2012/13 General Heat Discussion Thread

[Tilley]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

No real surprises from what I've read.
Cameron - needs to rediscover his scoring touch
Howse - ditto and reported in poor shape again

Martin - border line talent?

Patterson - works hard but it's not enough

Tuzzolino - ?

Wahl - in the dog house

McCarthy signed to what appears to be an AHL contract for now. He looks to be in much the same situation as Kolanos was last year and may be useful for the Flames if we ever get started.

The upgraded talent on the blue line make Martin and Tuzzolino expendable. For Martin he needs playing time. With the arrival of McKelvie, Lamb, Callahan, and McCarthy he's not going to get it with the Heat. Tuzzolino was a solid depth dman when I watched him at the end of last year keeping it simple, but the new guys seem to be more skilled.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Very surprised to Urban make the team, at least temporarily.

Not surprised to see Ruegsegger's name on that list. He had two assists last night and nearly had a goal, but he rang it off the post.

Pretty surprised to see BOTH Mouillierat and Olsen's name on that list. Both did pretty damn good during camp, but I wasn't expecting both of their names to be on the list.

Don't wanna brag, but my prediction about MacKenzie making the team was right! haha. He has been pretty good all week, so good for him.

The goalie situation is what I expected, but boy, they're going to have to cut one of those guys. That sucks because all three are more than capable AHL guys.

[Northern Lites]

Just want to give a shout out to Pierre for all the updates this week. I was only able to get to the scimmage and last night's intersquad game. I am questioning why Olsen and Mouillierat are there as well, pretty surprizing. I thought Wahl, Patterson and Cameron had it over those guys. I think Patterson is more talented than what some have noted. He and Wahl are both quieter guys,not what Ward likes perhaps. I remember watching him the first year when Jimmy was coach. Jimmy was a wild guy but he gave Patterson a chance and he (Patterson) had a very good year. There was some talk that Patterson, Bouma and Nemo would be possible call ups early that season. I beleive Patterson ran into some injuries problems. I think Ward had his team picked before camp anyway. Coaches can make it or beak it for guys at any level.
P.S. Pierre, I saw the Patterson/ McKelvie fight too but I didnt see McKelvie punch Patterson three times in the face?

[Tilley]

Although I haven't been able to find a clear answer, it appears the maximum roster size is 25. That is unless there is a special arrangement due to the lockout.

This is my prediction regarding the final roster

Goaltenders: (3)
Danny Taylor
Barry Brust
Leland Irving

Defense: (9)
Chris Breen
Joe Callahan
TJ Brodie
Brady Lamb
Zach McKelvie
Drew MacKenzie
Steve McCarthy
Joe Piskula
Dennis Urban

Forwards: (19)
Adam Estoclet
Ben Street
Lance Bouma
Greg Nemisz
Ben Walter
Roman Horak
Tyler Ruegsegger
Akim Aliu
Sven Baertschi
Krys Kolanos
Quintin Laing
Paul Byron
Dustin Sylvester
David Eddy
Max Reinhart
Carter Bancks
Michael Ferland
Kael Mouillierat
Brett Olson[/QUOTE]

Depending on the injuries to Reinhart, Nemisz, and others there may be some guys that get to stick around a little longer.

[Vulcan]

It's good to see Ferland wasn't among the first cuts. I hope he turns out to be a player. The Heat and even more so the Flames need a good physical forward.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Very surprised to Urban make the team, at least temporarily.

Not surprised to see Ruegsegger's name on that list. He had two assists last night and nearly had a goal, but he rang it off the post.

Pretty surprised to see BOTH Mouillierat and Olsen's name on that list. Both did pretty damn good during camp, but I wasn't expecting both of their names to be on the list.

Don't wanna brag, but my prediction about MacKenzie making the team was right! haha. He has been pretty good all week, so good for him.

The goalie situation is what I expected, but boy, they're going to have to cut one of those guys. That sucks because all three are more than capable AHL guys.

I want to get your opinion on Wahl. How did he look in camp? I guess not good enough to make first cuts, or was he so far in the dog house he had no chance to make the team?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Northern Lites

P.S. Pierre, I saw the Patterson/ McKelvie fight too but I didnt see McKelvie punch Patterson three times in the face?

He punched him about three times in the face before the fight started. He clearly wanted to fight Patterson so he kept punching him until Patterson had enough of McKelvie punching him in the face, so he dropped his gloves.

That's the way I saw it anyways. It happened all so fast, sometimes it's hard to see things. Not much of a fight either way.

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I want to get your opinion on Wahl. How did he look in camp? I guess not good enough to make first cuts, or was he so far in the dog house he had no chance to make the team?

Wahl was good.

I'll be honest, he had his moments, but he was a bit inconsistent. Weisbrod was impressed him compared to season's past, and I agree. Compared to Wahl of the past, he was good.

He is easily bigger than Bancks now. Probably about the same size as Horak out there. He put on a lot of weight... the good kind of weight.

You could still see flashes of why he was one of the best playmakers in the WHL at the time. He was no Ben Walter at passing, but he made some passes that shouldn't have even connected, but did. I was also pretty surprised by his shot as well. At times he could snipe it.

With that said, he just wasn't good enough to beat out some of the other guys. I'm not surprised he was sent down. I'm rooting for him to tear up the ECHL though. I hope he kills that league and then comes back up when the lockout is over and/or injuries start to happen.

[Reanimate]

Just goes to show. You can be good, but it takes even a special talent to be a good ahl player.

[fanman]

I know it's been said, but thanks to PMM and the others who are posting live reports. Much appreciated.

This is my favourite thread at the moment. It's so nice to read actual hockey chat instead of endless bickering about whose fault it is, who knows more about the CBA, blah, blah.
Thanks guys!

I hope some of the guys that are probably going to be in the NHL whenever it resumes can really get some good time and development under Ward and Co. Ward seems like a great coach and his interviews and the players comments about him give me high hopes.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

He punched him about three times in the face before the fight started. He clearly wanted to fight Patterson so he kept punching him until Patterson had enough of McKelvie punching him in the face, so he dropped his gloves.

That's the way I saw it anyways. It happened all so fast, sometimes it's hard to see things. Not much of a fight either way.



Wahl was good.

I'll be honest, he had his moments, but he was a bit inconsistent. Weisbrod was impressed him compared to season's past, and I agree. Compared to Wahl of the past, he was good.

He is easily bigger than Bancks now. Probably about the same size as Horak out there. He put on a lot of weight... the good kind of weight.

You could still see flashes of why he was one of the best playmakers in the WHL at the time. He was no Ben Walter at passing, but he made some passes that shouldn't have even connected, but did. I was also pretty surprised by his shot as well. At times he could snipe it.

With that said, he just wasn't good enough to beat out some of the other guys. I'm not surprised he was sent down. I'm rooting for him to tear up the ECHL though. I hope he kills that league and then comes back up when the lockout is over and/or injuries start to happen.

Thanks for the Wahl report. Just wanted to make sure that he was not sent down because he was in the dog house.

He played so well in his first flames camp. Quite honestly i think he deserved to make that team the way he played in camp. If Sutter had not been so pro veteran over rookies, Whal's career could have gone completely different. He looked like a Paul Stastny type. Hopefully he can rebound.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Northern Lites

Just want to give a shout out to Pierre for all the updates this week. I was only able to get to the scimmage and last night's intersquad game. I am questioning why Olsen and Mouillierat are there as well, pretty surprizing. I thought Wahl, Patterson and Cameron had it over those guys. I think Patterson is more talented than what some have noted. He and Wahl are both quieter guys,not what Ward likes perhaps.

Well during one of Ward's interviews he mentions that the Olsen line dominated possession and was the most standout that night. I think that was after the first scrimmage, the one without the refs.

I don't think they are making cuts based on how quiet guys are.

Originally Posted by Northern Lites

I think Ward had his team picked before camp anyway. Coaches can make it or beak it for guys at any level.
P.S. Pierre, I saw the Patterson/ McKelvie fight too but I didnt see McKelvie punch Patterson three times in the face?

Seems like you are making a giant leap here. The Flames org has talked a lot about guys making it on merit. Certainly they didn't hand Wahl a spot due to draft position. They didn't hand Cameron a spot based on his contract. They didn't hand Howse a spot based on draft position.

The number of invitees who have survived indicates that Ward definitely did not pick the team beforehand because this is likely the first time he's seen some of these guys. Quite clearly some guys have earned their ability to survive that first cut.

Nor is Ward the only one in on the decisions so you should be fingering Weisbrod too if you're upset with the cuts.

Bad leap of logic there on your part IMO.

[Northern Lites]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Well during one of Ward's interviews he mentions that the Olsen line dominated possession and was the most standout that night. I think that was after the first scrimmage, the one without the refs.

I don't think they are making cuts based on how quiet guys are.



Seems like you are making a giant leap here. The Flames org has talked a lot about guys making it on merit. Certainly they didn't hand Wahl a spot due to draft position. They didn't hand Cameron a spot based on his contract. They didn't hand Howse a spot based on draft position.

The number of invitees who have survived indicates that Ward definitely did not pick the team beforehand because this is likely the first time he's seen some of these guys. Quite clearly some guys have earned their ability to survive that first cut.

Nor is Ward the only one in on the decisions so you should be fingering Weisbrod too if you're upset with the cuts.

Bad leap of logic there on your part IMO.

Meh………I guess we will just agree to disagree. I have been attending the Heat games since they started and have watched most of the away games on AHL live. I have watched the player’s development, noted who gets ice time, who gets opportunities and who doesn’t. I have a pro hockey player in my family, have friends with children who are pro hockey players and have friends who are pro hockey players. It is a tough road and unless you are a super star you have to have a coach who wants you around. (Just ask Aliu.) Yes you have to have the skills, and work hard but it is naïve to think that it is ONLY based on merit with any coach, Ward or otherwise. I am sure Weisbrod had his say but doubt he would disagree with Ward. Any organization wants the coach to have players that he feels respond to him and vise versa.
As for as Wahl and Cameron, I admit I only saw the scrimmage and the inter-squad game but I thought Wahl was very good and Cameron did surprise me with his skill set. Patterson was a tough and strong. I did not notice Olsen at all so I was very surprised that Ward mentioned him. This is just my honest opinion; take it for what it is.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Northern Lites

Meh………I guess we will just agree to disagree. I have been attending the Heat games since they started and have watched most of the away games on AHL live. I have watched the player’s development, noted who gets ice time, who gets opportunities and who doesn’t. I have a pro hockey player in my family, have friends with children who are pro hockey players and have friends who are pro hockey players. It is a tough road and unless you are a super star you have to have a coach who wants you around. (Just ask Aliu.) Yes you have to have the skills, and work hard but it is naïve to think that it is ONLY based on merit with any coach, Ward or otherwise. I am sure Weisbrod had his say but doubt he would disagree with Ward. Any organization wants the coach to have players that he feels respond to him and vise versa.
As for as Wahl and Cameron, I admit I only saw the scrimmage and the inter-squad game but I thought Wahl was very good and Cameron did surprise me with his skill set. Patterson was a tough and strong. I did not notice Olsen at all so I was very surprised that Ward mentioned him. This is just my honest opinion; take it for what it is.

Suggesting that Ward doesn't like Wahl is one thing (though still an unwarranted leap). Suggesting that Ward had picked the team before camp started is unbacked conspiracy theory. True regardless of who your friends are.

[Freeway]

From an asset management standpoint, there are people in the Flames organization that are still very high on Wahl.

There are also people in the organization who recognize that Wahl is 22 and post-concussion, hasn't projected nearly as well at the AHL level as he did at the WHL level. When guys like Baertschi and Reinhart will obviously be taking top six minutes in Abbotsford, and given Wahl's style of play, Utah seemed logical BEFORE camp and seems logical now.

Give it six weeks into the season and see how Wahl does in Utah before anybody judges this move too harshly.

[Stampede2TheCup]

Originally Posted by fanman

I know it's been said, but thanks to PMM and the others who are posting live reports. Much appreciated.

This is my favourite thread at the moment. It's so nice to read actual hockey chat instead of endless bickering about whose fault it is, who knows more about the CBA, blah, blah.
Thanks guys!

I hope some of the guys that are probably going to be in the NHL whenever it resumes can really get some good time and development under Ward and Co. Ward seems like a great coach and his interviews and the players comments about him give me high hopes.

I agree about this thread, but I coulda sworn I've barely been bickerin!

[Nemisz/Breen]

Wahl and Cameron did have good camps , Wahl is returning to form after his
concussion but he does have to play top six to fit properly and right now it's a numbers game. I think Cameron played well enough to be noticed but pretty much the same thing as Wahl. As for Olsen, he did show some tenacity along the boards, a good fore check and a decent ability at face offs. Pretty much a good bottom six guy.

[Northern Lites]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Suggesting that Ward doesn't like Wahl is one thing (though still an unwarranted leap). Suggesting that Ward had picked the team before camp started is unbacked conspiracy theory. True regardless of who your friends are.

???????? LOL Conspiracy Theory.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Ryan Pinder
‏@RyanPinder
Max Reinhart is a full participant in practice today after leaving the intra-squad scrimmage after blocking a shot. #MaxGivingThanks

So good to hear this. That's two scary incidents in one week. Talk about a durable kid.

[MissTeeks]

More D moves today:

https://twitter.com/dankinvigsports

#AHLHeat have reassigned D Drew MacKenzie, D Dennis Urban and LW Kael Mouillierat to the ECHL.

With those moves, #AHLHeat D is set: T.J. Brodie, Joe Piskula, Chris Breen, Joe Callahan, Steve McCarthy, Zach McKelvie and Brady Lamb.

Troy Ward likes to have eight defencemen around, but reassignments of MacKenzie and Urban leave seven. 18 forwards, 3 goalies left in camp.

[Vulcan]

I guess Urban and Mouillierat were released from their try outs and only Mackenzie will be reporting to Utah.

http://www.abbotsfordheat.com/news/?article_id=155