Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
However, Kanzig is not a roadblock to Gilmour. Gilmour is an undersized puck-mover with good IQ - Flames just traded away an undersized puck-mover with good IQ in Russell.
Who is competing with Gilmour? In no particular order: Giordano, Brodie, Hamilton, Wotherspoon, Kulak, Culkin, Hickey, Kylington, Andersson, Rafikov, Nakladal and Jokipakka (though the last 2-3 are what I would mostly call 'hybrid' defencemen who play a more physical game at times).
Now, who is competing with Kanzig? Bruce, Ollas-Mattsson (maybe) and Engelland.
Now, I am assuming your issue is that you either think:
1) Kanzig won't make it
or
2) There is no need for a Kanzig-type of player
First point may be arbitrary - second point I would argue is a relative need organizationally.
As for Kanzig himself, he has a really high IQ according to Todd Button, and every coach I have heard speak about him (and Feaster/Weisbrod - but I take everything with a grain of salt when it comes from them). Lowry really liked him. He also has really good top-end speed - just needs to get better at that first step, but compensates well with his long reach and IQ.
He is just a prospect that IF he continues to develop and pans-out, then you have a guy who you can use to help against the big centers and forwards in the division. I loved Russell and think he was extremely underappreciated here, but even I knew the Flames would move on when you see him trying to compete on the boards. There aren't many big-bodies on defence of the physical type. Flames for sure would sign and retain there behemoth of one for as long as he continues to show improvement.
So, having Kanzig in the system is not a roadblock to Gilmour. In fact, if the Flames were full of Kanzig-like prospects, Gilmour would suddenly find himself much higher in the Flames' plans.
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Alot of the guys you pointed out statistically won't make it. From a manager's perspective I would much rather have the deck stacked with guys like Russell, Andersson, Culkin, etc. than to have a Kanzig, who's very unlikely to pan out. You can always trade for a guy like Kanzig if you have a full deck of potential top 4. In previous eras, guys like Reghre, Gill, Sarich, and Kanzig might have been successfully due to their physical tools, but current hockey is so much about possession, staying out of the box, avoiding suspension, stretch the ice with good saucers and skating.
I would agree that Kanzig is not a roadblock to Gilmour, or to any other prospect IMO. You have to better than someone to be a road block.