Don't like quoting myself, but this was easier to show the important games. Scores are in red.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef
Games that impact the the Heat this weekend are:
Friday
Lake Erie Monsters @ Grand Rapids Griffins - A Grand Rapids win will lock them into the #2 seed and remove them as a possible Heat opponent in the 1st round. Lake Erie wins 4-2 Charlotte Checkers @ Milwaukee Admirals - Admirals are only 1 point back, but a Heat win and Milwaukee loss would lock the Heat in as the 5th seed in the West. Milwaukee wins 5-2 Chicago Wolves @ Rockford IceHogs - If the Wolves win out and Grand Rapids losses their final 2 games, then the Heat could play the Griffins in round 1. Wolves win 5-3
Saturday
Grand Rapids Griffins @ Lake Erie Monsters - Need a win or Chicago loss to clinch their division. Milwaukee Admirals @ Chicago Wolves - This game could decide everything. Wolves win & Griffins lose and the Heat play Grand Rapids in round 1. Wolves loss combined with a Heat loss would see the Heat play Toronto.
The more I look at things, the more I think the #6 seed would be better. The Heat's powerplay is very good and the Marlies are the #4 most penalized team in the league (could end up 3rd), they also have the weakest goaltending of the 3 teams.
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Yeah, this is exactly what I was going to post. Only I'd put O'Brien with Smith and Breen with Billins.
That's a solid solid lineup. Sucks to leave Jooris out, but honestly Poirier's got the hot hand right now and he's been making a difference. Leave him in.
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Slightly OT, but for those of you that own Heat jerseys, how do they fit compared to the Flames Retro or Red's?
Right now the AHL website has a sale going on where you can get a customized Heat jersey for about $170US (including shipping), however the only sizes left are XL or XXL. I'm usually a Medium or at most a Large in the Flames jerseys.
Slightly OT, but for those of you that own Heat jerseys, how do they fit compared to the Flames Retro or Red's?
Right now the AHL website has a sale going on where you can get a customized Heat jersey for about $170US (including shipping), however the only sizes left are XL or XXL. I'm usually a Medium or at most a Large in the Flames jerseys.
I own an XL Heat jersey and an XL Flames red jersey. The Heat jersey fits a lot looser. I'm about 220 lbs and it fits big on me. From what you're saying, I'd go with a large, but if you don't mind it being a bit bigger go with XL.
The Flames' XL on the other hand is a bit smaller around the waist.
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Yeah, this is exactly what I was going to post. Only I'd put O'Brien with Smith and Breen with Billins.
That's a solid solid lineup. Sucks to leave Jooris out, but honestly Poirier's got the hot hand right now and he's been making a difference. Leave him in.
Agreed on the blueliners, but I think we see about 5 different guys cycled through that bottom pairing. Arsene, Davies and Lamb will get their chance too. And I disagree slightly about the forward lines. I think Jooris is in the lineup before Miller.
the great thing is that there is so much depth - a huge advantage in the playoffs. Just keep working in fresh guys to skate the other team into the ground and wear them down physically.
Really looking forward to the playoffs. If they get by GR - and I think they will - they are in a great position to go vey deep. God I wish Gaudreau and Arnold were there too.
Really looking forward to the playoffs. If they get by GR - and I think they will - they are in a great position to go very deep. God I wish Gaudreau and Arnold were there too.
While I understand the offensive abilities both could bring to the team, I disagree and am quite happy that guys like Van Brabant, Gaudreau and Arnold are not being sent down. Strictly based on number, not based on name.
I think there is a fine line between adding offence to a team and stacking them for a playoff run and completely changing the team chemistry by adding new guys. If we were to add Gaudreau, Arnold, Poirier and Klimchuk and all 4 were put into the playoffs, we've just changed 1/4 of our forwards right at the end of the season. Same if Roy and Kanzig made it in, that's 1/3 of our defence changed. That's rocking the boat pretty hard. Yes they are supposed to be professional and yes you want payers to learn to play with other players, but considering 3 of 4 listed would be expected to be thrown into a Top 6 role, we've suddenly just changed the makeup of what got us to the playoffs and have done so well down the stretch. Reinhart/Granlund/Jones and Baertschi/Knight/Locke have been a consistent Top 6 for us. You add in Gaudreau, Poirier, Arnold and Klimchuk and how do you decide who becomes Top 6 and who loses ice time? We just don't have the room for that much Top 6 (or to be used as Top 6) talent right now.
The thing you're overlooking Drury is that Gaudreau and Arnold on even the fourth line would probably contribute a lot to Abbotsford. Gaudreau was making nhlers look silly in his debut, adding him to any AHL team would only make them better imo, regardless of chemistry. Gaudreau is pretty good at making chemistry himself.
People also seem to forget how well Arnold played in the nhl, he almost scored!
Both guys would find a way to contribute imo, kind of like Poirier has. I think the team would be better with those guys on it.
While I understand the offensive abilities both could bring to the team, I disagree and am quite happy that guys like Van Brabant, Gaudreau and Arnold are not being sent down. Strictly based on number, not based on name.
I think there is a fine line between adding offence to a team and stacking them for a playoff run and completely changing the team chemistry by adding new guys. If we were to add Gaudreau, Arnold, Poirier and Klimchuk and all 4 were put into the playoffs, we've just changed 1/4 of our forwards right at the end of the season. Same if Roy and Kanzig made it in, that's 1/3 of our defence changed. That's rocking the boat pretty hard. Yes they are supposed to be professional and yes you want payers to learn to play with other players, but considering 3 of 4 listed would be expected to be thrown into a Top 6 role, we've suddenly just changed the makeup of what got us to the playoffs and have done so well down the stretch. Reinhart/Granlund/Jones and Baertschi/Knight/Locke have been a consistent Top 6 for us. You add in Gaudreau, Poirier, Arnold and Klimchuk and how do you decide who becomes Top 6 and who loses ice time? We just don't have the room for that much Top 6 (or to be used as Top 6) talent right now.
I agree that chemistry is important.
But Gaudreau is a game changer. He is in a different league than any of the other additions.
And there is no need to put them all in at once. The playoffs are a war of attrition - plenty of time to rotate through the roster.
Back to Gaudreau - I know you are a Heat fan, but the Heat are a development team for the Flames. Gaudreau playing in the playoffs and having success with the other prospects like Granlund, Baertschi, Reinhart, Knight and Poirier is frankly more important than Olson or Jooris' feelings.
Plus, if he helped them win, they would come to welcome him soon enough.
Back to Gaudreau - I know you are a Heat fan, but the Heat are a development team for the Flames. Gaudreau playing in the playoffs and having success with the other prospects like Granlund, Baertschi, Reinhart, Knight and Poirier is frankly more important than Olson or Jooris' feelings.
So if you went to work tomorrow and some kid out of college and one day on the job who happened to have a good day that one day took your job on your project that you've worked you behind off for a year and your boss said because his potential is deemed better then yours and higher management likes him better, you are totally fine with that?
I am also a Flames fan. Actually Flames first as I am Calgary born and raised. And a flames fan sick and tired of seeing these "sure things" never pan out and having a joke of a 3rd and 4th line. I want a 96-97 Red Wings team where you fear all 4 lines.
Our organization trips over itself over these high ranked kids and leaves the deeper draft picks or college signings to die on the vine. If they are good, they can come earn a job, not be mandated to have one because their draft number is higher. We have a need for ALL players not just those who have "1st Round Draft Pick" after their name. Players like Jooris and Olson have every right to play in the playoffs if they've earned it, not be bumped by our new shiny toy.
Obviously the rant isn't directed at you Enoch, it's just it's getting annoying when you see solid 3rd and 4th liners developing and the team decides the the new toy needs their spot, then the new toy does nothing or traded away and we have also lost that 3rd liner that would have contributed in the process. We need to stop this Top 6 thinking and realize you roll 4 lines.
Last edited by Drury18; 04-20-2014 at 05:57 PM.
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Well said-they are people first and professionals second. Chemistry to go to battle for each other will go further in the playoffs than bringing in the "new shinny toy". Especially if you have played and traveled together all year.
So if you went to work tomorrow and some kid out of college and one day on the job who happened to have a good day that one day took your job on your project that you've worked you behind off for a year and your boss said because his potential is deemed better then yours and higher management likes him better, you are totally fine with that?
I am also a Flames fan. Actually Flames first as I am Calgary born and raised. And a flames fan sick and tired of seeing these "sure things" never pan out and having a joke of a 3rd and 4th line. I want a 96-97 Red Wings team where you fear all 4 lines.
Our organization trips over itself over these high ranked kids and leaves the deeper draft picks or college signings to die on the vine. If they are good, they can come earn a job, not be mandated to have one because their draft number is higher. We have a need for ALL players not just those who have "1st Round Draft Pick" after their name. Players like Jooris and Olson have every right to play in the playoffs if they've earned it, not be bumped by our new shiny toy.
Obviously the rant isn't directed at you Enoch, it's just it's getting annoying when you see solid 3rd and 4th liners developing and the team decides the the new toy needs their spot, then the new toy does nothing or traded away and we have also lost that 3rd liner that would have contributed in the process. We need to stop this Top 6 thinking and realize you roll 4 lines.
A few things:
1) it's professional sports - if some guys get butt-hurt because a new kid takes their job, well tough bananas. That's the way it works.
2) he hasn't had 'one good day'. He has demonstrated over and over that he is an incredible talent.
3) I never once said Gaudreau should be handed a spot. I said I wanted him to be there with the team. Him getting ice-time would simply be an inevitability in time because he is easily the most talented player there. But it would still have to be earned.
4) I totally agree that they need to develop everyone, not just Gaudreau and Baertschi. And nothing will help their development like a deep playoff run, learning how to win together and learning to trust each other. If Gaudreau helps them go further in the playoffs, that helps everyone (including the guy who's job he took) because in a long playoff run, there is plenty of ice-time for everyone.
Last edited by Enoch Root; 04-20-2014 at 08:39 PM.
Well said-they are people first and professionals second. Chemistry to go to battle for each other will go further in the playoffs than bringing in the "new shinny toy". Especially if you have played and traveled together all year.
That's all well and good, except for the fact that in professional sports, your job is in jeopardy every day and every game.
And that is just one of the lessons that they will learn during their time together in Abbottsford.
