Todd Cordell: G74 Calgary Flames @ Arizona Coyotes: Five things to watch

As bad as it seems to have gone lately, the Flames still have a decent shot if they can just start winning. If the favourites win tonight, they're only 2 point behind the Kings with a game remaining against the Kings. Dallas can't win anymore and have a pretty tough schedule left. St. Louis might be a problem.

Everyone they're chasing is going to keep playing each other, so it's possible to make up some ground. All it's going to take is a couple bounces to go the Flames' way.

And for everyone calling for major changes, look at what the Jets have done. They've underachieved for the last three or four years. Everyone wanted Maurice gone, everyone wanted Cheveldayoff gone, fans were calling for changes after every disappointing season. They pretty much stood pat and showed confidence in what they had built. They let them mature together and now they're a legit contender. The Flames are in a similar spot as the Jets were. They're still a young group that hasn't quite clicked, but on paper all the pieces are there.

The Flames were also extremely unlucky this year and lost a ton of games that they deserved to win. They were also really just one player away, and that player is potentially already on the roster. If Bennett had been the dominating player we've seen him be 75-80% of the time instead of 10-15% of the time, there's no doubt the Flames wouldn't be comfortably in the playoffs right now.

If the Flames don't make the playoffs, I'd try and trade Brodie to get some picks back, but wouldn't do much else.

As bad as it seems to have gone lately, the Flames still have a decent shot if they can just start winning. If the favourites win tonight, they're only 2 point behind the Kings with a game remaining against the Kings. Dallas can't win anymore and have a pretty tough schedule left. St. Louis might be a problem.

Everyone they're chasing is going to keep playing each other, so it's possible to make up some ground. All it's going to take is a couple bounces to go the Flames' way.

And for everyone calling for major changes, look at what the Jets have done. They've underachieved for the last three or four years. Everyone wanted Maurice gone, everyone wanted Cheveldayoff gone, fans were calling for changes after every disappointing season. They pretty much stood pat and showed confidence in what they had built. They let them mature together and now they're a legit contender. The Flames are in a similar spot as the Jets were. They're still a young group that hasn't quite clicked, but on paper all the pieces are there.

The Flames were also extremely unlucky this year and lost a ton of games that they deserved to win. They were also really just one player away, and that player is potentially already on the roster. If Bennett had been the dominating player we've seen him be 75-80% of the time instead of 10-15% of the time, there's no doubt the Flames wouldn't be comfortably in the playoffs right now.

If the Flames don't make the playoffs, I'd try and trade Brodie to get some picks back, but wouldn't do much else.
- Hunkulese

We'll take him off your hands for both your 2nd's back

As bad as it seems to have gone lately, the Flames still have a decent shot if they can just start winning. If the favourites win tonight, they're only 2 point behind the Kings with a game remaining against the Kings. Dallas can't win anymore and have a pretty tough schedule left. St. Louis might be a problem.

Everyone they're chasing is going to keep playing each other, so it's possible to make up some ground. All it's going to take is a couple bounces to go the Flames' way.

And for everyone calling for major changes, look at what the Jets have done. They've underachieved for the last three or four years. Everyone wanted Maurice gone, everyone wanted Cheveldayoff gone, fans were calling for changes after every disappointing season. They pretty much stood pat and showed confidence in what they had built. They let them mature together and now they're a legit contender. The Flames are in a similar spot as the Jets were. They're still a young group that hasn't quite clicked, but on paper all the pieces are there.

The Flames were also extremely unlucky this year and lost a ton of games that they deserved to win. They were also really just one player away, and that player is potentially already on the roster. If Bennett had been the dominating player we've seen him be 75-80% of the time instead of 10-15% of the time, there's no doubt the Flames wouldn't be comfortably in the playoffs right now.

If the Flames don't make the playoffs, I'd try and trade Brodie to get some picks back, but wouldn't do much else.
- Hunkulese

Winnipeg patiently built through the draft and they won a lottery to get Laine. Calgary on the other hand has traded away their picks in a win now strategy. It makes it so much worse that the NYI has our lottery pick this year.

Winnipeg patiently built through the draft and they won a lottery to get Laine. Calgary on the other hand has traded away their picks in a win now strategy. It makes it so much worse that the NYI has our lottery pick this year.
- tincup

Winnipeg also hasn't won a playoff game in franchise history...nobody is that patient they are just on their 7th rebuild and even a blind squirrel ect.

Flames have some really good pieces but major holes.

New coach, better forward depth, (maybe trade a D or two and bring up a couple guys) Its a fine line though and the Flames aren't that far off IMO.

They out chance the other team nearly every game just need more natural scoring.

Winnipeg patiently built through the draft and they won a lottery to get Laine. Calgary on the other hand has traded away their picks in a win now strategy. It makes it so much worse that the NYI has our lottery pick this year.
- tincup

Winnipeg took the better way to get where they are, but Calgary is still in the same spot Winnipeg was for the last few years. The Flames do have all the pieces to be a good team, they just need to play like one. Calgary also won the lottery by drafting Gaudreau in the 4th round.

Not being patient now is just going to dig a bigger hole for whoever the next GM of the team is going to be. Treliving has built his team, give it another half-season to see if it's actually any good.

Fat Ras has been called up. Perhaps an evaluation step to help decide whether another D is expendable in the off-season.

Fat Ras has been called up. Perhaps an evaluation step to help decide whether another D is expendable in the off-season.
- bsimms

Bart will probably play instead.

Left/right combos and such.

Bart will probably play instead.

Left/right combos and such.

You're likely correct, but that will be unfortunate... we all know what Bart is.

Winnipeg also hasn't won a playoff game in franchise history...nobody is that patient they are just on their 7th rebuild and even a blind squirrel ect.

Flames have some really good pieces but major holes.

New coach, better forward depth, (maybe trade a D or two and bring up a couple guys) Its a fine line though and the Flames aren't that far off IMO.

They out chance the other team nearly every game just need more natural scoring.
- flashfire

Didn't they win a bunch of playoff games in the 80's and 90's?

Winnipeg also hasn't won a playoff game in franchise history...nobody is that patient they are just on their 7th rebuild and even a blind squirrel ect.

Flames have some really good pieces but major holes.

New coach, better forward depth, (maybe trade a D or two and bring up a couple guys) Its a fine line though and the Flames aren't that far off IMO.

They out chance the other team nearly every game just need more natural scoring.
- flashfire

The Jets are on pace for about 110 points which is a better than Calgary's been for several decades. We'll see how they do but it looks like they have a legit contender.

Didn't they win a bunch of playoff games in the 80's and 90's?


- LordHumungous

Well, that franchise now plays in Arizona. Atlanta/Winnipeg were swept both times they made it. Not that it's even relevant to the conversation.

Hopefully with the Flames missing the playoffs we will see some major changes.

IMO this team was built to be middle of the pack and nothing more.

Outside of Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, and Hamilton there isn't any elite skill in the line up.

The Hamonic trade was awful and BT got hosed, he should be replaced before the draft.

I will be shocked if GG isn't fired after game 82, keeping Brodie and Hamonic together all season when even my sister knew it wasn't working is GG thinking he is smarter then everyone. He doesn't adapt well and IMO didn't do enough to get the most out of this line up. Just an awful coach,

We have no elite level prospects coming, zip zero notta. Go ahead and spout off some potential D prospects but I would argue none of them project to be top 3 dman.

Smith is 35 and overrated if you ask me, Rittich has been meh at best but he still needs time.

Brodie is probably the best trade chip we have that can be moved, flipping him for draft picks wouldn't make any sense. He needs to turn into a legit top 6 RW,

What do you do with Bennett? What's his trade value at this point?

All the UFAs should be let go no use in bringing any of them back.

Disclaimer: This is my opinion a lot of you will get butt hurt about what I have to say because that's what little girls do but before you reply with your nonsense take a minute watch a my little pony clip and think about it.

As bad as it seems to have gone lately, the Flames still have a decent shot if they can just start winning. If the favourites win tonight, they're only 2 point behind the Kings with a game remaining against the Kings. Dallas can't win anymore and have a pretty tough schedule left. St. Louis might be a problem.

Everyone they're chasing is going to keep playing each other, so it's possible to make up some ground. All it's going to take is a couple bounces to go the Flames' way.

And for everyone calling for major changes, look at what the Jets have done. They've underachieved for the last three or four years. Everyone wanted Maurice gone, everyone wanted Cheveldayoff gone, fans were calling for changes after every disappointing season. They pretty much stood pat and showed confidence in what they had built. They let them mature together and now they're a legit contender. The Flames are in a similar spot as the Jets were. They're still a young group that hasn't quite clicked, but on paper all the pieces are there.

The Flames were also extremely unlucky this year and lost a ton of games that they deserved to win. They were also really just one player away, and that player is potentially already on the roster. If Bennett had been the dominating player we've seen him be 75-80% of the time instead of 10-15% of the time, there's no doubt the Flames wouldn't be comfortably in the playoffs right now.

If the Flames don't make the playoffs, I'd try and trade Brodie to get some picks back, but wouldn't do much else.
- Hunkulese

I'd like to see major changes in the front office. Ken King has been working on a new arena for over a decade and where are the results?? If anything he has shed a negative light on the Flames for how they have handled things. If i did my job as poorly as that I'd have been gone long ago.

Burke is all talk. He puts on a good show but again where are the results?

I like Treliving but he overthinks things. He is the epitome of analysis paralysis. His interviews are all the same. I've never heard someone talk so much and not say anything at all.

GG is resistant to change. The PP was brutal for what...65 games before he made a change. And he still throws Brouwer out there. Brodie and Hamonic have been brutal together yet he never split them up. And when Mangiapane was up he never got any minutes outside the 4th line. I get trying to break him in and shelter him but couldn't have we just seen what he could do with some actual talent around him? His overuse of Smith when Rittich was playing well is also questionable.

Time to clean house.

@dino
Agree with most you said! Not sure why?
Time to shed the dead weight. I wish that dope would put Bennett in the top 6 for the rest of the year, we need to see if he can swim! I thought he was our best forward last night.

I'd like to see major changes in the front office. Ken King has been working on a new arena for over a decade and where are the results?? If anything he has shed a negative light on the Flames for how they have handled things. If i did my job as poorly as that I'd have been gone long ago.

Burke is all talk. He puts on a good show but again where are the results?


- bastage

Getting rid of King is meaningless because he's just a puppet for the owners. Everything he says and does is coming straight from them.

Burke doesn't actually do anything, so whatever.

Everyone thought Treliving had put together a competitive team at the start of the season. No one picked the Flames to miss the playoffs before the season started. Give the team he put together another half-season to see if they're bad or this season was an anomaly. Also, he gives interviews like every GM gives interviews. No one actually says anything.

There isn't a coach that could be brought in that's going to make much of a difference with their current roster so they may as well tie Gulutzan's fate to Treliving's.

All of this could be moot anyway, if the Flames go on a run to finish the year and make a deep run.

The only way to fix things at this point is to blow things up and do a full rebuild, and I don't think they're at that point yet.

Getting rid of King is meaningless because he's just a puppet for the owners. Everything he says and does is coming straight from them.

Burke doesn't actually do anything, so whatever.

Everyone thought Treliving had put together a competitive team at the start of the season. No one picked the Flames to miss the playoffs before the season started. Give the team he put together another half-season to see if they're bad or this season was an anomaly. Also, he gives interviews like every GM gives interviews. No one actually says anything.

There isn't a coach that could be brought in that's going to make much of a difference with their current roster so they may as well tie Gulutzan's fate to Treliving's.

All of this could be moot anyway, if the Flames go on a run to finish the year and make a deep run.

The only way to fix things at this point is to blow things up and do a full rebuild, and I don't think they're at that point yet.
- Hunkulese

K on one point you say the teams not that bad then you say there's not a coach that could make a difference with this group.

Which is it?

K on one point you say the teams not that bad then you say there's not a coach that could make a difference with this group.

Which is it?
- K-man25

It's both. The problems they have aren't fixable with a coaching change.

It's both.
- Hunkulese

Tell Glen "I say hi"!

Some real gold on here today fellas!!!

The funny part is how disappointed everyone is they missed the playoffs, me, not so much. I don't need to see another 4-0 sweep to the hands of a team that is way better than the Flames. They are so much worse than Nashville, Winnipeg, and Anaheim....would have been a bloodbath anyway.

They aren't that bad though....if they were smart, they would trade Giordano AND Brodie, then let the D prospects sort themselves out. Janko will be better next year, and then hopefully find some help at RW.

The real question mark is Bennett. He needs to get his head out of his ass. Imagine we had Draisatl???

Some real gold on here today fellas!!!

The funny part is how disappointed everyone is they missed the playoffs, me, not so much. I don't need to see another 4-0 sweep to the hands of a team that is way better than the Flames. They are so much worse than Nashville, Winnipeg, and Anaheim....would have been a bloodbath anyway.

They aren't that bad though....if they were smart, they would trade Giordano AND Brodie, then let the D prospects sort themselves out. Janko will be better next year, and then hopefully find some help at RW.

The real question mark is Bennett. He needs to get his head out of his ass. Imagine we had Draisatl???
- The-O-G

Draisatl had one good year last year and got paid big time and is now a problem cap wise for the Oilers. Bennett is a bust ala Daniel Tkachuk. I don't think Draisatl would've made a big difference in Calgary, there is no McDavid here..........

Draisatl had one good year last year and got paid big time and is now a problem cap wise for the Oilers. Bennett is a bust ala Daniel Tkachuk. I don't think Draisatl would've made a big difference in Calgary, there is no McDavid here..........
- FlamesFan1230

Dude he's almost a point per game player this year. Bennett can't get 30 points.

Dude he's almost a point per game player this year. Bennett can't get 30 points.
- The-O-G

McDavid..................

McDavid..................
- FlamesFan1230

That's a total cop out argument.

Dude he's almost a point per game player this year. Bennett can't get 30 points.
- The-O-G

Bennett can't get 30 points because he's a bust and never had the chance to play with anyone half decent and now its time to move on from him.