I'm the biggest Flames fan ever and i'm very excited about the hiring of Keenan. Playfair was too much of a softy and i know the players will respect keenan. So what do they need?
They have a gritty defensive core in stuart, regehr, aucoin and phaneuf. They have three good centers in langkow, conroy and the speedy matthew lombardi. So what's missing? Or maybe keenan was the last piece of the puzzle??
2007-06-22 03:48:02 · 10 answers · asked by craigjames 2 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Flames need to make sure they have the kind of players that respond well to Keenan's coaching. I expect a few more moves to get that club some scoring balance. I'd rate their backend as one of the best in hockey right now, but you can't win every game by one goal.
Who said the excitment was over once they took the ice out of the arenas?
2007-06-22 07:00:54 · answer #1 · answered by PuckDat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keenan is definitely not the last piece of the puzzle. There is a reason he has not stuck anywhere. You can expect an initital boost in your team's success, and then a downhill spiral as everyone gets ticked off at Keenan and starts tuning him out. If you are lucky, that initial boost will last the season, but in another year you'll be looking for a new coach again.
In any case, your three speedy centers are actually part of your problem. You are right. They are "good." But you need better than good at center. Not a single one of those guys holds a candle to a Datsyuk, Marleau, Sakic, or Thornton. The Flames could really use a legitimate #1 center to set up Iginla. They also need a better defenseman to quarterback the power play. Phaneuf is awesome, but he has a ways to go on that power play.
More than that, however, the Flames need what everyone needs: more consistent scoring depth, without giving up their grit. When the games matter the most, the checking lines bare down in Iginla, and you can't score. That's the problem. The NHL is faster and more open that it used to be, and you need to be able to get goals from everyone. Look at the Ducks. They were fast and gritty AND they got goals from ALL their lines on a regular basis when they needed it. Come playoff time, the Flames did not have that, and then their discipline broke down. Keenan will help with the discipline, hopefully, but until you get some more consistent offense, that wonderful defense and goaltending you have will go to waste. Iginla can't do it all by himself. The truth is that most of the teams in the west have great defense and goaltending, but only a few teams have consistent scoring depth. The team with the most of it won the Stanley Cup this year.
2007-06-22 11:53:00 · answer #2 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They will compete, but this pick-up will not make them a Stanley Cup caliber team. They need to build around the core better than they have. These guys a couple years ago had their best chance when they were dropped by the Lightning in the finals. Iggy carried that team through the playoffs, but he cant do that every time. The need another big name there that can take some pressure off him and score some big goals for the flames.
2007-06-22 10:56:26 · answer #3 · answered by BOSTONboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After hiring Keenan, the Flames need a stiff drink. In a season or so, he'll chase out Kipper and Iginla, and an implosion of the franchise will take place.
2007-06-22 13:55:30 · answer #4 · answered by Ric 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A new head coach!
O.K., that's kind of a glib answer, but Keenan is from the throwback days when we played hockey because we loved the game, and not because of the paycheck. The players today have become just like other large sports - spoiled kids who are overpaid.
You coach these guys like Keenan does, and they'll all quit on him.
2007-06-22 12:00:45 · answer #5 · answered by xtral8 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keenan is too much of a hard ***. That may be good for a while but will wear on players. Ask Brett Hull his opinion of Keenan.
2007-06-22 10:51:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A. I think they should re-establish their defensive look they've had the last few years.
B. Learn to win on the road WTF!!!
C. Get Iginla some help offensively. Can't have it like when the Lightning won the cup, just shut down Iggy and then the whole offense falls apart.
2007-06-22 16:15:23 · answer #7 · answered by bourgoise_10o 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They need Cher to do to them what she did to Nicolas Cage in "Moonstruck": Slap them and yell, "Snap out of it!" Keenan is a martinet, an egomaniac, and a disaster.
2007-06-22 11:05:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
xtral8- the irony of your response is that Keenan was hired by one of his former players.
2007-06-22 12:28:22 · answer #9 · answered by Bob Loblaw 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well now I think they need to fire him...
2007-06-22 11:24:12 · answer #10 · answered by obeloviper95 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋