Let's talk prospect depth!

[FBI]

Pretty much everything this year is awesome as a flames fan..
Besides our beloved Flames, many of our top prospects are shining.
The only semi disappointment is Baertschi but even he is coming on strong as well.

Some of our top end prospects:
Bennett:
- possible future franchise player, tenacious, skilled, great character, highest pick ever for us

Poirier:
- fast, big shot, hits, tenacious, was leading our AHL team in scoring until the Shore acquisition
- 39 GP, 13G, 16A = 29 pts

Baertschi:
- still potential top 6er for us, learning the NHL game, attitude improving, defense, backchecking and grinding improving,
still could be great
- 31 GP, 8G, 13A = 21 pts

Klimchuk:
- Possible excellent top 9er for us that does everything
- 43 GP, 22G, 27A = 49 pts

Wolf:
- Looking like he has a huge physical presence as well as some soft hands, was scoring at will in January with Addy
- 35 GP, 12G, 9A = 21 pts

Ferland:
- tapering off but looked great in his call up and could definitely be a Burke type player for us in the future
- 30 GP, 5G, 8A = 13 pts

Granlund:
- all he does is consistently perform in the AHL and looking good in the NHL as well
Addy: 13 GP, 6G, 4A = 10 pts

Wotherspoon:
- Possible #4 D (why haven't we seen this guy already!)
- 43 GP, 2G, 16A = 18 pts

Hickey:
- Looking like a great pick and possible top 4 D
- 26 GP, 4G, 8A = 12 pts

Smith:
- Looking like another great pick, huge physical presence with hands
- 43 GP, 19G, 20A = 39 pts

Carroll:
- This guy was a 7th round pick and doing fantastically (despite being older)
- 51 GP, 28G, 31A = 59 pts

Jankowski:
- Even the guy everyone likes to hate is continuing to get better and almost PPG in a defense first team
- 24 GP, 4G, 16A = 20 pts

Kulak / Culkin:
- Offensive minded potential Brodie type guys

Shore:
- still a bit unknown but was an AHL all star and almost PPG as a center
- 42 GP, 11G, 23A = 34 pts

As far as Goalies, well we all know Ortio is the man, and both Gillies and Mcdonald are looking promising.

Maybe I have some rose colored glasses but this looks like some unbelievable depth to me.
Only a few of our guys have back stepped like Reinhart and Hanowski but
Man it feels good to be a flames fan right now.

[GranteedEV]

Maybe I have some rose colored glasses but this looks like some unbelievable depth to me.

Join the club
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=144015

Dissapointed you forgot Arnold and Rafikov.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Join the club
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=144015

I wonder how I missed that thread heh

Yeah missed a few other promising guys too, Rafikov seems to impress every where he goes, in all the tournaments etc..

Arnold seems to bring out the best in players around him and could potentially be a great #3 C..

Kanzig actually starting to score now.

[GranteedEV]

I guess the real question is: do any of the current vets (Besides Giordano & Hudler of course) really make a strong enough case to keep these guys buried for the next two years? It seems a lot of the old guys are certainly playing well lately but you can almost sense the team getting better without them. Or maybe that's Fool's Gold for the newer, shinier thing.

[worldwidej------]

I like the depth the Flames have built over the past few seasons. I believe they need to be very calculated in their decisions regarding picks ad prospects.

In my opinion they need to continue to find, develop an stockpile high end talent, and top 6 forwards/top4 defensemen.

It's much better to play someone down in the lineup ex. A 2nd line quality forward playing 3rd line because your depth is that good. than it is playing them up the lineup. An example that comes to mind is the 2014 Canadian olympic team. Just ice the "best" players you can and have them play. Don't worry about top6/bottom6.

Champions over the past few years seem have needed a few years of drafting 2/3/4 quality roster players and high end talent each draft to have the depth to win. Not to mention enjoy sustained success.

Who knows maybe that's what the flames have in their players 25 and under.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Itse]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I guess the real question is: do any of the current vets (Besides Giordano & Hudler of course) really make a strong enough case to keep these guys buried for the next two years? It seems a lot of the old guys are certainly playing well lately but you can almost sense the team getting better without them. Or maybe that's Fool's Gold for the newer, shinier thing.

Assuming no injuries, Russell will hit 500 GP mid-March. Monahan plays like a vet already. Backlund could be our oldest center by the end of next season. The kids are growing up fast. The current vets will not be needed as mentors much longer.

Then again there will always be some UFA veterans around, just like in every other team, because that's how you balance rosters.

[GranteedEV]

Maybe they could swing Granlund + Shore + Byron + Culkin + Ramage for Adam Larsson or something as NJD look to kick off a rebuild.

Gaudreau/Monahan/Poirier
Baertschi/Bennett/Hudler
Bouma/Backlund/Jooris
Wolf/Arnold/Colborne

Gio/Brodie
Larsson/Russell
Wotherspoon/Hickey


Ortio/Gillies

I can dream, can't I?

[Monahan23]

I think Klimchuk is getting forgotten a bit but he's done great. He's gonna be a real solid 1st/2nd line player IMO. Our offence prospects have been compared to Chicago, and Klimchuk could be the Sharp in our lineup. Also how 'bout Poirier, Bennett and Gaudreau on the same line. There's so much speed, skill and smarts there but Poirier and Bennett have a mean streak to them.

I think we have 3 complete unknowns. Jankowski, Smith and Baertschi. Sven will be an NHLer but will he be a 3rd line scoring winger or top 6 sniper. Smith and Jankowski could become anything.

[Brewmaster]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

I think Klimchuk is getting forgotten a bit but he's done great. He's gonna be a real solid 1st/2nd line player IMO. Our offence prospects have been compared to Chicago, and Klimchuk could be the Sharp in our lineup. Also how 'bout Poirier, Bennett and Gaudreau on the same line. There's so much speed, skill and smarts there but Poirier and Bennett have a mean streak to them.

I think we have 3 complete unknowns. Jankowski, Smith and Baertschi. Sven will be an NHLer but will he be a 3rd line scoring winger or top 6 sniper. Smith and Jankowski could become anything.

I can't say I've watched a whole lot of Klimchuk, but what makes you think he'll be a solid 1st/2nd liner on the Flames? His point totals in junior are good but nothing special.

It's great having lots of prospect depth on forward, but at the end of the day there are only going to be a few roster spots for these guys to compete for. The current Flames forwards are looking better and better with Gaudreau, Monahan, Hudler, Backlund, Bouma, Colborne, and Jooris all making big contributions and looking to be here for the future. Bennett looks to be a top prospect and will almost certainly make the team next year. Poirier, Granlund, Baertschi, and Shore all look like they will be NHL players but will be fighting it out to make the team next year. It will be an uphill battle for many of the remaining prospects to get into the lineup ahead of these guys.

[Caged Great]

A couple years ago when we were just entering the rebuild, I remember saying that you need about 20 quality prospects in order to get the foundation of a cup contending team.

We now have 17 that are the type of prospects that I was describing

Sam Bennett
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Emile Poirier
Sven Baertschi
Morgan Klimchuk
Mark Jankowski
Markus Granlund
Hunter Smith
Josh Jooris
Drew Shore
Tyler Wotherspoon
Brandon Hickey
Rushan Rafikov
Joni Ortio
Mason McDonald
Jon Gillies

That doesn't count guys like Brodie, Backlund, Bouma, Colborne, or Russell who haven't hit their prime yet either. It also doesn't include other likely NHL players like Arnold/Ferland/Wolf or guys with some good talent like Kulak/Culkin/Sieloff etc.

This year we'll be adding at least 2 or possibly 3 more names to the first list as well. We are well on our way.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Maybe they could swing Granlund + Shore + Byron + Culkin + Ramage for Adam Larsson or something as NJD look to kick off a rebuild.

I can dream, can't I?

A 5 for 1? Ouch. Sounds a bit more like a nightmare than a dream.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

A 5 for 1? Ouch. Sounds a bit more like a nightmare than a dream.

You have to give something up for a guy like Larsson. The less the better no doubt.

[Blixa]

All these players won´t play flames jersey, some of them never play more than couple NHL games.

Bennett:
- Playing NHL Season 15-16. Will get every change succeed.

Poirier:
- NHL 16-17. There is no room next year, and waiver status will benefit others. Has to play ppg next year and after that will never look back.

Baertschi:
- NHL 15-16

Klimchuk:
- NHL 17-18

Wolf:
- NHL 15-16

Ferland:
- NHL 15-16, it might take longer, he had two season of 60 games when there should be 150 games.

Granlund:
- NHL 16-17 because of the waiver status.

Wotherspoon:
- NHL 16-17

Hickey:
- NHL 18-19, next year will be interesting when Eichel factor is away.

Smith:
- NHL 17-18

Carroll:
- NHL 17-18

Jankowski:
- NHL 17-18, Needs at least one season in AHL

Kulak / Culkin:
- NHL 17-18

Shore:
- NHL 15-16

[savardandjokinen]

Arnold and Rafikov should be in this list, I don't see too much in kulak.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

A couple years ago when we were just entering the rebuild, I remember saying that you need about 20 quality prospects in order to get the foundation of a cup contending team.

We now have 17 that are the type of prospects that I was describing

Sam Bennett
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Emile Poirier
Sven Baertschi
Morgan Klimchuk
Mark Jankowski
Markus Granlund
Hunter Smith
Josh Jooris
Drew Shore
Tyler Wotherspoon
Brandon Hickey
Rushan Rafikov
Joni Ortio
Mason McDonald
Jon Gillies

That doesn't count guys like Brodie, Backlund, Bouma, Colborne, or Russell who haven't hit their prime yet either. It also doesn't include other likely NHL players like Arnold/Ferland/Wolf or guys with some good talent like Kulak/Culkin/Sieloff etc.

This year we'll be adding at least 2 or possibly 3 more names to the first list as well. We are well on our way.

I can remember when we used to talk about 1 or 2 guys here and there but great to be looking at that list now! Flames have come a long ways since the days of trading away picks.