[News] With the 104th overall pick, the Flames select LW John Gaudreau

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Rerun

A generational talent perhaps?.

We gotta stop with this.

[Rick M.]

He scores his first hat trick as a Flame on Nov. 13 at home against the Coyotes. But that's in the future.

[Bunk]

Interesting comments by Burke at rookie seasons ticket holder event about Johnny. Said much more impressive at home vs away because of how line changes are controlled more by the home team. Scores at home, but Winnipeg the other night where he was playing bigger, faster players - "did nothing". Stated - "What can he do on the road? We don't know, but we'll find out in a hurry with the six game road trip out of the gate."

So skeptical of him still, but sounds like he's for sure on the roster to begin with.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by polak

Whats the significance of #13 for Johnny G?

His birthday is August 13. He wore #8 at Dubuque and #13 at BC and in the World Jrs.

I don't know if it's as big a deal for him as some guys, like Crosby with 87.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Interesting comments by Burke at rookie seasons ticket holder event about Johnny. Said much more impressive at home vs away because of how line changes are controlled more by the home team. Scores at home, but Winnipeg the other night where he was playing bigger, faster players - "did nothing". Stated - "What can he do on the road? We don't know, but we'll find out in a hurry with the six game road trip out of the gate."

So skeptical of him still, but sounds like he's for sure on the roster to begin with.

Interesting indeed. I didn't see the game in Winnipeg but listened to 960. I got the impression that the puck wasn't going to Johnny and some felt Colborne wasn't as good a center match for Gaudreau as Bennett had been.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Interesting comments by Burke at rookie seasons ticket holder event about Johnny. Said much more impressive at home vs away because of how line changes are controlled more by the home team. Scores at home, but Winnipeg the other night where he was playing bigger, faster players - "did nothing". Stated - "What can he do on the road? We don't know, but we'll find out in a hurry with the six game road trip out of the gate."

So skeptical of him still, but sounds like he's for sure on the roster to begin with.

Seems harsh. What have Stajan, Glencross and Raymond done on the road? Nothing. I don't think you can point fingers are Johnny, who after all was in the lineup for all of the Flames' wins in the preseason.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Interesting comments by Burke at rookie seasons ticket holder event about Johnny. Said much more impressive at home vs away because of how line changes are controlled more by the home team. Scores at home, but Winnipeg the other night where he was playing bigger, faster players - "did nothing". Stated - "What can he do on the road? We don't know, but we'll find out in a hurry with the six game road trip out of the gate."

So skeptical of him still, but sounds like he's for sure on the roster to begin with.

True. But....

1) the Flames lineups on the road were brutal, resulting in less puck possession
2) just my opinion, but I thought the reffing in the pre-season (all teams, not just Flame games) heavily favoured home teams. Road teams got few PPs .
3) played the Wpg game with Colborne, who had his worst game of the pre-season
4) ALL of the Flames were horrible in that game

Despite all that, I thought Gaudreau wasn't too bad in that game

[Vulcan]

He made that one great pass to Russell but not much else was working for him.

[Camronius]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Interesting indeed. I didn't see the game in Winnipeg but listened to 960. I got the impression that the puck wasn't going to Johnny and some felt Colborne wasn't as good a center match for Gaudreau as Bennett had been.

The bold sums it up. I watched the entire game, every time Johnny touched it, he created space or put the puck into space. His linemates did nothing to give him options and for whatever reason didn't pass to him when he was open. I kept thinking Johnny was wide open in certain scenarios but the puck wouldn't get to him. Extremely frustrating game to watch. Backlund also showed ok in that game... would have like to see them put together as they were the only 2 making things happen.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Seems harsh. What have Stajan, Glencross and Raymond done on the road? Nothing. I don't think you can point fingers are Johnny, who after all was in the lineup for all of the Flames' wins in the preseason.

Burke is just being the porcupine at Johnny's big balloon party. It's getting harder to keep people's expectations in check, so he has to resort to saying things like he was good at home, but not so good on the road.

[Arya Stark]

Everything is about "bigger and faster" with Burke. His theory of why Gaudreau did nothing on the road is idiotic. Gaudreau still created chances in every single game and the road teams we sent out weren't as good as the home ones.

And we struggled to score at home and on the road. I think in the first 7 games we scored 11 goals total. When you are passing to a bunch of scrubs it is kind of hard to be productive.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Interesting comments by Burke at rookie seasons ticket holder event about Johnny.

Anything else of interest mentioned during the talk?

[My2Cents]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Anything else of interest mentioned during the talk?

He said something along the lines of "tiny skilled guys look way better beside big mean dudes" reinforcing his "crude Canadian hockey" mantra.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Camronius

The bold sums it up. I watched the entire game, every time Johnny touched it, he created space or put the puck into space. His linemates did nothing to give him options and for whatever reason didn't pass to him when he was open. I kept thinking Johnny was wide open in certain scenarios but the puck wouldn't get to him. Extremely frustrating game to watch. Backlund also showed ok in that game... would have like to see them put together as they were the only 2 making things happen.

Agreed. The flames need to make sure they tap into the puck possession and zone entries that Johnny provides. The penguins have success when Crosby is the guy carrying the puck into the offensive zone with speed... Not Dupuis or Kunitz. It's frustrating to watch other guys with the puck just look off players like Crosby, Kane, and gaudreau when they are open and moving with speed through the neutral zone.

[pylon]

I said it at the CP draft last night when I took him.

65 points in his rookie season.

Let the mocking begin, but I believe he will score 25+ in his rookie campaign. It may be the rose coloured glasses, but his raw talent hasn't been seen on this team in 2 decades. The Flames learned their lesson with what became of Martin St. Louis, and Marc Savard to a certain extent. I have to believe they will not make the same mistake a third time.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Anything else of interest mentioned during the talk?

Not a lot new but a few interesting tidbits:

Q about Baertschi's progression - happy about his progress, came ready to play at camp. Kept reemphasizing everyone has a different path to the NHL, and need to never rush a young player.

Q about expectations for TJ Brodie - Treliving said he expects him to make the next step, characterized him as being on the cusp of being a true elite NHL top pairing defensemen. Defines that as games won or lost because of their performance.

Q about perception of being a cap floor team - Treliving said they had a deal in place at the draft to take on close to $20 million in salary in order to acquire two additional first round picks. Signed off by Flames ownership, but other two teams backed away from the deal.

Q about worry other teams will tank - Burke went on about how the Flames will never, ever, ever, ever tank or ask players to not try to win. Can't then go ask them later to put it all out on the line to win.

Q about the Vancouver brawl - insisted it was Vancouver's fault - Tortorella overreacted to the Flames starting line-up card, but acknowledge what a major turning point it was for the team.

Tons of praise for Gio as captain. Burke said he'd put him up against any captain of any organization he's been a part of. He's that good.

Arena/complex announcement within weeks.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Q about perception of being a cap floor team - Treliving said they had a deal in place at the draft to take on close to $20 million in salary in order to acquire two additional first round picks. Signed off by Flames ownership, but other two teams backed away from the deal.

Carolina - Ward
Arizona - Ribeiro

They were the rumoured players.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Not a lot new but a few interesting tidbits:

Q about Baertschi's progression - happy about his progress, came ready to play at camp. Kept reemphasizing everyone has a different path to the NHL, and need to never rush a young player.

Q about expectations for TJ Brodie - Treliving said he expects him to make the next step, characterized him as being on the cusp of being a true elite NHL top pairing defensemen. Defines that as games won or lost because of their performance.

Q about perception of being a cap floor team - Treliving said they had a deal in place at the draft to take on close to $20 million in salary in order to acquire two additional first round picks. Signed off by Flames ownership, but other two teams backed away from the deal.

Q about worry other teams will tank - Burke went on about how the Flames will never, ever, ever, ever tank or ask players to not try to win. Can't then go ask them later to put it all out on the line to win.

Q about the Vancouver brawl - insisted it was Vancouver's fault - Tortorella overreacted to the Flames starting line-up card, but acknowledge what a major turning point it was for the team.

Arena/complex announcement within weeks.

Is that for real?

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Is that for real?

That's what Ken King said in his intro remarks. Interestingly, no questions from the ~250 in the room about that. Everyone really focused on the hockey season ahead, which I guess makes sense because it's two days away.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Q about perception of being a cap floor team - Treliving said they had a deal in place at the draft to take on close to $20 million in salary in order to acquire two additional first round picks. Signed off by Flames ownership, but other two teams backed away from the deal.

I guess that pretty much confirms the Ribeiro and Ward rumours that were circulating at the time.

Originally Posted by Bunk

Arena/complex announcement within weeks.

Weeks? Weeks?

Awesome.