Emergence of the young guys

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

It isn't a 'guarantee' that the Flames will be quicker, but the Oilers are really the 'worst case scenario', and I believe historically now the worst modern day team from that perspective, (Quebec challenging them years ago - but that was really in a tough time for Canadian teams, and in a league without parity) so why do people assume the Flames will match it?

You've got about 3 examples of teams that I can think of that had fire sales/wholesale changes, and then turned around and made the playoffs in the next season or two.

Boston, Philadelphia, Florida.

Boston and Philly went out and signed some of the most desirable free agents on the market. Real top end guys. Chara, Savard, Briere, Timonen. There is nothing like that on the market this season, and I doubt they would go to Calgary anyway. The big Eastern markets have a real edge there. Florida made the playoffs by fluke IMO, and are right back in the gutter. Boston and Philly were also previously playoff teams that had a dip, Flames have missed for 3 straight already and are starting off in a deeper hole.

Pretty much every other team that tore it down, including teams that had competent management throughout their rebuild (LA, St.Louis), took 3+ seasons to make the playoffs again.

I would expect the Flames to need at least 3+ seasons to make it back to the playoffs. That doesn't mean they will be Edmonton bad for 2-3 seasons, but they will be bad nonetheless.

[Mattman]

I loved the game last night and seriously this sounds stupid but I think Feaster should call up Cundari and Broisset and Hanowski.

Baertschi/Backs/Cammy
Stempniak/Reinhart/Judler
Horak/Cervenka/Hanowski
Jackman/Mcgratten/Aliu

Gio/Cundari
Brodie/Wideman
Sarich/Butler

Broisset
Kipper or Mackey J

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Mattman

I loved the game last night and seriously this sounds stupid but I think Feaster should call up Cundari and Broisset and Hanowski.

Baertschi/Backs/Cammy
Stempniak/Reinhart/Judler
Horak/Cervenka/Hanowski
Jackman/Mcgratten/Aliu

Gio/Cundari
Brodie/Wideman
Sarich/Butler

Broisset
Kipper or Mackey J

Brossoit is still playing junior for the Edmonton Oil Kings, and is hip deep in another Memorial Cup drive.

Hanowski and Cundari will likely be called up sometime in the next few games though.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Mattman

Backs

Not singling you out, or diminishing your valuable post (I agrre - love the idea of seeing more of these guys at the NHL level finishing this), but:
Backlund, please
We are not Oiler fans

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Not singling you out, or diminishing your valuable post (I agrre - love the idea of seeing more of these guys at the NHL level finishing this), but:
Backlund, please
We are not Oiler fans

...and here I thought he'd first get jumped on for the whole "Mackey J" fiasco.

haha

[FBI]

Man that game was enjoyable to watch. Brodie backlund baertschi Reinhart horak all with great games! So much more fun to watch now then before the trade deadline.

[Iggy Snipe]

It is so hard to come on this forum and read another thread about how bad we are after every loss and how good we are after every win.

Guys, Calgary is going to be a re-build. Feaster saying were making the playoffs next season is ridiculous unless something huge happens. Our young players played awesome last game, arguably the last two games, but we can't go on and say we are a good team now and only a few good players away because that is not the case.

Once we have a good goalie again, and 4 good D-men that are actually top 4 quality, then I can see us making the playoffs. I liked what I saw yesterday, but beating the Oilers is not an accomplishment.

IMO, TJ Brodie is going to be better than Giordano, might already be when he has confidence. Our young forwards (Baertschi, Horak, Reinhart) have lots of work to do still but are looking good which is keeping me thinking they have good potential.

With just a few games left in the season, we cant get all excited when our young guys score a couple goals thinking they are now NHL stars. Sven potted 3 or 4 last season at the end of the year and everyone thought he was this allstar. He has like 3 maybe 4 points this season and was sent down.

My point is, it is a work in progress. Don't get too high or too low during the re-build or re-tool time. It could be 2 or 3 years before Calgary makes the playoffs. This draft could be a turning point in the franchise once again.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Iggy Snipe

It is so hard to come on this forum and read another thread about how bad we are after every loss and how good we are after every win.

Guys, Calgary is going to be a re-build. Feaster saying were making the playoffs next season is ridiculous unless something huge happens. Our young players played awesome last game, arguably the last two games, but we can't go on and say we are a good team now and only a few good players away because that is not the case.

Once we have a good goalie again, and 4 good D-men that are actually top 4 quality, then I can see us making the playoffs. I liked what I saw yesterday, but beating the Oilers is not an accomplishment.

IMO, TJ Brodie is going to be better than Giordano, might already be when he has confidence. Our young forwards (Baertschi, Horak, Reinhart) have lots of work to do still but are looking good which is keeping me thinking they have good potential.

With just a few games left in the season, we cant get all excited when our young guys score a couple goals thinking they are now NHL stars. Sven potted 3 or 4 last season at the end of the year and everyone thought he was this allstar. He has like 3 maybe 4 points this season and was sent down.

My point is, it is a work in progress. Don't get too high or too low during the re-build or re-tool time. It could be 2 or 3 years before Calgary makes the playoffs. This draft could be a turning point in the franchise once again.

There will be plenty of low points over the next few seasons, that's more reason to enjoy a big victory imo. No one is suggesting the team is great, maybe we are enjoying a decisive victory over our bitter rival?
I get what you're saying, but I don't see it myself

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Iggy Snipe

It is so hard to come on this forum and read another thread about how bad we are after every loss and how good we are after every win.

Guys, Calgary is going to be a re-build. Feaster saying were making the playoffs next season is ridiculous unless something huge happens. Our young players played awesome last game, arguably the last two games, but we can't go on and say we are a good team now and only a few good players away because that is not the case.

Once we have a good goalie again, and 4 good D-men that are actually top 4 quality, then I can see us making the playoffs. I liked what I saw yesterday, but beating the Oilers is not an accomplishment.

IMO, TJ Brodie is going to be better than Giordano, might already be when he has confidence. Our young forwards (Baertschi, Horak, Reinhart) have lots of work to do still but are looking good which is keeping me thinking they have good potential.

With just a few games left in the season, we cant get all excited when our young guys score a couple goals thinking they are now NHL stars. Sven potted 3 or 4 last season at the end of the year and everyone thought he was this allstar. He has like 3 maybe 4 points this season and was sent down.

My point is, it is a work in progress. Don't get too high or too low during the re-build or re-tool time. It could be 2 or 3 years before Calgary makes the playoffs. This draft could be a turning point in the franchise once again.

It would be ridiculous if thats what he actually said.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by transplant99

It would be ridiculous if thats what he actually said.

He did in fact say that. But I think a lot of people are taking those comments out of context. He said that the team should ALWAYS have the mindeset of making the playoffs even in a re-build. Doesn't want players coming into a season taking nights off or not giving their all because "Oh well, we're in a re-build nothing to play for this year".

He is right, they should be setting the bar every year to make the playoffs even in re-building years.

EDIT: it's a good thing too, we don't want our shiny new players getting that nasty brain disease that the oilers players have called loser-i-tous

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by dammage79

He did in fact say that. But I think a lot of people are taking those comments out of context. He said that the team should ALWAYS have the mindeset of making the playoffs even in a re-build. Doesn't want players coming into a season taking nights off or not giving their all because "Oh well, we're in a re-build nothing to play for this year".

He is right, they should be setting the bar every year to make the playoffs even in re-building years.

From what I recall he said the playoffs are the goal every year, which is absolutely right.

[Roof-Daddy]

Absolutely ridiculous the amount of guys 24 or younger that will be IMO, legitimately pushing for a full time NHL gig with the Flames next fall.

At forward:

1. Backlund (24) - On the team for sure
2. Horak (21) - 75 NHL games the last two seasons, he's ready IMO
3. Reinhart (21) - Has really looked good in his call up
4. Baertschi (20) - Hopefully bulks up a bit this offseason
5. Hanowski (22) - About to get a look, and could be a legitimate threat at camp, we'll see
6. Byron (24) - RFA, I think he'll be back
7. Aliu (23) - RFA as well, I think he'll be back and ready for camp
8. Bouma (23) - Another RFA, is a legitimate bottom six NHLer IMO
9. First selection at the 2013 draft maybe ?? - Depends how high we draft

...and then on D:

1. Brodie (23) - See Backlund
2. Breen (23) - Would be getting a look now, if not for injury
3. Cundari (22) - About to get a look, sounds promising
4. Wotherspoon (20) - Might surprise at camp like Brodie did, will probably start in AHL though


Admittedly, still not a lot of "elite talent" there, but who knows how they'll all end up developing. Certainly appears to be a lot more NHLers in the system now though, even if most of them end up as bottom half of the roster/depth guys.

Obviously we won't see ALL of those guys make the team out of camp next year (if still Flames property), because we still have plenty of 25+ year old guys signed, and need to stay above the cap floor, but the young guys certainly are emerging in this organization.

[Enoch Root]

^ my guess is 9 start the season with the Flames next year from that list.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

^ my guess is 9 start the season with the Flames next year from that list.

Agreed.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

A nice side benefit of us playing all these rookies and giving a guy like Hanowski a shot straight out of college is that an agent can no longer say with a straight face that we don't give youngsters a chance. This year with giving the youngsters a serious chance should reduce our chances of any prospects pulling an Erixon in the future.

[really?]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

A nice side benefit of us playing all these rookies and giving a guy like Hanowski a shot straight out of college is that an agent can no longer say with a straight face that we don't give youngsters a chance. This year with giving the youngsters a serious chance should reduce our chances of any prospects pulling an Erixon in the future.

Good point, but sure glad Erixon pulled that Erixon. Feaster polished that turd to at least an emerald. That situation does illustrate how you really don't know how a player will perform until he performs. Glad to see the tone on the boards is generally one of excitement at the effort and energy being put forth on the ice.

Who knows what will happen next year? One reason Iginla was expendable is that the speed of the game has just multiplied since he cam into the league. He may be a step slower, but look other veterans, say Rick Nash, and they don't even have the footspeed of some of these 19-22 year old players. Players are just more advanced at younger ages due to training and exposure. It may just be that the Flames agenda in attempting to bring in smart, team oriented players may produce dividends sooner than later. That said, enjoy the ascent, and continue to support the effort.

[FBI]

Anybody have the stats for all the young guys for the last 5 or 6 games?

[Itse]

Hmm... Backlund and Brodie pretty much have the organization by the family jewels, come contract negotiation time. The Flames have a lot of money to spend and losing either one would be a huge hit to their rebuilding image.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Itse

Hmm... Backlund and Brodie pretty much have the organization by the family jewels, come contract negotiation time. The Flames have a lot of money to spend and losing either one would be a huge hit to their rebuilding image.

Brodie might be a bit cause for concern, a 22 year old with that kind of poise is uncommon. I wouldn't be too worried though.

But Backlund, a player eligible for arbitration with 61 points in his career? Good luck with that one Mikael.

[GreenLantern]

Speaking of young guys... here is a clip of Hanowski donating his hair to the Locks for Love charity on Flames TV.

http://video.flames.nhl.com/videocen...239980&lang=en