Quote:
Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan
I don't get why everyone is so down on these players and this era. Yes the team overall was poor, but it was no shame to promote these players at the time. I'm pretty sure Iginla panned out ok. 
Cory Stillman-may not have been elite talent, but played over 1000 games and had over 700 points. Not bad for a chunk of his career played in the clutch/grab/trap era.
Derek Morris-didn't end up being a top 2 defender, but was a serviceable top 4 with better than average offensive skills and ok defensive abilities. A solid overall player that has some holes in his game. Again, played over 1000 games in the NHL with over 400 points as a defenceman. If he was terrible he would have been gone long ago.
Val Bure-just too small, especially during that clutch and grab era. He had great skill, but never put it all together. He did have a 75 point season while with the Flames. He later had 45 points in 55 games with the Panthers. Injuries just caught up with him. 600+ games with 400 points.
Notably Todd Simpson and Jason Wiemer do NOT belong in this picture, but Simpson did at least serve as captain for a while and was a very physical defender.
Wiemer...the less said the better. Best season was 31 points...'nuff said. |
Definitely agree with this post - so many of those guys are underrated when looking back at those times. I never bought into the "young guns" era just because the feeling was that whenever any would develop enough to be great, the Flames wouldn't be able to afford them.
I actually really loved Todd Simpson - young captain who gave it his all on the ice, and would stick up for team mates constantly. His fight with Domi was one of the highlights of those years. Still remember Domi giving Simpson a 'congratulatory tap' afterwards.
Weimer I actually liked the FIRST go round on the Flames. The guy had no IQ, but he had a lot of jam.
Bure I always felt was the most underrated of them all. I always wish he stayed in Calgary. I was so pissed at that Rob Niedermeyer trade.
That wasn't a bad bunch or prospects to have at all. Like someone said earlier, just a lack of ability on the Flames' part to not surround those guys better. Calgary COULD have had a couple of Stanley cups had they kept Savard and St. Louis of course... but hindsight is 20/20.
This time around I am much more optimistic just because of the cap. Flames will no longer be a 'farm team' or feeder organization in the NHL, like they were during those (in)famous "young guns" era.