[News] Stajan excited about the upcoming season, sees upside in this roster

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Fire

Stajan is a good leader, but this needs to be his last season in the Flames line-up. Can't spend that kind of money for a 4th line center.

Money is not the issue here. I imagine if Stajan plays next year it's for sub-$1M. It's about whether he is going top be pushed out of the lineup. I don't think so. But I could see him playing on a wing.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Prediction: If Stajan is the 13th forward, Flames win the division. If Stajan is an every day roster player, Flames are a wildcard team.

Stajan is a great 4th line center. He plays with energy and passion, with good vision and a bit of a scoring touch. He's great playing those minutes. I don't see those types of minutes better suited for Jankowski or Lazar aged player.

Also, the difference between winning the division and being a wildcard team isn't Matt Stajan. It's Smith and the core.

[EVERLAST]

I like Matt Stajan ??

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Prediction: If Stajan is the 13th forward, Flames win the division. If Stajan is an every day roster player, Flames are a wildcard team.

The difference between being a division winner and a wildcard team, is whether Stajan plays 50GP x 10mins or 80GP x 10mins?

Just a horrible hot take you provided us.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Prediction: If Stajan is the 13th forward, Flames win the division. If Stajan is an every day roster player, Flames are a wildcard team.

Gonna re-post this here, because it suggest the exact opposite of what you are suggesting:

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I'Anyways, here's a list of centers last year with:
-35% or more of their faceoff starts being defensive zone
-less than 900 5-on-5 minutes
-18 or more 5-on-5 points



That's a short list. And five of those six centers were not by co-incidence on playoff teams. Yes, Stajan is overpaid, we ALL agree on that. But that doesn't mean he's a useless scrub. This is far from the futility we're talking about with the likes of Brouwer or Bouma. It kind of annoys me to see Stajan lumped in with those two. Maybe he's not Cullen but that doesn't mean he is bad. Checking centers who can move the puck forward and still generate some offense have their place, even if that place in today's NHL has moved from the old third lines to the modern fourth line. Even assuming he's the worst on that list (eyeballing those numbers, he seems better than Beagle at the very least) The fifth or sixth-best bottom 6 checking center in the league is hardly a bad player.

The Capitals won the President's Trophy, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, and the Predators won the west.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Mike Fishers cap hit was 4.4 million last season? That is insane.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

In regard to saying Stajan is the difference between a division title and a WC berth: If your 4th line center costs you 8-10 points I would say there is a huge issue with the makeup of the Flames.

[Max Cow Disease]

Good stuff. As others have mentioned, I can't believe it has been eight seasons with the Cajun wearing the flaming C. There were some struggles during the beginning when the expectations were high and he was ultimately relegated to a fourth line role, but his adaptation and character have, over time, solidified him as an important part of the team make-up.

He hasn't stuck around with the organization for this long by accident. The Flames surely could have filled his spot as a third/fourth line center somewhere along the line, but the dude brings something. Every championship team has a "Stajan" in the ranks, I reckon.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by Max Cow Disease

Good stuff. As others have mentioned, I can't believe it has been eight seasons with the Cajun wearing the flaming C. There were some struggles during the beginning when the expectations were high and he was ultimately relegated to a fourth line role, but his adaptation and character have, over time, solidified him as an important part of the team make-up.

He hasn't stuck around with the organization for this long by accident. The Flames surely could have filled his spot as a third/fourth line center somewhere along the line, but the dude brings something. Every championship team has a "Stajan" in the ranks, I reckon.

Good point. 4 GM's and 3 head coaches later, he's still here. That should speak volumes about his value to the team.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Stajan is a very good fourth line centre. He has been held down by some linemates in the past, notably Bollig. But you seem to think Jankowski, a guy with virtually zero NHL experience, is automatically better.

No I'm just saying it would be disappointing if he wasn't better. If Jankowski, Foo and Lazar all make the team, will there be a roster spot for Stajan?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

No I'm just saying it would be disappointing if he wasn't better. If Jankowski, Foo and Lazar all make the team, will there be a roster spot for Stajan?

Yes, if:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Lazar-Bennett-Versteeg
Jankowski-Stajan-Brouwer
Foo

Or some other combo. I would see Foo/Lazar/Jankowski then competing for playing time.

Why would it be disappointing that Jankowski isn't better with no NHL experience? I can almost guarantee he will be worse at faceoffs than Stajan. Stajan will also have an edge in NHL positioning for a centre. AHL is a little more loose in that regard.

I'd start Stajan at C and Jankowski on his wing, and then try and transition the two players as Jankowski gets used to NHL speed of play and decision-making, and after we see how his faceoffs are whenever Stajan gets tossed.

As for Foo, I think a lot of people are slotting him in without a lot of

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

One of the most nervous moments as a flames fan.... I kept thinking about if he didn't score and how deflating it would be to him given the circumstances and how he shouldn't be put in that situation when he isn't a sniper and then he scores.... incredible moment!

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

No I'm just saying it would be disappointing if he wasn't better. If Jankowski, Foo and Lazar all make the team, will there be a roster spot for Stajan?

Stajan is our 4th line centre. The only player you've listed that is competing with him for that role is Lazar. Foo is a RWer. Jankowski is a skilled centre who needs to be on the top three lines. Neither Foo nor Jankowski are competing with Stajan for the same spot. There is a spot for Stajan, the 4th line centre role. It's his to lose and he's not likely to lose it. If he does lose it it's likely to Lazar if anybody.

Perhaps a better question is, can both Jankowski and Foo make the lineup if we're completely healthy? IMO it's very doubtful. However it's also doubtful we'll be completely healthy up front at any point this season.

The Flames can be a very successful team with Stajan as the fourth line centre. I disagree with your thinking in regards with where he needs to be for the team to be successful.

[Calgary4LIfe]

There is also something called injuries. Does it really matter if Jankowski, Foo, Poirier, Shinkaruk, Klimchuk, etc., etc., are on the opening day roster? Not so much in my mind.

I think Stajan has to earn his ice-time, but at the same time, who is legitimately going to replace him on the 4th line? That's not a spot I want Jankowski occupying. Even Lazar to me doesn't really belong on the 4th.

I am 100% ok with Stajan starting on this team because:
1) He isn't a bad player at all - just over-paid.
2) Who else can benefit from that 4th line spot, and what player should be there making the team better?

If the Flames had a 4th line center on the farm that was cheaper and better than Stajan, I may agree that it is time to move on from Stajan. That's not really the case. There is no guy on the farm that is pushing for a 4th line spot. If the Flames want to run 4 scoring lines, now that's a different story. The Flames seem to be running 3 scoring/checking lines and an energy line for the 4th. Until that changes, Jankowski and the rest of the up-and-coming prospects should either play in the top 9, or stay on the farm and get big minutes.