Quote:
Originally Posted by Flame4Ever
The Flames certainly have good depth down the middle, and on the back end, but other positions are certainly weak.
Centre: - Backlund (top 6 guy, will turn pro and has a decent chance of making the team next year)
- Armstrong (already a pro and improving should be a good 3rd line guy)
- Wahl ( shows offensive potential, but hasn't really taken a big step this year should make a decent middle 6 pivot)
- Sutter (couple cups of coffee and shown he has 3rd line upside)
- Peters (4th line/call up guy, but nothing more)
- Marvin (breaking out at the NCAA level this year)
- Carpentier (needs to show more at the pro level)
- Lance Bouma (really stagnated this year before injury)
Goal: - Irving (Rookie pro with a lot of good potential and making good progress, likely a solid #1 guy, but needs to prove he can be an elite game breaker if he wants to take the next step)
- Keetley (Potential #1 goalie, but has suffered a slump in second pro season and needs to rebound next year)
- Spratt (Averag prospect likely to be a carrer minor league guy)
Defence: - Pelech (Stay at home guy in the Regher mold, a bit of a slip in his second season after a good showing in camp)
- John Negrin (Smooth skating, puck moving 2 way guy, lots of potential, but needs to continue developing at the pro level to become a solid top3 option
- Keith Aulie (Huge shutdown guy with all the tools, should be a great pro next year)
- Brett Palin (AHL all star this year, possibly a 6/7 guy next year)
- Gord Baldwin (big frame with the potential to be a decent bottom 3 option but needs to continue to show progress)
- TJ Brodie (Excellent rushing and puck-moving prospect, will likely stay and continue to develop in the OHL, looking forward to a PPG or better pace next year)
- Deilert (Seems to be too good for SEL U20 Junior hockey and is starting to play against men, albeit in Norway)
RW: - Greg Nemisz (Likely a Mike Knuble or slightly better type forward, still learning to use his size effectively but has the shot and stickhandling of a top 6 guy, skating has improved greatly , still hoping for a mean streak)
- David Van der Gulik (couple of cups of coffe and has looked good, will likely be a great energy player in the near future)
- Kris Chucko (Starting to show something at the pro level, still a project but seems to be getting back on track)
- JD Watt (Seems to be proving me wrong with a solid pro season of agitating, hitting a nd fighting, still needs to show some offence to make it to the bigs and improve his skating)
LW: - Kyle Greentree (Great pickup and is having a very good sophmore season, if he can improve his quickness will make a good NHL player)
- Jordan Fulton (Slight Improvement since being shifted to wing, but nothing to write home about)
- Nick Larson (is said to be a Holmstrom type of forward, but lack of statistical progress is somewhat concerning)
Really thin down the wings and could use a reinjection into our goalie system. |
Thats a good post but you have to take into account the big club as well.
When healthy:
G:
Kipper - Signed for few more years, so really unless he blows it we won't need a #1 for 3-4 more years at minimum.
McElhinney - The jury is out on him since Kipper plays so many games, he doesn't play. His future will be decided in the off-season.
So the #1 won't be needed for awhile, in the mean time more guys can be drafted and developed. Irving is coming along nicely though.
Wing:
Iginla - No explanation needed.
Bourque - Showed signs of top 6, western Canadian, keeper.
Boyd - If he hits the gym this summer and gets stronger, he can replace Cammi on the top line.
Moss - Great compliment player, will be a decent 50 point player.
Glencross - Fans love him, team loves him, he likes it. Keeper.
Nystrom - Great energy player.
So really 6 of the 8 wing spots are taken with 5 of them capable of handling the top 6 spots and many guys like Greentree, Chucko, VDG etc coming along. Still an area of focus and should be stocked.
Center:
Joker - He'll put a smile on your face.
Langkow - Here for awhile after signing discount contract.
Conroy - Re-energized and playing great, good third line center till Sutter, Peters etc take over.
Like you said, center is a strong position.
Defense:
Robyn, Dion, Pardy, Sarich, Giordano are here long-term I believe.
With re-signing options on Leopold.
So barring a trade, 5 of those spots are locked up.
So really I believe we have guys capable of filling in and just need to take the BPA and keep chugging.