Well, Treliving mentioned that it is difficult to make moves to fill holes without seeing your team in the playoffs. Flames really needed a couple of bodies like Kanzig or Hunter Smith to have worked out - guys with size, intelligence and skill. That's why they were drafted (whether or not you agree). Ferland was a great find, but had to be traded away (and with questionable health now). Riley Bruce, Austin Carroll, Emile Poirier, Tim Harrisson, Patrick Sieloff, even John Ramage and Bill Arnold - guys with size, grit, and ability at the junior level all busted. Flames really (IMO) needed a few of these guys to have worked out. Zack Fischer and Martin Pospisil are still in the pipeline, and the acquisition of Kerby Rychel (though injured). I guess Lazar plays with some sandpaper, and I guess Josh Healey is a (legitimate?) prospect as well...
Neal isn't bringing much to the table. Right now, he is a glorified 4th line enforcer out there - doesn't skate well, doesn't make plays well, but at least he is hitting.
Flames just don't appear to be made for the playoffs. I remember when Flames teams in the past used to absolutely love playing physical hockey - they excelled in those tough, gritty games. It seems to me that for the last couple of years, the Flames get rattled by the physicality.
Don't get me wrong - the Flames aren't missing an enforcer or something (though, at this point, I think I would replace about half the fricken players on the team with Peluso if he was healthy!!). To me, this team has a glaring hole in the size/physicality department. Instead of trying to develop Bennett's game, he basically has to become that enforcer.
Reaves and even Maroon would be welcome additions right now. What I wouldn't give for a Josh Anderson right now, and it is a shame the price on Stone went way up. It really is a huge shame that nobody other than Ferland has developed in all this time that the Flames have been drafting for that size+skill/grit combo.
Put Prout in next game, maybe even Stone. It isn't like the D are playing defence effectively anyway. Maybe replace a couple with some old-school stay at home defensive defencemen. Maybe at least they can stay in position and help poor Hamonic block some shots.
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