Flames 2014 Summer Development Camp July 4 - July 9

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Thanks for the updates ya'll.

Who's been the most impressive goalie through two days?

[Sandman]

I was there today for both sessions, so i thought i would put in my two cents....

Sieloff: a few plays got by him today because he couldn't hit. Usually, he would have killed a few guys. looked great though-he was in the gym later on and he is HUGE, despite not being the tallest guy.
Wolf: not the greatest natural skater, looks somewhat rough, but keeps up by working hard. Moves well for a guy his size- and he is built like Scott Stevens. Pulled a few power moves out.
Agostino: I loved his camp last year, and he looks great again this year. Works hard and skates well.
Gaudreau: first star of the day of course.
Smith: I was very impressed with him today. Skates well enough to keep up, and showed off some skill today. Very underrated hockey IQ. pulled off some great passes.
Hickey: I was skeptical of him at the draft, but i like him now. Best defenseman of the day. took part in both sessions, and was obviously tired later on but rarely got beat because of his world-class speed.
Bailey: wow, what a shot.
Harrison: was disappointed with the fact that i didn't notice him much. He was so awesome last year....
Arnold: has really worked on his skating, and his fitness. One of the best forwards of the day.
Carroll: another player i thought was a head-scratcher on draft day, but he made me a fan today. For a kid his size, he is a very good skater with good vision and a good shot. I sat in front of Conroy today, and he couldn't stop raving about him.
Kanzig: have to agree with everyone about his skating-needs to improve. looked gassed a few times too.
Klimchuk: best of group A. skating was head and shoulders above everyone else-spent the entire time making everyone look slow. great shooter too.
Zejdl: great finisher. When he gets an opportunity in front of the net, he buries it almost evry time. Huge and skates well.

All in all, a very entertaining day-especially getting to sit in front of Conny and the coaching staff and getting to hear the conversation.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Thanks for the updates ya'll.

Who's been the most impressive goalie through two days?

huggins, but they have all been borderline

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Regardless, I'll echo what's already been said about Gaudreau, he is far and away the best prospect this organization has, might be the best they've ever had. Every time he touches the puck, something happens. If the defenceman doesn't play him perfectly, he makes something magical happen almost every single time he comes in on the rush.

This is insane. Expectations are out of whack right now...

[MuscleOnTheBlvd]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Austin Carrol is From the Whl. He plays for the Victoria Royals. I have his Jersey. Led the team ingoals and penalty minutes.

You're right, I had him confused with Brandon Hickey who played for Spruce Grove of the AJHL. (I was still talking about Austin Carrol though)

[MuscleOnTheBlvd]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

This is insane. Expectations are out of whack right now...

Johnny Gaudreau is that good though, highly skilled and can get through and out of tight spaces between bigger defenders with the puck.

We'll see how he does in main training camp against NHL regulars but I at this point think he will play for the Flames this season.

[Biyaaaah]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

This is insane. Expectations are out of whack right now...

Don't see why people keep saying this. At a time when the Flames have such a wealth of talent this guy sticks out like a sore thumb.

No one was expecting him to make an impact vs the nucks in gm 82 but he was strong on the backcheck, his line seemed to have good possession, created turnovers, made plays along the boards. Did all the little things that someone his size is supposed to struggle with in the NHL and that was in a surprise start.

At the world juniors we weren't expecting him to make the impact that he did. 1st time playing with pros, started as a depth guy for USA and ended up playing the most minutes of any forward by the last game. He was undressing NHL'ers game in and out.

The tool box he's displayed thus far makes it hard not to giggle like a school girl at the mention of his name.

Look at where St. Louis was at this age and what he was doing in preseason for the flames 15 years ago. Killed it in the AHL and looked sick in preseason but even he didn't show a tool box in the same realm as Johnny.

At the end of the day I love our development system and what we've done with our prospects (see Byron). The future is gonna be Sick!!!

AND EDMONTON IS STILL NO GOOD

[T@T]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

This is insane. Expectations are out of whack right now...

I don't think he's far off really, Bennett/Monahan are too young and Iginla didn't have quite the star power comng out of junior. When you look at it Gaudreau has been a huge star everywhere he's played so far.

Once again the size thing with Johnny is rearing it's ugly head and so far he's kicked it in the face.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

During a workout, it takes about 20-30 minutes to get through your carb intake as a source of energy.

After that, your body utilises fat stores. Low body fat: low energy.

Yes, that's why distance runners maintain high levels of body fat!

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, that's why distance runners maintain high levels of body fat!

Toothpicks don't need energy to run straight lines

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by MuscleOnTheBlvd

Johnny Gaudreau is that good though, highly skilled and can get through and out of tight spaces between bigger defenders with the puck.

We'll see how he does in main training camp against NHL regulars but I at this point think he will play for the Flames this season.

I think he could make the team out of camp but I hope if guys like him and baertschi make it, Hartley makes the consequences of taking runs at any of the kids very clear to other teams early on by unleashing the hounds in response... Mcgrattan, Bollig, engelland, wolf, etc. To me, winning or losing the game this season will come second to establishing even further that this will be a mean team to play against. That's the reason management is bulking up the lower lines on this team so I hope they are used to that effect... take the suspensions and fines if need be.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, that's why distance runners maintain high levels of body fat!

That's actually why they maintain low levels of body fat. The energy they use from body fat can be lowered by carrying less of it, so it's actually a really interesting balancing act in becoming a distance runner "elite".

[saXon]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

This is insane. Expectations are out of whack right now...

Yeah.

How exactly are Flames fans supposed to temper their expectations when the franchise keeps plastering JG all over the front splash pages of calgaryflames.com?

They aren't stupid, they know what they have in him. Fans aren't stupid either. He's something special. As in 'elite' kinda special.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by saXon

Yeah.

How exactly are Flames fans supposed to temper their expectations when the franchise keeps plastering JG all over the front splash pages of calgaryflames.com?

They aren't stupid, they know what they have in him. Fans aren't stupid either. He's something special. As in 'elite' kinda special.

Agreed. It's the natural reaction for lots of us to try hard to temper our expectations because we've had to watch years of oilers fans and media over-hyping their halls, eberles, yakupovs, Schultzs, and RNHs... We don't want to do the same thing. It's a good thing to temper our expectations for sure. Like any rookie, he'll have his ups and downs but I think he will be a legit top six forward in the NHL one day.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by saXon

Yeah.

How exactly are Flames fans supposed to temper their expectations when the franchise keeps plastering JG all over the front splash pages of calgaryflames.com?

They aren't stupid, they know what they have in him. Fans aren't stupid either. He's something special. As in 'elite' kinda special.

Let's just say it. He's the 'mini magic man'.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

I'd like to see Burke snag Barb Underhill back from the Leafs. She has a program that teaches new techniques to players that dramatically increases their agility and foot speed. She basically turned Brian Boyle and Peter Holland from first round busts to pretty solid hockey players.

Might do wonders for Burkes big guys who can't skate all that well.

Holland worked with Underhill all through junior... I really doubt she had much to do with anything this year.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Let's just say it. He's the 'mini magic man'.

I hope this magic man was born with a heart.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

I hope this magic man was born with a heart.

Anyone who has watched the kid play knows he has one. Good grief.

[Caged Great]

I'm uploading a bunch of videos to youtube. I'll have them posted shortly.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Gaudreau will get a chance to make the team from camp. I don't think he (or anyone else) will be penciled-in at this point. I do think he does end up winning a spot during training camp and pre-season.

With respect to Kanzig - I really like him. Another possible reason he looked 'gassed out' today is because of how much muscle he is carrying. I think he is a prospect that can probably use a decrease in muscle mass. It really does make you gassed out faster. His fat % has probably a lot less to do with how gassed he is getting rather than the sheer bulk of his muscles that require so much oxygen and energy. Just my guess though.

Really happy that Klimchuk is getting noticed here. I think he is a fantastic prospect and us Flames fans are going to be salivating over him, and our expectations are going to go through the roof I bet.

I wouldn't put too much stock in Harrisson not impressing as much at this point. I don't remember him turning many heads last season until the scrimmages started, and then he really got noticed. Let's see how the prospects do against each other then, and which ones really shine amongst their peers. Really looking forward to seeing if Hickey can keep up his performance in a game!