Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
Poirier has made great strides defensively, and I would also argue that he should have at least had some looks by now if not for his injury last season. Missing almost an entire season is a major setback, and he started off slowly in the AHL, but has caught up to Solovyov now.
What will be interesting to see is if Conroy keeps open spots next season on defence. I mean, Weegar needs a full-time regular partner there instead of a revolving door for the majority of the season (though Hanley has been good and stable in that spot since being put together). Assuming that Andersson is NOT traded (which is a possibility, but it sounds more like re-signing is where this is headed), then I would say the 'backbone' of the Flames' D-corps next season will be: Andersson - Bahl, Weegar, Pachal.
Hanley is a UFA - I doubt he gets re-signed, even though he has been solid. Barrie is a UFA, and I doubt he gets re-signed. That leaves Bean and Miromanov left over from this year's rotation. I think Bean will be the 7th next season, and Miromanov will either be traded, waived and picked up by someone else, or waived and playing in the AHL for most of the season. He just hasn't been consistently good. I think Bean has been mostly good this year, but best served as a 6th/7th guy.
WIll Conroy sign someone to suit up with Weegar? I think internal competition (including Bean) will be up for grabs for the 6th spot. Will Conroy be ok with having 2 rookies on defence?
Parekh will be fighting for a spot this year, no questions. I think he will look better and really push for a spot. Brzustewicz looked fantastic at camp last season, then started his pro career slowly, but has really picked it up. I think he will be tough to beat (but he is not waiver-eligible). Dark horse is Morin who is a 2-way guy and a year older - he looked fantastic at camp 2 seasons ago, but I think he starts in the AHL.
Then comes the AHL guys. Solovyov has been having a great year on the Wranglers, and has NHL experience. He passed through waivers once already, but i am not sure he will pass again given his development. Poirier is a slick offensive guy who has taken great steps defensively, and has been a bit derailed by injuries. I think this really made him start slow, but he has already caught and surpassed Solovyov offensively, and should finish as the top point producer on the blue-line. This is his first waiver eligible season. Likewise, Kuznetsov will have to go through waivers for the first time as well. He is a 6'5" strong skating defensive defencemen that moves the puck well. We know organizations value some of those attributes.
Jurmo and Grushnikov are not waiver eligible yet (75% sure on Jurmo, 100% sure about Grushnikov). Either way, I don't think either of these will factor-in next season. Jurmo has only played a total of 18 games this season equally split between the ECHL and AHL (and I can only assume he is - or has been injured). Grushnikov is not ahead of Solovyov IMO, and though I may be in the minority, I feel he has one of the lower upsides organizationally anyway, even if I personally still do like defensive-defencemen with snarl.
That's a lot of prospects competing for 1, or maybe 2 spots. I assume that Pachal will keep his spot - he seems like a great partner for someone like Parekh, Brzustewicz or Poirier - more defensive, and also willing to stick up for his teammates, which I think helps a rookie be able to concentrate on his game.
Is it Parekh's spot to lose? I think he will push and impress, but that's a lot of bodies to hop over. Just as big of a question will be what Conroy does with the defence. Weegar's partner? Andersson trade? Any other moves impacting Ds, including UFA signings? I think it will be a 3-way battle for one spot between Parekh, Brzustewicz and Poirier, and if neither of these guys are looking good enough, then it is either Bean's spot or Solovyov's spot.
That's a lot of promising defencemen fighting it out next season.
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