Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
Two things:
1) Think there is a big difference between forwards and d-men in the Flames organization
Wotherspoon proved himself at the AHL level but never was able to consistently get ice time on the big roster - development stalled because of that IMO.
Kulak made the opening night roster three seasons in a row - but for the first two seasons he spent most of his time in the press box playing 29 total NHL games over those two seasons - having to be sent down at times just to get ice time.
Now Andersson is showing he is clearly too good to be in the AHL but is blocked by Stone who is mediocre this year.
2)There is a big difference between giving guys who are clearly "Stars" a shot, vs guys who are more on the "bubble", need AHL time, and could play in our Bottom six.
Monahan, Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Bennett were all no brainers IMO and none of them came through the AHL. It's the AHL graduates that struggle to get a chance on the Flames.
This year Jankowski and Hathaway were given a shot but it was really via injury (RW ravaged by injury) and in Jankowski's case because Bennett was looking lost at center. If Bennett succeeded as a center what is the likelihood that Janko actually would have displaced Stajan?
Guys like Klimchuk, Poirier, Shinkaruk, Agostino, probably should have more of a chance in a 4th line role but this team tends to lean towards veterans in those roles most of the time.
Penguins are a good example of this to me. Guys like Byran Rust, Sheary, Simon, Rowney weren't all PPG players in the AHL or immediate sensations in the NHL but they were given opportunity to develop on the 3rd/4th line of the Penguins after a year or two in the AHL.
The Cup winning Kings teams did a good job of it too. Clifford, Nolan, Lewis, King all those guys were allowed to develop in the bottom 6. None of them were lighting up the AHL but they were still given shots on the Kings roster.
Bruins are a good example this year. McAvoy, Carlo, Grzelcyk all 1st or 2nd year on the back end. Bjork, Heinen, Vatrano, Kuraly, Acciari, Schalller are all on the roster, none of them really lit up the AHL but they were all given spots on the NHL roster to develop in Bottom 6 roles.
Flames always default to having the "value veteran" guys like Versteeg, Chiasson, Grossman, Bartkowski, Derek Grant, Freddie Hamilton, Galiardi, on the roster to fill it out instead of just giving those spots to a young guy who might actually develop at the NHL level and be a better NHLer than an AHLer.
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Even though I agree the Flames are in a spot now that they can fill their roster out with youth there is value in having Vets on your squad especially when your core has mainly all young star players other than Giordano
Pittsburgh had a lot of vets when Crosby and Malkin were 20 and winning the cup. They are now 30 and have a ton of experience
Bruins - Chara, Bergeron, Marchand - they have done it all too
When the Flames picked up Stajan and resigned him and Brouwer guys like Gaudreau, Monahan were just entering the league and Tkachuk wasn't even on the team yet. Fans need to be a bit more patient IMO as most knew this was going to take 5 years and so far that looks to be right
The Flames core is now entering a stage where the vets aren't needed as much. Hopefully Treliving recognizes this and moves forward with more youth. Unfortunately it's frustrating because we could be stuck with Stone (who got overvalued after last year) & Brouwer. But I think this will be Stajan's last year with the Flames and I think it should be Versteeg's too (I'm not one that thinks the Flames PP can't succeed without him)
If the Flames resign these guys then nothing will ever change and they will always be stuck in the middle because of it