Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Oh really name a call-up that's been ready? Horak bypassed the Heat last year. Brodie was a Playfair products. I guess Ward can hang is hat on the great Lance Bouma. Truth is that developement has been terrible since Playfair left. Terrible!
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http://thehockeywriters.com/abbotsfo...ach-troy-ward/
Article discusses some of the focus that Ward puts in developing prospects. There was an article discussing about how Brent Sutter was extremely pleased with the readiness of players coming up from Abbotsford. Aliu, Byron, Bouma, Nemisz, Brodie and older players like Desbiens, Kolanos.
Funny that you mention Playfair because he also loved to play his veterans and a stifling defensive system. Truth is when players are ready to handle more minutes they will be given more minutes. As I mentioned, Horak and Bartschi started in Abbotsford on top lines.
Maybe a bigger concern is that the Flames have a bunch of players that aren't actually as talented as Flames fans think they are. We don't have a bunch of second line centers and top 4 defence sitting around. All we see is the points they put up in juniors and go crazy over nuts over those stats. What I've seen since I've started prospects is that there are plenty of players that look promising, but making the next step in the AHL is extremely difficult and it gets even tougher in the NHL.