We're only at 42 actually, after trading Berra and Stempniak and the retirement of MacDermid.
Plus the 4 sliders (Sieloff, Poirier, Klimchuk and Kanzig). Klimchuk and Kanzig will almost certainly remain in junior next year, but Sieloff and Poirier should be added to Agostino, Arnold, Kulak and Gaudreau as pending contracts
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I wasn't counting Berra, Stempniak or MacDermid, but was counting the 3 junior kids (Poirier, Klimchuk, Kanzig) who are all likely sliders. Though not sure Sieloff is a slider? as he turned pro and has played 2 games in AHL this season?
In any case, we seem to have plenty of room...thanks.
I wasn't counting Berra, Stempniak or MacDermid, but was counting the 3 junior kids (Poirier, Klimchuk, Kanzig) who are all likely sliders. Though not sure Sieloff is a slider? as he turned pro and has played 2 games in AHL this season?
In any case, we seem to have plenty of room...thanks.
Sieloff is a special case. He is still junior eligible but can play in the AHL thanks to a loophole in the CBA (he was drafted out of the USHL but then went the OHL route ... those can play in the AHL a year earlier. The Rangers also used that loophole for J.T. Miller last year). His contract will still slide like those of the junior kids unless he plays in 10 NHL games.
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As for Corban Knight, who scored the shootout winner in Calgary's 4-3 victory at Dallas last Friday, the Flames feel a fight really jumpstarted his season in AHL Abbotsford. Knight was working hard. But he was a touch tentative and unsure when the scrap happened towards the end of January. I don't think they want him doing it too often. But after that, it was, like, "OK, that's over with and not so bad. Let's go." The Flames were worried about rushing him. But as his play improved and so many were getting called up due to injury, they felt he deserved a taste of the NHL.
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The winners of each conference get an automatic invite to the NCAA Championships. Additionally, the top 10 teams in the Pairwise rankings that don't win their Conferences also get invites.
YALE (Kenny Agostino - Senior) : Eliminated from ECAC Conference Quarterfinals. No chance of NCAA invite. Agostino has signed his NHL ELC with the Flames and could make his NHL debut this week.
MICHIGAN STATE (Matt DeBlouw - Sophomore) : Will play Ohio State in Big 10 Conference Quarterfinal at 7pm ET on Thursday. If they win, will play the #1 team in the nation, Minnesota, in the semifinals on Friday. Must win their Conference to get an invite to the NCAA Tourney. DeBlouw is unlikely to sign with the Flames regardless of MSU's fate.
COLGATE (Tim Harrison - Freshman) : Will play 6th ranked Quinnipiac in the ECAC semifinal on Friday at 7:30pm ET. They are currently the bubble team in the Pairwise at 16. I don't think they must win their conference to get an invite, but at least one win will be important to move up in the Pairwise. Harrison is unlikely to sign with the Flames regardless of Colgate's fate. He was the youngest player on an older Colgate team this year and should see his role expanded next year.
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (Mark Jankowski - Sophomore, Jon Gillies - Sophomore, John Gilmour - Sophomore) : Will play UNH at 8:00pm ET on Friday. PC started the season really strongly, but struggled after the Christmas/World Juniors break. Gillies fought an injury for most of the latter part of the season, but seems to have recently regained his early season form. Jankowski has become a very versatile part of the Friars' attack, playing a strong defensive role, as well as contributing on the score sheet, with 6 points in his last 6 games. Gilmour is an solid defenceman with a decent offensive instinct. PC is currently 9th in the Pairwise, which should make them a safe bet for an invite to the NCAA tourney regardless of their results this weekend. IMO, Gillies is a toss-up for signing with the Flames this year. Jankowski and Gilmour will likely play at least one more year in College.
BOSTON COLLEGE (John Gaudreau - Junior, Bill Arnold - Senior) : Eliminated from the Hockey East playoffs this weekend by a strong, but poorly-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. BC is still a very strong College team who will be considered one of the favourites in the NCAA Tournament. Gaudreau is all but guaranteed to win the Hobey Baker award this season as the best player in College Hockey (an award he probably should have won last year too). Arnold and Gaudreau have been 2/3 of the best line in the nation since the start of December. Both players are expected to turn pro once BC's season ends. The only question now is whether it will be early enough for them to don the Flaming C this season.
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The Hockey East Writers and Broadcasters Association have named Calgary Flames prospect Johnny Gaudreau the Hockey East Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season.
The Boston College winger leads the nation in scoring this season with 69 points (32 goals, 37 assists) through 37 games, averaging 1.86 points-per-game. He tied Paul Kariya's record for points in consecutive games (31), which was set while Kariya was playing for Maine in 1992, and was held off the scoresheet just two times this year.
Gaudreau was also named to the HEWBA First All-Star Team.
Bill Arnold, who spent the bulk of the season playing alongside Gaudreau on Boston College's top line, was named the HEWBA Second All-Star Team. The Flames 2010 fourth round pick registered 12 goals and 48 points in his senior season.
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Mark Jankowski and Jon Gillies headline Providence's sophomore class. Before this duo arrived a year ago, the Calgary Flames selected the pair — Jankowski in the first round and Gillies in the third — of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Draft status only makes the transition from junior or prep hockey to the Division I level even more difficult for some players. Even with the talent and expectations, the first two seasons with the Friars have been very different for Jankowski and Gillies.
Quote:
Their recent resurgence has led to Providence's run.
"He’s still the second-youngest player on our team, and I think it’s just the evolution of Mark (Jankowski) and the evolution of a player there," Leaman said.
"Against UMass, he had both game winners, so I think you hit it dead on," Leaman continued. "It’s just his evolution. He’s going to keep getting better and better and better. He enjoys these moments, I can tell you that. He likes these moments. He wants the puck on his stick."
Gillies was a lot of the same, learning not just to be a talented goaltender but a big-time Division I player.
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Playoff hockey starts picking up for the prospects:
First, last night, MSU (DeBlouw) took Ohio State to OT, but fell 2-1 to the Buckeyes. The Spartans are now eliminated from the Big-10 tournament and will not receive an invite to the NCAA Tourney.
Today, at 5:30 MT, Colgate (Harrison) plays Quinnipiac in the ECAC semifinal. Colgate is the #2 seed in the Conference, but finished only one point up on Quinnipiac in the final standings. The game is being held in Lake Placid, NY, so there is no home ice advantage.
Today, at 6:00 MT, Providence (Gillies, Gilmour, Jankowski) plays New Hampshire in the Hockey East semifinal. The game is being held at the TD Garden in Boston. NBC-SN is carrying the game, so if you have access to that, you will be able to watch the game.
In the QMJHL, both Flames prospects start their playoff runs tonight:
At 5:30 MT, Drummondville (Culkin) hosts Victoriaville in the first game of their best-of-7.
Also at 5:30 MT, Gatineau (Poirier) hosts Cape Breton in game one of their series.
In the WHL, two of the Flames prospects start their playoffs tonight. The rest get going tomorrow:
At 7:30 MT, Swift Current (Gordon) visits Medicine Hat for game one of their series.
At 8:00 MT, Vancouver (Kulak) visits Portland. The Winterhawks are looking for their fourth-straight trip to the WHL Finals, and to repeat as WHL Champions. This is their first year of the four without a Flames prospect in the line-up.
Klimchuk, Kanzig, and Roy all start their playoffs tomorrow night.
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Colgate won their game 3-2 in double-OT (no points for Harrison). They will play Union in the ECAC final on Saturday at 5:30pm MT. If they win, the get an automatic invite to the NCAA Tournament. Even if they lose, they're looking good for an invite as they're currently 12th in the Pairwise.
Providence lost their game 3-1. No points for the Flames' prospects. Gillies stopped 28 of 31 shots. They're currently 10th in the Pairwise, and should get an invite.
The NCAA Tournament regional groupings will be announced on Sunday at 10am MT.
In the Q:
Drummondville lost 4-3. No points for Culkin. They now trail the series 1-0.
Gatineau won their game 7-2. Poirier had 1 goal. They lead their series 1-0.
In the Dub:
Swift Current lost 2-1. Gordon had no points. Medicine Hat leads the series 1-0.
Portland scored a late goal in the third to win 4-3. 1G, 1A for Kulak. Portland leads the series 1-0.
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Really tough game for Gillies - two goals that developed behind the net and he didn't get to the post quick enough.
Providence was just flat, not their night at all. I thought Jankowski was their best forward, but he looked like a talented player with no line-mates. He was good on the PK, defensively responsible, and used his size well at times. But Providence generated no offense at all.
The commentators actually had a lot of love for Janko and the Calgary picks. Still the 2nd youngest player on the team.
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Klimchuk has a goal in today's game, but Regina is getting killed by Brandon ... it's 7-2 after two periods and with another road win the Wheat Kings will take a 2-0 series lead. No Eric Roy tonight for Brandon though.
Kanzig was scoreless and a +1 in a 4-3 OT win over Spokane. The Royals take a 2-0 lead in the series.
So two of our WHL prospects are up 2-0 (Roy and Kanzig) while three are down 2-0 (Klimchuk, Kulak and Gordon). Seems like there's some help underway for the Abbotsford Heat.
No QMJHL games tonight. Poirier and his Olympiques are up 2-0 in their series while Culkin and his Voltigeurs are tied 1-1.
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agreed on Gordon, especially since I'm not sure if they'll offer him an ELC. But Klimchuk should definitely join Abby ... even if he doesn't play and it's only practice: getting a taste of pro hockey will only help him.
