Heading into the season there was plenty of reason to be optimistic about the Calgary Flames.
They had an excellent core in place, started to surround it with a little more depth than we've seen in years past and they addressed their biggest need by acquiring Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson.
The goaltending admittedly hasn't been as good as expected thus far but that's on the players in front of them as much as anything.
The biggest problem is a lack of performance from the team's top players and President Brian Burke had no problem admitting it.
“I’m not one for calling players out or naming names but our top guys are not playing up to their level — it’s that simple.…
Everyone will go through slumps from time to time but what's discouraging is that this isn't a case where Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and co. are generating good looks but just can't get a bounce. They're legitimately playing poorly.
I think Gaudreau is better defensively than he is given credit for but his bread and butter is certainly creating offense. He has not done that.
He is producing a hair more than one point every two games and, as hard as this is to believe, the Flames are generating less shot attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Gaudreau on the ice than any other regular on the team. This isn't a 'maybe he's generating quality over quantity' thing, either, as the Flames are also generating less scoring chances per hour with Gaudreau on the ice than any other player.
Who is right behind him? You guessed it: Monahan.
The 22-year-old pivot is also struggling mightily. He has five points on the year, took 14 games to record his first assist and is shooting the puck a lot less frequently than he has in any season to date.
The sample size isn't large but the numbers are not remotely encouraging regardless of what you are looking at.
Those two aren't alone, though. Neither Mark Giordano or T.J. Brodie are playing close to as well as we're accustomed to seeing.
Among blue liners who have skated a regular shift for the Flames this season Giordano and Brodie are last and second last in terms of generating shot attempts and shots during five-on-five play. Knowing that it should come as no surprise they each have just one five-on-five point in 14 games to date.
For perspective Deryk Engelland and Jyrki Jokipakka, who hasn't even dressed every game, have four.
The Flames top players are not playing well and they're losing a lot of games as a result. If they don't play a lot better, and soon, the Flames' season is once again going to be over before it really started.