Friedman's 30 thoughts now on Sportsnet

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm intrigued with the Flames clear change in plans for Bennett and Gaudreau for tonight's game. Not sure what to read into it though ...

Bennett had his best game of the tournament against the Oilers, and Gaudreau has put up two straight and getting buzz.

Have they reconsidered, or at least opened the door to them making the team and therefore want to see them together more to develop more chemistry?

Or have they decided even more so to send them down, so may as well get them more ice now?

Or this has little to do with anything and I'm reaching? :O)

Either way, seemed like a change, and a change comes from something.

What I underlined is what most likely will happen. I think we will see them together in preseason, but one will be in the OHL and the other in the AHL where they are going to get plenty of ice time to further develop themselves. Then, we will see them develop that chemistry yet again in a few years when they are both NHL regulars. Pretty exciting of how well they compliment each other's game thus far.

[GoJetsGo]

I think there was such a lack of flow to the Oilers game because of the overzealous officiating that they didn't get a good look at them at even strength. Way too much special teams in that game.

My guess is they liked what they saw in limited 5-on-5 time, and want to get a better look.

I'm hard pressed to believe they've been swayed into making a decision about where they'll play this year based on the first two rookie games of the season. A lot of hockey to be played in the next few weeks.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

I think there was such a lack of flow to the Oilers game because of the overzealous officiating that they didn't get a good look at them at even strength. Way too much special teams in that game.

My guess is they liked what they saw in limited 5-on-5 time, and want to get a better look...

That actually sounds pretty reasonable. Even if we quibble about whether the officiating was "overzealous" or whether the Flames were just not disciplined enough, this makes good sense to me.

[Vulcan]

I think they are playing Bennett and Gaudreau and a few others because they want to win.

[djsFlames]

Make sure Johnny and McGrats become bffs like him and Money, and there will be no worries on the ice.

As for the changes in lineup, I think the Flames wanted to respond to the Canucks dressing their top prospects together on their top line with our own. Also maybe a bit for the fans, since it's the last event before things will start to really matter. I think the Gaudreau-Bennett pairing was dynamite on saturday, and Ferland-Granlund were the best in the game on friday. Having both out there should make for some high octane offence coming from the Flames side tonight! I don't think the Canuckies have enough depth to keep up with ours.

[Rick M.]

I think Johnny's best protection will result from his playing with top players. He and Bennett have been a great fit because of Bennett's speed, shiftiness, hands and grit. Alas, Sam probably needs another season in junior to get stronger. Players haven't been able to key on Johnny because he can make seeing eye passes without warning that are apt to catch the opposition napping just as a certain Wayne Somebody used to do and guys like Bennett can both score and set up. I see them as a duo in another year.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Homework is clearly not T@T's forté.

Shocking..at least to me. I blame it on female influence at the time.

[Tinordi]

This place is going to be so frickin annoying if and when Gaudreau gets sent down, which Treliving and Burke have been angling toward since Treliving was hired.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

This place is going to be so frickin annoying if and when Gaudreau gets sent down, which Treliving and Burke have been angling toward since Treliving was hired.

Yea, if there's anything I get from Treliving and Burke, it's that they've secretly made decsiions about who's making the team before training camp. It's all part of some kind of secret agenda.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Yea, if there's anything I get from Treliving and Burke, it's that they've secretly made decsiions about who's making the team before training camp. It's all part of some kind of secret agenda.

Weird post. There's no conspiracy, they've just plainly said that they believe most young players benefit from development time in the AHL. They've said it so often it kind of makes you think that they're trying to temper fan expectations of prospect X or Y and their development path. Based on that, it would come as no surprise to see a player like Gaudreau spend some time in the AHL. That's a good thing according to Burke and Treliving and you'll excuse me if I defer to their better judgement than that of T@T.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

This place is going to be so frickin annoying if and when Gaudreau gets sent down, which Treliving and Burke have been angling toward since Treliving was hired.

If and when? They are not going to send him down if he makes the team.

If I was a betting man I'd wager he makes the team this year and possibly wins the Calder.

[calgarywinning]

Whether Sam Bennett or Gaudreau play for the Flames this year will not hurt us looking outward over the bigger picture. Playing in the AHL will not hurt.

What I noticed about Gaudreau is that is passing, his plays, the space that he makes is beyond the AHL level. It is superior. He is a playmaker and when he's putting pucks on frozen teammates sticks that are in shock that it happened, we have a problem.

I hope he makes the team and we protect him and give him the chance to play with the highest calibre players that aren't developing but can bury his killer moves/passes.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Weird post. There's no conspiracy, they've just plainly said that they believe most young players benefit from development time in the AHL. They've said it so often it kind of makes you think that they're trying to temper fan expectations of prospect X or Y and their development path. Based on that, it would come as no surprise to see a player like Gaudreau spend some time in the AHL. That's a good thing according to Burke and Treliving and you'll excuse me if I defer to their better judgement than that of T@T.

I thought your post was weird as you've clearly arrived at conclusions I don't think exist at this point. You can't defer to a judgement that hasn't happened yet, and your post very much made it sound like you think it's a foregone conclusion. Not to mention adding in how "fricking annoying" this place will be if that happens.

[djsFlames]

It'll be important in the future to have Johnny playing with players who can think and react near the same speed as him offensively. Only then will we expose his full potential. Many botched plays in this tournament due to Johnny being a couple steps ahead of his linemates. Although Sam Bennett looked to be a little more in sync.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Weird post. There's no conspiracy, they've just plainly said that they believe most young players benefit from development time in the AHL. They've said it so often it kind of makes you think that they're trying to temper fan expectations of prospect X or Y and their development path. Based on that, it would come as no surprise to see a player like Gaudreau spend some time in the AHL. That's a good thing according to Burke and Treliving and you'll excuse me if I defer to their better judgement than that of T@T.

By all means use me as your sound board but it sounds to me like your trying to talk yourself into agreeing with them.

Weak

[PeteMoss]

I will say during Burke's interview he was much more positive about Gaudreau then he has been in the past. He said flat out that his skills will translate in the NHL when before he would always mention the size as a big question mark of him cutting it. He still said he's small, but didn't use it to question his NHL ability.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

This place is going to be so frickin annoying if and when Gaudreau gets sent down, which Treliving and Burke have been angling toward since Treliving was hired.

No different than last year when Sven got sent down. Really only a vocal minority that couldn't grasp that the move was for the best. Yes a few of them will whine when player 'X' is getting 12 minutes a night wasting space that Johnny Hockey could be playing but it's pretty easy to tune them out and some of them (I won't name names) can be a source of humour in their over the top posts.

I'm a Raiders fan so I have patience up the wazoo. I know better days are ahead for this franchise and I'm patient enough that I don't need to see the kids play earlier than they should be just to satisfy my own selfish need to see the shiny new toys. This is about building a team the right way not providing instant gratification for fans. Playing kids early is the reason the Oilers haven't progressed in their rebuild. If anything Flames fans should be hoping for the organization to approach the rebuild 180 degrees from how the Oilers have handled their rebuild.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

No different than last year when Sven got sent down. Really only a vocal minority that couldn't grasp that the move was for the best. Yes a few of them will whine when player 'X' is getting 12 minutes a night wasting space that Johnny Hockey could be playing but it's pretty easy to tune them out and some of them (I won't name names) can be a source of humour in their over the top posts.

I'm a Raiders fan so I have patience up the wazoo. I know better days are ahead for this franchise and I'm patient enough that I don't need to see the kids play earlier than they should be just to satisfy my own selfish need to see the shiny new toys. This is about building a team the right way not providing instant gratification for fans. Playing kids early is the reason the Oilers haven't progressed in their rebuild. If anything Flames fans should be hoping for the organization to approach the rebuild 180 degrees from how the Oilers have handled their rebuild.

I agree with you about most things here, but with the exception of RNH, who got rushed in? The reason Edmonton sucks is varied and hilarious, but I'm not sure this is one of them

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I agree with you about most things here, but with the exception of RNH, who got rushed in? The reason Edmonton sucks is varied and hilarious, but I'm not sure this is one of them

Yakupov - that's 2/3 1st overalls the Oilers threw into the fire.

[bubbsy]

yakupov, shultz, rnh were all rushed.

has there ever been a prospect who suffered from playing another year in junior, EVER?

the fact that the oilers had accepted a slow rebuild in the past few years, not sure why they couldn't be patient and let guys play in the appropriate league while sucking at the NHL level, which they ended up doing regardless.

I really hope baertchi, granlund, ferland, reinhart get long, long looks to make the team in camp. (ie. if a roster spot battle is a tie, it goes to the kid)

I would prefer if gaudreau/bennet are treated slightly differently, where they actually would have to shock management into making it difficult to justify them not going down (ie. tie goes to a vet or the above mentioned rookies).