Quote:
Originally Posted by Freeway
The challenge for the Flames has been turning the secondary prospects into useful complementary players. Aside from maybe Brodie, if you want to call him "complementary," who have the Flames produced from their system who slots in around their stars?
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That is quite true and I think has been the Flames' downfall of recent years in terms of developing.
The prospects have been boom or bust, without too much in between at the NHL level. They've had some gems that have panned out brilliantly. But the team has had to go to free agency to fill in the gaps and get that supporting cast.
We need a couple of guys like Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, Foo, Lazar, Mangiapane to turn into 40-50 point, middle six forwards, to get rid of the need for overpriced free agents.
That also requires the team giving them the opportunity to take the ball and run with it in a 3rd line type role.
It's unfortunate that the Flames did have that kind of player come out of their system in Byron, yet let him go for nothing...