Heat vs Marlies, 8pm MT, Nov 1

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Brust is quite the character.

He seems awesome. I like his gumption.

[jeffman]

Wheres Leland Irving?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by jeffman

Wheres Leland Irving?

being sent a message apparently.

[Table 5]

Man, that was some terrible play-by-play work as well. I hate it when announcers call games like it's baseball and react to things seconds after they happen. You'd also think with the second goal, he'd also be a little more excited.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Irving was backing up Brust last night (surprisingly as it burned one of his games off his contract).

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by nik-

being sent a message apparently.

I think you are reading far too much into things.

The reason he isn’t getting many starts is because he doesn’t deserve many starts. However, Ward talking to the Fan acknowledge that he is likely slow to get up to speed because he didn’t expect to be in Abby and then was suddenly there last minute.

There are no messages being sent- the players that are playing the best play more.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I think you are reading far too much into things.

The reason he isn’t getting many starts is because he doesn’t deserve many starts. However, Ward talking to the Fan acknowledge that he is likely slow to get up to speed because he didn’t expect to be in Abby and then was suddenly there last minute.

There are no messages being sent- the players that are playing the best play more.

Honestly though, I'll accept the getting up to speed in the first few games. We're at 8 games now and he's at 1 start. He needs to be playing, and if he's not in the plans, let him play himself out of the plans. However as far as I know and from what we've been told, he is in the plans and should be out there.

Being sent a message was me being facetious, but this is bad asset management imo.

[Henry Fool]

Whatever the reason, I hate to see goalie prospects sitting on the bench. Last season was mostly a waste for Ortio in Abbotsfort. Those kids need starts. Find them some place where they can play.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by nik-

Honestly though, I'll accept the getting up to speed in the first few games. We're at 8 games now and he's at 1 start. He needs to be playing, and if he's not in the plans, let him play himself out of the plans. However as far as I know and from what we've been told, he is in the plans and should be out there.

Being sent a message was me being facetious, but this is bad asset management imo.

That’s the cost of awarding playing time on merit.

Irving is in control of his situation. Decisions on who plays are being made on what happens in games and in practice. If he wants to get in more – he needs to stop more pucks in those sessions.

Opportunities are earned.

[nik-]

I feel he earned more opportunity by recovering from a poor start and having a pretty good game against Erie. An actual game and not practice. If were hampering our only legitimate goalie stepping stone between Kipper and the kids over practice, then I think that's a pretty big problem.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by nik-

I feel he earned more opportunity by recovering from a poor start and having a pretty good game against Erie. An actual game and not practice. If were hampering our only legitimate goalie stepping stone between Kipper and the kids over practice, then I think that's a pretty big problem.

Why? What happens in practice is and should be a big factor in who plays.

I also don't know if he is the only legitimate goalie between Kpper and the kids - I think Ramo at this point very well could be considered a more likely successor.

[devo22]

Taylor and Brust are obviously playing better right now - they deserve their starts. I love that Ward isn't handing starts to Irving just because he could be Kipper's heir apparent. He should earn the starts like the other guys have to. If he works his behind off in practice, he'll play.

[Badgers Nose]

If these games were on network TV I think I could live with out the old fart Flames.

Ward is the coach I wanted, and I am more invested in the Flame's kids right now rather than the NHL roster.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Why? What happens in practice is and should be a big factor in who plays.

I also don't know if he is the only legitimate goalie between Kpper and the kids - I think Ramo at this point very well could be considered a more likely successor.

Perhaps. But based on the progress Irving made last season in the NHL I think that merits more than 1 start in 8 games. IMO his play last season was the best a Flames backup goalie has looked in nearly a decade.

This is a guy, after all, that the Flames invested a first round draft pick in. I'm all for equal opportunity, but don't you think they need to figure out exactly what they've got here?

Out of any of the Abby goaltenders he's the only guy who will have legitimate value to the Flames' future. Seems like an awfully big waste to have him sitting on the bench/in the press box.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Perhaps. But based on the progress Irving made last season in the NHL I think that merits more than 1 start in 8 games. IMO his play last season was the best a Flames backup goalie has looked in nearly a decade.

This is a guy, after all, that the Flames invested a first round draft pick in. I'm all for equal opportunity, but don't you think they need to figure out exactly what they've got here?

Out of any of the Abby goaltenders he's the only guy who will have legitimate value to the Flames' future. Seems like an awfully big waste to have him sitting on the bench/in the press box.

Well it’s 8 games in so far too early to panic particularly since he’s got a finite number of games he can play unless the lockout ends.

If he can earn the starting job in the AHL – it doesn’t say much for his chance to do it at the NHL level.

I like the kid but those are the cold hard facts. He’s competing for minutes with two minor league journeymen.

[Vulcan]

These other guys are fine AHL goalies but have never shown anything that they will be anything else. Irving has shown that so far he can play in the NHL and as the Heat are a development team, he should get priority. Not all AHL stars can handle the NHL, look at McElhinney and Trefilov as examples.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

How many times can you see the word 'practice' in a thread before you start thinking about dropping Alan Iverson references?

For me it's 2.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Well it’s 8 games in so far too early to panic particularly since he’s got a finite number of games he can play unless the lockout ends.

If he can earn the starting job in the AHL – it doesn’t say much for his chance to do it at the NHL level.

I like the kid but those are the cold hard facts. He’s competing for minutes with two minor league journeymen.

Well like I said, he should be playing himself out of the future in games, it shouldn't be left to media and fans to pick apart vague comments about practices. Because from what I saw in the game, he earned at least a 50/50 role considering the investment in him.

Anyway, it just comes down to me really not being a fan of how they're handling this. Meritocracy is great and all, but that team exists to develop our kids too.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Well it’s 8 games in so far too early to panic particularly since he’s got a finite number of games he can play unless the lockout ends.

If he can earn the starting job in the AHL – it doesn’t say much for his chance to do it at the NHL level.

I like the kid but those are the cold hard facts. He’s competing for minutes with two minor league journeymen.

Are they though? Is it a job that can be won? Or does it have to be lost by Taylor first? From what I have seen if the decision was being made with a "what have you done for me last shift" mentality then Brust should be the starting goalie.

Taylor won the job in Irving's absence last year and until he loses it it seems like Taylor is Ward's man.

[sun]

Ward mentioned in an interview during the intermission that he believes Taylor will play in the NHL someday.

I wish they would play Irving more too. Icetime based on merit should only go so far in a developmental league.