Monday, March 15, 2010
It truly is too early for a eulogy on the Flames season -- there's six WC teams that would switch places with them right now -- but Eff-Me do I hate the Sutters right now.
As far as I can tell, Brent is Craig Hartsburg, though with the good fortune of having more talented pro teams. Every fan of just about every team gets frustrated with the "hang back and get railed when you have a lead" strategy (it's not rare), but the Flames' Prevent D this season is the worst and most flaccid I can remember seeing. Brent's strength is supposed to be Team D, and yet...
Despite Kipper having been much, much better this season (much), the team is presently a longshot to make playoffs, instead of barely falling out of a division title. And it's not like you can blame crap luck: they tied 3 or 4 games in the early season with the goalie pulled, i.e. they pulled ~6 points out of the ether.
The team hasn't been nearly as good this year. That falls on the coach and GM.
UPDATE, minutes later: What I always liked about Darryl is his belief -- by action if not by grunt -- that you can improve on the fly. Iginla never had to suffer the indignity of a teardown & rebuild during his prime years, and I still think the Phaneuf trade was a good one in isolation.
Butright around exactly on 2009 Trade Deadline, he crossed the Line. The one between "Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" and "Trade every young, moderately paid player I have, and also draft picks, including our #1 for the 1st time, in a desperate attempt to maybe possibly be slightly better for the stretch and playoffs". My present thought is that if he's not fired after this season (which I'm not opining on right now), he probably will be after the team and fans suffer through Staios and Kotalik all next season.
As far as I can tell, Brent is Craig Hartsburg, though with the good fortune of having more talented pro teams. Every fan of just about every team gets frustrated with the "hang back and get railed when you have a lead" strategy (it's not rare), but the Flames' Prevent D this season is the worst and most flaccid I can remember seeing. Brent's strength is supposed to be Team D, and yet...
Despite Kipper having been much, much better this season (much), the team is presently a longshot to make playoffs, instead of barely falling out of a division title. And it's not like you can blame crap luck: they tied 3 or 4 games in the early season with the goalie pulled, i.e. they pulled ~6 points out of the ether.
The team hasn't been nearly as good this year. That falls on the coach and GM.
UPDATE, minutes later: What I always liked about Darryl is his belief -- by action if not by grunt -- that you can improve on the fly. Iginla never had to suffer the indignity of a teardown & rebuild during his prime years, and I still think the Phaneuf trade was a good one in isolation.
But
# posted by Matt @ 10:29 pm 
Comments:
Lombardi is laughing his ass off right now.
2009 was a disaster. The one this year was a fiasco, albeit one of relatively minor proportions.
Sutter jumped the Shark this year. He's done.
He's got to be gone after this season...
Brent surprises me a lot more. And imagine where they'd be without Kipper playing like this?
We are in mid-suffering here in Edmonton.
The suffering of Flames fans has only just begun.
I feel bad for Iginla, no one else in Calgary. The entire city.
David, if you're expecting the Flames to lose ~all the remaining games on their schedule, then spend to the cap for several seasons, continue to miss the playoffs, and hire the same new GM over and over before deciding in 2013 that a rebuild is in order... not sure if I'd hold my breath there.
This Staois guy sounds like he'd be an improvement over Steve Staios. At least maybe his cap hit would be lower...
I was unhappy with 2009 trade deadline, but thought it was a learning experience and that the off-season was much better. The Phaneuf trade I am happy with. But getting Kotalik and Staios and killing all future flexibility has almost pushed me into the Fire Darryl camp.
The Lombardi/Jokinen trade is the one that went down for me as the point Sutter completely jumped the Shark.
I thought Phoenix was pretty screwed after trading for Jokinen till they pulled that trade out off with Calgary. Don Maloney must still be laughing his ass off.
Then came the 2010 trade deadline; don't ask me WTF Sutter was thinking with Kotalik and Staios.
Sather keeps spending his money like it burns in a hole in his pocket. After not only getting rid of Gomez's anchor but prying a useful player and the top defence prospect out of Montreal, and now getting out from under 2 more years of Kotalik at 3 million...the man must be a warlock. If he'd only learn his lesson vis a vis overpays on the UFA market the Rangers might be a powerhouse.
And as much as I disliked the Grebeskhov for a 2nd pick trade, I'll give credit where it's due, a useful 6th defenceman and a 3rd for Staios is just beyond anything I could have hoped for. I mean when Steve Tambellini gets the better of you...something's gotta give.
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Lombardi is laughing his ass off right now.
2009 was a disaster. The one this year was a fiasco, albeit one of relatively minor proportions.
Sutter jumped the Shark this year. He's done.
He's got to be gone after this season...
Brent surprises me a lot more. And imagine where they'd be without Kipper playing like this?
We are in mid-suffering here in Edmonton.
The suffering of Flames fans has only just begun.
I feel bad for Iginla, no one else in Calgary. The entire city.
David, if you're expecting the Flames to lose ~all the remaining games on their schedule, then spend to the cap for several seasons, continue to miss the playoffs, and hire the same new GM over and over before deciding in 2013 that a rebuild is in order... not sure if I'd hold my breath there.
This Staois guy sounds like he'd be an improvement over Steve Staios. At least maybe his cap hit would be lower...
I was unhappy with 2009 trade deadline, but thought it was a learning experience and that the off-season was much better. The Phaneuf trade I am happy with. But getting Kotalik and Staios and killing all future flexibility has almost pushed me into the Fire Darryl camp.
The Lombardi/Jokinen trade is the one that went down for me as the point Sutter completely jumped the Shark.
I thought Phoenix was pretty screwed after trading for Jokinen till they pulled that trade out off with Calgary. Don Maloney must still be laughing his ass off.
Then came the 2010 trade deadline; don't ask me WTF Sutter was thinking with Kotalik and Staios.
Sather keeps spending his money like it burns in a hole in his pocket. After not only getting rid of Gomez's anchor but prying a useful player and the top defence prospect out of Montreal, and now getting out from under 2 more years of Kotalik at 3 million...the man must be a warlock. If he'd only learn his lesson vis a vis overpays on the UFA market the Rangers might be a powerhouse.
And as much as I disliked the Grebeskhov for a 2nd pick trade, I'll give credit where it's due, a useful 6th defenceman and a 3rd for Staios is just beyond anything I could have hoped for. I mean when Steve Tambellini gets the better of you...something's gotta give.
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