is the point of having this thread open.

How many times can posters say the same things in different ways about their hurt feelings around this team ? You are the worst. (how is that for a gripe)

[TheFan99]

Peters kept his team playing the same way as the regular season and didn't adjust. Bednar exploited a weakness and out coached Peters. Peters, didn't have an answer.

[The_People1]

1 hour ago, MAC331 said:

How many times can posters say the same things in different ways about their hurt feelings around this team ? You are the worst. (how is that for a gripe)

 

There is a lot of room on this message board for the same opinions said in different ways.  Everyone is free to express them.  

 

But if you've grown tired of it, feel free to join me in Off Topic.  We start Ancient Civilization talk.  Let's go.

[medatswhoP]

I blame Trump for everything!

 

Yah, im kidding well , kinda but its normal to "Whine", "Complain", "biotch" no matter what when this team has a I will say had such a stellar season to come out stinking like we did in round one.

This team does not need a major overhaul but merely a few tweaks, (yes move a couple bodies out and a couple bodies in). My thoughts are to make playoffs next year and learn from this with having more experience in the 2019/2020 playoff scenario. Signing Tkachuk will be interesting I hope it doesn't break the bank.

I would offer my thoughts on what bodies need to move and what type of bodies need to join us but everyone has their own opinions and there is always someone to agree and disagree. That's what these forums are for aren't they? 

P.S. Oiler's will still suck again this year

[MP5029]

On 2019-04-26 at 5:05 PM, phoenix66 said:

Apparently resting your players before the playoffs is a bad thing .. we didnt go this far , but next year .. no 

 

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/report-lightning-management-gave-players-four-days-off-and-a-private-jet-for-golfing-trip-before-playoffs

I said that would be what shot us in the foot before the playoff started...totally makes sense teams that take their foot off the accelerator loose...in military context they didn’t finish their primary mission because they lost focus on it 

 

indicators were slow start, and the AS break and then the shoty play of key guys after being given “rest days” it’s not rocket science just common sense