Claimed: Why is Calgary struggling?

[Tyler 882]

 

Going into the season a lot of people (aka me) had Calgary picked as a top team in the league. A young team added a few solid pieces with championship pedigree from Riga. The team has struggled out of the gate and while chances are they will turn it around as it stands they are poised to be a lottery team this season. The Wranglers added Slava Aleksei from Riga and Niko Bogdanovic as well. The team should easily be better then Davos, Quebec and Riga and yet here they stand among the bottom teams. How has it happened? How is it possible?

 

For starters Bogdanovic has struggled. The now winger one defencemen has 15 points in 22 games and despite 108 hits has not delivered on what he was brought in to do which is score. He is still a player in his prime and should be a key contributor. He will be key to any turnaround the team is going to see this season or in the future but it is looking as if he is missing Riga right now. Another key addition was Keaton Louth from Quebec who has himself struggled in a role he was supposed to flourish in. He only has 13 points in 22 games in a role where he should be leading the team from the back. I think he has a lot left to give and should blossom in to a number one defender by the end of his time in Calgary, but for now he is looking like a player adjusting to a new team. 

 

The other thing is the failure of young players to perform at expectations. Oyorra Arroyo has had a tough go of things as a rookie with just 13 points in 22 games. He is looking better but he is still not putting up the kind of numbers maybe expected out of a top pick. Evan R. Lawson, last years first draft pick by Calgary, has only 7 points in 22 games and is a -11 for a player who was supposed to be a very good responsible depth option, those numbers have to get better. Ivan Morozov is also looking like a player who could be on the path to being a bust with just 5 points in 22 games this season and a stunning -19. 

 

 

On the positive end of things, Slava Aleksei the veteran defender has 15 points in 22 games and is a solid veteran presence. He a +7 somehow and is doing the same thing he did for Riga last season. The team would like to see some more offense from him, but you can't really complain when you are getting these kind of numbers from a guy in the end of his prime. Jasper Canmore is at 23 points in 22 games and is playing like a franchise player so far. He may not be among the leagues best, but for such a young player it's hard to complain too much. If Calgary doesn't improve their standings much this year, they will at least be able to take forward the success of Canmore. Norris Stopko is every bit a good goalie as we expected with a .912 save percentage and a very good 2.78 goals against considering his team is playing poorly. 

 

The Wranglers have to rebound or Riga will be counting their blessings. STHS can be a very fickle thing and I know @Bushito isn't going to panick. His team is still a solid one on paper and at some point that has to be reflected in the sim, right?

[Beaviss 4,955]

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Louth is a bum

[eaglesfan036 4,593]

bad team is bad?

[Tyler 882]

26 minutes ago, eaglesfan036 said:

bad team is bad?

 

Heard their old GM was  marc bergevin type

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

17 hours ago, Tyler said:

 

Heard their old GM was  marc bergevin type

and he coached like Dave Hakstol

[eaglesfan036 4,593]

17 hours ago, Tyler said:

 

Heard their old GM was  marc bergevin type

ya he was trash

[diamond_ace 3,107]

20 hours ago, Tyler said:

 

Heard their old GM was  marc bergevin type

GM before that was good though

[Tyler 882]

49 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

GM before that was good though

 

bob gainey

[diamond_ace 3,107]

1 hour ago, Tyler said:

 

bob gainey

I meant the GM before Eagles in Calgary (aka me)