Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
Ruzicka didn't impress me. Doesn't think the game at NHL pace.
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I actually don't disagree but problem is players need the time to adjust to NHL game pace.
Sure some of the elite first round picks can step right in, but guys that are more tweeners need the time to adjust to the pace of play.
IIRC Mangiapane didn't have a point in his first 18 NHL games.
Even Gaudreau didn't look good the first 5 games to start the 14-15 season (1 shot, no points) then he broke out against the Jets. But I remember they said he was very close to being sent down before that Jets game.
Ruzicka played 3 games in a row last year to end the season, got a stretch of 4 games this season, and then a single game.
The longest stretch of Gawdin's call up have been 5 games, but he played under 6 minutes in 4 of those games.
I'm not sure it's fair to throw a guy in for a game or two and then say he isn't ready if he doesn't immediately impress.
And this is where the Flames handling of the stretch run last year was a bit messy. Flames were officially eliminated May 10th, they played 4 games that week against the Canucks, and in those games they played:
Phillips: 1 Game
Gawdin: 1 Game
Ruzicka: 3 Games
(Even Kylington only got 1 game as we kept playing Tanev with broken ribs for some reason)
But Nordstrom, Ritchie, Simon, Leivo were all in the line up for most of those games. Why? How did that make any sense to not play the Flames prospects in those 4 games to at least get a taste of the NHL.
Another part is the Flames have been relatively healthy the past 2-3 seasons, so haven't had a lot of injuries where they've been forced to give a young guy a look.