[News] Flames claim Joey MacDonald

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Dion

Flames goaltending coach Clint Malarchuk disgrees with you....

... at least publically.

[thymebalm]

Why would the Flames make any decisions before tonights game?

If Irving plays well, keep him and MacDonald. If he has another sub .900sv% and lets in more than 3 goals, send him down and go MacDonald / Taylor.

Malarchuk might have said some nice things about him when the press asked questions, but it's pretty obvious that Irving is circling the toilet bowl with the Flames organization.

He hasn't been the starter on the farm for 3 seasons, and he's been waived repeatedly and signed only one year at time. If they had any faith in him, they'd of given him 2 or 3 seasons to settle in and play his role.

They grab a guy like Ramo, and pump his tires... And now they grab MacDonald.

Having watched a lot of Taylor this season I wish they'd start him and show the fans the player they signed and why he deserved the contract. But I postulated in an earlier thread that sadly, he played one period as kid years ago, five years later, on his next stint to the bigs, he may not play at all.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Zee

I believe there are teams that will trade for Taylor, no need to risk losing him on waivers.

No one's going to trade for Taylor prior to him clearing waivers because that means they either have to keep him in the NHL or waive him themselves. Like Karlsson, if he clears waivers he might have some value to a team that wants an upgrade for their affiliate.

But keep in mind, this is a guy that anyone in the league could've signed for nothing a week ago, so it strikes me as being somewhat unlikely that a team is going to part with assets for him.

[Fire]

Irving doesn't have what it takes to be a #1 goalie. I don't think he can mentally handle the pressure of it. Terrible pick in the first round. Just like Krahn was a terrible pick. The Flames have two good goalie prospects (Gillies and Brossoit) that weren't drafted in the first round. Hopefully they learn from that.

If they are replacing Irving with Macdonald I would like to see Taylor in net tonight to see if he has any game.

[magicpixels]

Originally Posted by Fire

Irving doesn't have what it takes to be a #1 goalie. I don't think he can mentally handle the pressure of it. Terrible pick in the first round. Just like Krahn was a terrible pick. The Flames have two good goalie prospects (Gillies and Brossoit) that weren't drafted in the first round. Hopefully they learn from that.

If they are replacing Irving with Macdonald I would like to see Taylor in net tonight to see if he has any game.

Really?

Two kids that have done nothing yet are better. Really great to know. Everyone's basis for this is that Broissoit has such great Junior numbers. Well an FYI Irving was amazing in the WHL and did put up good numbers in the minors.

The only guy we have that has played pro hockey that we can get excited about is Ramo. Broissoit and Gillies are bigger question marks than Irving was at his age.

To be clearer on this. You take out the Boston game last year and his numbers were better than Kippers.

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by magicpixels

Really?

Two kids that have done nothing yet are better. Really great to know. Everyone's basis for this is that Broissoit has such great Junior numbers. Well an FYI Irving was amazing in the WHL and did put up good numbers in the minors.

The only guy we have that has played pro hockey that we can get excited about is Ramo. Broissoit and Gillies are bigger question marks than Irving was at his age.

To be clearer on this. You take out the Boston game last year and his numbers were better than Kippers.

Oh, hi there magicpixels!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Zee

I believe there are teams that will trade for Taylor, no need to risk losing him on waivers.

So there are teams out there that will trade for a guy they could have signed at any time they wanted up until last week? I have my doubts about that.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Fire

Irving doesn't have what it takes to be a #1 goalie. I don't think he can mentally handle the pressure of it. Terrible pick in the first round. Just like Krahn was a terrible pick. The Flames have two good goalie prospects (Gillies and Brossoit) that weren't drafted in the first round. Hopefully they learn from that.

If they are replacing Irving with Macdonald I would like to see Taylor in net tonight to see if he has any game.

the guys who drafted the goalies in the first round are long since fired...its about putting the best team on the ice not worrying about where someone was picked in a draft that happened years ago

[Vulcan]

He hasn't been the starter on the farm for 3 seasons, and he's been waived repeatedly and signed only one year at time. If they had any faith in him, they'd of given him 2 or 3 seasons to settle in and play his role.

I'm not going to bother looking but Irving has been the starter in the A more often than not.

He hasn't been waived repeatedly. This is his first year he's been eligible for waivers. Get your facts straight or keep quiet.

[magicpixels]

We will be having this same conversation in 3 - 4 years and the name will be Brossoit...

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by valo403

So there are teams out there that will trade for a guy they could have signed at any time they wanted up until last week? I have my doubts about that.

I have my doubts too but it's not that simple. For another team to sign Taylor, Calgary gets first refusal rights because he's signed with their farm team, so it might make some teams not want the bother. Also teams needs change daily and what is not valued one day can change the next. I didn't think we could get anything for our Tower either, so surprises happen. If he clears waivers, he may be valued as an AHL starter as his contract is only for this year.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Originally Posted by dino7c

the guys who drafted the goalies in the first round are long since fired...its about putting the best team on the ice not worrying about where someone was picked in a draft that happened years ago

Exactly. I've always had trouble with this line of thought.

If past success is supposed to be some barometer, then the Flames have almost ruled themselves out of picking anything at all in the first round. At best, we should only be picking d-men because our record picking forwards has been just as atrocious as picking goalies.

[Red]

Irving looked great last year. This year he's been rather bad. Out of position, when he makes a save he doesn't know where the puck is. Unpredictable rebounds. You name it, all that in just 2 games.
Some say he kept us in the last game. I disagree, he was lucky in the first period and then did not make a big save when needed in the second. That's when the game was lost. Pretty much any good chance ends up being a goal.

We were lucky to not lose the game in Columbus. He was really bad in that one.

Maybe it's just a confidence issue.

Maybe they will keep him around as a 3rd goalie to try and get his game back.

But as of right now, he's done nothing to suggest he is ready.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by magicpixels

We will be having this same conversation in 3 - 4 years and the name will be Brossoit...

Maybe...maybe not....but more to the point...so what?

Should the Flames never draft another G again?

Not sure what your point is.....but if its that somehow Irving is getting the short end or something...i say nonsense...he has had a multitude of opportunities to impress not only the Flames, but every other team in the league.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Zee

I believe there are teams that will trade for Taylor, no need to risk losing him on waivers.

He was an NHL free agent until a couple days ago.

[magicpixels]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Maybe...maybe not....but more to the point...so what?

Should the Flames never draft another G again?

Not sure what your point is.....but if its that somehow Irving is getting the short end or something...i say nonsense...he has had a multitude of opportunities to impress not only the Flames, but every other team in the league.

Broissoit doesn't have the same skill level Irving did at the same age. He likely has the same potential Irving has. To be a backup goalie.

I'm not saying never draft a goalie. I'm saying all this talk about not drafting a goalie in the 1st round is ridiculous as it's a sure fired way to pass over elite goalies when they come available.

Yes there is more risk when it comes to drafting goalies but the reward can be worth it. I also think our organization has had a role in being an absolute killer to the growth of young goalies.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by magicpixels

Broissoit doesn't have the same skill level Irving did at the same age. He likely has the same potential Irving has. To be a backup goalie.

I don't understand this. Says who?

Brossoit may have been a late round pick, but right now he has some of the best technical skills in the CHL. Any issues he has right now are mental, but it looks like he's vastly improved that aspect of his game since the start of this season.

He probably won't be the next Kiprusoff, but Brossoit certainly has the potential to be a solid NHL starter.

[EddyBeers]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Maybe...maybe not....but more to the point...so what?

Should the Flames never draft another G again?

Not sure what your point is.....but if its that somehow Irving is getting the short end or something...i say nonsense...he has had a multitude of opportunities to impress not only the Flames, but every other team in the league.

It is hard for any backup to get multitude of opportunities the way the Flames have historically handled their goaltending. Heck even Karlsson is putting up some impressive AHL numbers on an average team right now.

It would be nice if the Flames would actually give their backup some consistent starts, not only for the backup but also for Kipper. The Flames almost always have thrown a backup in tough to win situations like the second half of back to backs and then are amazed when the backup does not get a victory. I would say it would be tough to actually say that any of them including Irving have had a multitude of opportunities. It would be nice if they gave Irving 10 games to show what he actually has, but alas they are in a win now mode and that will probably not happen. So far the guy is 1-1 and his only loss is in a game where nobody else showed up. One thing seems obvious, a 33 year old Joey MacDonald does not seem like a long term solution.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I'm not going to bother looking but Irving has been the starter in the A more often than not.

He hasn't been waived repeatedly. This is his first year he's been eligible for waivers. Get your facts straight or keep quiet.

lmao maybe you should go look.... just saying.

[EddyBeers]

Last year Irving was in the nets for 7 games:

1) Florida - second half of back to back games
2) Vancouver - second half of back to back games
3) Ottawa - second half of back to back games
4) Boston - first time it was not the backend of back to back games, last game of a 7 game road trip, toughest team on the entire trip
5) Phoenix - second half of back to back games
6) Anaheim - second half of back to back games
7) Edmonton - second half of back to back games

Sutter basically used him 7 times last year in what could be considered 7 of the toughest games of the year, given the back to back nature and all the other circumstances in the Boston game (last game of a 7 game road trip, top team in the league) and he throws up a .912 SV% and does fairly well. I doubt there is a goalie in the league who has played 67% of his career games on the second half of back to back games.

At a bare minimum as an organization they should give him a little more rope to see if they actually have something there. That would be proper asset management in my opinion.