[PGT] Flames win 3-2 in Colorado. Rittich with the win!

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by New Era

Who would have thought that the answer to some of the team's problems were hiding in the AHL on our own farm team? Amazing what a little opportunity can do? Hopefully the team will stop signing garbage veterans and let their own home grown talent take a run at filling some of these gaps. Next problem to send down permanently is Bartkowski, and replace him with Andersson. Come on Flames, you know you want to!

I wouldn't exactly go ahead an anoint Rittich a regular NHLer after one solid game. He still has much to prove, and Brad should always be on the lookout for vets who are able to contribute.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by New Era

Who would have thought that the answer to some of the team's problems were hiding in the AHL on our own farm team? Amazing what a little opportunity can do? Hopefully the team will stop signing garbage veterans and let their own home grown talent take a run at filling some of these gaps. Next problem to send down permanently is Bartkowski, and replace him with Andersson. Come on Flames, you know you want to!

Well to be honest, this team hasn't had a lot of guys on the farm that deserved to be up over the veterans until recently. This team started drafting well a few years ago, but it takes a few years until most of those picks are ready for the NHL. That's why poor drafting sucks, because it takes years to recuperate from it.

I would also argue that the development strategy has only been in place since Treliving took over, and that has meant that players do MOST of their development in the minors or in college. Only Tkachuk and Monahan have made their way onto the team immediately after being drafted (Sam Bennett excluded due to his injury year), and that's because they brought a mature game that only required tweaking once they were in the NHL.

Some guys have just never taken the opportunity either. It's not like Nik Grossmann prevented Tyler Wotherspoon from taking a job. It's Wotherspoon's fault that he didn't work harder on his game to make the jump to the NHL, nobody else's. What management has done is try to fill the holes through free agency without breaking the bank. That leaves you with guys that aren't that good anymore and that's why they weren't re-signed by their current club.

It's just the phase of team development that we had to go through. It doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever. However, I do like the strategy of having a borderline NHLer be the competition for a prospect. If they can't beat out that borderline NHLer for a job, they aren't going to be good enough anyway, and at least we have that borderline NHLer to fill a hole until it's figured out down the road. Makes perfect sense to me.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Well to be honest, this team hasn't had a lot of guys on the farm that deserved to be up over the veterans until recently. This team started drafting well a few years ago, but it takes a few years until most of those picks are ready for the NHL. That's why poor drafting sucks, because it takes years to recuperate from it.

I would also argue that the development strategy has only been in place since Treliving took over, and that has meant that players do MOST of their development in the minors or in college. Only Tkachuk and Monahan have made their way onto the team immediately after being drafted (Sam Bennett excluded due to his injury year), and that's because they brought a mature game that only required tweaking once they were in the NHL.

Some guys have just never taken the opportunity either. It's not like Nik Grossmann prevented Tyler Wotherspoon from taking a job. It's Wotherspoon's fault that he didn't work harder on his game to make the jump to the NHL, nobody else's. What management has done is try to fill the holes through free agency without breaking the bank. That leaves you with guys that aren't that good anymore and that's why they weren't re-signed by their current club.

It's just the phase of team development that we had to go through. It doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever. However, I do like the strategy of having a borderline NHLer be the competition for a prospect. If they can't beat out that borderline NHLer for a job, they aren't going to be good enough anyway, and at least we have that borderline NHLer to fill a hole until it's figured out down the road. Makes perfect sense to me.

The problem is the team isn't prepared to take chances on their prospects unless they are drafted early. They would rather roll the dice and hope a broken down veteran can step in a play. Those veterans ####e the bed just as hard as any unproven prospect, but they get cut some slack because they are, after all, veteran NHLers. How can you expect to beat out a veteran if they are pretty much guaranteed a spot because of contract status? But the young guy gets sent down so we can have that veteran presence and stability on those lower lines. It gets very frustrating, especially when you see some of the youngsters come up and do no worse, but have the ability to get better through exposure to the game. Sometimes the best solution to your problem is right under your nose and you just have to challenge a player to step up. I mean, what's the worse that could happen? They play as bad as Bartkowski or Stajan or Lack?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by New Era

The problem is the team isn't prepared to take chances on their prospects unless they are drafted early. They would rather roll the dice and hope a broken down veteran can step in a play. Those veterans ####e the bed just as hard as any unproven prospect, but they get cut some slack because they are, after all, veteran NHLers. How can you expect to beat out a veteran if they are pretty much guaranteed a spot because of contract status? But the young guy gets sent down so we can have that veteran presence and stability on those lower lines. It gets very frustrating, especially when you see some of the youngsters come up and do no worse, but have the ability to get better through exposure to the game. Sometimes the best solution to your problem is right under your nose and you just have to challenge a player to step up. I mean, what's the worse that could happen? They play as bad as Bartkowski or Stajan or Lack?

You are acting like a bunch of prospects came to camp and wowed management. Aside from Jankowski (who had to wait in the AHL for 6 measly games) they didn't and that includes Mangiapane, Hathaway, Rittich, Gillies or any realistic LH defence prospect to challenge Bart. Frankly, I don't think it's beyond the pale to ask a prospect to have to clearly beat a guy with an NHL track record.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by New Era

The problem is the team isn't prepared to take chances on their prospects unless they are drafted early. They would rather roll the dice and hope a broken down veteran can step in a play. Those veterans ####e the bed just as hard as any unproven prospect, but they get cut some slack because they are, after all, veteran NHLers. How can you expect to beat out a veteran if they are pretty much guaranteed a spot because of contract status? But the young guy gets sent down so we can have that veteran presence and stability on those lower lines. It gets very frustrating, especially when you see some of the youngsters come up and do no worse, but have the ability to get better through exposure to the game. Sometimes the best solution to your problem is right under your nose and you just have to challenge a player to step up. I mean, what's the worse that could happen? They play as bad as Bartkowski or Stajan or Lack?

Personally, I think its better for a prospect to come up an beat a guy out for a spot rather then having a spot open for them to just slip into. That's the way that Edmonton develops players. You need to have a broken down veteran in the position for a young guy to displace, otherwise your just handing it to them on a silver platter, and they learn nothing of drive, effort and dedication. Just look at the prima donna factory up north.

[Kipper_3434]

Flames seem to bet on has-beens more so than could-bes. Not my favourite strategy to be honest, but it pays off sometimes with guys like Versteeg last season.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Flames seem to bet on has-beens more so than could-bes. Not my favourite strategy to be honest, but it pays off sometimes with guys like Versteeg last season.

Even if this is true, this is not an issue with Flames coaching and management so much as it is the way of hockey culture in the NHL. You will see precisely the same complaints from virtually every other fanbase.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Flames seem to bet on has-beens more so than could-bes. Not my favourite strategy to be honest, but it pays off sometimes with guys like Versteeg last season.

I would say that the 'true' 'could-bes' are very costly, and the 'tainted' 'could-bes' like Lazar and Chiasson and Raymond are players who clearly took a step back in their development, but potentially have more in the tank than they have shown in the NHL yet. These are players that the Flames have indeed bet on. Obviously none of those approaches have worked out well so far, with the jury still somewhat in session on Lazar

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

I would say that the 'true' 'could-bes' are very costly, and the 'tainted' 'could-bes' like Lazar and Chiasson and Raymond are players who clearly took a step back in their development, but potentially have more in the tank than they have shown in the NHL yet. These are players that the Flames have indeed bet on. Obviously none of those approaches have worked out well so far, with the jury still somewhat in session on Lazar

I think I speak for most of us when I say Lazar's jury is voting to convict.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

I would say that the 'true' 'could-bes' are very costly, and the 'tainted' 'could-bes' like Lazar and Chiasson and Raymond are players who clearly took a step back in their development, but potentially have more in the tank than they have shown in the NHL yet. These are players that the Flames have indeed bet on. Obviously none of those approaches have worked out well so far, with the jury still somewhat in session on Lazar

Chiasson was fine for the one season he was here, relative to cap hit, so I would say that worked. Versteegs first season was a great deal.

So, very hit and miss.