Gaudreau - Monahan - ?

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Iginla? They could trade Wideman for him?

Right now the top three RWers are Brouwer, Frolik and Ferland. Since it looks like they want Brouwer with Bennett and Frolik with Backlund, that leaves Ferland with Monahan.

Brouwer will be on the first line by the end of the season though.

You know, I have been thinking about this all summer. The money works and it addresses needs for both teams.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

You know, I have been thinking about this all summer. The money works and it addresses needs for both teams.

Lol I put an aging Iginla with Johnny and Mony in Be a GM and bam! Top scorer on team.

Don't think it would work IRL though; Flames would need to retain a bit of $ to make the dollars even out. Also there's the NTCs and NMC that need to be waivered.

[MarkGio]

Trade route looks like the best avenue. Here's probably the best potentially available players:

-- T Reider
-- K. Reichel
-- Iginla
-- Yakupov
-- Nischuskin (If the KHL deal has an out-clause)
-- J. Hayes
-- B. Ryan

[Husky]

Mantha

[bubbsy]

assuming gaudreau/monahan are ready for opening day, i think this slot is a bit worrisome.

Chiasson has looked meh, but he has played with meh linemates. He isn't a first liner, the theory was that perhaps his grinding ways could fit well with skilled linemates on that top line. So his poor showing hasn't necessary closed him off as an option, but it sure hasn't helped in building the case.

The way i look at it is i just don't see tkatchuk sticking just yet. He looks ok, but his game requires strength to endure over a 82 game season. I'd prefer letting his frame and game mature a bit more before putting him in the NHL lineup.

The training camp with so many bodies and mish-mash of lneups, i think the openings are still unclear:
gaudreau - monahan - (brouwer/ferland/chiasson)
(tkatchuk/ferland/??) - bennet - (brouwer/chiasson/ferland/??)

was really hoping for a guy like shinkaruk to make a push, but havne't seen anyone jump out. Maybe they put jankowski some where on the wing in the top 6, but even he looks better suited to play #1 C in the AHL this year, though he's had a decent camp thus far.

[Toonage]

Figured this is as good a place to put it as any, but Alex Chiasson has noted that his last name is pronounced "Chay-sawn". They brought this up on the TSN broadcast last night and even Wills this morning is saying it right.

On topic - he probably gets the first look at #1 RW

[Enoch Root]

I am not writing Chiasson off until I actually see him with Gaudreau and Monahan

[Har-Calgary]

I think Pribyl and Chiasson will get the longest looks as they were the ones brought in to play on that line. I think Pribyl was even told he'd get a chance to play on top line? Or am I remembering that wrong? Regardless, Chiasson hasn't looked great but it's still early and we haven't seen him suit up with Johnny yet. Does anyone the extent or Pribyl's injury? I'm really excited to see what he brings.

[GranteedEV]

While he's not going to replace Hudler's goal scoring, Ferland would be my choice. He gets pucks deep and can fish them to Johnny and Mony. I want to see him capitalize on more chances (I'm convinced he was pretty unlucky last year even for "stone hands" player standards) but his 5-on-5 assist rate (0.99) was ridiculously high. That's a higher assist rate last year than:

Sam Bennett
Filip Forsberg
Marian Hossa
Patrice Bergeron
Jason Spezza
Jack Eichel
Chris Kunitz
Evgeni Malkin
Nikolaj Ehlers
Travis Zajac
David Backes
Sam Reinhart
Michael Frolik
Brad Marchand
Phil Kessel
Sean Monahan
Tyler Seguin
Joe Pavelski
Pavel Datsyuk

Now can all those guys score more goals than him? Yes. That's part of why they're better players. But we don't need Ferland to be half as good as those guys... we need him to get the puck to Johnny and Monny. He'd be the third best player on that line. Even if there are chances he doesn't finish, those are rebounds that Gaudreau and Monahan usually tap in. He didn't score many goals, but he still had a similar 5-on-5 goal production rate last year to:

Mikko Koivu
Ryan Getzlaf
Henrik Sedin
Matthiew Perrault


It's okay to put a guy whose job is to make plays with a pair of 30 goal scorers like Johnny and Monny. And I believe his goal scoring luck will bounce to around a 11-12 goal pace, maybe even better with those linemates. Plays don't die on Ferland's stick. He just hasn't finished optimally. Yet.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

I think Pribyl and Chiasson will get the longest looks as they were the ones brought in to play on that line. I think Pribyl was even told he'd get a chance to play on top line? Or am I remembering that wrong? Regardless, Chiasson hasn't looked great but it's still early and we haven't seen him suit up with Johnny yet. Does anyone the extent or Pribyl's injury? I'm really excited to see what he brings.

I hope Pribyl can, because the other options aren't looking great so far. Beyond Pribyl's potential, I think Ferland and Shinkaruk are the best options. Chiasson looks like he's barely 4th line capable, let alone top line.

[polak]

You see I get excited about the season then threads like this come up and you realize that Freddie Hamilton is being discussed for a first line role on this team and it's not actually that crazy and I realize there's still a loooooooong way to go...

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by polak

You see I get excited about the season then threads like this come up and you realize that Freddie Hamilton is being discussed for a first line role on this team and it's not actually that crazy and I realize there's still a loooooooong way to go...

Yeah because every stanley cup contending team has 3 star players on their top line.

This is the NHL where it's all about good pairings alongside a complimentary piece. Get over it.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Yeah because every stanley cup contending team has 3 star players on their top line.

This is the NHL where it's all about good pairings alongside a complimentary piece. Get over it.

No Stanley Cup contending team has Freddie Hamilton on their top line, that's for sure.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by polak

No Stanley Cup contending team has Freddie Hamilton on their top line, that's for sure.

The Stanley Cup winner had Conor Sheary on its top line.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by polak

No Stanley Cup contending team has Freddie Hamilton on their top line, that's for sure.

What a great argument. You're not wrong, your just an a-hole.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

What a great argument. You're not wrong, your just an a-hole.

I'm an a-hole cause I think we're screwed with our options on RW?

Oh the humanity. Give me a break.

[JerryUnderscore]

My first thought is Shinkaruk, assuming he sticks with the team to start the season. He's going to be top six or nothing, and the Bennett-Brouwer line will already have Tkachuk on their wing (at least for the first 9 games).

Ferland is also an interesting idea, but I feel like we saw he do really well with Backlund-Frolik last year. That's a trio I'd like to see continue.

Hamilton might be an option as well. I'm certainly willing to see how he does. All that RW needs to do is not bring Johnny & Mony down.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by polak

I'm an a-hole cause I think we're screwed with our options on RW?

Oh the humanity. Give me a break.

You're an a-hole because you ignore the facts and just spew random garbage to 'prove' your point.

Also figured you would've recognized one of the most popular memes on the internet. What with you always trying to be edgy and hip.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Ferland and Tkachuk make the most sense. Both are skilled enough to play with top players but play that grinding role that will compliment Johnny and Monahan so well.

[kyuss275]

I think Frolik is the best choice but I doubt anybody agrees with me.LOL

I'll say this , I know some posters ( few) didn't like the Brouwer signing but flames had no other choice. I'm' not convinced that we will even have a top 6 RW from our current farm ready by the time Brouwers contract runs out.