The Sarich thread got me thinking about Sieloff and how much this fanbase is going to adore him once he makes this team. He figuratively went to the Sarich school of bodychecking and is precisely the type of player Burke and Hartley adore.
Barring injury or trade I don't think any of the Flames D prospects will make the team out of camp. Our top 6 is set and keeping a prospect up as the 7th guy makes no sense. The only exception I could see would be a guy like Acolatse being kept up as the 7th guy.
I notice that every time he throws a big hit, he needs to fight. It's the same in the NHL and can wear a player down. If you want to be a big hitter, you're going to need to be able to back it up. Maybe McGrattan can give him some pointers. The big hits are nice, I'm a fan but his main job is learning to play defence and with the time he's missed, it would be great to see him play a full year in the AHL.
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He will provide the Flames with something that they lack..
Someone the other team will be aware of and even jockey their lines to stay away from.
The Fancy dancers would consider the option of dumping it in rather than making the move at the Blueline..... The break out plans would be aware that around the boards might have some degree of danger involved and try forcing up the middle.
Sarich would do it from time to time... less as he aged and Phanuef did it consistently for every year he was a Flame... you remember the 4 straight years that the Flames made the playoffs as they clearly were expected to.
Bolling and Engelland are a move to get the Flames back their edge.
I really think that having Gio and Wideman as the Flames 4/5 toughest d-men will make a huge difference in attitude of teh whole team. Before Smid (and the old-man playing out his contract play of O'Brien) Gio was the Flames most (only?) physical defenseman getting Ice time.
Engelland, Sieloff, Smid, Gio Wideman and Brodie provides enough toughness to be a playoff team
Smid, Gio, Butler, Wideman, Russell and Brodie did not and never would.
I agree with everything you said ricardo, except about Engelland. I know we just signed him, but if Sieloff really does make the team this year (I'm really really high on the kid, so I hope he will) I see Engelland being the odd man out in favour of Sieloff.
With Wotherspoon showing to be a pretty solid kid last year, out of camp I can see him making the team. Sieloff being a early to mid season call up who sticks.
Giordano, Brodie, Wideman, Wotherspoon, Smid, Sieloff and Russell is how I see our defence. I don't want to lose the mobility of Russell and the potential of Wotherspoon to play Engelland who I think Sieloff could be an upgrade to in pretty much every way.
I agree with everything you said ricardo, except about Engelland. I know we just signed him, but if Sieloff really does make the team this year (I'm really really high on the kid, so I hope he will) I see Engelland being the odd man out in favour of Sieloff.
With Wotherspoon showing to be a pretty solid kid last year, out of camp I can see him making the team. Sieloff being a early to mid season call up who sticks.
Giordano, Brodie, Wideman, Wotherspoon, Smid, Sieloff and Russell is how I see our defence. I don't want to lose the mobility of Russell and the potential of Wotherspoon to play Engelland who I think Sieloff could be an upgrade to in pretty much every way.
Russell is as good as gone if one of the kids takes a spot.
Russell is as good as gone if one of the kids takes a spot.
In favour of Engelland?
Could be right, but he did add a level of mobility we haven't had in a while I would hate to lose. It's great to have a big and punishing defence as we've had in the past, but I don't want to go back to what we had where no one on the blue line that could do anything with the puck.
I get that Gio and Brodie are great at moving the puck up the ice, but keeping Russell in there allows is to plug him in with someone like Smid or Sieloff and have a more dimensional defence without pulling Gio and Brodie apart.
Could be right, but he did add a level of mobility we haven't had in a while I would hate to lose. It's great to have a big and punishing defence as we've had in the past, but I don't want to go back to what we had where no one on the blue line that could do anything with the puck.
I get that Gio and Brodie are great at moving the puck up the ice, but keeping Russell in there allows is to plug him in with someone like Smid or Sieloff and have a more dimensional defence without pulling Gio and Brodie apart.
Yeah, my rationale is that Engelland offers flexibility (can play forward) and physical tangibles that we need. Not to take away from Russell, I do like him, however Gio, Brodie and even Wotherspoon to an extent can do the puck moving things that he can but all three of those guys (maybe not so much Brodie) can also hold their own physically.
I think we'll get a decent return for Russell, early 3rd or late 2nd.
Sieloff is that type who can hit but also handle the puck. With so much emphasis on the back end joining the rush in today's game, Seiloff is at an advantage with his skill set
Yeah, my rationale is that Engelland offers flexibility (can play forward) and physical tangibles that we need. Not to take away from Russell, I do like him, however Gio, Brodie and even Wotherspoon to an extent can do the puck moving things that he can but all three of those guys (maybe not so much Brodie) can also hold their own physically.
I think we'll get a decent return for Russell, early 3rd or late 2nd.
A Russell trade would make sense, I wasn't even considering that (I was talking about Russell being the presser D-man in the whole mix). As much as I would encourage keeping him, he is a replaceable asset if we can get value for him. I would want to replace him with a similar skillset though.
I could see Engelland moved as a rarely used RW before Russell is sent to the presser, personally. Now, these are my hopes, and the points against them are definitely valid. I just really don't want to move towards a hard-hitting low mobile defence we have had in the past, and players like Russell allow that kind of versatility.
Gio and Brodie are great assets due to their mobility and Gio's physical play. Without Russell in the lineup we have the options of relying on Wideman and Wotherspoon to move the puck up the ice or breaking up a duo that worked very well last year.
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