[News] Flames assign Kulak to Stockton

[sureLoss]

to free up a roster spot for Bartkowski

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/flam...on/c-286862642

[keenan87]

I like Kulak and hope he does well for the remainder of the season in the AHL. I think he is definitely ready for a top six spot next year though. Cheap contract and a reliable 5-7 dman, He is 23 years old now and will be almost 24 when the 2017-2018 will start. He needs to hit the next level next year or he may just end up as a tweaner for the remainder of his career.

[Cheese]

poor guy...numbers game and he holds the short straw.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

He also hasn't been very good at times. Rookie d-men make mistakes, but he seems to be making the same ones over and over when it comes to putting the puck in dangerous situations in his own zone. Jokipakka does the same thing, but it occurs far less often.

He needs more time before he's ready for full time duty.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

He also hasn't been very good at times. Rookie d-men make mistakes, but he seems to be making the same ones over and over when it comes to putting the puck in dangerous situations in his own zone. Jokipakka does the same thing, but it occurs far less often.

He needs more time before he's ready for full time duty.

Or they can just play him for a consecutive 8-10 games and give him a chance to improve rather than all of the spotty starts. Let him get in his groove imo.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Or they can just play him for a consecutive 8-10 games and give him a chance to improve rather than all of the spotty starts. Let him get in his groove imo.

Uh, he played nearly every game in a stretch from Oct. 15 to Nov. 27. That's 15 games where he was in almost every single night. I think he was given a fair chance to hold down a spot.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Uh, he played nearly every game in a stretch from Oct. 15 to Nov. 27. That's 15 games where he was in almost every single night. I think he was given a fair chance to hold down a spot.

That stretch is also his first real chance in the NHL but I agree with your point as I must have missed that. I feel like he isn't any worse than Jokipakka and deserves a better fate. He is cheap so why not prepare him to take over a top 6 spot next year rather than Jokipakka who will most likely not be back next year.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by keenan87

That stretch is also his first real chance in the NHL but I agree with your point as I must have missed that. I feel like he isn't any worse than Jokipakka and deserves a better fate. He is cheap so why not prepare him to take over a top 6 spot next year rather than Jokipakka who will most likely not be back next year.

He's similar, but Jokipakka is more consistent, largely due to his age and experience level.

Kulak has a shot at a regular spot in the NHL, but he needs to work on his consistency. What young defenseman doesn't?

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

He's similar, but Jokipakka is more consistent, largely due to his age and experience level.

Kulak has a shot at a regular spot in the NHL, but he needs to work on his consistency. What young defenseman doesn't?

That's correct that consistency is an issue. However, I still think I would rather have him on the main club than Jokipakka. He is 23 years old and has been around in the AHL for a couple of years now. I think his consistency can be improved in practice with other NHLers and learning from guys like Gio and Brodie in comparison to playing 20+ mins in Stockton (which also seems to be a pit for many prospects at the current time)... but once again, this is simply because I value and think Kulak is a better player than Jokipakka.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

All this desire to just let a young player learn the role, but then pages and pages of panic about the fact that this team isn't firmly in a playoff spot.

While it's not always a hypocritical ask from every poster, I find the lack of patience with results at the team level, combined with this constant ask to "just give the young players who clearly aren't quite ready more ice time" comical. Either we are in a rebuild or we aren't.

I totally get that most of the seeming contradiction of opinion comes from the false thoughts many have that Kulak, for example, is no worse than Wideman or Engelland (he might be much better value, but player for player those guys are better right now), but it's still funny and frustrating to read. People aren't giving this team any break on results in the standings, but then they also want them to ice less then our best roster to develop players. We can't have it both ways.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

All this desire to just let a young player learn the role, but then pages and pages of panic about the fact that this team isn't firmly in a playoff spot.

While it's not always a hypocritical ask from every poster, I find the lack of patience with results at the team level, combined with this constant ask to "just give the young players who clearly aren't quite ready more ice time" comical. Either we are in a rebuild or we aren't.

I totally get that most of the seeming contradiction of opinion comes from the false thoughts many have that Kulak, for example, is no worse than Wideman or Engelland (he might be much better value, but player for player those guys are better right now), but it's still funny and frustrating to read. People aren't giving this team any break on results in the standings, but then they also want them to ice less then our best roster to develop players. We can't have it both ways.

Although, I do think Kulak is better than Wideman and Jokipakka (not Engelland)...on what basis are you calling those false thoughts? Wideman has been garbage this year and the only reason I think they should play him so there is maybe a chance someone takes a flyer on him at the deadline.

As for the standings, I think there is both negatives and positives giving young guys a chance with or without playoff hopes. On one hand, they may not be ready. On the other hand, they may show urgency and emotion that can propel a team to stick together and win more games.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Although, I do think Kulak is better than Wideman and Jokipakka (not Engelland)...on what basis are you calling those false thoughts? Wideman has been garbage this year and the only reason I think they should play him so there is maybe a chance someone takes a flyer on him at the deadline.

I disagree somewhat. Wideman has been really bad lately, hence his demotion to 3rd pair, but earlier in the year he was holding that pair together while Brodie was having adventures all over the ice. Now that Brodie is competent again, Wideman looks terrible by comparison along with the drop in his play. He's slow and makes bad decisions sometimes, but at least he's consistent.

Kulak is an adventure from shift to shift and game to game. It's hard to rely on a player when you don't know what to expect.

Wideman on the 3rd pair getting 12 minutes a game is palatable for now. Kulak will get his chance next year when both Wideman and Engelland are likely gone.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Wideman has been garbage all year, in comparison to his pay check. Wideman is a better D-man than everyone on this team, not named Brodie, Gio, Hamilton and potentially Engelland.

Wideman is not a great player, he is the worst value contract we have on the team by far, and has been playing out of position all season at #4 (for the most part). Still doesn't mean he's not better than the players you list. Kulak IMO has better upside then Wideman right now (obiviously) and also can play games where he is better, but night in night out, Wideman's performance is consistently better then a young Kulak's at the moment.

I'm actually with you, I think one of the things that will get Kulak to be consistently better than Wideman is more opportunity. But this team has put themselves in a hole this year, and we have no wiggle room on results. Most of this board seems to think missing the playoffs would be a catastrophic step backwards. So do we play our best line up, or do we develop our players.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I disagree somewhat. Wideman has been really bad lately, hence his demotion to 3rd pair, but earlier in the year he was holding that pair together while Brodie was having adventures all over the ice. Now that Brodie is competent again, Wideman looks terrible by comparison along with the drop in his play. He's slow and makes bad decisions sometimes, but at least he's consistent.

Kulak is an adventure from shift to shift and game to game. It's hard to rely on a player when you don't know what to expect.

Wideman on the 3rd pair getting 12 minutes a game is palatable for now. Kulak will get his chance next year when both Wideman and Engelland are likely gone.

Yeah, we can agree to disagree. Hopefully he improves in the next few months and solidifies his spot on the team next year.

[tvp2003]

Kulak and Jokipakka have gotten chances to play. Next is Bartkowski.

Do we see Wotherspoon or possibly Culkin later in the year? Unless we tank and fall out of a playoff spot I don't expect we see Andersson or Kylington this year.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Cheese

poor guy...numbers game and he holds the short straw.

because he isn't that good (at NHL level at this point)

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by dino7c

because he isn't that good (at NHL level at this point)

I tend to agree. Kulak hasn't really stood out at all.

[JTech780]

Kulak has great physical tools (size and skating ability), but he doesn't think the game very well and never has. Going back to past development camps and Penticton tournaments, his lack of vision and hockey sense was pretty evident. IMO he isn't a guy who will be an NHL regular, and end up in that 7th defenseman/call up role. He will be passed by the likes of Andersson, Kylington and Hickey in short order.

[flamesrule14]

Will Kulak be the Wotherspoon of the future? Guy who looks good at times and at other times not so good. Constantly getting called up and sent down. I want to like him, but his game is just not consistent enough. Yes he's a rookie, but he's had chances to grab a spot and he just hasn't done it. It'll be up to him if others pass him by or if he figures it out and finally grabs a spot.

[TheScorpion]

I disagree with anyone who thinks that Jokipakka isn't better than Kulak. If he wasn't, he'd be on a plane down to Stockton right now. He's more consistent, and is a better puck mover. The one area where he's worse is skating.

Jokipakka is a serviceable #6 defenseman. Kulak is a decent #7.