Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
I feel like at the moment Calgary's core is more of a comparable to St.Louis before their losses of Backes and Shattenkirk than Chicago.
St.Louis has the game breaking winger in Tarasenko. Had quality center depth in Backes, and Stastny. Good supporting forwards in Steen, Lehtera and Brouwer. Up and coming young guys like Fabbri and Schwartz.
Then on Defence they had Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, and Bouwmeester. Flames don't really have a Parayko yet.
Same goaltender.
|
Stylistically those comparisons don't really hold IMO. We don't have a Tarasenko. They don't have a Johnny. I think more pure skill from our centres but less experience. I guess Steen and Backlund/Frolik could be comparable. I'd take Tkachuk over Fabbri/Schwartz.
I guess Dougie/Pietro is kind close. I guess Brodie/Shattenkirk is similar but diff styles. I'll take Gio over Bouwmeester every day of the week. Better top 3 for Calgary IMO and I'm not sure Stone is a massive step down from early career Parayko.
Overall I think we've got more skill up front than STL did last year but that is counting on guys like Bennett and Tkachuk and those guys are far from finished products. We have no pure sniper like a Tarasenko though.
I see STL as a team that had tremendous depth, one game changer (Tarasenko) who the coach sheltered and a solid defense. I think the Flames have good offensive depth as well with more emphasis on playmaking (Gaudreau/Tkachuk) but I like the top end of our defense more than STL's.
Interesting comparison. Not sure it fits better than Hawk comparison though. I think the Hawk comparison is used more because some of the comparisons seem better stylistically. Gaudreau and Kane have a lot more similarities than Gaudreau/Tarasenko for example.
In the the Flames are their own team and we don't really need to compare because comparisons can only go so far.
What do the Flames have?
1st line wingers - Gaudreau and probably Tkachuk
2nd line wingers - Frolik
1st line centres - Monahan arguably. Bennett perhaps one day
2nd line centres - Backlund. Maybe Bennett one day. Maybe Jankowski one day
Potentially 4 top two centres. One of the strengths of our team and one of the biggest reasons for optimism for the future. Centre is the most important forward position.
Top pairing dmen - Arguably all of Gio/Brodie/Hamilton can be top pairing dmen on many teams.
2nd pairing dmen - Stone (UFA). Maybe Andersson/Kylington/Hickey one day
#1 goalies - Elliott. Maybe Gillies/Parsons one day
So what are we really missing that is hard to get? A 2nd line winger? Those aren't really that hard to get. A shutdown dman if Stone leaves? That could be hard to get but Treliving has a wealth of assets he can use to get one.
For the most part we're already set for the future. Just need maturation