Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Random Thoughts

Flames



  • In the third period of the final of the 3 straight games against the Avalanche and the Flames are down a goal. How do you spell mediocre? F-L-A-M-E-S. Colorado is currently a bubble team and we can barely handle them. Sure, we're 1-1 in this 'series' but why have the Flames gone from being a team that can't score goals to a team that needs to score many goals?

    Call me cynical, but I'm still not sold on Stuart. His +/- hasn't worsened since he got here, but, tonight for instance, he's been on the ice for 3 of Colorado's 4 goals. Actually, maybe thats just a sign he shouldn't be on the PK.

    That brings me to the coaching this team has received. The on-ice talent needed to succeed is there, but the coaching staff seems unable to steer it in any useful direction. A team with this much talent should win consistently and meaningfully, however, the last two-three weeks have been anything but. Blowing leads late, early and midgame, blowing multiple goal leads, having terrible in zone coverage, these are characteristics that are extremely contrary to championship teams. The players need to be accountable, but so does the captain of the ship.

    There are rumours Martin Gelinas will return to the team (from HF, so take it for what its worth). While no one would be happier about Gelinas' return than myself, I wonder what role he could play on our team. Amonte has become the Flames post '04 run Gelinas replacement, and although he's much crappier, they play almost identical roles. This gives us one redundant player, which is a waste. We would have to somehow get rid of Amonte, which I assume is impossible, or we would have done it already. I expect this rumour will never materialize, but I thought the same about Conroy, so I'm probably not the best judge.

    I feel like we're about as far away from the Cup as we've ever been. Seriously. The way we're playing now, it'll be 4 or 5 and out.

    I'm really looking forward to playing a team that isn't named 'Avalanche.'

    We've now officially lost 2/3 in a series we should have been able to win 3/3.

    Oilers


  • Between Senators practice and Oilers practice, former teammates get caught up: Danny Heatley, Steve Staios (teammates in Atlanta) along with Ethan Moreau and Mike Comrie.


  • Ok, lets put this season to bed. It's over. There's only one last order of business, and I've harped on it for quite some time. Kevin Lowe, if you're reading this, you know what to do.

    Despite losing tonight, and in Buffalo last week, the Oilers have been playing some entertaining hockey. For those that actually ordered the PPV tonight, you got your money's worth. Sure, the Oil couldn't seem to hit the broad side of a barn door in that shootout, and Hemsky probably made you dizzy from circling the opposition net so much, but coming back from a two goal deficet with under 5 minutes is classic Oilers hockey.

    Tom Gilbert and Mathieu Roy looked pretty good playing with eachother tonight actually. As far as I can tell, it was Gilbert's emergence as a decent AHL defenceman which allowed (forced?)the Oilers to trade Bergeron.

    For that matter, Jacques and Winchester made nice bookends. I cringed when Morley Scott (or was it Rob Brown) mentioned JFJ was coming up with a lot of confidence thanks to his inspired play in the AHL of late (including a 4 goal game). That may well be, but you have to believe all JFJ can think about is 20GP, 0 goals.

    MA Pouliot, what can you say? He looks like he's turning into a bonefide NHLer. He's been distributing the puck, mucking it up around the net, killing penalties (smartly I might add), and he's even put the puck in the net.

    Nice to see Jussi get the start. If LT gets his way this could be one of Juice's last games with the franchise. He played about as well as you could hope, except for arguably the first goal. If not for Markkenan it could have been a lot uglier score tonight though.

    On That's Hockey today Darren Dreger seemed to believe Lowe would not be trading Ryan Smyth and that he would be resigned in the off-season. I really hope thats true, as this team gives us flashes of what it could be.

    Sounds like Brewer will re-sign in St. Louis, or at least, St. Louis is intent on re-signing him.
  • 8 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Signing Amonte instead of Gelinas was an A1 gaffe. But bringing him back now would be even worse. There isn't a single player anywhere right now who can turn the Flames around. The roadkill is a team and/or coaching issue, pure and simple.

    Kent W. said...

    A Gelinas acquisition would be pointless. Great guy, good memories, won't help the Flames currently.

    Anyone else want to hang themselves whenever they see the Flames playing that cursed "passive box" on the PK. ARGH!

    walkinvisible said...

    JFJ brought back travis green. sutter brought back conroy. ie: sutter knows the difference between a good bring-back and a bad bring-back. and JFJ is an idiot.

    bottom line: gelinas to toronto.
    :P

    walkinvisible said...

    [i was going for comedy there, but i realize a funnier ---and more likely--- comment would have been: bottom line: roberts to toronto]

    no point

    Katie O'D said...

    You're right- the kids are really impressing. Even if the team's going nowhere this year, it's good to see that Pouliot and now Gilbert are earning time in the big league. Hopefully the other guys will also shine.

    MacS said...

    In regards to the Gelinas coming back comment, I would be mainly be happy as a fan, rather than an analyst. I have a Gelnias jersey etc. But as I concluded, it would be a pointless aquisition.

    But if we could somehow trade Amonte for Gelinas, who here wouldn't take it?

    WI: I actually think Roberts would fit in nice in Ottawa.

    KOD: Honestly, if Pouliot continues to play along these lines, Gilbert continues to improve, Shremp decides to actually work out, the Oilers could be half decent next year. Of course, some help on the back end is still pretty pertinant.

    Marsha said...

    Would Kevin Lowe really take that chance to resign Smyth in the off-season? He can't take the chance. It has to be now or trade his ass. Come on Lowe, show some guts. Make the deal happen now.

    Pouliot, looking great. When he was first called up in the season, he was horrible and I didn't know why everyone was crazy for him. I sure do now. He has been terrific. Same for Thoresen since he came back. JFJ? I don't see anything special, yet. But Gilbert? Nice, loved his play last night.

    MacS said...

    Scarlett: He might take the chance. As far as I can tell, there was some sort of agreement between the two camps to put off the contract until the off season, so it might simply come down to that. But IF Lowe does resign Smyth at a greater cost during the off-season I have a feeling the Oil Country faithful will be more forgiving than if he had traded Smytty outright.

    JFJ doesn't have the same sense the other players you mentioned seem to have, but I thought he had his best game in the bigs last night. Maybe this season can still end with a silver lining?