GDT - Blackhawks @ FLAMES - Thursday 26 January 2023 - 7.00PM

[MP5029]

Problem with a core of vets is this game right here…a few key vets is the right mix with a seasoned youth core like

last year is the key to a strong team…

 

Fla

TB

Col

Stl

Cgy (last year)

 

the chemistry on this club is just non existent and needs an injection of a a 2 top 6 forwards around 25 years of age and 2 D replacement for Kylington and to be honest a Tanev replacement he’s great but not serviceable…has he even played 50% of the games this year? Not putting this on him but rather lack of other D like him can’t rely on a 30+ year old D to do what he dose and not expect him to be injured, his game style is intense and for a younger body…Tanev is best suited on the 3rd pairing sheltered mins to help keep him healthy…love the guy and his play but the team should help him out and bring in another younger player to help him.

[conundrumed]

10 hours ago, medatswhoP said:

Calling this game a write off, well be back and better next game, going to the garage to listen to some Parkway Drive, and work on some tools.  Later all..

I put the buds in and went with the Miles Davis Davis album Ascenseur Pour L'échafaud after the 2nd....

Which, not by chance, translates to Elevator to the Gallows. Generique chills me right out.

[travel_dude]

Whether it was the Flames not being ready or not being engaged, the difference between the teams was too obvious.  CHI was pretty crisp in passing the puck.  Zone exits were simple one and done.  Players got free and behind our D.  We passed into feet, tried to pass to a guy in a croud of players.  Zone exits were difficult to execute.  

 

Sutter saw that the lines were a mess, so he moved Pelletier into the top 9.  Then he put him with Huberdeau.  Awesome for the kid, but how about trying that in practice.  How about trying some different looks.  Lucic got played as a 4th line player and messed up any chemistry they had.  I'm not blaming him directly, but if you make that decision, then perhaps you need to look at sitting him.  Ruzicka did not do enough wrong to be held out.  He came out so that Pelletier could come in.  

 

Anyway, this game is really on defensive play.  Two or three mistakes by the D and it's in the net every time.  Can't blames the goalie, but if your D is doing that, your goalie needs to be flawless in those chances.  Screen shot.  Blocker high.  High crease, but down and out.  

[cross16]

10 hours ago, robrob74 said:

and that from a "veteran" team. 
 

Even though I believe the vets on this team but in, but I thinking of the '04 Flames, Sutter got a lot out of young players. I wonder if their youth made it easier for them to buy in to what Sutter was preaching? 
 

This year's team is still learning to gel, but how much of the point percentage is a reflection of the efforts? Is that the system or is it the effort?

 

Sutter preaches vets, but his vets get up for games every other game it seems.

 

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. 

[tmac70]

It was a stinker thats for sure. The D coverage was so bad. Mackey and Stone are a tire fire out there and big Z made some very uncharteristic errors this game for sure. We have no players that we can lean on to elevate the pass or create some positive energy around. This years team if we get behind early the game is pretty much done. For a verteran group they sure make a crap of rookie mistakes. Frankly if missing Tanev has that big of a ripple effect on your d core, this club is far worse thay we want to believe

[travel_dude]

8 minutes ago, tmac70 said:

It was a stinker thats for sure. The D coverage was so bad. Mackey and Stone are a tire fire out there and big Z made some very uncharteristic errors this game for sure. We have no players that we can lean on to elevate the pass or create some positive energy around. This years team if we get behind early the game is pretty much done. For a verteran group they sure make a crap of rookie mistakes. Frankly if missing Tanev has that big of a ripple effect on your d core, this club is far worse thay we want to believe

 

The D is using a 7th and 8th D, which is fine, but you need to shelter them.

Not playing them with the recently demoted to 4th line Lucic.

When you lose a top 4 D, you need to practice with different combos.

Not just play the worst 2 together.

Getting behind, you start pinching at the wrong time (Hanifin).

Moving Weegar to RD, when he plays mostly LD, expect some confusion.

 

In reality, we are missing the entire 2nd pair from last year, Kylington-Tanev.

We haven't really figured out how to even replace Kyl, so the missing 2nd body is going to hurt.

 

This year's team scores a lot in the first, so yes they look lost when they get down.

It wasn't the case last night; they were tied and got down by two in less than a minute.

There was no option to pull the goalie to get a rise out of players, since Vladar is playing SEA.

But we do see a lot of one player trying to take the game themselves.