Sven - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

RyZ · 10-27-2014, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Him, fans, and his dad can blame Burke all they want...1 point and team worst plus minus rating in the AHL.

Maybe Burke was right and he needs to work on his defensive game and maybe just maybe he isn't as good as we all thought

Or perhaps he was ready and playing just fine (scores at a 40 pt pace in NHL) and his development was completely stalled or even set back by sending him back to the AHL last year. His confidence and creativity has clearly regressed exponentially over the past 2 years.

The same development strategy doesnt work for every hockey prospect, just like people in every day life, and I think the Flames went the wrong way with Sven and he has become a little bit disgruntled with the current management and situation.

There arent a lot of 22 and under guys that score at almost a .5 ppg pace through 50 NHL games that arent playing an everyday shift in the NHL.

chubeyr1 · 10-27-2014, 10:12 PM

I honestly feel sorry for Sven.

As another poster stated he was given the keys to the city by former management. He did pretty well too, one might say he earned a spot on the team too.

Management changed and bang he is in the minors. Not just the minors, Burke is going on a tirade in the media about him. Pride of the city, to being ragged on in the media. Hero to Zero in a matter of months!

I have to say I was amazed how the organization treated him. Has nothing to do with going to the farm, its the media interviews from Burke that annoys me, why would anyone single out a rookie like that?

Thank you Ashasx for your update/opinion. I have not written the kid off. I do believe he is going to have a great career just not here though. I really hope I am wrong though.

Travis Munroe · 10-27-2014, 10:24 PM

I know it has to be earned but I really would want to see Sven get 10 or so games with the flames before making any moves. The AHL is a different game and there have been several players who greatly outperformed their AHL performance once in the NHL.

dammage79 · 10-27-2014, 10:25 PM

It may very well be the best thing for Sven to change teams. Honestly, the highs were too high and now the lows seem too low to come back from. It's a real shame. We all know how good he can be, and we all know things are not going the way pretty much anyone had hoped.

The only real critique I have is that I do not believe Sven has the mental strength to deal with everything that has happened.Instead of being frustrated, confused, disappointed that he got sent down again after having a good camp (I say he finished camp ranked behnd Bennett, Gaudreau, Granlund, Jooris and Ferland) , He should've been P/O'ed, angry and had a fire ignite in his guts to compete and give the Flames no reason to keep him off of the main roster.

But here we are in this small sampling of an AHL season going worst +/- on the team? 1 point in 8 games? WTH man?

Granted the Baby Flames are collectively off to a terrible start but he has to be better than that right now. Needs to lead the charge.

Which is why I feel the Nino treatment is whats in store for Sven in the near future.
I don't necessarily agree with that sentiment but I see it trending towards that endgame. Maybe he lasts the whole season, but I feel this would be bad for both the team and Sven.

dissentowner · 10-27-2014, 10:27 PM

The thing about Sven is I think he has gotten himself so focused on being good in his own zone and backchecking that he has lost that offensive flair that made him awesome. If I could give him some advice it would be to stop worrying about the defensive side of the game and get back to focusing on offense. Who cares what BB said, get back to what made you a first rnd pick.

tvp2003 · 10-27-2014, 10:33 PM

If Backlund can do it, so can Sven. If he wants to.

Fact is, not every vet fit in with the rebuild. Shouldn't be a surprise that not every "prospect" will either.

Think we can flip him to the Oilers for Nurse?

saillias · 10-27-2014, 10:36 PM

Yup I think it would make sense to trade him. The NHL team doesn't need him right now and I don't see that changing in the immediate future.

If I'm choosing the next call-up I'm calling Granlund, who IMO is the guy really getting shafted right now, he belongs in the bigs.

Lanny_McDonald · 10-27-2014, 10:37 PM

Bordering on busting. He's been passed by too many at his position. It might be best to trade him while he still holds some promise. I'd move him in a package for a defenseman and fill a hole in the organization.

Ashasx · 10-27-2014, 10:41 PM

less than 2 years ago, most people thought Niederreiter was a complete bust.

In Nino's first 51 NHL games, he had 1 point. Baertschi has 24. I just don't get how he can be considered a borderline bust because of a mediocre 8 games in the AHL under a new coach, new system, new management, 50% team turnover, etc.

I don't think Baertschi gets us much in a trade either, so selfishly, I'd rather keep him and see if we can learn to develop our own players.

Headshot · 10-27-2014, 10:46 PM

To all the people who think he is bad defensively, is there any proof besides his plus minus?

Vulcan · 10-27-2014, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

I know it has to be earned but I really would want to see Sven get 10 or so games with the flames before making any moves. The AHL is a different game and there have been several players who greatly outperformed their AHL performance once in the NHL.

Yeah, it could be the Flames aren't too interested in his stats but are interested in his board play improving. He gets that down and they recall him. Well maybe.

Watching him last season with the Heat it looked like he'd been passed by Granlund and Reinhart though and as has been said it now looks like he's been passed by Bennett, Jooris and Ferland as well. I don't know if he has much trade value anymore. Maybe another high pick who hasn't panned out will be switched for him.

Dion · 10-27-2014, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashasx

less than 2 years ago, most people thought Niederreiter was a complete bust.

In Nino's first 51 NHL games, he had 1 point. Baertschi has 24. I just don't get how he can be considered a borderline bust because of a mediocre 8 games in the AHL under a new coach, new system, new management, 50% team turnover, etc.

I don't think Baertschi gets us much in a trade either, so selfishly, I'd rather keep him and see if we can learn to develop our own players.

He's in my hockey pool and has done diddly squat this year. Let me know when he decides to show up

Ashasx · 10-27-2014, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

He's in my hockey pool and has done diddly squat this year. Let me know when he decides to show up

I suggest you not panic for a player who has 3 points in 7 games. 1 more lucky bounce and he'd be on pace for 47 points.

Always consider your sample size.

ForeverFlameFan · 10-27-2014, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Being a minus player by no means indicates that he has played poor defensively.

From the games I've watched, it's been far the opposite. He nor his linemates are scoring and they are getting little to no puck luck. Even with 3 more ES goals for, his +/- returns to near the team average (he's also been on the ice for a couple of EN goals against). I think he's been very unlucky not to have at least a few more points.

With that said, he is focusing too much on positioning in his own zone and it's costing him a lot of what made him special in the first place.

The common rhetoric needs to stop. He's just fine defensively. He's consistently the first player in on the backcheck, he isn't making dumb defensive plays or turning the puck over. He's been conservative.

Thanks for that Ashasx.

Is he focusing too much on defense and not his offense anymore? Does he just need to find a way to balance both of them out?

Dion · 10-27-2014, 10:58 PM

Sven becomes an RFA at the end of this season and has to show something to earn another contract from the Flames. My fear is he will become another first round bust like Leland Irving.

Dion · 10-27-2014, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I suggest you not panic for a player who has 3 points in 7 games. 1 more lucky bounce and he'd be on pace for 47 points.

Always consider your sample size.

He only has 2 points but I guess I shouldn't complain considering I got him in the 12 round.

Ashasx · 10-27-2014, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Thanks for that Ashasx.

Is he focusing too much on defense and not his offense anymore? Does he just need to find a way to balance both of them out?

I haven't watched every game this season, but the ones I did I felt he was quite noticeable in the offensive end.

My biggest problem with his game right now is that it's just kind of boring. Not the Sven of a year ago (and none of my concerns are related to his defensive play).

Particularly, he's playing a dump and chase style of game which he never played before last year. That's not his game. His game is stopping up short of other players and making the smart pass. He would slow the game down and force the other team to back off and respect his play. Now all I see in the neutral zone is dumping it down the ice once he's cross centre and chasing it down. He's 5'10". That shouldn't be his game. His game is intelligence, not brawn. I don't know if this is a confidence issue or if somebody is telling him to do it.

I think once the team did get control of the puck in the offensive end, he was quite noticeable. Positionally he's always in the right place in the offensive zone and he was involving himself in board battles (just he's not going to win every one... again, not his game).

As I said, he's consistently the first player in on the back check. Maybe this is holding him back offensively, I don't know for sure. Logically, I know that it is more difficult for a line to break out if the winger is consistently deep in his own zone.

With that said, the team as a whole has not been good (save Ferland and Grandlund). I think he should probably be at 4 or 5 points for the year, not 1 (even considering the play of the team). He hit the post in overtime a couple games ago, made some good plays to Reinhart which are typically gimmes.

It's an 8 game sample size, so maybe I am completely wrong and this style will end up working for him. I really hope it does. But certainly I'd like to see him be more creative in the neutral zone.

I'm sure there are people who have seen all 8 games who might disagree completely with me, but this is what I've seen when focusing on his play. That's fine.

Ashasx · 10-27-2014, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

He only has 2 points but I guess I shouldn't complain considering I got him in the 12 round.

he had another point tonight.

1 game changes projections a lot early on

kermitology · 10-27-2014, 11:13 PM

All of Adriondack has been pretty meh so far aside from Ferland and Granlund, so I think some patience is in order.

chubeyr1 · 10-27-2014, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvp2003

If Backlund can do it, so can Sven. If he wants to.

Fact is, not every vet fit in with the rebuild. Shouldn't be a surprise that not every "prospect" will either.

Think we can flip him to the Oilers for Nurse?

Backlund took a long long long time to develop, and still many fans question what we have in him. He is a 3rd line center on a good team. Lets not forget though, 1/2 season ago he was a healthy scratch.