It is impossible for me to be more excited for prospect 'a' than 'b'. There are just so many guys that I am really hyped up about.
I look at last year as some sort of a reference point:
Baertschi, Jankowski, Gaudreau and to a lesser extent - Granlund - these guys really stood out in terms of talent. They seemed head and shoulders above everyone else. Really curious what another year of development has given them, and how they compare to Baertschi who has a full season of pro hockey under his belt. Will he look head and shoulders above the rest?
I also wonder what Kulak and Culkin bring this camp. I noticed both those players surpassing what I had thought of them after the Flames drafted them during this past season. Will be nice to see how they measure up.
Ramage - really a 'mixed bag' of reviews on this guy. I heard everything from a very solid top 4 and future captain material, to AHL career. Now that he has graduated from college, will be interesting to see what he brings to camp.
Wotherspoon is another guy that people have really high hopes on. I remember when the Flames drafted him, I thought: "Blah.. another depth defencemen with very limited upside". The kid just keeps progressing and now looks like a very wonderful 2nd round pick, and who could very well surprise and make the Flames.
Really curious about how Monahan does with the competition. I would assume in the scrimmages, he will be paired with Baertschi at least a few times. Could very well be a pairing this upcoming season on the Flames. As highly rated as he was in the draft rankings, I also think there is some 'x' factor about him with regards to his offensive ceiling - poor team mates and having to battle through the opposition's best players every single night might have hurt his numbers. Give him some guys with skill and finishing ability, and he may skyrocket. I think Jankowski has the highest ceiling - the closest thing the Flames have in terms of a 'Franchise player' - but perhaps more show their moxie, especially Monahan.
Ferland - I still have very, very high hopes for this kid. I hope he is taking the off-season training and has preservered on becoming a professional. If he ever gets it together, not only will he be a big piece moving forward, but also a huge fan favorite. I can already see him and Kanzig battling in the corner.
I may be the only one excited for this - but I am looking forward to Nemisz as well. If he develops, he looks like a very solid depth player that teams try to keep around and win with. Full of character, some size, hockey IQ, and good defensively. The window looks like it is closing on him in this organization, so it will be interesting to see how he comes to camp and what he brings. Ditto for Bouma - though I think he has much less to 'prove'. Hopefully his injury hasn't held his development back to much. He was really on the cusp of making the team.
Looking forward to the Reinhart - Arnold - Knight battle. These are guys who organizationally look to fill the 3rd line center spot (though could also fill the 4th line or moved to the wings). Arnold doesn't seem particularly fast from the BC games I watched, but always seems to be in the right place. All 3 are seasoned guys (though Arnold has another year at BC) who should look very mature on the ice.
Roy fell heavily in this draft year. Will be nice to see how he looks like compared to Culkin, Kulak, Wotherspoon - guys who move the puck well and have some offensive upside. At least a year less development of course - but he was very highly ranked going into this past season, played on a team that was just off all year - let's see how his skills compare.
Hope Sieloff has a good camp this year. Will be nice to see his progression from the last camp. You have to love guys that have jam in his game like he has. Ramage, Sieloff, Kanzig - finally some real jam on the backend again.
Just so many players to watch out for this year - including the invites this year. More of an interesting group of invites than I remember having in years past. Funny how both the prospects that the Flames own have increased in skill, and now they go and get better invitees as well.
Agostino will be very interesting to see - saw the last two NCAA championship games that Yale was playing, and he looked decent out there, but the camp could show a better comparison of where he is at as compared to the other prospects. Hanowski looked good, so not too 'excited' to see him (though I like him as a prospect).
So many other names like Poirier and Klimchuck. Harrisson is a total enigma at the moment as well. Will be nice to see what that scout saw in him that made him so adamant that he needed to be selected.
I am really looking forward to next year's camp even more. As much as I think that 2010 draft was (and considering the Flames didn't even have a 1st or a 2nd), the 2014 draft SHOULD be better. That would make next camp arguably the most talented camp ever in Flames' history (though I guess we shouldn't count or chickens until they hatch).
You have to be an overly negative person to not be excited by the possibilities. There is LOADS of guys that are legitimate prospects with NHL upside - even possible top line upside.
My favorite is still Jankowski though. If he develops into what we all hope (and no reason to think otherwise at this point), he is going to be something very special.
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Holy #### the speed on poirer is nuts thanks for the vids
Two strides he's gone, that's not great speed,that is off the charts speed and power, he makes Lombardi look like a turtle and what really stands out he's almost 6'2,tough as nails and looks to have nice hands and a great one timer.
It's beyond me how this guy wasn't ranked higher than 45 or whatever.
1. Monahan: Safest bet to be the #1 center that makes teams sucessful
2. Baerschi: Phenomenal offensive instinct and drive
3. Jankowski: Was a bit of a gamble, but I think he has tremendous upside. If he reaches his potential, I think he might take the #1 center job from Monahan. I think if both pan out it would be like having Kreijci and Bergeron as your 2 top centers
4. Gadreau: Low buy that turned out to have huge offensive upside
5. Roy:Again was low buy but has potential to become an absolute steal
I am excited to see what some prospects bring to the table, some because of talent, some because of hard work and some because its been more difficult to see them play.
#1 for me is Reto Berra. Swiss hockey fans seem very high on him, I read multiple comparisons to "Hiller before he left for the NHL", plus quite frankly anyone who's nickname is potentially Yogi is just awesome. Also the way the fans gravitate to him and his personality is something that I really look forward to seeing.
#2 is Matt DeBlouw. I just loved that pick from day 1, then he turns around and outperforms all expectations as a freshman. He has shown great character with his fathers death as well. Plus with his ability in the faceoff circle High character, hard working, reliable in an situation..... I am really excited about his future.
#3 on my list is Keegan Kanzig. I am very intrigued by his size and want to know is he is as smart as being billed by the Flames.
#4 is Mark Jankowski. He is putting on weight, he had a very good freshman season. I am looking forward to see if his rapid progression continues.
#5 for me is Sean Monahan. Mostly because I think his potential is greater than that of Baertschi. I feel he has potential to be OUR Patrice Bergeron
#1 is Baertchi. He is the franchise player imo going forward, his talent and work ethic is unreal. This kid will be a mainstay in the top 10 points every year in a few more seasons.
#2 is Jankowski. I see a similarity to Joe Thornton as an upside. Of course he could also end up stalling and becoming Rob Neidermayer.
#3 Johnny Hockey. He has more natural talent than just about any prospect in hockey. If he was 4 inches taller he would be a sure fire #1 overall pick. He needs to get bigger and stronger to survive in the NHL though and that is a concern.
#4. Monahan. Lower than the others only because you know he is a sure fire NHLer. I don't think his upside is as high as the other top 3 but he is the safest bet next to Sven to be a top 6 forward.
#5 Dustin Boyd. I predicted a 20 goal guy out of this kid.
In all honesty I can't remember the last time our prospect cupboard was so stacked with top-end talent in several different positions.
I'm most excited to see Gaudreau's game in the NHL. Eagerly anticipating him signing for the Flames & taking the NHL by storm as he has at every other level. In addition to elite offence the boy is a bonifide WINNER. I'm hoping that by the time he slots into the lineup the Calgary Flames will be firmly upwards trending & his addition puts us into contention. The kid wins trophies every year, and with any luck that trend can continue in the pros!
Jankowski has the highest upside & potential. He could be the complete package if he can keep patiently working on his game & frame. I think he's still 3 to 4 years away from wearing the flaming C, which isn't an issue because he's still so young. Once he and Monahan are in the lineup we could potentially have a 1a/1b centre team that other teams would drool over, and that doesn't even take into account Backlund and Corban Knight.
Watching Sven last season I feel he's doing all the right things on the ice. The results started to happen near the end of the year, but I really think he's on the verge of a huge breakout, even beyond that point-streak he was on. I hope he gets top-6 minutes next season but I fear our over-abundance of LWers might leave him a bit lower on the depth chart than he should be.
In Poirier I feel like we got a similar player to Nichushkin, but without any of the risks associated to picking a Russian. A big body, blazing down the off-wing & sniping home highlight-reel goals? Awesome. How close to the NHL is he? I would think his big frame, speed & skill could make him a wildcard contender to make the team out of camp...
I'm also excited to see if Wotherspoon's game translates well to the pros. Super-steady D man.
As I said before, I don't think we've ever had such a deep & balanced pool of prospects.
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I look at this camp a little differently. I'm no longer interested in seeing individuals display their talents, per se, I'm more interested in seeing how players stack up against each other and how development is going. I will be unable to attend camp, so I ask those that go to make the following contrasts with the reasons as follows.
Monahan vs. Jankowski - People have been saying wonderful things about Monahan, especially his combination of size and talent, but Jankowski is now bigger than Monahan and is a highly skilled player in his own right. The most interesting thing about these two kids, drafted in back-to-back years, is they are only a month apart in age. I see this as the future battle for #1 and #2 center on the Flames, and I think Jankowski, who is a very dark horse, has a potential edge because of his offensive instincts. Hopefully we see both players head-to-head in scrimmage.
Bartschi vs Gaudreau - I see this as the battle for the #1 and #2 LW position in the future. I think both are great talents, but I think Gaudreau is superior in every aspect of his game. I'm interested to see how they compare head-to-head. An interesting contrast here is that Gaudreau is almost a year younger than Bartschi, so he hasn't had the same level of experience to fall back on. This might be my favorite battle in camp.
Knight vs. Reinhart - The battle for the #3 or #4 center position will start in this camp. Knight is a little bigger and a year and a half older, but Reinhart has pro experience under his belt. This has potential to be very interesting.
Granlund vs. Horak - I seriously see these guys as players who will be moved to the wing, and probably their off wing like Poirier. I think it will be interesting to see if this happens in camp and how successful either are in this challenge. I personally see these guys as filling in on the right side in the near future as the team tries to find some talent on that wing.
Ramage vs. Wotherspoon vs. Sieloff vs. Kulak - Unfortunately these guys won't be playing against each other like the other contrast opportunities, but these guys are the building blocks for the future on the blueline. It will be interesting to see how they all stack up skill wise in drills and then how they play in front of Brossoit and Ortio.
Gillies vs. Brossoit - Is this the tandem of the future? I think this camp will give us an indication if that is a possible reality. Both guys are great goaltenders so this should be an interesting battle. I'll be interested to hear about the composure of both goaltenders as they come into a pretty competitive camp.
This is the beginning of a new era of the Flames and it is exciting! For the first time in a very long time there are actual battles taking place in a camp. It's nice to have some prospect depth, especially at those important positions. Let the battles begin!
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Definitely interested to see where Ferland is at.. he should be sticking out, his skill isn't as high as some of the guys but his size and age should help him.. or if he stumbles, hurt him.
From what I was able to gather around Saskatoon late into the season he was hell bent on his conditioning this off season and bound and determined to make an impact this year whether it be NHL or AHL. He has the right attitude, just needs to put that to work.
Bryce Forbes and Torie Peterson have a few prospects to watch through the Flames prospect website:
__________________ "In brightest day, in blackest night / No evil shall escape my sight / Let those who worship evil's might / Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
Last edited by GreenLantern; 07-10-2013 at 11:43 AM.
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Sven is the most exciting prospect, though I think it would be an absolute shock if he was not pencilled into the line up for next season. Although I respect the opinions of Gaudreau here, I want to mention that after attending nearly every session of this camp last year that I vehemently disagree that Gaudreau was better than Baertschi.
In my opinion, last year Sven was head and shoulders above everyone else on the ice as far as pure talent and presence. He was a dominant player on the ice nearly every shift and superior in every area other than finishing (which Gaudreau was impressive as usual).
Part of the reason I am so excited for the camp this season is the influx of talent. There were plenty of tryout guys last year including a few who you could tell had no shot at even playing in the AHL. Jankowski as a 17 year old was among the most impressive forwards out there despite the fact you could see he had never been taught to play defense. I don't think that would happen this year with the addition of Agostino, Hankowski, Monahan, Klimchuk, Poirier, and Knight.
Edit: Monahan is probably very exciting too, I've just never seen him play so I want to withold comment until later in the week.
I look at this camp a little differently. I'm no longer interested in seeing individuals display their talents, per se, I'm more interested in seeing how players stack up against each other and how development is going. I will be unable to attend camp, so I ask those that go to make the following contrasts with the reasons as follows.
Monahan vs. Jankowski - People have been saying wonderful things about Monahan, especially his combination of size and talent, but Jankowski is now bigger than Monahan and is a highly skilled player in his own right. The most interesting thing about these two kids, drafted in back-to-back years, is they are only a month apart in age. I see this as the future battle for #1 and #2 center on the Flames, and I think Jankowski, who is a very dark horse, has a potential edge because of his offensive instincts. Hopefully we see both players head-to-head in scrimmage.
Bartschi vs Gaudreau - I see this as the battle for the #1 and #2 LW position in the future. I think both are great talents, but I think Gaudreau is superior in every aspect of his game. I'm interested to see how they compare head-to-head. An interesting contrast here is that Gaudreau is almost a year younger than Bartschi, so he hasn't had the same level of experience to fall back on. This might be my favorite battle in camp.
Knight vs. Reinhart - The battle for the #3 or #4 center position will start in this camp. Knight is a little bigger and a year and a half older, but Reinhart has pro experience under his belt. This has potential to be very interesting.
Granlund vs. Horak - I seriously see these guys as players who will be moved to the wing, and probably their off wing like Poirier. I think it will be interesting to see if this happens in camp and how successful either are in this challenge. I personally see these guys as filling in on the right side in the near future as the team tries to find some talent on that wing.
Ramage vs. Wotherspoon vs. Sieloff vs. Kulak - Unfortunately these guys won't be playing against each other like the other contrast opportunities, but these guys are the building blocks for the future on the blueline. It will be interesting to see how they all stack up skill wise in drills and then how they play in front of Brossoit and Ortio.
Gillies vs. Brossoit - Is this the tandem of the future? I think this camp will give us an indication if that is a possible reality. Both guys are great goaltenders so this should be an interesting battle. I'll be interested to hear about the composure of both goaltenders as they come into a pretty competitive camp.
This is the beginning of a new era of the Flames and it is exciting! For the first time in a very long time there are actual battles taking place in a camp. It's nice to have some prospect depth, especially at those important positions. Let the battles begin!
My thoughts exactly - we have some great comparables this year. I'd add Arnold to the 3/4 centre comparison (obviously not a candidate this year but projects to same role as Knight and Reinhart)
My thoughts exactly - we have some great comparables this year. I'd add Arnold to the 3/4 centre comparison (obviously not a candidate this year but projects to same role as Knight and Reinhart)
I wouldn't write of Matt DeBlouw
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Monahan is almost a given to have a successful NHL career but nothing makes me happier than seeing an underdog claw their way, tooth and nail, to great success. Love that we have both, but seeing Janko beat the crap out of Mono for first line centre duties a few years down the road would be awesome!
Wow
