Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
First of all, I am firmly in the camp that you can't have a soft team - size and physicality matter. But this argument that the west is big and physical and you have to play like ANA and LAK is way overdone.
In the last 7 years, 5 of the cup finalists from the west were skill teams: Detroit 2, Chicago 2, and Van. The only physical team to make it has been LA and they were lucky to get by CHI last year (or it would be 6 of the last 7).
IMO, the Flames are modelled more like CHI than any of the Pacific teams. CHI beats you with speed and mobility at the backend. Yes, they can handle the rough stuff, and that is important. But it is not who they are.
Same can be said about Detroit.
The Flames have to get bigger, no question. But some of the guys coming - Bennett, Poirier, Ferland, Wotherspoon and (hopefully) Sieloff - add a lot of grit, along with tons of speed and skill.
They showed last night that they won't be intimidated - that's the most important thing. Once some of the bigger and grittier kids come up, that will be fine.
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Not completely disagreeing with you - I do think a skilled team can win against a big team in the playoffs, but I do think it is harder. Remember that LA had a very unlucky amount of injuries (both with players being out, and players limping through the playoffs) one of those years.
I would lump Chicago as one of the bigger teams in the NHL - especially in their cup. Their 2010 roster had Kane, Madden and Versteeg as the only under-sized guys up front. Campbell was the only undersized guy on D at 5'10".
As per HockeyDB:
Forwards:
Sharp - 6'1"
Toews - 6'2"
Hossa - 6'1"
Versteeg - 5'11"
Brouwer - 6'3"
Ladd - 6'3"
Madden - 5'10" (smaller)
Kopecky - 6'3"
Fraser - 6'3" (though fairly irrelevant, only playing 3 games and not getting on the scoresheet in any way)
Eager - 6'2" (and 235lbs)
Bolland - 6'0"
Bickell - 6'4"
Burish - 6'0"
Defence
Buf - 6'5"
Campbell - 5'10"
Keith - 6'1"
Seabrook - 6'3"
Hjalmarsson - 6'3"
Hendry - 6'0"
Sopel - 6'1"
Boynton - 6'2"
That is definitely a big team, but also a skilled team. They only had 3 guys under 6' on forward, and one on defence. You also had their 'smaller big men' play very tough and agitating like Burrish and Bolland. Without looking, I am betting they were one of the larger teams in the NHL that year. I also only counted the players that played in the playoffs.
With that being said, Chicago is who I think the Flames are modeled after as well, just not quite this year. There is a lot of size coming up yet organizationally. I am sure that by the time this rebuild is over with, the Flames will end up being a similar team who can beat you everywhere on the ice and in any type of game. Skilled game, fast game, rough game - they will be able to play any type of game and play it well.
Gaudreau, Baertschi and maybe Klimchuk (5'11" - maybe he is 6 by now?) will be the only under-sized forwards unless Hudler is still here (and he may be). Bennett is 6'1" and just needs time to put on the size I think, but he epitomizes the game I think the Flames are intent on playing - Fast, Skilled and Physical. Poirier adds exactly that as well. You have some good 'towers' coming up (or already playing) in Colborne 6'5", Jankowski 6'4", Smith 6'7". Ferland who is only 6'1", but who is known for beating up guys way bigger. You still have guys like Harrison, Van Brabant, Agostino, etc., who probably won't be top 6 players, but are good enough skaters and should make life miserable for opposing players in the playoffs.
I don't want to go and start going through the entire organization, or be an 'Oiler fan' and start counting any chickens before they hatch, but I will just say that I am more than confident organizationally that this team has a lot of speed, skill and size coming along nicely. I do think the 'target' will be a team not like the '04 team, but rather more like that '89 team that played with a tonne of skill, good speed (for those days) and who would beat you physically as well. If the Flames get to that point (which I am comfortable they will) then that is the point where they become contenders (and no, I am not saying "Stanley cup winners". You build as best of a team as you can to contend for it, and I will never go 'Oiler' proclaiming cups and dynasties).