Spector - Flames have bigger plans beyond key 2014 draft

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

MacLean spent 5 minutes trashing Burke and his meddling in hockey operations (he should be meddling, he's President of Hockey Ops) then he says he disagrees when Kypreos says the last thing you want is someone coming in with 10-15 yrs experience and dictating moves, apparently because the Flames GM and AGMs have no experience.

So apparently we need somebody to do what Brian Burke is doing right now, just not Brian Burke.

What he's saying is we need Doug MacLean.

[tvp2003]

“I’ll say this,” Treliving said after six weeks of examining the depth charts here. “There are more interesting assets here than I thought there were.

Gaudreau definitely falls in that category. Same with Byron and Russell -- both small guys who don't let their size define their play. I think Monahan fits simply because his age belies his maturity and development. A guy like Colborne is also pretty interesting IMO -- has size and still good upside, now playing on the wing. Heck, even a guy like McGrattan is pretty unique and valuable in his own way. And of course, Giordano is probably still not on a lot of people's radar even after his breakout year in 13/14.

Unlike the Stajans and Hudlers and even guys like Brodie and Baertschi (former a lower round pick playing at a top 4 level, latter a first round pick struggling to stick with the club), who aren't particularly unusual or unique to most teams, Flames seem to have a lot of "interesting" parts to try and mold together.

[saillias]

I actually find that quote a little concerning. Burke said Treviling is the hardest working guy out there - and his thing is acquiring information about everything.

Now Treviling says he didn't really know how good our assets were. So if he didn't know, no one else outside our org knows. How do you get full value out of trades when the rest of the league thinks you've got a bunch of duds. We need a local hype machine akin to what Toronto, Montreal and sadly, even Edmonton do.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

This breath of fresh air is making me dizzy.

Acquire picks? Draft a core?

Now, I know Treliving hasn't accomplished anything yet and thus this is premature, but goddamned, it's nice to have substance instead of flash.

That would be nice! And I've never even seen a poster named substance! How do we go about making the trade?

[Vinny01]

Last nights session at the dome it was crystal clear that we should expect almost all of our prospects to play in the AHL. Exceptions like Monahan are few and far between. The only player I can see them drafting this year and making the jump is Ekblad with the others almost certainly heading back to jr.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by saillias

I actually find that quote a little concerning. Burke said Treviling is the hardest working guy out there - and his thing is acquiring information about everything.

Now Treviling says he didn't really know how good our assets were. So if he didn't know, no one else outside our org knows. How do you get full value out of trades when the rest of the league thinks you've got a bunch of duds. We need a local hype machine akin to what Toronto, Montreal and sadly, even Edmonton do.

Ask him about the 28th ranked prospect in the Coyotes system and I'm sure he'd be able to talk your ear off about him for three hours. It wasn't his job to know the ins and outs of our farm system. Now it is, and now he knows.

[bubbsy]

i didn't watch the video (@work) but the article is pretty annoying.

Alberta today: The Oilers and Flames suck because of their work at the draft table. End of story.

total rubbish. Flames were good and a playoff team for half a decade straight, which resulted in 2 things:
- more value on "now" where 2nd round picks were used as trade chips more than building the future
- the picks were never all that high. since being a playoff team (2004 onwards), flames have drafted: 24, 26, 26, 24, 25, 23, no 1st pick

How anyone can lump the flames situation with the oilers, and actually be paid salary to come up with such conclusions is beyond ridiculous. spector is just a terrible sports writer. i feel like most regular posters (whether i agree with them or not) come up with better hockey schbeel than almost any of this guy's hockey write ups.

[Freeway]

The Flames were lousy for internal prospect depth for YEARS because of bad drafting, resulting in too much reliance on (over-paid) free agents and risky trades. Full-stop.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Last nights session at the dome it was crystal clear that we should expect almost all of our prospects to play in the AHL. Exceptions like Monahan are few and far between. The only player I can see them drafting this year and making the jump is Ekblad with the others almost certainly heading back to jr.

Yeah, I understand their thoughts but as Spector says,

That means you’re getting a better player with that first round draft pick then the good teams draft, and he’s walking into a lineup that, obviously, isn’t nearly as strong.

and also I don't think a player like Reinhart or Draisaitl is going to learn much more in junior. I think we need to be open to our 1st having a chance to make the team. No spot given of course.

The saving grace if we get one of Reinhart or Draisaitl is that they can go to the AHL in one more season due to their late birthdays.

[polak]

I don't want any spots to be handed out to big name prospects and I don't want any spots to be taken away from prospects simply cause they're prospects.

It should be 100% based on how they do in camp.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Yeah, I understand their thoughts but as Spector says,



and also I don't think a player like Reinhart or Draisaitl is going to learn much more in junior. I think we need to be open to our 1st having a chance to make the team. No spot given of course.

The saving grace if we get one of Reinhart or Draisaitl is that they can go to the AHL in one more season due to their late birthdays.

I think this is the toughest part. Generally the top picks are too good to continue in junior, but you want them to get to learn the pro game first. It would be nice if there was a rule that f1st round picks could be sent to the AHL, or that you could use one "exception" status per year to send a junior-aged kid to the AHL.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Except for Maclean who has his nose out of joint because he's stuck on a third class sports network, I didn't find them thinking the Flames are poorly run. They seemed very positive.

That 3rd class network that will now be the main source of televised NHL hockey in this country for the next 12 years. What's better than MacLean and Kypreos? More MacLean and Kypreos! Good times.

[Vinny01]

I think Bennett is a really great fit for Calgary. He brings more speed and flash to his ame than Monahan so they would give the flames a very effective 1-2 punch up the middle. Different styles but nth guys play on both sides of the puck.

Also Bennett is a sure lock to go back to junior if he is drafted by the flames. I seriously doubt he spends any time in the AHL by he also does not play his 18 year old season in the NHL.

[Nehkara]

It hurt my head listening to that panel... geez.

[Samuelsson]

I like what he has to say. Speaks a good game, but lets hope he delivers one, too.

I hope when it comes down to the crunch though, he's making his own decisions and not Burke's. I'm still not sure what the deal is there, whether Treliving is just doing the donkey work, then delivering to Burke who decides whether or not to pull the trigger. A few disagreements on potential trades/signings would be a good sign, I think. Shows that Treliving's willing to put forward his opinion.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Last nights session at the dome it was crystal clear that we should expect almost all of our prospects to play in the AHL. Exceptions like Monahan are few and far between. The only player I can see them drafting this year and making the jump is Ekblad with the others almost certainly heading back to jr.

I think Gaudreau and Reinhart will have a good chance to be on the team opening day, but I agree most of the prospects (Sven, Granlund, Wotherspoon, Seiloff, Ferland, Poirier, Knight, etc) will start on the farm team. Even if they want to fill the team with prospects the Salary Cap floor will prevent that. That makes it even harder for young players to crack the NHL club.

[Jacks]

That was brutal to listen to. MacLean obviously feels that only a dinosaur like himself can rebuild a team. Sorry Doug, if it's a choice between you and Treliving I'll take my chances with Treliving.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Jacks

That was brutal to listen to. MacLean obviously feels that only a dinosaur like himself can rebuild a team. Sorry Doug, if it's a choice between you and Treliving I'll take my chances with Treliving.

The best part is we have arguably the most experienced available executive at the top of our managment tree. So he's just a drooling idiot.

[nik-]

haha finally watched it. Poor MacLean, just trying to take a stance and just completely out in the woods on his own. Just no logic to what he's saying at all.

[Bezer]

I certainly wasn't impressed with Doug MacLean. He really came off as if he should be running the show and the Flames are clearly doing it wrong and he was shocked that no one else sees it.

I realize that he and other media guys are paid to give their opinions but I sure have a lot more respect for a guy like Elliot Friedman. Who even though I don't agree with everything that he says, he at least backs it up and doesn't come off as complete jack ass.