Monday, April 23, 2007
Flames-Wings: Game 6 Review
I'll avoid rehashing the same stuff that was in the wire service recap -- better team won, shots were absurdly lopsided, Kipper was outstanding -- in favour of a few other observations:
- Hasek had his best game of the series. The Flames actually had a lot of good scoring chances, certainly a lot more than you'd gather from 21 shots & 1 goal. The score probably should have been 4-3 Detroit, not 2-1.
- As such, that was nowhere near as agonizing to watch as last year's G7 vs. the Ducks. Detroit's dominance in zone play -- which kept increasing from the second period on -- was the real deal, and nerve-wracking (and certainly gave the impression that the series did go back to a G7, the Wings should be favoured by about 3.5 goals). But, there was never that dread of "are they ever going to produce another scoring chance, let alone a goal?"
- It would seem that I've underestimated Todd Bertuzzi. The man can still make a hell of a pass. I thought his presence in this series would be irrelevant (or at least a wash), but he made a real difference. Paired with Lang, they offer the Wings a bit of a wild-card, too: a line that's a bit more high event. No doubt at some point in Rd2 they'll get caught standing around and looking lazy for a GA, but I think you need that bit of variety in a lineup.
- Lost in the result (but for the record), the officiating stunk. It was a cleanly played game; the only missed call would maybe be Friesen catching the bottom corner of Hasek's pad, and Maclean & Hrudey did a nice job of showing exactly why it wasn't (if Hasek clears the puck anywhere besides at the ref's face there, ref probably sees the trip). Most of the calls that were made though, were bogus. Samuelsson's boarding penalty was their only real one; the other 3 Wings minors were phantom, or thereabouts. As was Primeau's hook. I'm assuming they showed the wrong replay for the Hamrlik interference, as that didn't look like squat either.
- Zyuzin showed enough in this game, and this series, that I'm actually (slightly) looking forward to having him back next season (at $1.4M, anyway).
- Hrudey noted in the intermission before 1stOT that Tanguay looked excellent, maybe the single best forward on the ice. I nodded in agreement. This is just a note to readers, I guess: apparently I'm going to be continuing in my role of Alex Tanguay's biggest defender, because judging by the general comments and attitude of the Calgary media, he needs one.
- Check that -- he doesn't need one exactly. What is needed is someone to remind the short-memoried out there of the distant past (say, last season, or pre-lockout) when the Flames were constantly desperate for someone to simply produce. Convert a 2-on-1, make a pass off the cycle to someone who's open in scoring position, hit the empty half of a half-empty net off a rebound, whatever. If having someone like this on your team is not a significant positive, then the problem is with the team, not the guy.
- I like the Wings' chances going forward. If they can stay out of bad penalty trouble against the Stars or Sharks (and that mainly amounts to Schneider and Lang keeping their sticks to themselves), they're going to make the WC finals.
- I can't stand looking at him or hearing him. As noted ad nauseam here, he looks nervous and ridiculous behind the bench: the teeth tapping; the eye-bugging; the silly gelled curl. His quotes sound lifted from Dilbert's pointy-haired boss. I cannot reconcile his outward image with the qualities of a good NHL coach, whatsoever.
- In the words of the freshly-dismissed Sydney Ellen Wade, "total failure to achieve the objectives for which [he] was hired." If you can come up with some sort of affirmative defense of his abilities (and anything resembling "the coach doesn't take any shifts" does not qualify), let's hear it.
# posted by Matt @ 11:31 am 
Comments:
Playfair turned a team that couldn't get a shot on goal into one of the best offensive teams in the league (regular season)
Flames actually took 57 more shots in '05/06 than they did this season.
They definitely converted a lot more of them (higher shooting pct) -- is this attributable to Playfair? Tell me more.
Maybe if I had read lots of early-season quotes to the tune of, "we need to stop throwing the puck at the net in low pct. situations and hold on for better scoring chances", then I'd agree, but everything I've ever heard from him was the exact opposite.
playfair did a good job. sure he was burdened by a few slow pokes, but the team will be leaner and faster next year, and playfair's coaching skill set will really thrive under the new flames
thumbs up 4 playfair
I can’t see to many contributors lining up for the job if the Oilers are going to keep playing like a third place AHL team. Any team that sells their heart and soul to the Islanders for two rocks and a pile of crap deserves a Bambino sized curse.
The increase in scoring can be attributed more to the increase in talent than the coaching or game planning. If you sacrifice defense for scoring your team had better produce 3-4 goals per game in the playoffs. If the don't, then you'd better get your resume ready.
Go Flames
I can’t see to many contributors lining up for the job if the Oilers are going to keep playing like a third place AHL team.
I dunno. Teams locked in the sewer of suckage are often good for frequent "I'M SO BLOODY DRUNK JOFFREY LUPUL BETTER WATCH HIS BRAKE LINE" posts, which never fail to entertain.
And am I the only one who thinks it probable that Playfair will end up taking the pipe on Sutter's behalf this summer? I mean, the general manager made a bunch of trades to shore up the team's non-weaknesses while letting its problems fester and eventually be taken advantage of by a sufficiently skilled opponent, better can the coach!
Playfair and MacTavish are actually really nice dichotomies. MacTavish has a strangely good reputation based off his undeniable skill at being witty, having snappy fashion sense, and tearing the tongues off of mascots despite not being able to coach his way out of a paper bag. Playfair, meanwhile, isn't the most interesting guy you'll ever meet, dresses like a blind hobo, and is about to get shafted by his GM as a result of a mess not of his making.
Not that I think Playfair's a great coach. But this has "scapegoat" written all over it.
Thanks Bob, you've spelled out what will probably be the main point of discussion over the next few weeks.
As noted, I'm on the side that believes the roster quality was better than the team performance. Their biggest weakness from a roster standpoint -- players who can help get pucks behind opposing goalies -- was addressed by grabbing the best player available, and he played to form.
I don't think there's much you can point to since the end of last season that Sutter has done that obviously was bad for the team (maybe signing Friesen instead of pushing a young guy into that role). I wasn't a big fan of the Stuart/Ference trade, but Stuart pretty much performed as advertised.
What, on the other hand, makes you think Playfair is a good coach?
What, on the other hand, makes you think Playfair is a good coach?
I didn't mean to imply that I think Playfair is necessarily a good coach. I think, however, that he was not the Flames' weakness this season. I think the Stuart trade was ridiculous on Calgary's part: sure, Stuart performed as any reasonable human would expect, but why flip good young talent for a rental at a position where you don't need the help? We saw on deadline day that there were plenty of forwards moving and we all knew that the Flames needed to be able to move the puck better. Yet that went unaddressed.
At least K-Lowe eventually knew to bite the bullet and trade a first and a third for Roloson. Sutter was unable to make a similar deal, and if he thought prices were too high for forwards, did he really think that he'd be better off trading some future assets for a chance at getting 16 wins out of clogging up the zone and praying Kipper didn't blow out his knee leaping to make another save? I'm not convinced Stuart and Primeau even got the Flames those two points to get into the playoffs.
I don't think it's fair to say that the Flames couldn't score enough goals, on the one hand you might question whether Huselisis could handle the rough going and if you're looking for one guy who's failure to duplicate his reg season success had a hand in cgy not getting out of the first round then I guess he'd be it, but then again playoffs are a small sample anyway. Of course I guess for all the Flames fans who undervalue Fernie and thought that smart Oilers fans believed he'd score 25 goals this year, now we can retort with "well KH can't do it in the playoffs anyway;"
Anyway, let me be the first to start the Iginla to the Flyers rumors. Philly has some cash to spend, you know Bob Clarke loves Iggy and they have some young guys like Richards and Carter who the Flames could begin to re-tool around.
The Flames can't bring everyone back in '09 even if they go tight to the cap, unless the cap jumps into the early to mid 50's and there's no way they can let Kipper go so I'd imagine Jarmoe takes the pipe.
I could see Iginla being traded to the Coyotes too. Wayne seems to like him and the yotes need all the help they can get with Doan toiling away there more or less on his lonesome. They have some prospects they could flip Calgary too.
I could see Iginla being traded to the Coyotes too. Wayne seems to like him and the yotes need all the help they can get with Doan toiling away there more or less on his lonesome.
But on the other hand, acquiring Iginla would give the Coyotes a solid player in his prime who could compliment Doan superbly and improve them as a hockey club, and this is the Phoenix Coyotes. So I wouldn't bet on it.
I don't think Playfair is getting axed, for several reasons. For one, to fire a man because his eighth-place team lost to the conference champs strikes one as being a bit short-changed (whether they should have been an eighth-place team to begin with is another story).
For another, he did address the chronic lack of scoring which has plagued the franchise for years. It was a huge adjustment to make and it wasn't altogether successful, but at least the franchise has accepted that they don't have to be bottom feeders any more.
Going back to the quick-fire senario, what sort of confidence could a new coach have from a GM who has just fired his long-time pal after a season that was unsatisfying, yet better than more than half the teams in the league.
Besides, what coach is out there who'd be better than Playfair and is available? Who, on this side of the Red Deer Centrium, would be willing to take on the challenge?
Though I do agree with you, Matt, on the over-all creepiness of Playfair's look and demeanor. He resembles a poor man's Steve Buscemi with all the confidence of a 14-year-old on his first date who's concerned about food getting stuck in his braces. It might be petty to bitch about this, but then, no one's ever accused hockey players of possessing a deeper appreciation of a person's character than the rest of us.
Rob, I'd say point 1 (they shouldn't have been in 8th) and point 2 (increased offense might be in spite of him just as easily as thanks to him) are marks against Playfair, but points 3 & 4 are a different matter.
There are negative consequences that go along with firing a coach after only one season. If he was really a "new" coach, then not much outside of clear and gross incompetence is grounds for firing. But, I think the fact that he was coach-in-waiting previously probably works against him.
As for the question of who's available that's better, it's a problem -- they don't grow on trees, for sure. (I will say that there's essentially zero potential candidates who would be "scared off" from this job by the fact that they axed Playfair after only one season. It's far outweighed by the particulars of Playfair's hiring and previous role; the quality of the roster; the fact that mgmt is willing to spend money to upgrade as well as do so in-season; etc. etc.)
Are we allowed to put an asterix beside Iginla's name now that says "He played like a real dink in game five of the first round of the playoffs", since he didn't go on to win the cup :p
ill say this much: if the deadmonton COILERS had playfair behind the bench this season, they would have made the playoffs
playfair is vastly underrated. what he did with calgary's forward corps (despite some old buzards) was remarkable and noteable. every line was a legitimite threat this year save for the buzards
Playfair may or may not be a good NHL coach, but to compare him to MacT is silly. Perhaps when he has more NHL experience (when he gets his next job), Playfair will show well, but he made some rookie mistakes and will suffer from bad bets the GM made over the summer and into fall.
ill say this much: if the deadmonton COILERS had playfair behind the bench this season, they would have made the playoffs
playfair is vastly underrated. what he did with calgary's forward corps (despite some old buzards) was remarkable and noteable. every line was a legitimite threat this year save for the buzards - Fever4Flames
Fevers make people delusional right?
i think im going to call the nucks the mini-flames now
they embody all the positive qualities of the flames model, so u cant go wrong!
GO MINI-FALMES! in YOUR FACES COILERS!!!
Alright, who's pretending to be a Flames fan? This has to be a charicature.
I hate Roberto Luongo. I feel like I'm watching the World Cup all over again.
you will grow to love luongo.
...and when I sober up, I will feel like an ass for trolling like a shitbag.
LINDEN FOR PM!!!!!
GO CANUCKS!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!
I love how fever throws out that all-caps COILERS like it's supposed to sting Oilers fans like a tennis ball to the face. Also, "Deadmonton"? Clever.
I too am starting to think this is an elaborate parody.
Alright, who's pretending to be a Flames fan? This has to be a charicature.
I thought the same thing reading fever's posts yesterday. I'm betting it's mudcrutch.
fever4flames said...
they embody all the positive qualities of the flames model, so u cant go wrong!
The one that had you last win a playoff series in the clutch and grab of the pre-lockout NHL?
Sounds like a sound plan. I hope Sutter regularly consults you for
advice.
bah. u guys just dont know what real fandom look like
u cant understand why i can still have FEVER 4 THE FLAMES even after we lost to detroit
the reasons? weve got a solid corps of talent, the best goalie in the world, and ample room to grow. playfair will improve next season, well make all the right signings, and we can do better
i remember all you COILERS fans spitting that the flames would lose in FOUR GAMES yet what happened. we held them to SIX. funny how noone wants to acknoledge that we gave the best teams in the league a run 4 thier money
GO FLAMES
I too am starting to think this is an elaborate parody.
I don't know if I'd describe it as an "elaborate" parody, but the obligatory and typically Calgarian reference to the size his TV in the "Flames Lose" thread sealed it for me. Keep your eyes peeled for additional references to:
a) details of his preferred mode of motor vehicle transportation (including mention of accessories such as rims or "subs"). Bonus points for recreational vehicles such as "quads" or "sleds".
b) the square footage and list price of his house/condo
c) annual salary in $K/yr
d) the aesthetic/surgically enhanced qualities of his "woman."
e) the chinook.
e) the chinook.
Speaking of which - what do Kiprusoff's close "personal" friends have in common with the chinkook? :]
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Playfair turned a team that couldn't get a shot on goal into one of the best offensive teams in the league (regular season)
# posted by 
: April 23, 2007 11:52 am
: April 23, 2007 11:52 am Flames actually took 57 more shots in '05/06 than they did this season.
They definitely converted a lot more of them (higher shooting pct) -- is this attributable to Playfair? Tell me more.
Maybe if I had read lots of early-season quotes to the tune of, "we need to stop throwing the puck at the net in low pct. situations and hold on for better scoring chances", then I'd agree, but everything I've ever heard from him was the exact opposite.
playfair did a good job. sure he was burdened by a few slow pokes, but the team will be leaner and faster next year, and playfair's coaching skill set will really thrive under the new flames
thumbs up 4 playfair
# posted by : April 23, 2007 12:18 pm
: April 23, 2007 12:18 pm I can’t see to many contributors lining up for the job if the Oilers are going to keep playing like a third place AHL team. Any team that sells their heart and soul to the Islanders for two rocks and a pile of crap deserves a Bambino sized curse.
The increase in scoring can be attributed more to the increase in talent than the coaching or game planning. If you sacrifice defense for scoring your team had better produce 3-4 goals per game in the playoffs. If the don't, then you'd better get your resume ready.
Go Flames
# posted by : April 23, 2007 12:26 pm
: April 23, 2007 12:26 pm I can’t see to many contributors lining up for the job if the Oilers are going to keep playing like a third place AHL team.
I dunno. Teams locked in the sewer of suckage are often good for frequent "I'M SO BLOODY DRUNK JOFFREY LUPUL BETTER WATCH HIS BRAKE LINE" posts, which never fail to entertain.
And am I the only one who thinks it probable that Playfair will end up taking the pipe on Sutter's behalf this summer? I mean, the general manager made a bunch of trades to shore up the team's non-weaknesses while letting its problems fester and eventually be taken advantage of by a sufficiently skilled opponent, better can the coach!
Playfair and MacTavish are actually really nice dichotomies. MacTavish has a strangely good reputation based off his undeniable skill at being witty, having snappy fashion sense, and tearing the tongues off of mascots despite not being able to coach his way out of a paper bag. Playfair, meanwhile, isn't the most interesting guy you'll ever meet, dresses like a blind hobo, and is about to get shafted by his GM as a result of a mess not of his making.
Not that I think Playfair's a great coach. But this has "scapegoat" written all over it.
Thanks Bob, you've spelled out what will probably be the main point of discussion over the next few weeks.
As noted, I'm on the side that believes the roster quality was better than the team performance. Their biggest weakness from a roster standpoint -- players who can help get pucks behind opposing goalies -- was addressed by grabbing the best player available, and he played to form.
I don't think there's much you can point to since the end of last season that Sutter has done that obviously was bad for the team (maybe signing Friesen instead of pushing a young guy into that role). I wasn't a big fan of the Stuart/Ference trade, but Stuart pretty much performed as advertised.
What, on the other hand, makes you think Playfair is a good coach?
What, on the other hand, makes you think Playfair is a good coach?
I didn't mean to imply that I think Playfair is necessarily a good coach. I think, however, that he was not the Flames' weakness this season. I think the Stuart trade was ridiculous on Calgary's part: sure, Stuart performed as any reasonable human would expect, but why flip good young talent for a rental at a position where you don't need the help? We saw on deadline day that there were plenty of forwards moving and we all knew that the Flames needed to be able to move the puck better. Yet that went unaddressed.
At least K-Lowe eventually knew to bite the bullet and trade a first and a third for Roloson. Sutter was unable to make a similar deal, and if he thought prices were too high for forwards, did he really think that he'd be better off trading some future assets for a chance at getting 16 wins out of clogging up the zone and praying Kipper didn't blow out his knee leaping to make another save? I'm not convinced Stuart and Primeau even got the Flames those two points to get into the playoffs.
I don't think it's fair to say that the Flames couldn't score enough goals, on the one hand you might question whether Huselisis could handle the rough going and if you're looking for one guy who's failure to duplicate his reg season success had a hand in cgy not getting out of the first round then I guess he'd be it, but then again playoffs are a small sample anyway. Of course I guess for all the Flames fans who undervalue Fernie and thought that smart Oilers fans believed he'd score 25 goals this year, now we can retort with "well KH can't do it in the playoffs anyway;"
Anyway, let me be the first to start the Iginla to the Flyers rumors. Philly has some cash to spend, you know Bob Clarke loves Iggy and they have some young guys like Richards and Carter who the Flames could begin to re-tool around.
The Flames can't bring everyone back in '09 even if they go tight to the cap, unless the cap jumps into the early to mid 50's and there's no way they can let Kipper go so I'd imagine Jarmoe takes the pipe.
I could see Iginla being traded to the Coyotes too. Wayne seems to like him and the yotes need all the help they can get with Doan toiling away there more or less on his lonesome. They have some prospects they could flip Calgary too.
I could see Iginla being traded to the Coyotes too. Wayne seems to like him and the yotes need all the help they can get with Doan toiling away there more or less on his lonesome.
But on the other hand, acquiring Iginla would give the Coyotes a solid player in his prime who could compliment Doan superbly and improve them as a hockey club, and this is the Phoenix Coyotes. So I wouldn't bet on it.
I don't think Playfair is getting axed, for several reasons. For one, to fire a man because his eighth-place team lost to the conference champs strikes one as being a bit short-changed (whether they should have been an eighth-place team to begin with is another story).
For another, he did address the chronic lack of scoring which has plagued the franchise for years. It was a huge adjustment to make and it wasn't altogether successful, but at least the franchise has accepted that they don't have to be bottom feeders any more.
Going back to the quick-fire senario, what sort of confidence could a new coach have from a GM who has just fired his long-time pal after a season that was unsatisfying, yet better than more than half the teams in the league.
Besides, what coach is out there who'd be better than Playfair and is available? Who, on this side of the Red Deer Centrium, would be willing to take on the challenge?
Though I do agree with you, Matt, on the over-all creepiness of Playfair's look and demeanor. He resembles a poor man's Steve Buscemi with all the confidence of a 14-year-old on his first date who's concerned about food getting stuck in his braces. It might be petty to bitch about this, but then, no one's ever accused hockey players of possessing a deeper appreciation of a person's character than the rest of us.
Rob, I'd say point 1 (they shouldn't have been in 8th) and point 2 (increased offense might be in spite of him just as easily as thanks to him) are marks against Playfair, but points 3 & 4 are a different matter.
There are negative consequences that go along with firing a coach after only one season. If he was really a "new" coach, then not much outside of clear and gross incompetence is grounds for firing. But, I think the fact that he was coach-in-waiting previously probably works against him.
As for the question of who's available that's better, it's a problem -- they don't grow on trees, for sure. (I will say that there's essentially zero potential candidates who would be "scared off" from this job by the fact that they axed Playfair after only one season. It's far outweighed by the particulars of Playfair's hiring and previous role; the quality of the roster; the fact that mgmt is willing to spend money to upgrade as well as do so in-season; etc. etc.)
Are we allowed to put an asterix beside Iginla's name now that says "He played like a real dink in game five of the first round of the playoffs", since he didn't go on to win the cup :p
ill say this much: if the deadmonton COILERS had playfair behind the bench this season, they would have made the playoffs
playfair is vastly underrated. what he did with calgary's forward corps (despite some old buzards) was remarkable and noteable. every line was a legitimite threat this year save for the buzards
# posted by : April 23, 2007 4:41 pm
: April 23, 2007 4:41 pm Playfair may or may not be a good NHL coach, but to compare him to MacT is silly. Perhaps when he has more NHL experience (when he gets his next job), Playfair will show well, but he made some rookie mistakes and will suffer from bad bets the GM made over the summer and into fall.
ill say this much: if the deadmonton COILERS had playfair behind the bench this season, they would have made the playoffs
playfair is vastly underrated. what he did with calgary's forward corps (despite some old buzards) was remarkable and noteable. every line was a legitimite threat this year save for the buzards - Fever4Flames
Fevers make people delusional right?
# posted by : April 23, 2007 8:23 pm
: April 23, 2007 8:23 pm i think im going to call the nucks the mini-flames now
they embody all the positive qualities of the flames model, so u cant go wrong!
GO MINI-FALMES! in YOUR FACES COILERS!!!
# posted by : April 23, 2007 10:16 pm
: April 23, 2007 10:16 pm Alright, who's pretending to be a Flames fan? This has to be a charicature.
# posted by : April 23, 2007 10:27 pm
: April 23, 2007 10:27 pm I hate Roberto Luongo. I feel like I'm watching the World Cup all over again.
you will grow to love luongo.
...and when I sober up, I will feel like an ass for trolling like a shitbag.
LINDEN FOR PM!!!!!
GO CANUCKS!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!
I love how fever throws out that all-caps COILERS like it's supposed to sting Oilers fans like a tennis ball to the face. Also, "Deadmonton"? Clever.
I too am starting to think this is an elaborate parody.
Alright, who's pretending to be a Flames fan? This has to be a charicature.
I thought the same thing reading fever's posts yesterday. I'm betting it's mudcrutch.
fever4flames said...
they embody all the positive qualities of the flames model, so u cant go wrong!
The one that had you last win a playoff series in the clutch and grab of the pre-lockout NHL?
Sounds like a sound plan. I hope Sutter regularly consults you for
advice.
bah. u guys just dont know what real fandom look like
u cant understand why i can still have FEVER 4 THE FLAMES even after we lost to detroit
the reasons? weve got a solid corps of talent, the best goalie in the world, and ample room to grow. playfair will improve next season, well make all the right signings, and we can do better
i remember all you COILERS fans spitting that the flames would lose in FOUR GAMES yet what happened. we held them to SIX. funny how noone wants to acknoledge that we gave the best teams in the league a run 4 thier money
GO FLAMES
# posted by : April 24, 2007 12:28 pm
: April 24, 2007 12:28 pm I too am starting to think this is an elaborate parody.
I don't know if I'd describe it as an "elaborate" parody, but the obligatory and typically Calgarian reference to the size his TV in the "Flames Lose" thread sealed it for me. Keep your eyes peeled for additional references to:
a) details of his preferred mode of motor vehicle transportation (including mention of accessories such as rims or "subs"). Bonus points for recreational vehicles such as "quads" or "sleds".
b) the square footage and list price of his house/condo
c) annual salary in $K/yr
d) the aesthetic/surgically enhanced qualities of his "woman."
e) the chinook.
e) the chinook.
Speaking of which - what do Kiprusoff's close "personal" friends have in common with the chinkook? :]
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