Todd Cordell: Canucks 5, Flames 1: Embarrassing

Fire Ward

Waive Simon and give Gawdin and Rizicka a look.
April 12th is not that far away and we had better know what we have by then!
Pretty confident in saying Simon, Nordstrom, Rinaldo and Robinson are not the future or present for that matter.

Time to do another close door meeting.

Re: Markstrom

Ya, that's exactly how he looked last year when the Canucks overplayed him, much like the Flames are. It's a delicate balance when he's the best option to win, but overplaying him hurts more in the long run (especially with his groin injuries).

I for one was happy to see that Marky show up last night though, getting sniped by Boes was the icing on the cake

Leadership failure from the top down. President-GM-Coach-Captain. You want to motivate them? Stop paying them (yeah I know you can't), don't blame Bennett for wanting out.

Putting all the Bennett wanting out aside. What the hell does it say to the rest of the team when you put Simon back up the line up and put Benny on the 4th line. I really have no idea what the answer is. But when do we stop firing the coach? And as much as I think he’s great, when does the light get brighter on Tre?

@DEDDIE

Right?! At what point are other players getting a look? Nordstrom is Butler levels of inadequate. Simon is basically a red shirt. Wtf is this sh!t? Ruzicka looked way better than any of our extras in the intersquad game. Pelletier can at least get a fùckin 9 game look. Fuuck

Good, honest article.

And, I agree with much of what's been posted thus far about last night.

This team is adrift without direction and it's like they're throwing the life-preservers overboard.

It's so sickening to watch this team's Jekyll and Hyde performance, game after game.

There's no consistent team effort and that's as much on coaching staff as it is on the players.

It's exhausting to watch this team flounder from management down.

I'm guessing that the players don't have faith in each other or in coaching or management and that's at least part of why the disjointed effort is what we keep seeing.

At the start of the season, I had high hopes after seeing what Ward had done with the team in the bubble (minus the Game 6 debacle against the Stars) and hearing his plans for Lindholm and Bennett. The psychotic line juggling throughout the first quarter of the season tells me that either Ward is being given directives by Tre on the lines, or that Ward really doesn't have a clue what he's doing out there.

I've been a Flames fan since they moved to Calgary, but maybe I'll take a break until the Kraken enter the league - they'll stand a better chance of putting together a competitive team than what we're witnessing (and have witnesses since the Cup run in '04).

Re: Markstrom

Ya, that's exactly how he looked last year when the Canucks overplayed him, much like the Flames are. It's a delicate balance when he's the best option to win, but overplaying him hurts more in the long run (especially with his groin injuries).

I for one was happy to see that Marky show up last night though, getting sniped by Boes was the icing on the cake
- NewYorkNuck

Well first goal was a two on one...
2nd was a bad play by Marky...
3rd screened by Gio
4th was a broken play
5th was a four on one...

So I really don't think Marky was the problem, nor was his workload... it was the 18 guys in front of him

Like this past off season was, its very tough to make a hockey trade today but FFS that is what this team needs. If the inconsistency continues and why would we expect that to change after 5 + years... we need to make some moves for futures even if we have to retain some salary to swing the right deal.
1000% its time to hand the keys to Chucky, Lindy, Mang, Dube, Ras, and Vali which leaves some GREAT trade chips in JG, SM, NH, MB....

Well first goal was a two on one...
2nd was a bad play by Marky...
3rd screened by Gio
4th was a broken play
5th was a four on one...

So I really don't think Marky was the problem, nor was his workload... it was the 18 guys in front of him
- rmull905

It's not Marky's fault per se, but when he doesn't play like a Vezina goalie, the team gets exposed. That's what happened to the Canucks last year. That's what happened to Calgary last night.

He just gets overworked and tired and his game slips a bit, and it shows in that he doesn't stop the ones he typically seems to. It was a pattern in Vancouver, his style becomes a bit more exaggerated and he lunges more when he's tired. So ya, it's his workload, compounded by the team in front of him.

Like this past off season was, its very tough to make a hockey trade today but FFS that is what this team needs. If the inconsistency continues and why would we expect that to change after 5 + years... we need to make some moves for futures even if we have to retain some salary to swing the right deal.
1000% its time to hand the keys to Chucky, Lindy, Mang, Dube, Ras, and Vali which leaves some GREAT trade chips in JG, SM, NH, MB....
- DEDDIE

I got laughed at by a certain poster (who seems to think everything is just peachy) when I said this exact thing over the summer.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...yxSlJqFnXuRVAFJQS_u9UWbdg

Gio looks done. Monahan isn’t a legit #1C on a contender. Honestly doesn’t seem like the team likes each other(Tanev and Marky would help with that but you can’t really bond off the ice during covid). Team just seems to be stuck in no-man’s land. Good enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a round but that’s about it.

Maybe pray that Eichel demands a trade this summer and throw a Hail Mary offer at the Sabres. Either that or rebuild/retool around the U-25 guys.

I got laughed at by a certain poster (who seems to think everything is just peachy) when I said this exact thing over the summer.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...yxSlJqFnXuRVAFJQS_u9UWbdg
- DuranDuran

That makes 2 of us Duran and at no time did you or I ever suggest we GIVE players away for the sake of making a change. Just make a dang hockey trade is all!

I got laughed at by a certain poster (who seems to think everything is just peachy) when I said this exact thing over the summer.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...yxSlJqFnXuRVAFJQS_u9UWbdg
- DuranDuran

They played this clip on Vancouver radio this morning. Pretty rich stuff coming from Rhett.

They played this clip on Vancouver radio this morning. Pretty rich stuff coming from Rhett.
- Load Management

YUP
Intellectual honesty as Burkie use to say!

It's not Marky's fault per se, but when he doesn't play like a Vezina goalie, the team gets exposed. That's what happened to the Canucks last year. That's what happened to Calgary last night.

He just gets overworked and tired and his game slips a bit, and it shows in that he doesn't stop the ones he typically seems to. It was a pattern in Vancouver, his style becomes a bit more exaggerated and he lunges more when he's tired. So ya, it's his workload, compounded by the team in front of him.
- NewYorkNuck

Fair enough, I don't know that many goalies are stopping any of the goals there other than maybe Boeser's though.

Gio looks done. Monahan isn’t a legit #1C on a contender. Honestly doesn’t seem like the team likes each other(Tanev and Marky would help with that but you can’t really bond off the ice during covid). Team just seems to be stuck in no-man’s land. Good enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a round but that’s about it.

Maybe pray that Eichel demands a trade this summer and throw a Hail Mary offer at the Sabres. Either that or rebuild/retool around the U-25 guys.
- Nucker101

After the purgatory that Eichel has been living in in Buffalo since entering the league, there's no way in hell that he consciously chooses to go to Calgary.

I got laughed at by a certain poster (who seems to think everything is just peachy) when I said this exact thing over the summer.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...yxSlJqFnXuRVAFJQS_u9UWbdg
- DuranDuran

I do think it's time.

That said - as much as I hate what Torts did with both Laine and Dubois. I would have stapled Tkachuk's ass to the bench after that 4th goal. Gets crosschecked at the line, took a knee and put zero effort into getting back in the play. Love the guy, bought his jersey, think he should have the C somewhere down the road, but that was a real bad look. His next shift reminded me of the Dubois "shift" as well.

Honestly, what leaked out of that POM makes me think that there are a couple of factions in that room and that the mix isn't there. Love Johnny, have loved Mony over the years, but when the going gets tough, they are nowhere to be found. Stood out for me last night that Johnny took a bit of a check and then just starting repeatedly cross checking the Canuck dman. Wasn't a big hit, but he clearly has an expectation out there that he can't be touched when on the ice.

I couldn't agree with you more. This isn't all on the coach but man is it ever playing a part. I don't understand this obsession with these AHL at best players filling our right side. The Simon, Nordstrom and Leivo signings I wouldn't say are failures, they are playing to their capabilities. BUT, the problem is why are they being utilized in top six spots, ever.

It's fine having them on the team, they can be depth forwards on the taxi squad but stop trying to force something to work that isn't. Yes, there are turnovers across the lineup it's not all on these guys. However, when you don't bring much offense to your position then you better not be hurting your team. That Simon turnover that caused the first goal was atrocious. I'm glad he was benched, but just like everything else this coach seems to do, it was a step behind.

End Rant.

It's not Marky's fault per se, but when he doesn't play like a Vezina goalie, the team gets exposed. That's what happened to the Canucks last year. That's what happened to Calgary last night.

He just gets overworked and tired and his game slips a bit, and it shows in that he doesn't stop the ones he typically seems to. It was a pattern in Vancouver, his style becomes a bit more exaggerated and he lunges more when he's tired. So ya, it's his workload, compounded by the team in front of him.
- NewYorkNuck

Yep all well said. When Marky is healthy and well-rested he can put up top 10 numbers consistently as we have seen in Van.

When fatigue kicks in (Hrudey mentioned this multiple times last night) this will be the Markstrom you get and he is also more prone to injuries that way too. Lunging out at Pearson and Horvat like that...risky...

LOOOOOOCCCCHHH.

y'all are fuct, and.....I'm LUVIN IT!

I couldn't agree with you more. This isn't all on the coach but man is it ever playing a part. I don't understand this obsession with these AHL at best players filling our right side. The Simon, Nordstrom and Leivo signings I wouldn't say are failures, they are playing to their capabilities. BUT, the problem is why are they being utilized in top six spots, ever.

It's fine having them on the team, they can be depth forwards on the taxi squad but stop trying to force something to work that isn't. Yes, there are turnovers across the lineup it's not all on these guys. However, when you don't bring much offense to your position then you better not be hurting your team. That Simon turnover that caused the first goal was atrocious. I'm glad he was benched, but just like everything else this coach seems to do, it was a step behind.

End Rant.
- Forbs

BINGO

I couldn't agree with you more. This isn't all on the coach but man is it ever playing a part. I don't understand this obsession with these AHL at best players filling our right side. The Simon, Nordstrom and Leivo signings I wouldn't say are failures, they are playing to their capabilities. BUT, the problem is why are they being utilized in top six spots, ever.

It's fine having them on the team, they can be depth forwards on the taxi squad but stop trying to force something to work that isn't. Yes, there are turnovers across the lineup it's not all on these guys. However, when you don't bring much offense to your position then you better not be hurting your team. That Simon turnover that caused the first goal was atrocious. I'm glad he was benched, but just like everything else this coach seems to do, it was a step behind.

End Rant.
- Forbs

Yup. It was hilarious on the radio listening to the guys on the Fan talking about how their twitters mentions had blown up around the lineup with Bennett dropped to the 4th... Everyone knew it was a dumb move for a litany of reasons.

Doesn't change the fact that the team failed to show up in the 4 games with Vancouver and were lucky to escape with 4 of 8 points in that mini-series. Vancouver was a team who had just had their asses handed to them and were at their lowest point in the last 2 years and they RAN over the Flames. That's on the players just as much as it is Ward, but I honestly wonder if he's just lost the room, or whether he ever had it to begin with. Jumping from the assistant to head coaching role rarely translates - they are just much different roles.

Ward preaches that there's no consistency and yet he can't land on a line combination for more than about 12 minutes.