Bob Hartley flames out in Calgary

Neil Parker

2016-05-03

Bob Hartley - USA TODAY Sports Images

 

The Calgary Flames fired head coach Bob Hartley Tuesday.

 

After overachieving and landing a playoff berth during the 2014-15 season, the Flames stumbled to a 35-40-7 record this year and finished 26th overall in the league.

Many projected negative regression from the Flames following the breakout 14-15 campaign because of their 28th-ranked 44.5 CorsiFor percentage and fifth-best 101.0 PDO at five-on-five. The PDO was fuelled by a second-ranked 8.9 shooting percentage.

However, there was also reason for optimism after the offseason acquisitions of Dougie Hamilton, Michael Frolik and the graduation of Sam Bennett. In fact, on paper, the Calgary blue line was among the best in the league, if not the best. And the top-line duo of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are in the heart of their offensive primes.

The on-ice results were atrocious this year, though. The Flames allowed the most five-on-five goals (168) and had the worst save percentage (.911) in the league, despite an improved CF% (48.1). Additionally, the shooting percentage remained high at 8.2 percent, suggesting offensively, Calgary's opportunistic scoring is sustainable.

Calgary tied for the fifth most high-danger scoring chances allowed per 60 minutes at five-on-five with an 11.6 mark. And their 27.5 scoring chances per 60 minutes at five-on-five ranked ninth worst in the league.

The real problem was the Calgary netminders, though.

Of the 70 goalies who played at least 300 minutes this season, Calgary had 68th-ranked Jonas Hiller (.808), 51st-ranked Karri Ramo (.811) and the 49th-ranked Joni Ortio (.841) in high-danger save percentage at five-on-five.

Hartley can shoulder some blame for the amount of scoring chances the Flames allowed, but he can't save the puck. Calgary went into the season without competent goaltending, and it was the undoing of the Flames this year.

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Another area of significant concern, and where Hartley again owns some responsibility, was Calgary's league-worst penalty kill, which succeeded at just a 75.5 percent clip. However, once again, Calgary owned the worst save percentage in the league while shorthanded with a .825 mark.

Until the goaltending situation improves, Calgary will struggle to compete in the deep and daunting Western Conference. There are enough pieces within the skater corps to build around, but the glaring need in the blue paint looms large.

For fantasy purposes, how the defensemen are utilized will impact their individual values, but there is a clear top-four group with Mark Giordano, Hamilton, T.J. Brodie and Dennis Wideman all owning ample fantasy value.

Up front, Gaudreau and Monahan are offensive stars, and Bennett might not be too far behind. However, the supporting cast behind them is a hodgepodge of never wills and question marks. Youngster Hunter Shinkaruk is an intriguing player to watch after the new bench brass takes over, though.

Perhaps, a new coaching regime can shore up some of the five-on-five gaps that left the Calgary goalies so vulnerable last season, but at this point, there is very little fantasy value between the pipes for the Flames.

 

* Statistics taken from War-on-Ice.com and Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com

 

 

One Comment

  1. audiopile 2016-05-03 at 13:07

    Because Boudreau is available?

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