[Game Takes] Flames 5 Coyotes 2

[Bingo]

http://www.calgarypuck.com/2016/03/g...s-5-coyotes-2/

[Enoch Root]

Monahan, Bennett and Duclair were all deserving of being stars, no question. But TJ Brodie was the best player on the ice for either team, and it wasn't close.

[killer_carlson]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the bottom of the roster d-men putting the pressure on Treliving to create some room for them.

It will happen this summer.

[Vulcan]

I like Engelland and Jokipakka but yeah Wideman's and Smid's days should be numbered. This will give us two openings on defence for Nakladal, Spooner and Kulak etc.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Why not Colborne as the Bennett battery mate?

I know people are desperate to love Ferland but don't see how he projects as better than Colborne right now.

Example - Colborne did the work to make the puck available on the second goal and Bennett drove the net and willed the goal.


Ortio looked good.

[Da_Chief]

I only watched the 1st and Shinkaruk was fine but sounds like like he got better as the game went on.

I'd like to see Gaudreau-Bennett and Shinkaruk-Monahan for the remaining few games to see if there's some chemistry there. That would go long ways if it did.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I know people are desperate to love Ferland...

I don't care much for comparing such different players as Ferland and Colborne, but "people are desperate to love Ferland" is kind of my feeling too.

I have serious trouble seeing potential in Ferland. He's hits a lot and has okay hands and skating, but really no outstanding qualities beyond the hitting. His hockey sense seems quite bad, so the aggressive forecheck tends to IMO do more harm than good.

To me he plays like a junior player, and not a very smart one at that.

Obviously I hope he proves me wrong and really takes a step forward next year.

BTW; one thing I like about Bennett is that he seems to bring out good energy in his linemates. That's a great quality to have.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Why not Colborne as the Bennett battery mate?

I know people are desperate to love Ferland but don't see how he projects as better than Colborne right now.

Example - Colborne did the work to make the puck available on the second goal and Bennett drove the net and willed the goal.


Ortio looked good.

That's a fair comment as he was instrumental on that second goal. He is one of the best support pieces up and down the roster right now, and certainly more effective than Ferland's been in any role.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Itse

I don't care much for comparing such different players as Ferland and Colborne, but "people are desperate to love Ferland" is kind of my feeling too.

I have serious trouble seeing potential in Ferland. He's hits a lot and has okay hands and skating, but really no outstanding qualities beyond the hitting. His hockey sense seems quite bad, so the aggressive forecheck tends to IMO do more harm than good.

To me he plays like a junior player, and not a very smart one at that.

Obviously I hope he proves me wrong and really takes a step forward next year.

BTW; one thing I like about Bennett is that he seems to bring out good energy in his linemates. That's a great quality to have.

Did you even watch that game? Ferland was great and showed a lot of why his supporters like him.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Did you even watch that game? Ferland was great and showed a lot of why his supporters like him.

Just 1 game, and no I didn't really see anything that affected my opinion of him. He's not terrible so yeah he's going to have good games sometimes. Just not very often. This was more of an overall commentary on him.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Strange. He's big, strong, fast, hits, makes nice passes (Bennett's first goal for example), has good hockey sense. Only thing he has yet to show us is the ability to finish plays. But he'd still be a very useful player as a playmaking power forward. He's miles ahead of where Colborne was at the same age. Underrated by many it would appear.

[Strange Brew]

Agree with you on Shinkaruk. Thought he looked good. Really, really would like to see Poirier do something on his callus. Here's hoping.

Interesting discussion on Colborne. I like the player especially on a reasonable contract. But man, there's a reason Flames are at the bottom of the standings and its not just goaltending. If Colborne is in your top 6, or top 3 pairs using Bingo's formula, maybe you are not just good enough.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Strange. He's big, strong, fast, hits, makes nice passes (Bennett's first goal for example), has good hockey sense. Only thing he has yet to show us is the ability to finish plays. But he'd still be a very useful player as a playmaking power forward.

Well, as I said I hope he makes me eat those words. In the proverbial sense

He's miles ahead of where Colborne was at the same age.

I don't see it.

As for the production, Colborne was drafted two years before Ferland and is 2 years and 4 months older. 2 years ago Colborne played more games, averaged more minutes per game and put up more goals and more assists both in total and per game than Ferland is doing right now.

I'm especially puzzled by the playmaking comment.

Ferland has decent hands, so every now and then he can technically make a pretty pass, but IMO his hockey sense just isn't high enough to consistently to contribute as playmaker. The guy has whopping 10 assists. Last season he had 11 in AHL and NHL combined. He puts up about the same amount of goals.

The way I see it, if he's going to have the kind of offensive explosion people seem to be expecting, it's going to be as a goalscorer. His best attribute offensively is getting a lot of shots on goal. Not good shots, not shots that go in, but shots anyway. If those start to go in, he could put up 10-15 goals per year and that would be perfecly fine addition to our depth scoring.

[Enoch Root]

Colborne has been playing really well lately and is a good example for having patience.

I think he brings scoring depth to the bottom 6 and can be a good utility player, moving around the lineup as needed.

But he is not a top 6 player.

[442scotty]

Originally Posted by Itse

I don't care much for comparing such different players as Ferland and Colborne, but "people are desperate to love Ferland" is kind of my feeling too.

I have serious trouble seeing potential in Ferland. He's hits a lot and has okay hands and skating, but really no outstanding qualities beyond the hitting. His hockey sense seems quite bad, so the aggressive forecheck tends to IMO do more harm than good.

To me he plays like a junior player, and not a very smart one at that.

Obviously I hope he proves me wrong and really takes a step forward next year.

BTW; one thing I like about Bennett is that he seems to bring out good energy in his linemates. That's a great quality to have.

Seriously? What game were you watching?

Sorry... didn't mean to beat on you further... Just noticed that everyone else piled on you and kicked you to the curb

[LTH]

how did Grant do last night? I've never seen him before but what I saw, which was limited was that he may have good top speed but takes too long to get to top speed so he seemed a little slow.

What are everyone elses thoughts? hopefully we get to see him a few more games obv.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Strange. He's big, strong, fast, hits, makes nice passes (Bennett's first goal for example), has good hockey sense. Only thing he has yet to show us is the ability to finish plays. But he'd still be a very useful player as a playmaking power forward. He's miles ahead of where Colborne was at the same age. Underrated by many it would appear.

I don't care if he discovers a touch to be honest ... his big "need" is consistency.

As I said in another topic I don't expect him to go "nuts" like he did against Vancouver but he has to find 70% of that level 70% of the time. This year he's found it about 2% of the time.

Oh and when I coach bantam kids I always say I'm not going to coach creativity out of you but you all have a responsibility to know your limitations on the rush. If you can go through 5 guys go through them, but if you have speed and strength go wide and you get more optionality.

Ferland goes middle every time and turns it over too much.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I don't care if he discovers a touch to be honest ... his big "need" is consistency.

As I said in another topic I don't expect him to go "nuts" like he did against Vancouver but he has to find 70% of that level 70% of the time. This year he's found it about 2% of the time.

Oh and when I coach bantam kids I always say I'm not going to coach creativity out of you but you all have a responsibility to know your limitations on the rush. If you can go through 5 guys go through them, but if you have speed and strength go wide and you get more optionality.

Ferland goes middle every time and turns it over too much.

2%? I've liked Ferland in more games than I've been disappointed with him. I guess he's just one of those guys that the board will always be divided on. The description some people have of his game doesn't match up with the player I watch. I don't know where the disconnect is.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

2%? I've liked Ferland in more games than I've been disappointed with him. I guess he's just one of those guys that the board will always be divided on. The description some people have of his game doesn't match up with the player I watch. I don't know where the disconnect is.

I like the guy, I do.

I just don't like his day to day engagement level. He's going through the motions in the majority of his games.

Wills was saying the other day that he thinks the same about his game. That's good news. Points to him getting it right potentially.