Quote:
Originally Posted by thymebalm
Lazar/Stajan/Brouwer/Jankowski - 19 goals last season
Bennett/Versteeg/Foo - 28 goals last season
We have stajan and lazar (regular scratches), Jankowski and Foo (unproven rookies) and Bennett/Versteeg/Brouwer - decent depth. Forecasting two rookies and two scratches into the bottom six and calling it the best in the league seems absurd to me.
It's also less than 50 goals combined for those 7 guys last year. The best teams score ~250 goals for a season.. 200 goals is a lot for the top 6 to make up. An impossible amount. It's not great scoring depth. The only way it's good is if all of these things happen:
A) Jankowski seemlessly transitions to the NHL and puts up numbers (1 GP)
B) Foo seemlessly transitions from college to the NHL and scores goals (0 GP)
C) Lazar at least matches the output from his best season (37 GP last season - 4pts)
D) Brouwer and Stajan increase their point totals in their 30s (rare feat)
E) Bennett rebounds from a regression last season and
F) Versteeg is still awesome.
I'm willing to bet on F and E - but anything else is hopes and dreams.
Since I'm so out to lunch here - how many goals are you guys projecting from Foo? Lazar? Stajan? Jankowski? Where does the depth scoring come from?
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Stajan and Lazar are regular scratches? What the heck are you on about? That makes no sense.
A) is quite probable. Jankowski developed for 4 years in college and had a great rookie year in the AHL. Players on that development track are usually NHL ready and usually step in and immediately put up numbers.
B) is a toss up. I'm not counting on it. He may prove to be a somewhat productive NHLer at some point this season, its hard to say.
C) Lazar should most definitely start to accumulate some points now that he doesn't have mono and now that he's older. Not a stretch to see him contributing something. What will he contribute? Hard to say. Originally in scouting reports he was seen as a 2nd/3rd liner. With him making the NHL early it might've stunted his growth and he may only be a 3rd liner long term. But he certainly has the offensive skill to be more than a 4th liner.
D) I don't expect Stajan to increase his numbers. Brouwer certainly has a decent chance of bettering his numbers from last year.
E) I'd be willing to bet money that Bennett substantially increases his numbers. Given his skill and age this is about the time you'd expect he has a breakout year.
Hathaway scores in the minors. I'm not expecting huge numbers from him on 4th line RW but he should put up slightly more than he has previously.
Seems like you're being pessimistic on multiple fronts. Kind of a boring and lame stance to take IMO.
I too think the Flames have tremendous depth right now. Both on defense and up front. I'd say the depth of our bottom 6 is a strength of ours, not a weakness as you seem to think. Interesting we have such opposite views. You're relying far too much on past history, past numbers when we're a young team where multiple young players should be taking steps forward every year.