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The Calgary Flames have been receiving a lot of media attention of late with respect to the team's “successes… which many have accredited to them due to their style of play.
As discussed, the work ethic and “no excuses… mentality which the team and its coaching staff have seemingly instilled, almost systemically, have made them quite difficult to play against. At the end of the day, however, where does all the credit really belong? Of course individual efforts and group cohesiveness plays a large part in any professional team’s success, but should the coach of said team ultimately be accountable?
While I would typically argue that one cannot function properly without the other, and until they do so unanimously it can be a constant struggle, I feel that coach Bob Hartley has really taken the Flames group by the horns and laid out a game plan which isn’t influenced by the name on the back of a jersey. Since day one, I have been preaching that Hartley would be a strong defensive type coach, but one that also understands the importance of a fast paced, offensive game.
By uniting a strong defensive system with a hard forecheck and speed, the Flames have been able to outwork and even outmuscle many of their opponents this year making it that much more difficult to secure two points. For those new to this blog, read back throughout my previous articles which went on to explain exactly how Calgary has done this by keeping games very close.
With all this being said, the Calgary Flames organization will have a decision to make at the end of this season concerning Bob Hartley. With the possibility of being unemployed once this NHL season is over, Hartley is well aware that Brian Burke may lean toward a new coach of his own, given that it was Feaster who hired him in the first place. But does he feel like he will need to coach better to keep his job?
“Me? I've always said it: 'I'm not a survivor.' I don't coach to survive. I coach to win games,…
Sounds like a Brian Burke mentality if you ask me…
What do you think? Should Hartley be extended as coach for the Calgary Flames?
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Outside of the current discussion over the potential future coaching scenario of the Flames, Calgary has recently made an announcement that 21 year old Kenny Agostino has signed a two year entry level deal with the organization, earning him an average of $900k per year.
Kenny has had a rather successful campaign playing for Yale University, as the forward registered 107pts in 103 games played over the past three seasons. The 5’11, 200lbs winger is expected to join the team on Friday night against the Nashville Predators.
What’s important to note about Agostino’s decision to finish his four year degree at Yale, is that the Flames have been known to pursue and place a high level of importance of “smart hockey players….
If you recall, I wrote a blog several months ago about how, at the time, Jay Feaster valued high levels of hockey IQ in his players, and this appears to be on trend with many of their young players.
“If you look at the numbers, four-year college players have enjoyed much bigger success in the NHL than those who left early,… said Allain, a longtime NHL assistant before returning to coach Yale. “Particularly for those who aren’t first-round picks. This is a great opportunity for him, and worked out well.…
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Tonight, the Flames have an interesting game ahead of them, at least for fans. Reason being? Most have accepted that while they cheer on their team to battle hard and play for the win, walking away with a high chance at the first overall pick would be icing on the cake.
That said, the Buffalo Sabres are currently in dead last, have won just three of their last ten games, and are currently on a six game losing streak. I almost get the impression that most fans and pundits were expecting this out of the Flames this year, but alas, it appears that Calgary is not a team to roll over and play dead.
Back in the lineup tonight is veteran centreman Matt Stajan who was out due to personal reasons, after the death of his newborn baby boy. Not expected to be back so soon, Stajan is showing his true commitment to the organization coming back so soon, and is quite thankful for all the support he and his family have received so far.
With respect to the likeliness of tonight’s game, it would be wise to put any money on the Flames…if that’s your thing. Not only are the Sabres sliding of late, but Calgary is 8-2-0 in their last ten games at home, and 5-5-0 in their last ten played.
Here are your expected lines for tonight.
Cammalleri - Monahan - Colborne Bouma - Backlund - Byron Glencross - Stajan - McGrattan Westgarth - Galiardi - Hanowski
Brodie - Giordano Russell - Butler Smid - Wotherspoon
Ortio
Thanks for reading!