Flames prospects at WJC. UPD: Hickey & McDonald make final Team Canada roster

[sureLoss]

McKenzie says it is unlikely Hockey Canada will invite a replacement for Walman. That would mean 10 dmen fighting for 7 spots at camp.

It also sounds like Sweden will name their preliminary roster tomorrow.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Haven't watched but Kylington seems to be getting good reviews in Stockton now, seems to be finding his game and adjusting to the pro game, kinda don't want the Flames to let him go for the World Juniors. Would be awesome to see him and Rasmus Andersson line up together but development comes first.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Haven't watched but Kylington seems to be getting good reviews in Stockton now, seems to be finding his game and adjusting to the pro game, kinda don't want the Flames to let him go for the World Juniors. Would be awesome to see him and Rasmus Andersson line up together but development comes first.

Apparently NHL teams are obligated to loan players that are playing into the AHL to the Swedish WJC team if Sweden asks for them. This was negotiated in the last NHL transfer agreement with Sweden

The only way to block the request would be to call up Kylington to the NHL until the tournament starts.

[sureLoss]

Nice feature on Hickey in today's Sun:
http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/12/05...selection-camp

“Anybody that watches him, the first thing that will jump out is his skating ability,” said Terriers bench boss David Quinn, whose resume includes a one-season stint as an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche. “He’s a guy who is incredibly agile. He’s got great feet. He’s great on his edges. A good-sized kid. Very physical. Competes really hard. He has a great shot — not only is it a heavy shot, but it rarely gets blocked. So there’s a lot to like about his game.

“The first thing I see with him is he defends very hard,” said Edwards, who is based in Maine and has watched Hickey live about a half-dozen times already this fall.

“He’s a competitive, competitive guy. He’s on the puck. He’s competitive on the puck. He’s really smart with his stick and he has an edge down there, which is good. I think that’s going to be probably the identity of his game is defending hard.”

“When you’re a defenceman like Brandon who has really good skating ability, if you make a mistake, your skating ability can allow you to recover,” added Flames director of amateur scouting Tod Button. “But you still need to have that will and that competitive nature to get back in a play and keep going. It’s the second and third effort. You look around, there are young players who have a lot of talent and they’re really good first-effort, but their game dwindles when they don’t get the second and third effort or they’re not persistent enough.

“That’s one thing Brandon has always had is that persistence and determination. And combined with his skating, it allows him to be aggressive and allows him to get back in plays when he does make a mistake.”

“You can never predict the future, but at the same time, you got a sense that Brandon had big things in front of him,” said Saints head coach and GM Jason McKee. “I believe, with time, he will give himself every opportunity to play at the highest level. He’s got a really good tool-box, in regards to the things he can bring a team. Skating is No. 1 — he’s going to be able to skate at that level. I believe he’ll be able to process the game at that speed. He has a heavy shot and he defends extremely well.

“A lot of guys have asked me, ‘Who do you compare him to?’ and for me, it’s another guy out of the Edmonton area in Jay Bouwmeester — tall, lanky guys who get around the ice extremely well and have that good stick.

“I don’t know if he’ll ever be Jay Bouwmeester, but he’ll be a similar type player. Everyone is looking for that puck-moving defenceman who can skate and defend, and that’s what Brandon is.”

Thanks to his superb skating abilities, some folks in Calgary have wondered if Hickey — currently carrying about 195 lbs. on his 6-foot-2 frame — could come from the same mold as TJ Brodie, by far the Flames’ best defenceman so far this season.

Button was quick to nip that in the bud.

“The comparison is based on his skating. It’s not a fair comparison based on the rest of his game,” Button said. “At the same age, TJ was way more offensive ... Brandon is more physical.

“He will throw a big open-ice hit once a game. He’ll catch you with your head down, and you don’t see that with TJ. TJ is strong and he’s strong one-on-one, but he’s a thinker and a puck-mover and a skater. I don’t see that comparison at all, except that they’re both fabulous skaters.”

[Monahan For Mayor]

Is it just me or does Hickey sound a lot like Hammonic ?

[sureLoss]

Sweden's preliminary roster per Sweden's live press conference:

Goaltenders:
Felix Sandstrom , Brynäs.
Linus Söderström, Djurgården/Vita Hästen
Erik Källgren, Linköping/Oskarshamn

Defence:
Sebastian Aho, Skellefteå.
William Lagesson, UMass
Jacob Larsson, Fröliunda
Adam Ollas-Matsson, Djurgården.
Andreas Englund, Djurgården
Marcus Pettersson, Skellefteå
Gustav Forsling, Linköping
Gabriel Carlsson, Linköping

Kylington and Andersson did not make the preliminary roster

Forwards
Lukas Vejdemo, Djurgården
Jacob Forsbacka Karlsson, Boston University
Fredrik Olofsson, University of Nebraska-Omaha
Carl Grundström, Modo
Dmytro Timashov, Quebec Remparts QJMHL
Rasmus Asplund, Färjestad
Alexander Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads
Joel Eriksson Ek, Färjestad
William Nylander, Toronto Marlies
Oskar Lindblom, Brynäs
Axel Holmström, Skellefteå
Christoffer Ehn, Frölunda,
Anton Karlsson, Leksand/Frölunda
Adrian Kempe, Ontario Reign AHL

[sureLoss]

Seems leaving Kylington and Andersson off the team is a bit controversial in Sweden. Seeing a lot of tweets from Sweden that at least one of them should be on the team

Ollas-Mattsson making the prelim roster is surprising to some.

Sweden only has to cut 1 d.

[Vulcan]

Good news for our Ollas-Mattsson though. Looking up his stats, he's playing regularly for a pretty decent team so there's that. Kylington will have another chance next year.

[Loudog]

How the heck is Ollas-Mattsson on the team and Andersson isn't?

Has anyone seen any Ollas-Mattsson highlights for this year? Not sure why he deserves a spot over Andersson.

[Red Menace]

Looks like Sweden is maybe a bit biased towards their players playing in Sweden...

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

Looks like Sweden is maybe a bit biased towards their players playing in Sweden...

That's the strange thing, there are 7 players on that list who play in North America, so they can't be too biased.

Although, that could still be the issue for Kylington and Andersson. Naming them would have pushed it to 9 North America-based players, and they probably don't want to have half their roster be players who have left Sweden.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Loudog

How the heck is Ollas-Mattsson on the team and Andersson isn't?

Has anyone seen any Ollas-Mattsson highlights for this year? Not sure why he deserves a spot over Andersson.

Ollas Mattsson is a stay at home defender that will be counted on to clear the front of the net, and play on the PK. Andersson and Kylington would be a much more offensive players with a lot of time on the PP.

Obviously Sweden feels he can fill that particular role better than Andersson or Kylington can.

Should Andersson or Kylington be on the roster over Aho, Lagesson, Larsson, or Pettersson is the real question and debatable. Arguably those 4 are better 2 way players than Andersson or Kylington.

Forsling would be a lock to make that team after his performance at the WJC last year

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Nice feature on Hickey in today's Sun:
http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/12/05...selection-camp

“A lot of guys have asked me, ‘Who do you compare him to?’ and for me, it’s another guy out of the Edmonton area in Jay Bouwmeester — tall, lanky guys who get around the ice extremely well and have that good stick.

“The comparison is based on his skating. It’s not a fair comparison based on the rest of his game,” Button said. “At the same age, TJ was way more offensive ... Brandon is more physical.

So is he a physical player or a J.Bo type player? Can't be both..

[DJones]

I think Janko and Hickey are my favorite Flames prospects.

I would be utterly shocked if they weren't impact players in the nhl and I am usually very pessimistic about prospects.

[Locke]

I'm sure this is a stupid question, and its first thing in the morning, so forgive me:

If a player decides to play for another country (ie. Walman - USA) for the World Juniors are they tied to that nation indefinitely?

I know in soccer junior tournaments dont determine a player's nationality, they have to play a game for that nation at the senior level.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm sure this is a stupid question, and its first thing in the morning, so forgive me:

If a player decides to play for another country (ie. Walman - USA) for the World Juniors are they tied to that nation indefinitely?

I know in soccer junior tournaments dont determine a player's nationality, they have to play a game for that nation at the senior level.

once a player plays for a country in a IIHF tournament the IIHF won't let them play for another country in future IIHF tournaments.

There is a way to switch countries once in a players career, but it is pretty hard to do.

[Fredrik]

2 forwards and 1 defenceman will be cut before Finland...

Been looking for information on why Kylington and Andersson was left out, but in Sweden right now, the focus is on why Robin Kovacs wasn´t in. Only one out of the biggest ten hockey sources (news papers, web sites, etc) in Sweden even mention them. As soon as I hear more, I will post in.

[FBI]

I know it shouldn't, but calling Hickey a Bouwmeester type rubs me the wrong way big time..

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by FBI

I know it shouldn't, but calling Hickey a Bouwmeester type rubs me the wrong way big time..

One way to look at it is if Hickey becomes as good as Bouwmeester that would be the equivalent to not just hitting a homerun, it would be like we hit the ball into outer space.

[sureLoss]

Wow the US didn't invite back Wild 1st round Alex Tuch to this year's team. Pretty big shock.