Quote:
Originally Posted by Igster
It did. And that is why I mentioned the size issue in the game thread, although many don't agree. When the Ducks were using their size, the Flames couldn't compete. The Flames had no answer for the Perry/Getzlaf combo especially, when they were on the ice using their skill and size.
While the 2 goal comeback was great and it's nice to believe the Flames are competing with the likes of the Ducks, at the end of the day, if the Flames do make the playoffs, they would never survive a 7 game series with a bigger, stronger team like the Ducks.
People tire of hearing about size, but the Flames are small. That shouldn't be a shock to anyone, but it should be a concern.
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I suppose if you're looking at it with respect to this year's team it's a concern.
But going forward I am not concerned.
No question that the team started the rebuild from a position of being small (Hudler, Byron). And not only small, but many of the players don't play a physical game (Stajan, Backlund, etc).
And then the first wave of prospects to crack the lineup have also included some small players, like Gaudreau and Basertschi.
But the overall prospect base isn't small and I am not worried about it going forward. Monahan, Colborne, Bennett, Poirier, Ferland, Jooris, and Bouma are good players that aren't going to get pushed around. And if guys like Smith and Wolf can make the jump, they'll tip the scales substantially.
On the backend, they are also starting from a position of being small with Brodie and Russell. However, most of the guys in the pipe are bigger, like Wotherspoon, Sieloff, Kulak, Hickey, Mattsson and of course Kanzig.
No, they're not all going to make it. But the point is that even though Gaudreau and Baertschi did nothing to address the size issue, it will improve as the next wave of players join the team.