Despite the positive changes made in the offseason, the Flames look and sound a lot like last year's team that missed the NHL playoffs
The Calgary Flames have a new head coach, have experienced a ton of roster turnover, and started the season with positivity and ambitious expectations.
Somehow, in spite of how different they seem, the Flames are struggling with so many of the same issues. And they’re getting frustrated.
“Yeah, for sure it sucks,” new head coach Ryan Huska said after a fourth straight loss — all on home ice — at the Saddledome on Thursday.
The 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets was deflating. Another loss to a team behind them in the standings. The Blackhawks are next on Saturday, and the Flames dropped their last meeting against arguably the least talented team in the NHL (at least without the injured Connor Bedard) while visiting Chicago.
It’s frustrating for the players, who still can’t seem to figure out why they are so consistently inconsistent with their energy level, their offence and powerplay, they’re attention to details, their resiliency, and, ultimately, their wins.
But maybe it’s equally enlightening for a front-office staff that has to decide on a direction with a number of key pending unrestricted free agents over the coming weeks as the NHL trade deadline approaches.
If last year’s struggles could be pinned on the lack of chemistry after major core changes with the loss of Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, the hard-nosed head coach Darryl Sutter and the vortex of negativity that surrounded the club … what’s going on now?
The most positive of people, Craig Conroy, is in the GM chair.
Young players are getting opportunities.
There weren’t many high expectations from the outside.
Yet the post-game comments are starting to feel all too familiar.
“Frustrating.” — Mikael Backlund.
“Unacceptable.” — Chris Tanev.
Those might have been the two most common words last year. But those attributed above are from Thursday night.
“It's just unacceptable,” Tanev said. “Lose four straight at home teams that we need to beat … It's playing as a team, playing together, being connected on the ice and playing for each other.”
Backlund, who became captain this summer after inking an extension, was the players’ choice to lead. So far, they just haven’t been able to come together the way they want or need to.
They’re running out of time.
This team doesn’t seem capable of creating the energy it needs to drive the play for extended periods or over a longer stretch of games. The dad’s trip was an exception — there was a motivation outside of their internal drive. The same can be said for the comebacks when desperation kicks in.
Backlund noted the energy issue. But he doesn’t know what it exists.
“It's a good question. I wish I had answer,” he said, adding that it’s frustrating.
They’re not making excuses. Tanev pointed to himself suggesting the leaders needed to do a better job by example.
Huska is a first-year head coach but he’s been around this team for years and was right beside Sutter last season. Like his players, he has no real answers — at least publicly — as to the root of the problem.
“If I had my total finger on that, it would have changed by now,” Huska said before mentioning their focus on the next game against the Blackhawks. Their last before an extended all-star break.
The Calgary Flames are looking forward. It’s all they can do as players and coaches. Hopefully management is doing the same.