Dreger: Versteeg could return in mid March or earlier

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

A fringe top 6 guy on any team is not going to make or break a team's first unit PP.

Well, clearly one has.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You have been unhappy with the Flames's defensive play?

In the last seven weeks they have been one of the stingiest teams in the entire league.

I think we have a couple of players who need to play better to make us contenders. Smith has been playing out of his mind, and the Flames shouldn't overly rely on that. I've watched most of the games lately, and in every one, Smith has bailed the team out big time multiple times. But yes, big improvements from where they were at the beginning of the year. That doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.

[sureLoss]

News Update

https://twitter.com/user/status/960554491325005824


Also this was from last week:

https://twitter.com/user/status/958594514519777280

[bubbsy]

Good news. Would be great to have him back sooner than later.

Having a guy on the right side who can hold on to the puck and make plays would really help, especially on the PP.

[IgiTang]

Setbacks, Missing a third of the season or more, PP was decent but teams have adjusted and PK’s around the league have learned to shutdown what the Flames have been doing on their PP and I don’t think the sudden insertion of Versteeg suddenly changes that.

Flames still need to be looking to add to that bottom 6 and find some help for that PP ( coach or PP QB or both)

[sureLoss]

Versteeg is ahead of schedule according to GG:

https://twitter.com/user/status/960573605196087296

[Toonage]

So really he could be their deadline addition.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by Toonage

So really he could be their deadline addition.

Do you really think it’s wise for the flames to consider Versteeg as the answer to their bottom 6 and PP woes after not playing for 3 months? And only skating for a few weeks when he comes back? It’s a nice story but not something I would think the flames can Bank on.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

Do you really think it’s wise for the flames to consider Versteeg as the answer to their bottom 6 and PP woes after not playing for 3 months? And only skating for a few weeks when he comes back? It’s a nice story but not something I would think the flames can Bank on.

Concerns me too, but given the assets they have to spend and what is required this might be what they opt to go with. Doesn't mean they'll throw him into the lineup right away but its quite possible he sees the ice during the final stretch and (hopefully) into the playoffs.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Concerns me too, but given the assets they have to spend and what is required this might be what they opt to go with. Doesn't mean they'll throw him into the lineup right away but its quite possible he sees the ice during the final stretch and (hopefully) into the playoffs.

Yeah that might be what they end up doing but that basically gets them to their lineup at beginning of year. Can’t say I’m thrilled to death about it.

If Flames make a move, I think it will be sooner rather than later. They are in a dogfight to get into playoffs which means these games now are crucial.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Concerns me too, but given the assets they have to spend and what is required this might be what they opt to go with. Doesn't mean they'll throw him into the lineup right away but its quite possible he sees the ice during the final stretch and (hopefully) into the playoffs.

Good point about the assets and as much as I loathe the Brodie support for a player who is just not playing good hockey on a nightly basis. changing that top 4 to have a trading chip isn’t a smart move either, at the deadline anyway, unless it’s from a seller position to recoup some pucks for the draft. But that’s the minority opinion, I know.

Likely best BT does stay put and in that event, I guess you could consider Kris’ return a “deadline acquisition”.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well, clearly one has.

No, it's just a very bad powerplay. If you think he's going to come back and suddenly the Flames have a respectable 20% PP, you're mistaken. Until the team learns to move the puck quickly and generate offense through anyone other than Guadreau, it won't matter who else lines up on the top unit.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

No, it's just a very bad powerplay. If you think he's going to come back and suddenly the Flames have a respectable 20% PP, you're mistaken. Until the team learns to move the puck quickly and generate offense through anyone other than Guadreau, it won't matter who else lines up on the top unit.

I think you're looking at matters far too broadly.


Adding a right-shot skilled forward who can both finish and set-up plays to the PP, which coincedentally hasn't had its mojo since he went down, should greatly improve chances at net.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

No, it's just a very bad powerplay. If you think he's going to come back and suddenly the Flames have a respectable 20% PP, you're mistaken. Until the team learns to move the puck quickly and generate offense through anyone other than Guadreau, it won't matter who else lines up on the top unit.

I think execution has struggled at times, but i don't believe that's the reason, at least in its entirety, for their demise.

I'm pretty sure they have almost everybody other than 1 blueliner on the top PP that is a Lefthanded shot. I think that immediately makes things easier on the PK, as they are able to bias to just one side.

Furthermore, this means the biggest threat on the PP, the only real threat comes from Johnny on the left halfboards. Having versteeg on the PP allowed for another player on the opposite side who has to be respected as far as making dangerous, cross seam type plays.

Having a guy on the left or right wings that can one time the puck would be HUGE. With or without versteeg, that is a major gap in the PP personnel in my opinion.

I think having versteeg as the 12th forward, who plays primarily a PP specialist role with the team is still a decent option. The PP definitely showed it can click with him and johnny manning opposite sides of the PP. Now, after being away for so long, and at his age, can versteeg even be a regular in the lineup? that'll be the big question, and one i am sure the flames hope to have some initial answer to before the deadline.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

I think you're looking at matters far too broadly.


Adding a right-shot skilled forward who can both finish and set-up plays to the PP, which coincedentally hasn't had its mojo since he went down, should greatly improve chances at net.

I would suggest the coaching/system is flawed if they cannot find a way to make the existing group successful on a regular basis. It's not like the Flames have a bunch of nitwits running into each other on the top unit. These are all guys that have produced at a high level before.

Considering this significant injury will have likely reduced Versteeg's impact/abilities already, I'm not going to convince myself this will result in a 6-7% uptick in PP effectiveness (which is what it will take to make an impact at this stature of the season). I'd gladly accept being wrong on this, however, Versteeg is simply not a significant enough piece to justify putting this much stock into his return.

[Drunk Uncle]

I hope we see Versteeg slot in on the right side of Bennett and Jankowski. I think he could add some finish to that line.

In addition to the 3rd line I can't wait to see him back on the PP. As much as I want to believe that Versteeg shouldn't matter a lot to the PP, he clearly does. They struggled last year before they put him on the right side of the umbrella and they clearly have struggled without him there this year.

[IgiTang]

It drives me nuts reading how people think the reason the PP was doing so much better than it has been is because of Versteeg.

Reality is is that teams were still figuring out their PK and systems play/personnel to an extent as well. To suggest that the presence of Versteeg was the reason the teams PP was much more successful is silly, IMO. Fact is a lot of teams in the first 1/3rd of the season took tha flames too lightly and focused on the other Alberta team that was to be the powerhouse and many nights the Flames seem backup goalies and less focused play, I feel.

Now the tables have turned and teams have figured out the flames are the bigger threat and bring a heavier, more focused and determined game. I know, it’s subjective and impossible to prove, so let’s just leave it at that.

I feel that since the flames have stuck to the 1-2-2 or 1-3-1 PP with the shoot from the circles off the half boards and funnel everything to the net that they were using with Vertsteeg and continued to use after he went down and teams started figuring it out, hasn’t changed enough and teams will still easily shutdown the PP with Versteeg in the lineup.

It’s a systems issue. Poor setup with no set plays except for a down low pass to chucky I hopes he can jam it in. JG’s shot was too predictable as was Backlunds. Both of which have better shots than Versteeg.

Listen, I hope I’m wrong and that PP lights back up and this isn’t a knock against Versteeg, it’s a cry for a proper PP strategy. It’s not the personnel, it’s the system.

[Drunk Uncle]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

It drives me nuts reading how people think the reason the PP was doing so much better than it has been is because of Versteeg.

Reality is is that teams were still figuring out their PK and systems play/personnel to an extent as well. To suggest that the presence of Versteeg was the reason the teams PP was much more successful is silly, IMO. Fact is a lot of teams in the first 1/3rd of the season took tha flames too lightly and focused on the other Alberta team that was to be the powerhouse and many nights the Flames seem backup goalies and less focused play, I feel.

Now the tables have turned and teams have figured out the flames are the bigger threat and bring a heavier, more focused and determined game. I know, it’s subjective and impossible to prove, so let’s just leave it at that.

I feel that since the flames have stuck to the 1-2-2 or 1-3-1 PP with the shoot from the circles off the half boards and funnel everything to the net that they were using with Vertsteeg and continued to use after he went down and teams started figuring it out, hasn’t changed enough and teams will still easily shutdown the PP with Versteeg in the lineup.

It’s a systems issue. Poor setup with no set plays except for a down low pass to chucky I hopes he can jam it in. JG’s shot was too predictable as was Backlunds. Both of which have better shots than Versteeg.

Listen, I hope I’m wrong and that PP lights back up and this isn’t a knock against Versteeg, it’s a cry for a proper PP strategy. It’s not the personnel, it’s the system.

With the amount of video in the NHL I doubt it takes longer than 1-3 games for another team to figure out what PP system a team is trying to run. Other teams will definitely scheme to shut it down but there are multiple options within a system to make it work depending on what pressure they get. To me it's about execution and the decisions the players make within that system that makes it work or fail. From my view point, there hasn't been a player tried on that right side better than Versteeg at making the correct decisions, especially under pressure.

Great news is we are going to get to see if the Versteeg effect on the PP is made up or real a lot sooner than expected.

[djsFlames]

Brad's deadline acquisition.

[djsFlames]

He does well opposite Johnny on the right side of the diamond on the PP. Gets the puck off quickly and likes to shoot (while getting it on net), so that in itself helps.