[CP Story] Flames Youth Force Cultural Impasse for Flames

[Bingo]

http://www.calgarypuck.com/2014/10/cultural-impasse/

Crunch time for Flames execs as youth serves notice they want the spots they were told were available.

[Sample00]

great article! well written! thanks very much!

[Tacoman]

Excellent article, Bingo. I was saying the same things at last night's game. Setoguchi clearly should not be on our roster if just analyzing pre-season performance. While Ferland probably should be, I can rationalize it by admitting that he missed the majority of last year and playing more minutes in Addy would be beneficial.

There can be no possible rationalization for Gaudreau at this point. He has shown to be one of, if not THE best forward on our team so AHL time to get more minutes makes no sense since there are top 6 minutes here that he should be playing.

The good news is that I would expect Ferland, Granlund, Baertschi, Jooris, Wotherspoon and Seiloff to all get significant NHL minutes this year regardless of where they start.

[FBI]

OK so by "there really isn't any choice", I assume you think Gaudreau is in for sure as well as a few other young guys?

[Table 5]

Solid article, and on point.

I think we have to realize that we're not at the beginning of the rebuild anymore...we're somewhere in the (admittedly earlyish) middle part of the process. We've traded away most of the last generation for assets, we've drafted a lot of good prospects over the last few years (still need more in certain areas, but I think the depth is undeniable), and now it's now time to start slowly implementing some of the guys who are looking like they need the next level up to continue their process.

Granlund, Ferland, Gaudreau and Baertschi are all guys that I think are better off spending most (not all) of their time in the NHL, rather than the minors. They will have their ups and downs, but I'm not convinced that sending them down does much anymore. Granlund looks the most NHL-ready out of all of them and Gaudreau has shown over and over that he adapts really quickly. Baertschi to me looks much more well-rounded this year, and I think it's a matter of time before he gets some of that swagger back on offense too. Ferland, I could see bouncing up and down a bit, but when on, there's something great there.

I don't see us keeping all 4 at once, but I would be disappointed if we don't have 2 of these guys on the Flames at any time. I'm not saying you have to trade half the vets, but if I was Treliving, I would be looking hard at some exit-strategies for at least a few of them this year. In a perfectly fair world Setoguchi is not even on this team, but I think Paul Byron, as much as he deserves to be on an NHL team, is the guy who goes first.

[FlamesAllTheWay]

On the FAN they said 4 guys - Bennett, Gaudreau, Jooris, Baertchi - were all fighting for a spot on the opening day roster. Of course 3 of the 4 were our best players last night and have made it incredibly hard on the coaching to make those final cuts.

I'm okay with starting most, or maybe even all, on the farm though. The going will get a bit tougher when teams start icing their regular season lineups. These 4 would undoubtedly be amongst the first call ups in the event of an injury though and might even stick around for good after, ala TJ Brodie. Hartleys shown he's not afraid to bench a vet either.

Whatever happens I'm sure we end the year with a few of these guys on our roster for good. Exciting time to be a Flames fan.

[Split98]

That was such a good read. My stomach is doing that turning thing when you first enter an amusement park. I'm so excited for what we have in front of us.

[442scotty]

Well written article. Says it all. Time to move the underperformers out. Its happening all over the league.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Great piece Bingo…really well written. This seems like a pivotal moment in this new era's history…being written as we speak. I hope we can look back on this moment in time and know they did the right thing.

[Bingo]

You have to follow through or it falls on deaf ears going forward.

If a teacher says "a minute late and I won't let you in" and then the first kid late gets let in, then it's over. Stick is gone.

Treliving said competitive camp, and that spots were available. We'd make room if we need to.

Hartley has been walking out nothing given for a calendar year.

Gaudreau makes the team on merit in any measuring stick imaginable. The new NHL has been dominated by players that can create on their own, as they beat the defensive systems and open up opportunity. The Old Flames had straight forward players that struggled in that environment. Is there a better player at that on the team's roster? Hudler has some gifts, but even Monahan is a straight ahead player. Gaudreau is unique and has to make the team.

Jooris is 24. You can't make a develop on the farm argument with him at all.

Baertschi is rounding back into form but has lot offensive confidence. I'd ask myself if he gets that back in the AHL, or does the confidence gained from making the Flames help him more?

Granlund you can pass on because of injury.

Ferland you can pass on because of his season last year.

But the kids returned serve ... in Flames court now. Does the mantra mean more than a bumper sticker?

[Bingo]

poll added

[UKflames]

That was a great article and a really good read, thank you Bingo.

[shogged]

I hope they walk the walk!

[Vulcan]

I could see them just giving the one spot to Johnny on offence but also keeping Wotherspoon as the 7th defenceman. This way they can say we kept two rookies while also keeping all the vets.

[Brick]

I think Gaudreau and Jooris make the cut, Setoguchi to Adirondack if he clears waivers.

Baertschi to Adirondack, as well.

Also, Bennett stays for a few games until Backlund is healthy.

[442scotty]

While Sven might go back it may be in the teams interest to keep him up and give him a few game to see how he does. Don't forget he had a busted rib that kept him down all summer and its probably still a little tender. Nothing would help him more than a chance to get it together.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I could see them just giving the one spot to Johnny on offence but also keeping Wotherspoon as the 7th defenceman. This way they can say we kept two rookies while also keeping all the vets.

That would supply some smoke and mirrors for sure, but does letting a young guy make the grade that hasn't played a minute of preseason hockey isn't exactly rewarding competition either.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You have to follow through or it falls on deaf ears going forward.

If a teacher says "a minute late and I won't let you in" and then the first kid late gets let in, then it's over. Stick is gone.

Treliving said competitive camp, and that spots were available. We'd make room if we need to.

Hartley has been walking out nothing given for a calendar year.

Gaudreau makes the team on merit in any measuring stick imaginable. The new NHL has been dominated by players that can create on their own, as they beat the defensive systems and open up opportunity. The Old Flames had straight forward players that struggled in that environment. Is there a better player at that on the team's roster? Hudler has some gifts, but even Monahan is a straight ahead player. Gaudreau is unique and has to make the team.

Jooris is 24. You can't make a develop on the farm argument with him at all.

Baertschi is rounding back into form but has lot offensive confidence. I'd ask myself if he gets that back in the AHL, or does the confidence gained from making the Flames help him more?

Granlund you can pass on because of injury.

Ferland you can pass on because of his season last year.

But the kids returned serve ... in Flames court now. Does the mantra mean more than a bumper sticker?

Yes and no.

My money is that the kids start on the farm so vets dont get cut and then either get called up as injuries require or vets get traded as the season goes on and other teams need them and the kids fill the holes.

[PeteMoss]

I think Gaudreau makes it as a no-brainer.

Sven has been better, but he has also has the same amount of points as McGrattan and Engelland. I'm fine with him going down and making him force his way up.

Jooris is the tweener. He's played well enough to be on the team but he's basically battling for a line spot currently held by McGrattan or Bollig (roster spot of Setoguchi). It would be good to see him make the cut as he's better than those two. But I don't think it really matters much in the long run.

I really doubt someone in the AHL is going to drop their effort level because Setoguchi made it over Jooris.

[RyZ]

I think they keep Gaudreau up and send everybody else down and play the vets on 1 way contracts out of the gate. I don't like it, but that's what I'm betting happens.