Daily Faceoff Show: Salvador shows why Flames can sustain hot start
Former NHL defenseman Bryce Salvador went into detail on today’s edition of The Daily Faceoff Show about why the Calgary Flames are doing so well and why he believes they can sustain their strong start.
The Flames are 6-1-1 and sit at the top of the Pacific Division. After dropping their first two games of the season, they’ve gone on a six-game winning streak in which they haven’t trailed once.
Here’s Salvador’s explanation on what the Flames are doing well…
Seravalli: The Battle of Alberta has been fascinating to watch, not necessarily from these two teams clashing on the ice, but more so from where they’re both trending to start this year. Both the Oilers and Flames are off to hot starts this season. Is there one, in your mind, that’s more sustainable to keep going here?
Salvador: I picked Edmonton to finish second in the Pacific Division, so I’m not surprised by the way they’re playing, but I do want to give the Flames some love here.
What Darryl Sutter has these guys believing in is beautiful. These guys are rolling all four lines, all six defensemen are engaged, they’re getting great goaltending, and the Devils had no answer for them.
When you have everybody really wanting to buy into a system, especially defensively, look at the rush chances they’re giving up. Only 3.6, the fewest in the NHL coming into tonight’s games. And then they’re only allowing 1.1 rebound chances per game, which is the third fewest in the league. They’re only allowing 12.5 slot passes a game, fifth in the league.
When you see those numbers, that tells me they’re buying in defensively. When you’re giving up that few rush chances, that means your forwards are also committing to back-side pressure and your D are really backing up and you’re being sound defensively.
And then, on top of that, they’re really doing an excellent job creating offense.
This is what’s been surprising to me. They’re defending the rush well, but they’re also exposing teams on the rush, 6.9 rush chances per game is the eighth highest in the league. They’re forechecking was relentless when I saw it against the Devils. The Devils couldn’t get out of their zone and we’re seeing that they’re generating the second most forechecking chances because of that which is leading to the third most shots on net and the ninth most shots from the slot.
When you put that all together, the Flames have been the most surprising team in the NHL. You’ve got Lindholm, you’ve got Magniapane, you’ve got Gaudreau off to great starts and they’re all buying in. It’s contagious what Darryl Sutter has going on there.