2015/2016 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Really?

As far as I know, Ferland has dropped the gloves once this year and that was the first game of the year in retaliation to last years playoffs. maybe I'm wrong. Fighting is down, but still, he with his playing style should have had a few by now.

I never see him giving face washes, punching guys in scrums, he may throw a decent hit once every five games or so, but I don't see it. I don't see him asserting himself very much at all really. For what he is supposed to be I see him as being fairly passive.

Okay. Sounds like you're expecting him to be an agitator or a goon. That's not really his game. He's a power forward. What a power forward is to me is someone who can protect the puck with size, strength, and reach, who wins board battles, who drives the net and screens the goalie (one of the most important jobs) and has enough skill to be able to pass to the more skilled guys and pot a few garbage goals around the crease. Ferland fits that description to a tee IMO. He is physically engaged while doing this role of power forward. If you watch him you can see him get in on the forecheck and hit guys. It's awesome. He stands in front of the net, its super useful, its hard to move him. Screens = goals.

Now the Flames could definitely use an agitator as well. That's a different discussion IMO.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

There are a handful of people who keep saying this. And I am amazed every time.

Obviously people are going to have different opinions about the value of each and every player.

But how any fan can watch the Flames play and find Ferland unnoticeable just seems next to impossible to me.

Whether his play is good, bad, or ugly, I find Ferland pretty much the most noticeable of any forward not named Gaudreau, Monahan or Bennett.

The people who look at stats and not the game mention this. Ferland is noticeable in almost every game I've watched. He's not playing to his potential sure, but he's been playing the roles that he's given. He may not of racked up the points while playing with Monahan and Gaudreau, but he created space for them and is good on the forecheck.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Okay. Sounds like you're expecting him to be an agitator. That's not really his game. He's a power forward. What a power forward is to me is someone who can protect the puck with size, strength, and reach, who wins board battles, who drives the net and screens the goalie (one of the most important jobs) and has enough skill to be able to pass to the more skilled guys and pot a few garbage goals around the crease. Ferland fits that description to a tee IMO.

Now the Flames could definitely use an agitator as well. That's a different discussion IMO.

You keep saying he's a power forward despite the fact he's not a big man and doesn't in any way have a game like say Iginla that would outmuscle players along the boards and use his body to create scoring chances. He doesn't remotely play close to a power forward game IMO as he plays a similar game to a guy like Backlund with less skill and hockey sense. Colborne for example uses his body much more along the boards. Eric Lindros, Jarome Iginla, Milan Lucic, Rick Tocchet, Keith Tkachuk, are/were power forwards. Ferland is not a power forward.

[GranteedEV]

I can't comment on EE and FW's noticing-ability. I notice Ferland pretty much every game though. You would think a guy who's 7th on this team in individual 5-on-5 scoring chances (while having missed a quarter of the season as did Frolik), third among forwards on this team in 5-on-5 shot differential (while having missed a quarter of this season), and 6th on this team in individual 5-on-5 high-danger chances (while having missed a quarter of this season), would get noticed once in a while though.

[Gaskal]

Ferland stood out last game a few times to me, had a few good shifts along the boards and a big hit in the 3rd. Some people just see what they wanna see.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Not too big of a surprise, Chris Clark was getting consistent 2nd line minutes and PP time (I believe)

And, Chris Clark was a pretty good contributer in our playoff run. I think Ferland is some mold of Chris Clark and Shean Donovan, which is pretty dang useful.

Not sure if Drouin will amount to much, he's got to have a lot of pressure. You look at his draft and it looks like "1, Nathan MacKinnon. 2, Alex Barkov. 3, Me. 4. Seth Jones. 5, Elias Lindholm. 6, Sean Monahan."

Being drafted high is nice, but dang thats a lot of pressure. The holdout is probably a mistake, but I can see why he feels a lot of pressure to be in the NHL righ tnow.

Jooris is a heck of a lot more like either of those guys than Ferland because Jooris can actually finish and is a threat on the forecheck to steal the puck OR lay a hit.

Jooris also has (marginally) more goals in (marginally) less games this season because he's a better natural offensive player and I don't think anyone is walking around on CP saying "I wouldn't trade Jooris + 2nd for Drouin".

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You keep saying he's a power forward despite the fact he's not a big man and doesn't in any way have a game like say Iginla that would outmuscle players along the boards and use his body to create scoring chances. He doesn't remotely play close to a power forward game IMO as he plays a similar game to a guy like Backlund with less skill and hockey sense. Colborne for example uses his body much more along the boards. Eric Lindros, Jarome Iginla, Milan Lucic, Rick Tocchet, Keith Tkachuk, are/were power forwards. Ferland is not a power forward.

This is the most uneducated post I've seen on these forums in a long while. Holy crap.

[Jason14h]

Colborne for example uses his body much more along the boards.

I assume you mean a Colborne who doesn't play for the Flames?!!!

[Gaskal]

I'll be brief

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You keep saying he's a power forward despite the fact he's not a big man and doesn't in any way have a game like say Iginla that would outmuscle players along the boards and use his body to create scoring chances.

He did that last game

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He doesn't remotely play close to a power forward game IMO as he plays a similar game to a guy like Backlund with less skill and hockey sense.

Nope

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Colborne for example uses his body much more along the boards.

I wish

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Eric Lindros, Jarome Iginla, Milan Lucic, Rick Tocchet, Keith Tkachuk, are/were power forwards. Ferland is not a power forward.

Nope

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I can't comment on EE and FW's noticing-ability. I notice Ferland pretty much every game though. You would think a guy who's 7th on this team in individual 5-on-5 scoring chances (while having missed a quarter of the season as did Frolik), third among forwards on this team in 5-on-5 shot differential (while having missed a quarter of this season), and 6th on this team in individual 5-on-5 high-danger chances (while having missed a quarter of this season), would get noticed once in a while though.

What does it say about a guy with a ton of scoring opportunities but no points?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

What does it say about a guy with a ton of scoring opportunities but no points?

That he's pre-four goal game Sam Bennett?

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

What does it say about a guy with a ton of scoring opportunities but no points?

It says that guy is probably noticeable.

[JJ1532]

Not sure why Ferland is getting so much hate. I don't believe that he is a top 6 forward. He doesn't have the skill set to become one imo. But he shouldn't be attracted the level of vitriol that he's getting.

He's 23 and in his first full season in the NHL. He is still figuring things out and learning how to play in the league full time. He has been moved around from top line to bottom line, has probably played with every forward on the roster so far this season.

He is, according to ESPN, our leading hitter with 122, 32nd highest number amongst NHL forwards this season. He isn't a top 6 player and if a 2nd and him get Drouin, you obviously do it. But then he obviously won't get that deal done. But saying that, whilst he's far from untouchable, I do hope we keep him around for another season after this one. I want to see more of him and see where he tops out, because for me, he is still trending upwards at the moment.

[GioforPM]

I don't think he's a top 6 forward. But I think he is capable of being thrown onto the top 6 every so often and doing fairly well when that happens.

[Poe969]

I think he's getting hate right now because I asked if you'd trade Ferland and a 2nd for Drouin and some are saying no because Ferland is too important to the team.

Personally, I think this is what happens when fans get too attached to every player except a couple whipping boys. Everyone wants the team to improve but they don't want to give up anyone from the team let alone anyone with value.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

What does it say about a guy with a ton of scoring opportunities but no points?

A career 3rd or 4th libe 0layer in his first season

[GoJetsGo]

Context is everything.

The amount of people talking about Ferland like he's 29 is staggering.

He's 23, and in his first full NHL season.

It's really head-scratching reading some people speaking in absolutes like this season's play is how a 23 year old rookie (who plays a difficult role) has topped out.

[Demetric]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I think he's getting hate right now because I asked if you'd trade Ferland and a 2nd for Drouin and some are saying no because Ferland is too important to the team.

Personally, I think this is what happens when fans get too attached to every player except a couple whipping boys. Everyone wants the team to improve but they don't want to give up anyone from the team let alone anyone with value.

this is 100% true but it is also a fine line ... do you want all skill like that thing up north or do you want a mix of skill and ... wait for it ... Grit

[D as in David]

Colborne is very good at using his body along the boards, IMO. The problem is, he has no nose for the net. It's almost like he believes the ultimate objective is to spend the entire shift cycling the puck in the corner. I can't recall a time where he has dominated the puck along the boards and then turned that into a scoring opportunity.

[Vinny01]

I like Ferland but if he was all it took to get Drouin on the team I make that deal all day. I don't like what Drouin is doing but still believe he can be a great second line LW for this team when they are contending