[News] With the 4th overall pick the Flames select C Sam Bennett

[Rick M.]

Hackey, you're correct. I get nervous when people want to package prospects and send them off for other players (or magic beans). It's too early in our prospects' careers to know who will surprise on the upside and who will fail to develop. We just need to tend our garden a bit longer and then the weeds will become obvious.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Were just starting year 2 of the rebuild and were projected to be one of the worst teams in the league again. I don't think there is any need to worry about any specific position at this point. Were gonna be bad for at least another 2-3 seasons. Just stock up quality assets and develop correctly and we can address specific needs when it's necessary. We have no idea who or how our prospects will pan out at this point. A little more patience is all we need to worry about.

Don't tell that to the Flames coaches and players. All I can say is, nothing is guaranteed to go down the way folks are lead to think they will. The fantasizing over McDavid or Eichel is equally as based in fantasy as hoping for the playoffs. The reason its exciting to watch the Flames is their work ethic and just because thing look bad to some on paper, does not equate to the results at the end of the season being that way.

If they do, fine. If they don't even better, because that's progression and heading in the right direction.

I just want to watch the season unfold without a preconceived notion that failure is imminent, or that success is guaranteed. I'm a middle of the road guy and I like to believe Hartley and Gio when they say they believe they'll be better than what people are penciling them in as .

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by codynw

When was the last time a legit top pairing defenceman actually hit free agency? And if one actually does, they're going to get paid way too much money. Filling major holes on your team through free agency is a terrible idea. You either overpay, or the players you want sign elsewhere and you end up with nothing.

Suter. Bouwmeester. Chara. Chris Pronger's rights were traded to the Flyers, but he was a UFA; he was also traded 4 times in his career. Kimmo Timmonen was also a rights acquisition by Philadelphia.

Timmonen would be the kind of move I'd expect them to make; a top pairing guy who's more of a #2 and will anchor the second pairing.

Guys move. And if we have a top 5 farm system, we should be able to put together a package for the right player when the time is right.

Obviously we keep drafting for defensive depth, and I think the next two drafts will see more of a focus on the blue line. We have the centre depth we've only dreamed about for the past 20 years, and our wings are full of excellent prospects as well.

BPA at the top of the draft, but when the dust settles I expect us to have drafted more defensemen than forwards next year.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by codynw

When was the last time a legit top pairing defenceman actually hit free agency? And if one actually does, they're going to get paid way too much money. Filling major holes on your team through free agency is a terrible idea. You either overpay, or the players you want sign elsewhere and you end up with nothing.

Suter comes to mind

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Hackey, you're correct. I get nervous when people want to package prospects and send them off for other players (or magic beans). It's too early in our prospects' careers to know who will surprise on the upside and who will fail to develop. We just need to tend our garden a bit longer and then the weeds will become obvious.

I don't think anyone wants to ship any prospects out yet. Or if they do, they're in the minority.

However, with another two or three years of high draft picks, in addition to the prospects we've already got in the system, there is going to be MORE than enough in the cupboard to put together a deal for an impact NHL veteran D, without giving up a first round pick.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

Suter comes to mind

Forgot about him, but still, it's not very often a player of his calibre hits UFA status.

[djsFlames]

@hackey

People like to say the rebuild started with the iggy trade. To me it started in 2011, when our drafting approach changed and we stopped trading away high picks. And seeing as several players from that class are beggining to make an impact at the top level and look poised to become key pieces of the team moving forward it even further reinforces that point. We started accumulating quality prospects long before that trade. Thus the year 2 thing doesn't mean much to me. Well be bad this year, but will make our way up the standings very shortly after that, if even half of these kids happen to pan out. As for defense, Hanifin/kylington will shore that issue up pretty quickly, as they are supposedly on Ekblads level or better. And he's already skating in the NHL this fall.

[mile]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Don't tell that to the Flames coaches and players. All I can say is, nothing is guaranteed to go down the way folks are lead to think they will. The fantasizing over McDavid or Eichel is equally as based in fantasy as hoping for the playoffs. The reason its exciting to watch the Flames is their work ethic and just because thing look bad to some on paper, does not equate to the results at the end of the season being that way.

If they do, fine. If they don't even better, because that's progression and heading in the right direction.

I just want to watch the season unfold without a preconceived notion that failure is imminent, or that success is guaranteed. I'm a middle of the road guy and I like to believe Hartley and Gio when they say they believe they'll be better than what people are penciling them in as .

Yeah - if Monahan, Brodie, Backlund, etc. continue to improve to the extent that they play a huge part in a significant improvement in the standings compared to last year, but still get a top 10 pick and a good player in the draft, that would be just as rewarding.

[Bingo]

The Flames are already further ahead than anyone in the media figuered a season ago. All we saw last September was "square one", "from the ground up", "rock bottom", "very beginning of a rebuild"

The idea was they had Monahan, two other firsts that may or may not have been good picks, and that was it.

The Flames put forth a decent season, including a huge charge at the end which was timed precisely with the entry of advanced stats into the daily dialogue, and three of their players moving from filler to key components due to obvious good play, and their names being displayed on various lists for pushing the play.

So now the same media has the Flames with a bright future, a stable full of prospects, and four good components on the roster, but likely heading for a tough season and little hope to move out of the very bottom of league standings.

Are they wrong again? Maybe ...

Maybe the Flames have an injury or two, some call ups, monster leaps from Backlund and Brodie, a solid season from a goaltending tandem, and a season of almost making the playoffs.

Stranger things have happened.

[albertGQ]

Bouwmeester was also a trade, not a UFA signing.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Bingo

The Flames are already further ahead than anyone in the media figuered a season ago. All we saw last September was "square one", "from the ground up", "rock bottom", "very beginning of a rebuild"

The idea was they had Monahan, two other firsts that may or may not have been good picks, and that was it.

The Flames put forth a decent season, including a huge charge at the end which was timed precisely with the entry of advanced stats into the daily dialogue, and three of their players moving from filler to key components due to obvious good play, and their names being displayed on various lists for pushing the play.

So now the same media has the Flames with a bright future, a stable full of prospects, and four good components on the roster, but likely heading for a tough season and little hope to move out of the very bottom of league standings.

Are they wrong again? Maybe ...

Maybe the Flames have an injury or two, some call ups, monster leaps from Backlund and Brodie, a solid season from a goaltending tandem, and a season of almost making the playoffs.

Stranger things have happened.

I could actually see that scenerio happening more likely than the McDavid/Eichel scenerio coming to fruition.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

So anyway.....since it's a Sam Bennett thread.........

Sam Bennett ‏@SBennett93
Calgary✈️. Bring on the snow ❄️⛄️

Can hardly wait to see how he does in Penticton. Not expecting him to make the big squad, but a good tournament could be the start of a big year for him.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

So anyway.....since it's a Sam Bennett thread.........


Can hardly wait to see how he does in Penticton. Not expecting him to make the big squad, but a good tournament could be the start of a big year for him.

Is there any information on his current hgt/wgt?

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Not that I know of, but I think we'll all find out in a few days after the fitness test results are leaked.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Isn't Sam around 6', 180ish? That would be my guess.

[mile]

At development camp Bennett was 6'1" and apparently said his weight was at "185-ish."

If that is true, maybe we see another Monahan situation where he gets up to near 200 after a good summer.

[getbak]

If they do what they did in past years, anyone who participated in the development camp won't do the fitness testing again, so we likely won't get any official updated height and weight numbers for Bennett.

[puds]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Maybe the Flames have an injury or two, some call ups, monster leaps from Backlund and Brodie, a solid season from a goaltending tandem, and a season of almost making the playoffs.

Personally, I see the flames bottoming out in the standings this year and than an upward trajectory. Our conference is too competitive for us to be in the playoff mix.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by puds

Personally, I see the flames bottoming out in the standings this year and than an upward trajectory. Our conference is too competitive for us to be in the playoff mix.

I am curious to see how the Flames play under Hartley's system again.

[Mustache]

Posting more Flames related Vines. #93

https://vine.co/v/OzPBmYAd2J2