Friday, March 31, 2006
Kudos to D. Sutter!
Duhatschek audits the Flames off-season train wreck:
Out: Conroy, Gelinas, McAmmond, Clark, Lydman (Total: 6.65 mil.)
In: Langkow, Amonte, McCarty, Wiemer, Hamrlik (Total: 9.542 mil.)
That's right, Calgary has a worse team with a higher payroll than last season. Kudos Mr. Sutter!ASSESSMENT
It's been a banner year for former Flames in the NHL. Conroy is centring the Los Angeles Kings' No. 1 line, where he has 19 goals and 40 assists. Gélinas is a team best plus-24 on a Florida Panthers team that has given up only 15 more goals that it has scored. Clark plays on the Washington Capitals' top line with Alexander Ovechkin and has a career-high 18 goals. Lydman plays top-four minutes on a Buffalo Sabres team that is challenging for the Presidents' Trophy. McAmmond is second in goals scored for the St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, of the new faces, Langkow is on pace to produce 55 points, which is his average for the past five seasons. However, Amonte is in the midst of a 23-game goal drought. McCarty is below his career goal average. Wiemer was traded to the New Jersey Devils. Hamrlik has been effective when he's played, but he's missed two big chunks of the season because of injury.
NET EFFECT
Apart from the addition of rookie defensive phenom Dion Phaneuf, the Flames are not as strong, personnel-wise, as they were in 2004, when they went to the Stanley Cup final. Thank goodness for goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff; otherwise, they might be out of the playoff picture.
Hey, let's be fair. Sutter picked up Huselius and Lundmark during the season. He probably could have had Samsonov too, but he already had the same player in Huselius.
Yeah, exactly what was the reasoning behind blowing up a team that got you to the finals in the first place, nayway?
What about a shout out to Reinprecht, who not only scored 2 last night to help the Oilers by beating the Sharks, but he has been on a tear with Shane Doan since being traded. So, as an Oilers fan, I would like to thank Sutter for trading Reinprecht! Keep up the good work Flames.
>Wow! They might actually make the playoffs.
Same thing could be said for your team. Just keep playing sub-.500 hockey like you have since the trade deadline.
Let me get this straight - Oilers fans are making derogatory comments about Sutter, even though he's turned a perenial loser into a contender for a division title in a mere 2 seasons. This, while their GM paid $4 million for a 4th line player while sitting on a glaring goaltender problem nearly the entire season...hmmm...how's 8th place feel?
You guys are amazing, I must say.
"Sure, you might think the Flames are better, being higher in the standings, etc., but Chris Clark has 18 goals with Ocho, so they're actually worse." How can I even respond to this?
I like Conroy, and Gelinas has had a quietly REMARKABLE season. Duha's factual statements are all true. But that is some mighty fallacious reasoning in his conclusion. The Flames are worse than last year, because their former players are having good seasons elsewhere? Wha? And forgive me for remaining upright when I read the stunning news that 33-year old Darren McCarty is below his career goal average. He works hard, does his job, makes only $850k, and as a delightful bonus, I don't have to watch the coach throw him out there in OT or the SO.
Good article.
It's funny cause it's true. The Flames are a one-man team. We've all seen this team is like when their back-up plays...they get exposed like the 4th liner-team they are!
Jarmoe is garbage, Amonte can't score anymore and Leopold just scored his 1st goal of the year a few games ago...the offence is horrible and they bank on beating team 2-1 and 1-0
Go Oilers!!!
: March 31, 2006 12:08 pm If Sutter is going to get the blame for slowly transforming the Calgary lineup to compost, he's got to get the credit for hanging on to Kiprusoff instead of donating another Flames goalie to the NHL Talent Fund. Technically he also has to get credit for keeping his head screwed on and going with Phaneuf in the 2003 draft, though that is close to being the definition of a "no-brainer."
: March 31, 2006 6:54 pm Sutter is playing a long game. So is Lowe. They're both pretty good, but Sutter's got the nicer resume right now thanks to 2004 and 3rd seed in the West right now.
Oiler fans are never more pitiful than when invoking the 5-1 Cup thing, except when invoking the sublime beauty of the eternally promising "Oilers team to come".
Give me April-May-June 2004 any day. Whichever of Sutter or Lowe gets deeper into Spring 2006 gets the prize this year. Simple.
: March 31, 2006 11:46 pm You're saying you'd take Spring 2004 over five Stanley Cups? I realized Calgary was delusional about the Flames pooping their Cooperalls and dropping the Cup down an elevator shaft, but that's crazy talk.
: April 01, 2006 1:10 am Post a Comment
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