[Game Takes] Flames 5 Sabres 2

[Bingo]

Flames 5 Sabres 2

- Dustin Wolf great again, no chance on either goal
- Jakob Pelletier had his best game of his career; goal, assist, led the team in metrics, some defensive plays. Is he arriving?
- Huberdeau with three points

[SutterBrother]

Love the PK stats for Pelletier you posted. Wouldn't have known that otherwise.

[Samonadreau]

Pelletier has been ready to pop for a while Just need to keep him off the 4th line

[Bonded]

I really liked that Wolf didn't give Andersson the stink eye

[Enoch Root]

Have not been big on Pelletier, up until recently, I'll be honest.

Last night was everything we hoped he could be - hard working, on his toes, tenacious, set up plays, terrific defensively... and he brought it every single shift.

Wolf was the difference - again - but not only was Pelletier the best skater out there, but putting him on Kadri's line changed the momentum of the game. Pelletier single-handedly dragged them into the fight.

That's 2 fantastic games for him in the last 5, and his entire play over that times has been good-2nd-line-player level. He has arrived, if he can play anything like that on a consistent basis.

I also thought Huberdeau was excellent - one of his best games as a Flames as well.

[sa226]

Pelletier is a good example of some of the other positives that come out of a rebuild. Its not just the top draft picks.

It allows your players to grow and flourish. A draft picks future isn't set, They have to be developed properly and given opportunity. If this was the Darryl Sutter Flames, Pelletier would already be popping for another franchise, perhaps Coronato too. Yet here they are making huge impacts and solidifying their spot in the future lineups that will perhaps be Stanley Cup contenders.

Its much harder to do that without also surrounding these young players with a veteran presence.

In ten years with the benefit of hindsight, maybe we will be saying "Should have tanked, still missing that elite top 3 talent" but i'd say right now the rebuild is going swimmingly. Perhaps in 10 years other rebuilding teams will be referencing the "Calgary Model"(tm)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Have not been big on Pelletier, up until recently, I'll be honest.

Last night was everything we hoped he could be - hard working, on his toes, tenacious, set up plays, terrific defensively... and he brought it every single shift.

Wolf was the difference - again - but not only was Pelletier the best skater out there, but putting him on Kadri's line changed the momentum of the game. Pelletier single-handedly dragged them into the fight.

That's 2 fantastic games for him in the last 5, and his entire play over that times has been good-2nd-line-player level. He has arrived, if he can play anything like that on a consistent basis.

I also thought Huberdeau was excellent - one of his best games as a Flames as well.

I always thought Pelletier had good hockey smarts, and had a good motor. I wondered about his offence.

EDIT: I wasn't that fussed when he was waived earlier. But boy, does that seem like the Flames dodged a bullet now.

[Yeah_Baby]

Pelletier is really easy to cheer for.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Have not been big on Pelletier, up until recently, I'll be honest.

Me too. I had real doubts about a player of his size and skill level finding a role in the NHL. But he seems to be doing just that, while also becoming an important part of the room and culture.
One of those cases where I'm happy to be wrong.

[442scotty]

I had pretty much given up on Pelletier. Really nice to see him appear to turn a corner. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come for him and the Flames.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I always thought Pelletier had good hockey smarts, and had a good motor. I wondered about his offence.

EDIT: I wasn't that fussed when he was waived earlier. But boy, does that seem like the Flames dodged a bullet now.

he was such a plug anywhere player with the WJC, I was expecting a guy that would be a 2nd or 3rd liner with some skills. Not overtly fast. Not all that big, but a good utility player.

I was pretty surprised to see the version of the player we saw in camp.

No confidence. Wasn't seeing the ice. Did nothing with the puck.

I'll say it again though, in the other parallel reality where they don't risk him on waivers and get him to the AHL ... where he starts the season as the 13th forward and is in and out ... he's likely done in Calgary.

[FBI]

Don’t give up on prospects too early! We almost screwed the pooch here with waivers but got lucky and I am LOVING Pelletier’s game.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by FBI

Don’t give up on prospects too early! We almost screwed the pooch here with waivers but got lucky and I am LOVING Pelletier’s game.

Disagree.

If they don't send him down he's not where he is now.

It was a move that could have lost them the player, but if they didn't make the move, they would have lost this version of the player anyway.

[Roof-Daddy]

It's so nice to see guys like Zary, Coronato and Pelletier come up and start to develop into not only NHLers, but possible top 6 or even top line threats.

You look at the farm and I have no doubt it is chalk full of future NHLers right now, but you question if any them will be "impact" NHLers or just depth filler type guys. When the above three come up and continue to grow and develop, it gives you hope there is still plenty more impact players to come.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Disagree.

If they don't send him down he's not where he is now.

It was a move that could have lost them the player, but if they didn't make the move, they would have lost this version of the player anyway.

Well it definitely turned out well but it would have supremely pissed me off again if he went on to flourish on another team. Especially since he was mostly derailed by injuries I was hoping for a little more patience from the team. Anyways it's all good now, I am liking our young core pieces shaping into place.

Wolf, Zary, Coronato, Pelletier, (Bahl), Parekh soon

[Hot_Flatus]

Again goes to show the value of having a GM like Connie who is willing to bring his young players up, and put a coach in place that is willing to give them some runway to play real minutes.

Whatever the Flames are now doing from Junior - AHL - NHL is certainly working, and the system quickly turning into an enviable program that young players are going to want to be a part of.

[Kidder]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I really liked that Wolf didn't give Andersson the stink eye

The one replay made me laugh as you can see Andersson’s face scrunch in displeasure as soon as it hits his stick, knowing he boo boo’d. Doesn’t even look back to the net after. Just glides into the corner with his scrunch face.