Feaster to address media today @ noon (June 14)

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Who is the best player that Barkov has gone head to head with in league play?
[...]

I think Mikko Koivu this past season. Button reported that Barkov outplayed him in the matchup.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Are Barkov and Lindholm 4 years away from being a top line players in the NHL?

This is why I don't want either of these guys if Monahan is available,Euro's simply can't make the jump fast enough or are complete busts,AO,Malkin were the only ones to make an immediate impact(no brainers with no competition),Kopitar did after 2 years as did Backstrom but there are far too many examples busts for where they were drafted. (Filitov,Granlund) or a flake like Zherdev.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by T@T

This is why I don't want either of these guys if Monahan is available,Euro's simply can't make the jump fast enough or are complete busts,AO,Malkin were the only ones to make an immediate impact(no brainers with no competition),Kopitar did after 2 years as did Backstrom but there are far too many examples busts for where they were drafted. (Filitov,Granlund) or a flake like Zherdev.

Even if your view is correct, I don't mind waiting two years for a Kopitar or Bäckström.

[Swayze11]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Even if your view is correct, I don't mind waiting two years for a Kopitar or Bäckström.

This. If it takes the Euro 5 years then so be it. Flames don't need a guy to step in right away. They aren't competing next year or anytime soon.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Even if your view is correct, I don't mind waiting two years for a Kopitar or Bäckström.

The "if" game is dangerious though, could easily be Filitov,Granlund or Zherdev as well.

Just say no to a euro at 6

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Swayze11

This. If it takes the Euro 5 years then so be it. Flames don't need a guy to step in right away. They aren't competing next year or anytime soon.

Not true, I explained it in another thread...look it up.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by T@T

The "if" game is dangerious though, could easily be Filitov,Granlund or Zherdev as well.

Just say no to a euro at 6

You play the same game whether you draft a European or a North American. The only reason people don't make lists of North American busts is because there are so many of them and it serves no prejudice. Teams don't have the luxury to base their decisions on lazy generalisations.

Granlund is no more a bust than Bärtschi is at this point. Small players tend to have a hard time in the NHL and they have to work very hard to be able to make space for their skills. As a Flames fan you should know extremely well that you don't want to give up on them too soon.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Even if your view is correct, I don't mind waiting two years for a Kopitar or Bäckström.

I agree with this. We should be in no rush to bring our players in too soon. Let them work on their skills and bring them in where they are ready. If the Flames feel that Lindholm is the best player on the board then they should take him.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

You play the same game whether you draft a European or a North American. The only reason people don't make lists of North American busts is because there are so many of them and it serves no prejudice. Teams don't have the luxury to base their decisions on lazy generalisations.

Granlund is no more a bust than Bärtschi is at this point. Small players tend to have a hard time in the NHL and they have to work very hard to be able to make space for their skills. As a Flames fan you should know extremely well that you don't want to give up on them too soon.

Baertschi isn't close to the bust Granlund is right now, Granlund is nothing but a PP guy in both the NHL and AHL, he has zero physical game in him at all where at least Sven trys hard and plays all zones.

With ease, Sven will be a better NHL'er...the kid is full of "hart"

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by T@T

Baertschi isn't close to the bust Granlund is right now, Granlund is nothing but a PP guy in both the NHL and AHL, he has zero physical game in him at all where at least Sven trys hard and plays all zones.

With ease, Sven will be a better NHL'er...the kid is full of "hart"

Being a bust is an absolute category and neither of them belong in it.

You're inventing things when you say that Granlund doesn't try hard in all zones. He mostly played on the fourth line when he was with the Wild and you don't play there if you don't try. The issue was the opposite: he hasn't figured out how to utilise his skill in the NHL. After one season in NA, too early for a final judgment.

[Canada 02]

Feaster interview on the FAN

http://pmd.fan960.com/audio_on_deman...-Interview.mp3

[Canada 02]

Feaster's press conference

most points have already been mentioned, but a couple points

no compliance buyouts, but did not rule out a trade for problem contracts, followed by a compliance buyout. Very interesting

Craig Conroy takes over hockey ops in Abbotsford;

http://flames.nhl.com/index.html

[BurningSteel]

So the Fat Lady sings and the fat man................talks in circles?

[Flash Walken]

Feaster's going to write more blogs in his underwear once Calgary finally cuts him loose.

He hasn't done a single thing for the Flames that someone else couldn't have done less bad. Conroy, not Jay, was the one who went to bat for Horak, the only glimmer from Jay's tenure on the roster at the moment.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Do you think he will be there at #6?

Monahan? Hard to say with certainty. In most scenarios I think you'd see Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin and Barkov gone before our pick. That means 1 of Nichushkin, Monahan, Lindholm, Nurse, etc should be next.

What I will say is that perhaps we have focused too much on what NSH and CAR specifically may do. There is a chance that either one deals down, how likely it is I don't know. But it sounds like EDM, BUF, CGY, etc are all trying. If the specific team at #5 isn't known do you think they'd still lean towards Monahan?

IMO some team may move up to take Nichushkin at some point this draft. It may happen at #5.

Back to the original question, I think some people have speculated Monahan to CAR based mostly on draft history. I think that is an informed guess. But CAR could certainly go with Lindholm or Nichushkin just as easily IMO.

If you go by talent most people have Nichushkin top 5 and therefore without the Russian concerns you'd expect him to go top 5. I certainly hope he does go top 5, most likely to CAR or whoever they might trade down with. Seems like NSH needs a franchise forward at centre, someone who isn't going to ever pull a Radulov. Barkov just seems the perfect fit for NSH and I'd expect him to go there and for NSH to not deal down. I don't know that CAR can turn down Nichushkin if they think he's in the top tier in terms of talent and they have a countryman up front in Semin who can help him adapt.

In summary I think there's a good chance Monahan is available at #6. Nichushkin, Lindholm or Nurse could easily go top 5 in various scenarios.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Feaster's going to write more blogs in his underwear once Calgary finally cuts him loose.

He hasn't done a single thing for the Flames that someone else couldn't have done less bad. Conroy, not Jay, was the one who went to bat for Horak, the only glimmer from Jay's tenure on the roster at the moment.

Since his job has been to clean up Sutter's mess, and start developing our own players, I'm not sure what you expected. We simply haven't had the resources to bring in elite players, not without blowing the future. Not making moves is often the smartest move.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Since his job has been to clean up Sutter's mess, and start developing our own players, I'm not sure what you expected. We simply haven't had the resources to bring in elite players, not without blowing the future. Not making moves is often the smartest move.

When does the "Blame it Sutter" meme expire anyways? Seems like everything is Sutter's fault? How about looking at what Feaster has done, including lucking out on misfires of titanic proportions like the Brad Richards almost signing?

though Feaster supporters will dismiss it because it didn't work out, the fact remains that that was but for the grace of the Hockey Gods. Having a GM totally misread your roster is inexcusable, and the monolithic drumbeat of Blame Sutter, Blame Sutter only partially addresses that.

and my mea culpa, i've been critical of the Flames picks, scouting and development for over 5 years - I am certainly not a fan of DSutter the GM.

[FAN]

So did Feaster actually go and watch the Memorial Cup? He didn't did he?

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Since his job has been to clean up Sutter's mess, and start developing our own players, I'm not sure what you expected. We simply haven't had the resources to bring in elite players, not without blowing the future. Not making moves is often the smartest move.

In almost every move Feaster has gotten a smaller less physical player.

He has brought in Cammalleri, Hudler, Byron, Butler, Cervenka, Wideman, signed Tanguay long term. He panic signed Babchuk (big but butter soft). Even the moves that have worked out: Smith, Baertschi and Horak are all below NHL average size and grit.

Watching the playoffs you can see that the NHL is not reducing contact. It is getting rid of fighting but it will always be a full contact physical game.

Then Feaster , in this press conference, stands up and says that the Flames need to get bigger and more physical......DUH!!! After doing the exact opposite at every opportunity.


He was able to unload Bouwmeester.

[The Fonz]

I didn't hear the media address, but if Feaster was putting as much emphasis on NHL-ready as it sounds, I'm beginning to think Nichushkin could be a real possibility here...