[PGT] Flames lose 4-1 to the Hawks

[northcrunk]

Right or wrong some of Hartley's decisions lately will have fans calling for him to be fired. Keeping Wideman in the line up and refusing to bench him only goes against the whole "always earned, never given" mantra.

[adc]

I know the Flames already have more players than they can fit into the line-up up with the big club but as we approach the 20 game mark you have to start to think that the time has come to start bringing in some guys from the farm.

It doesn't help that by many accounts the AHL team isn't off to a great start and some of the guys you may have wanted to bring up (Poirier, Kulak, Wotherspoon, Arnold, Klimchuk etc ) aren't off to great starts but a shake-up may be in order to try and get something going with this team.

I guess Granlund seems like the easiest option since he is playing well and has experience but it kind of seems like been there, done that with him and the results weren't all that great.

Obviously the team is still rebuilding and there is some good youth on the team already but it would be nice to see some guys getting a night off (Wideman, Backund) and not being replaced by retreads like Bolling and Raymond.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

With each passing mediocre game by Gio, I grow more and more terrified about his lengthy extension. He must still be experiencing issues with his injured bicep? I can't remember the last time he took a one-timer. In any case, the further into the season we get, the more I'm worried that we jumped the gun on re-signing him. Granted, the whole team is struggling, but that hasn't stopped players like Bennett, Gaudreau and Brodie from looking good.
Lots of time for Gio to redeem himself obviously, but if this is what we can expect going forward, building a contender with that much money tied up in an aging defenseman will be hugely problematic.

When Gio went down last year I thought the Flames chances of making the playoffs went with him. However, they played just as well without him in the line up. I thought due to his age and the lofty numbers we were hearing about his extension, that the Flames would let him go. In a cap system you can't blow big money on aging players. Now you throw in the fact that he may never be able to recover from the severe injury he suffered last season. It really shakes your confidence in the GM and the President of Hockey Operations of this team.

[CroFlames]

It's concerning that Gio has not been playing like he did last year.

However, that doesn't mean he's going to suck for the next 6 years straight.

I am 100% confident he will turn his game around, it's just a question of when. I hope it's soon.

[polak]

Originally Posted by adc

Obviously the team is still rebuilding and there is some good youth on the team already but it would be nice to see some guys getting a night off (Wideman, Backund) and not being replaced by retreads like Bolling and Raymond.

What worries me about this is that outside of the goalies, everyone that looks like an impact NHL player in our prospect pool has already graduated and is playing great hockey. Gaudreau, Brodie, Bennett and now Monahan looks like he's back, all playing well yet this team is still awful. The only young player that's struggling is Hamilton.

There is very little to look forward to on the farm these days besides the goalies and Andersson and Kylington who are both probably pretty far off.

This rebuild isn't looking nearly as promising as it was. Hopefully Poirier turns it around or we might suck for a long time.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Gadreau, Monahan, Hamilton and especially Bennett aren't close to being full mature NHL players yet. If the Flames continue to play this poorly there will be another impact player similar to Bennett in the pipeline.

As for the rebuild not looking as promising, and very little on the farm/system. I think you're just too damn panicky. 5 days ago we had nothing outside two players, then we won and you were in love with having two full NHL lines, now we're back to doom and gloom. Not only on the main team but throughout the system.

Wish you'd take a step back before posting sometimes. Too much up and down emotion.

[SuperMatt18]

I think the Flames have almost fallen into a trap with their farm team where there are so many players on the roster that it is causing everyone to struggle a little.

When you have that many bodies it can be hard for players to get in the flow of things.

[polak]

It's not panicky. I was happy that Bennett seems to be able to carry a line on his own which gives us two scoring threats.

The farm does look bare though, does it not?

[MrMastodonFarm]

100% it's panicky.

The farm looks bare? No, not really. It looks super young with a lot of players trying to find their role. 13 players are 22 and younger. It'll take time and patience, frustrating but not worried.

[SuperMatt18]

It lacks in blue chip talent but I would call having Granlund, Arnold, Shore, Jankowski, Poirier, Klimchuk, Mangiapane, Agostino, Poirier, Smith, Carroll, Kylington, Morrisson, Andersson, Kulak, Culkin, & Hickey bare.

It hasn't changed in the 10 games since the offseason. It is a prospect pool that is very deep but lacks in the top end talent.

[polak]

I'd say Mangiapane and Jankowski are the two I'm still excited for. Poirier too if he can regain his form. I mentioned Kylington and Andersson.

Maybe someone who watches the farm more can correct me but am I wrong to say that it's looking fairly certain that the rest will be tweeners?

[adc]

Originally Posted by polak

What worries me about this is that outside of the goalies, everyone that looks like an impact NHL player in our prospect pool has already graduated and is playing great hockey. Gaudreau, Brodie, Bennett and now Monahan looks like he's back, all playing well yet this team is still awful. The only young player that's struggling is Hamilton.

There is very little to look forward to on the farm these days besides the goalies and Andersson and Kylington who are both probably pretty far off.

This rebuild isn't looking nearly as promising as it was. Hopefully Poirier turns it around or we might suck for a long time.

I think looking solely at the farm and juniors/NCAA to determine the future is a pretty piss poor way to judge a teams future.

The fact that we have Gaudreau (22), Monahan (21), Bennett (19) and Hamilton (22) all playing key roles for this team now is much more promising then potentially having a lot of young guys performing at the AHL level.

Yes there is a lack of top 6 talent in the minors and juniors/NCAA but that is because we have 3 guys that would fill those spots playing in our top 6 currently.

Not sure how you think that the young guys playing well but the team not performing means the rebuild is going poorly. To me it shows that the team is progressing as expected and its good to see that the young guys are ready (if not already there) to take over the team and be the core going forward.

I don't know if you read too much in to the hype from last year or expect way too much from prospects or a rebuild but this was going to ever be a 2 bad seasons and then Cup situation. Rebuilds take time, I don't think there is any team in the league that is littered with grade A studs in the minors and juniors/AHL.

Which team do you think has a much better outlook in terms of AHL/junior/NCAA guys in their system?