[News] Flames development camp - Week of July 4th

[GreenLantern2814]

McDonald looks like he's made of ectoplasm.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by robaur

Brayden Burke reminds me of Ryan Howse. Anyone remember him? Was our most promising prospect at one point.

Get the feeling he has the lazy gene. Complete skillset but have no idea why he wouldn't have a contract yet. must have to do with between the ears / fitness.

I don't see him as a lazy player. He was kind of a late bloomer and I think has slipped under the radar.

Was quite surprised that he went undrafted this year, and happy that the Flames might land him without having to use a draft pick.

[GreenLantern2814]

Pollock has a really good release. Shelved it past Rittich off his back foot.

[TheScorpion]

Suspect that we won't see Tim Harrison back next year.

[TheScorpion]

Funny moment: Phillips took a pass that hit his skate. Then it stayed there, stuck inside the plastic part of the blade! He proceeded to kick Rittich in an attempt to score

[robaur]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Suspect that we won't see Tim Harrison back next year.

Yup....

Also Jankowski is NHL ready. would easily be able to carry out 4th line center duties.

[GreenLantern2814]

Dare I say it, Jankowski might just be the player we all wished Colborne was.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Caged Great really isn't the biggest fan of Rittich -- I'll let him explain that for himself -- and I agree with him, his positioning is poor, for sure. I think that may just be a product of him adjusting to the North American game.

It can be a product of switching to the smaller ice surface. Changes all of your angles.

[Kipper is King]

I'm really enjoying this 2-on-2 drill in the neutral zone. What chaos!

[robaur]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Dare I say it, Jankowski might just be the player we all wished Colborne was.

I think you just read my mind.

[hockey.modern]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Dare I say it, Jankowski might just be the player we all wished Colborne was.

Is he being physical? That's something people wanted out of Colborne.

[TheScorpion]

For me, the breakout star of this entire camp has been Austin Carroll. He's really elevated his game. I can see him easily making the Flames a la Jooris this year.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Dare I say it, Jankowski might just be the player we all wished Colborne was.

I've never seen Colborne move laterally like Jankowski, very different players. Colborne was a big gangly sloth. Jankowski has explosion and lateral movement like Johnny, something Joe didn't even hint at. Jankowskis potential is through the roof as he's a big athletic guy that moves like a much smaller player. That combo often equates to elite athlete. Colborne has soft hands and that's about it.

[robaur]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

For me, the breakout star of this entire camp has been Austin Carroll. He's really elevated his game. I can see him easily making the Flames a la Jooris this year.

I agree once again. I was going to say that the after the brand names (Tkachuk, Jankowski)....Carroll has really been the "no-name" standout player.

[GreenLantern2814]

Mason McDonald has not had a banner day. Everything that beat him went right through him or worse beat him cleanly.

Based on my one development camp session, these are the notables:

Mark Jankowski: head and shoulders the best forward out there. Wasn't lined up with other skill forwards all that much, saw a bunch of rushes with Hunter Smith and those results were predictable.

Brandon Hickey: this is the 4th D-man after Brodie Gio and Dougie. Positioning is excellent. Skating is controlled but powerful. If it starts to look like he's beaten, there's no panic in his stride. He closes the gap and gets his stick in passing lanes. On several different 2-on-1 drills, he could've played his opponents for another ten or fifteen seconds without help, he was that in control.

As has been noted already, Rasmus Andersson doesn't have pro conditioning. He was out of energy by 10:45. Impossible to forecast his future since none of the on ice stuff matters if he can't make it out of the first period.

I'm always in favor of the giant experiments, much like goalies you should probably take one every second draft because they so rarely work out. With that said, Kanzig, AOM, and Hunter Smith have no place in the modern NHL. A defense built around Giordano, Brodie, Dougie and Hickey doesn't need tree trunks that cant skate or play with the puck on their sticks. It needs Oliver Kylington and Adam Fox to handle 18 minutes a night. Hunter Smith's ceiling is a 4th line crash and bang winger but I don't see that coming together for him.

Similarly, I like the small skill gamble pick as well. But when you're Matthew Phillips small, you have to be Johnny Gaudreau good, and I don't think he is.

Pollock has a nice shot - didn't notice him much outside a couple roof jobs.

[OmegaV4]

@ TheScorpion:

From what you can see, what Goalies do you think we will be keeping/moving on from(Aside from the obvious in Gillies)

[Sylvanfan]

Is Morgan Klimchuck at this camp? Is he looking like he will be a Calgary Dino to start the 17-18 season?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I've never seen Colborne move laterally like Jankowski, very different players. Colborne was a big gangly sloth. Jankowski has explosion and lateral movement like Johnny, something Joe didn't even hint at. Jankowskis potential is through the roof as he's a big athletic guy that moves like a much smaller player. That combo often equates to elite athlete. Colborne has soft hands and that's about it.

I just mean a big skilled impact centre who protects the puck well, sees the ice well and can generate offense for his line.

I think we all hoped Colborne could do that. Jankowski looks like he could in not too long.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by OmegaV4

@ TheScorpion:

From what you can see, what Goalies do you think we will be keeping/moving on from(Aside from the obvious in Gillies)

All three that were out there, we're keeping. Rittich, McDonald, and Gillies.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I've never seen Colborne move laterally like Jankowski, very different players. Colborne was a big gangly sloth. Jankowski has explosion and lateral movement like Johnny, something Joe didn't even hint at. Jankowskis potential is through the roof as he's a big athletic guy that moves like a much smaller player. That combo often equates to elite athlete. Colborne has soft hands and that's about it.

Jankowski is more of a 6'4", 215lb Mikael Backlund than a Joe Colborne.

Anyways as Treliving oft-mentions, this is still July hockey, no need to get on the case of anyone - Culkin, Andersson, or McDonald.

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Brandon Hickey: this is the 4th D-man after Brodie Gio and Dougie. Positioning is excellent. Skating is controlled but powerful. If it starts to look like he's beaten, there's no panic in his stride. He closes the gap and gets his stick in passing lanes. On several different 2-on-1 drills, he could've played his opponents for another ten or fifteen seconds without help, he was that in control.

While I hope you're right, every time I watched Hickey this past season I saw him make blind rim-outs in pure Engelland/Russell fashion and get exposed for them. I think Kulak is further ahead in terms of actual top 4 translatable skills but I love Hickey's physical game.