2014-15 Calder Trophy Race

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

They didn't have a good point.

I don't think someone who has failed to understand the point can make that comment.

[Finger Cookin]

K.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Igster

Holidays are making people cranky.

What the *$@# is that supposed to mean?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?11?!

Just kidding, Merry Christmas buddy!

How sweet would it have been to have one of the other 2 playing on this team too? We probably could have got Forsberg for something we had at the time and it might have been near impossible to get Ekblad. I'm extremely happy we have Bennett though.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

It's just your foolish pride getting in the way man, don't do that.

Speaking of foolish pride, aren't you the guy who's spent two weeks vehemently denying there was any kind of bad luck plaguing the flames as of recent? You've got a lot of nerve calling anyone else stubborn.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Dale Tallon should be fired outright for even entertaining a trade of that first pick. I wish teams with the first overall pick would quit embarrassing themselves with the trade nonsense.

Florida is tied in points with the 8th seed Rangers though so that has to say something. As a GM you should always explore all your options. He didn't get his price and made the pick so that probably deserves a bit of credit as well. Seems unlikely we will see the first team this year listening to offers. You might say your willing to deal the first overall pick but in reality you know it would take an offer that almost certainly would never come.

Edit: Been quite the treat to be able to watch Johnny so far. His success so far is half expected half surprising to me. You just never know how players will adjust and him being so small it was a legitimate concern. As we've seen though he proves people wrong anywhere and everywhere so why doubt him now. He could definitely be a key piece to bringing home a Cup in the not so distant future. Looking like a star in the making.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Speaking of foolish pride, aren't you the guy who's spent two weeks vehemently denying there was any kind of bad luck plaguing the flames as of recent? You've got a lot of nerve calling anyone else stubborn.

The Flames have not been "un-lucky". What, they win one last night and we are back to thinking the Flames lost 8 in a row due to luck?

Are you fricken crazy? You lose a game, maybe two to bad luck. You lose 8 in a row because you are getting out played and not doing enough to win. If you want to simply chalk an 8 game losing streak to not getting the bounces, have at it............not sure though that can be used as an example of my foolish pride getting in the way. In fact, I'd say there are likely much better examples you could dig up of my pride getting in the way.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Dale Tallon should be fired outright for even entertaining a trade of that first pick. I wish teams with the first overall pick would quit embarrassing themselves with the trade nonsense.

"Team X entertaining thoughts of trading 1st overall"

That happens every year and no one takes it seriously except for fan message boards since it never happens.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

The Flames have not been "un-lucky".

Really? Tell that to Captain Mark Giordano:

"With all the bad luck we've had the last few weeks it was nice to see some go our way tonight" - Gio



We've played poorly, but if we didn't have bad luck as of recent, we'd have no luck.

You've been a nuisance banging the "no bad luck drum" recently, ranting at everyone that's pointed it out. We've had a few weeks of nothing but bad bounces. As I said, you're no one to be commenting on posters being stubborn. Glad to see you admit there are other examples. I have no doubt about that. This was the most recent one that stuck out, so I said it.

[Geeoff]

I think it's crazy how many times Forsberg has been traded. Bad asset management for sure. Nice for Nashville, as they really haven't had an offensive star in their history.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Dale Tallon should be fired outright for even entertaining a trade of that first pick. I wish teams with the first overall pick would quit embarrassing themselves with the trade nonsense.

Depends on the deal. Quebec did pretty well trading Lindros. In hindsight a lot of teams probably wished they traded their first overall. Imagine the return Ottawa could have gotten for Daigle. Edmonton probably wishes now that they traded down from Yakupov.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I think it's crazy how many times Forsberg has been traded. Bad asset management for sure. Nice for Nashville, as they really haven't had an offensive star in their history.

Once?

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Really? Tell that to Captain Mark Giordano:

"With all the bad luck we've had the last few weeks it was nice to see some go our way tonight" - Gio



We've played poorly, but if we didn't have bad luck as of recent, we'd have no luck.

You've been a nuisance banging the "no bad luck drum" recently, ranting at everyone that's pointed it out. We've had a few weeks of nothing but bad bounces. As I said, you're no one to be commenting on posters being stubborn. Glad to see you admit there are other examples. I have no doubt about that. This was the most recent one that stuck out, so I said it.

Bad luck has been as responsible for our recent losing skid, as good luck was for our record previously.

Does that work for you?

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Bad luck has been as responsible for our recent losing skid, as good luck was for our record previously.

Does that work for you?

Tell yourself whatever you want. Normally, you get good bounces and bad. Lately, we've very clearly had nothing but bad bounces. It happens in stretches, and evens out. You're the one who's spent several game threads jumping all over people that have pointed it out. Stubborn. Time to move on.

[krynski]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

Not sure I agree. With JG coming out of college and adjusting to the NHL grind and extended schedule, I expect the opposite will happen if anything. I expect he'll show signs of wearing down through the dog days of January and February.

Could be wrong though. He's right there with the other two - could legitimately make a case for all three. And if Michael Hutchinson was getting a few more starts I think you'd have to include him as well.

Bang on. This kid is doing amazing.

Forwards and offensive potential usually over-looks defensive.

Forsberg has it all. He has done amazing in international tournaments, he's got a name you can not ignore, and he's making a big splash with his club. He's got it all, I would say that it may be his to lose.

Gaudreau has the story. He's 5'9" on a good day and weighs 150 lb. He has no business being in the league. He has a huge impact on a team comprised of a few good individuals left over from the Iginla era, some bolts, and youngsters who are stepping up to the plate. If he can bring up his point total, if the Flames make the playoffs, and Forsberg regresses a bit, it may very well be his.

You can not ignore Hutchinson. .940 SV%, 1.73 GAA and he's 7-2-2. It's very difficult to become a starting goaltender and Pavelec is a proven goalie with the best numbers of his career right now. Hutchinson has the stats. He needs the numbers now. With more games played and if he can get that no.1 goaltender spot to carry WPG to the playoffs, he could be it.

Ekblad is doing great. No.1 pick in 2014. This guy is awesome. Florida must make the playoffs for him to fight off Forsberg for contention, however. He needs to carry the team.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Tell yourself whatever you want. Normally, you get good bounces and bad. Lately, we've very clearly had nothing but bad bounces. It happens in stretches, and evens out. You're the one who's spent several game threads jumping all over people that have pointed it out. Stubborn. Time to move on.

Yes, I will continue to tell myself that Flames record, earlier and recently has not been influenced any more by luck than should be typically expected. You, can continue to burry your head in the sand and tell yourself that there was nothing this team could have done as clearly one of the players let a black cat cross their path a few weeks back.

Also, in order for me to be stubborn on this issue, you'd have needed to actually prove to me that bad luck was the cause of our loses (which is actually impossible to due, given we are talking about an intangible in luck). A cherry picked quote from the captain saying we were un-lucky (I'd love to get Mark's actual thoughts on this when he's not giving media sound bites) is far from proof.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Yes, I will continue to tell myself that Flames record, earlier and recently has not been influenced any more by luck than should be typically expected. You, can continue to burry your head in the sand and tell yourself that there was nothing this team could have done as clearly one of the players let a black cat cross their path a few weeks back.

Also, in order for me to be stubborn on this issue, you'd have needed to actually prove to me that bad luck was the cause of our loses (which is actually impossible to due, given we are talking about an intangible in luck). A cherry picked quote from the captain saying we were un-lucky (I'd love to get Mark's actual thoughts on this when he's not giving media sound bites) is far from proof.

Except the problem isn't what you've been telling yourself, it's what you've been spewing at nausea in the game threads. No one said the losses were due exclusively to bad luck. You're acting like that to try and save face. People have mentioned we've had a lot of bad luck and bad bounces and you've repeatedly said there has been "no" bad luck. But I digress, this is exactly the stubbornness I've been referring to, in two different instances. Thanks for proving my point. I'll leave it at that as to avoid being further pulled into said stubbornness.

[Dion]

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Except the problem isn't what you've been telling yourself, it's what you've been spewing at nausea in the game threads. No one said the losses were due exclusively to bad luck. You're acting like that to try and save face. People have mentioned we've had a lot of bad luck and bad bounces and you've repeatedly said there has been "no" bad luck. But I digress, this is exactly the stubbornness I've been referring to, in two different instances. Thanks for proving my point. I'll leave it at that as to avoid being further pulled into said stubbornness.

*snicker*

To the topic at hand.... Forsberg is on a better line on a better team with a better goalie. However, the season isn't even half over yet. Gaudreau has been shooting more and may see his production increase as a result.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

The Flames have not been "un-lucky". What, they win one last night and we are back to thinking the Flames lost 8 in a row due to luck?

Are you fricken crazy? You lose a game, maybe two to bad luck. You lose 8 in a row because you are getting out played and not doing enough to win.

Flames got notably outplayed in Buffalo, Pittsburg, and NYR. No one is saying we win those (though we " should" have beat Buffalo.

Chicago, Toronto, SJ, Vancouver, LA and Dallas though? We were 1-4-1 in these six but every single one was winnable . A few mm here and there on passes and shots go different, and we could be 3-1-2, or 8 points. Even if it's 3-4-2 in nine games instead of 1-7-1, it's HUGE.

I don't think I am being absurd saying luck cost us about five extra points over a nine game stretch. Doesn't mean our eight game losing streak is a stealthy 13-game win streak. No one's claiming that. But instead of 5-7-1 in our last thirteen we could be 7-4-2 in the same stretch. I firmly believe that.

Of course the flip side to that is also true - we won some games throughout the season with good luck - Johnny's off-the skates goal last night defies all chance for instance.

It's easy to say "team could have done more" but that's still denying that "team could have done less.". Team did what they did, all we can do is evaluate thr possessions, rushes, forchecks, and goals and admit where luck helped us and hurt us and didn't affect us at all.

Now, if we had better goaltending, or more forward star power, maybe those one-goal games or momentum swings are NOT controlled by luck. But based on who was playing on those games, don't pretend they were unwinnable or unlosable just because of who won or lost.

Guys like Johnny, Monahan, Gio have a high compete level and clutchness that was still there.

[Bunk]

Ekblad is really showing he deserved #1 overall. Very impressive point totals for a rookie defenseman, and really making an impact on Florida winning more this year.