[Signing] Flames sign Matthew Tkachuk to 3 year ELC ($925k + $850k bonus AAV)

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
Frolik-Backlund-Chiasson
Bouma-Stajan-Hathaway

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
Frolik-Backlund-Chiasson
Bouma-Stajan-Hathaway

Tkachuk is a left wing. Our shortage on the right side does not make him a right wing. I know he said he has played a few shifts on the right side and it wasn't too bad but I don't think you bring him to the NHL out of position.

[Hells Bells]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Chiasson
Tkachuk-Bennett-Brouwer
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
Bouma-Stajan-Hathaway

I think Chiasson can be a good fit on that top line if he uses his size properly.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Plaedo

I also stumbled upon this, which makes me realize how unlikely a full 9 games while being sent back to the CHL has been... (article from 2013, I'm not sure how much it has changed in 2014 and 2015)


https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/jr...202114567.html

Bullmer played 9 games as a junior aged player and has played 8 games since. Seemed like a weird choice to get the 9 games as a second rounder who never really scored that much in junior to begin with.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Tkachuk is a left wing. Our shortage on the right side does not make him a right wing. I know he said he has played a few shifts on the right side and it wasn't too bad but I don't think you bring him to the NHL out of position.

Smart wingers can easily switch sides. In many ways Tkachuk has the best skill set to play with Gaudreau/Monahan. I don't consider wingers switching sides to be playing them out of position. Ferland played his off wing last year for a lot of the time, Hudler played his off wing, Frolik played his off wing, Colborne played his off wing most of the year, Gaudreau played his off wing a bit. It's pretty common for smart wingers to be able to easily switch sides. Plus if you've watched Tkachuk you'd know he likes to set up on the powerplay on the right side of the net, gives him good passing angles.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
Frolik-Backlund-Chiasson
Bouma-Stajan-Hathaway

Can't see it shaking out that way. Too many guys playing out of position. I mean, why move an inexperienced kid to his off wing and then move a veteran from that position to his off wing to facilitate it? Makes all of the depth moves that Treliving has made seem futile.

Playing a rookie on the top line is a huge stretch to begin with, but playing him out of position as well just does not make any sense. And no, it is not as easy to transition to the off wing. If they want Tkachuk to transition to the RW the best place for him to do that is in the OHL or the minors. If Tkachuk sticks with the team it will be on his natural wing and on a line that shelters him. Maybe in two or three years he can play on the top line, but not in his rookie campaign. That screams Edmonton Oilers to me.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by New Era

Can't see it shaking out that way. Too many guys playing out of position. I mean, why move an inexperienced kid to his off wing and then move a veteran from that position to his off wing to facilitate it? Makes all of the depth moves that Treliving has made seem futile.

Frolik is a left shot LW/RW. If anything is his off wing it's RW. He can play both sides as Tkachuk likely can.

Moving wingers to their opposite side isn't really playing them out of position. They are still playing their position, wing. Just like Brodie on the right side isn't playing him out of position. Some wingers prefer their off wing. Many posters don't seem to realize how commonplace it is for smart wingers to play their supposed off wing.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Frolik is a left shot LW/RW. If anything is his off wing it's RW. He can play both sides as Tkachuk likely can.

Moving wingers to their opposite side isn't really playing them out of position. They are still playing their position, wing. Just like Brodie on the right side isn't playing him out of position. Some wingers prefer their off wing. Many posters don't seem to realize how commonplace it is for smart wingers to play their supposed off wing.

Too add to that ... as a bantam coach I moved a lot of wingers to their off side as I see it easier to turn inward and take a pass from a defenseman on a break out than turn the other way and take the pass on their backhand with their back to the play.

Plus the added advantage of shooting inside the lane instead of outside on their natural side.

[Stupid]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Too add to that ... as a bantam coach I moved a lot of wingers to their off side as I see it easier to turn inward and take a pass from a defenseman on a break out than turn the other way and take the pass on their backhand with their back to the play.

Plus the added advantage of shooting inside the lane instead of outside on their natural side.

As someone who only watches hockey I love this kind of insight.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Frolik is a left shot LW/RW. If anything is his off wing it's RW. He can play both sides as Tkachuk likely can.

Moving wingers to their opposite side isn't really playing them out of position. They are still playing their position, wing. Just like Brodie on the right side isn't playing him out of position. Some wingers prefer their off wing. Many posters don't seem to realize how commonplace it is for smart wingers to play their supposed off wing.

Not sure about wingers, but there's data out there that shows defensemen playing their off side generally leads to poorer results

[Calgary4LIfe]

Since we are discussing wingers playing their off-wing, and whether that is stupid, feasible or advantageous, I will just leave this little tidbit here:

One thing to notice is that I’m a left-handed shot playing the right wing here. That might seem like a small thing, but it’s actually a huge deal. I started my career as a left winger, so I was always receiving passes with the puck outside my body, away from the net. If you’re a playmaker, you might prefer this. I didn’t know how big of a difference this made until I got traded to Pittsburgh. Dan Bylsma walked in the first day and asked, “Hey, do you think you could play right wing?”
I’m like, “Uh, well I’ve never played it before, so I’m not sure?”
He says, “Okay great, you’re playing right wing.”
Once I got used to it, I really elevated my game, because whenever I shot the puck on my forehand, the release point was closer to the net. I was a threat at all times, especially on one-timers. I ended up scoring 40 goals the next season. So whenever a guy switches wings, it has a lot of implications for how he plays. (Thanks, Dan. You were one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.)

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jam...dators-sniper/

Edit: My thoughts - You don't move Johnny to his off-wing because he is a really good playmaker. Someone who is more of a sniper - or expected to be more of a sniper - might work. Tkachuk would probably be good there, though his passing is so underrated (he has great vision). So, it depends what you think Tkachuk is.

I would rather keep Tkachuk on the 2nd line LW spot to play with Bennet, and that way you have two highly-talented guys who can make plays with one another. Plug-in the 'sniper' or the 'puck digger' or the 'defensive presence' or whatever that line ends up needing on the right side, without thought to which way he shoots.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Since we are discussing wingers playing their off-wing, and whether that is stupid, feasible or advantageous, I will just leave this little tidbit here:



http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jam...dators-sniper/

That's the shooting inside and not outside the lane thing i mentioned (offensively).

In your own zone it makes sense to be on your correct wing if the dman hits you with speed on the break out when you're pointed up the ice. (the classic break out)

However, most of the time it isn't classic, and it's more broken down. That's when I like wingers on their off wing because they're not skating out they're hunkering down. And when you have your but on the boards somewhat stationary it's easier to turn towards the dman and take the puck on your forehand and then turn and hit the center or the far winger.

But it comes down to style and your expectation of execution.

[calgaryblood]

For a guy like Neal playing the off wing makes sense. Shooters should play their off wing. But for a guy who is a playmaker it makes no sense to play the off wing.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Do we know how many chinups he can do?

He's training with Gary Roberts who only managed 2 chin ups.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Frolik is a left shot LW/RW. If anything is his off wing it's RW. He can play both sides as Tkachuk likely can.

Moving wingers to their opposite side isn't really playing them out of position. They are still playing their position, wing. Just like Brodie on the right side isn't playing him out of position. Some wingers prefer their off wing. Many posters don't seem to realize how commonplace it is for smart wingers to play their supposed off wing.

Certainly some top wingers with big one-timers like playing the off wing on the powerplay; Stamkos and Ovi are just the two best known.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Too add to that ... as a bantam coach I moved a lot of wingers to their off side as I see it easier to turn inward and take a pass from a defenseman on a break out than turn the other way and take the pass on their backhand with their back to the play.

Plus the added advantage of shooting inside the lane instead of outside on their natural side.

Good insight. As a player growing up I played my off wing and preferred the offensive advantages, no doubt. But to learn to play that position effectively you need to develop a lot of skill with your stick and skates, or you're going to be eating a lot of the boards, where much of the NHL game is played. It is not something you just decide to do. It takes time to learn the tricks of the trade. No different than learning to be a good face off guy. Just takes work and practice, and not something you learn to do on the job in the best league in the world.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by New Era

Good insight. As a player growing up I played my off wing and preferred the offensive advantages, no doubt. But to learn to play that position effectively you need to develop a lot of skill with your stick and skates, or you're going to be eating a lot of the boards, where much of the NHL game is played. It is not something you just decide to do. It takes time to learn the tricks of the trade. No different than learning to be a good face off guy. Just takes work and practice, and not something you learn to do on the job in the best league in the world.

Good point but you also have to remember that NHL/elite caliber defenders should be making clean, tape to tape breakout passes more often than naught regardless of what wing a player in on. This is a huge help to wingers when they are not forced to pick pucks off the boards or from their skates under pressure. It always irks me to no end when coaches allow players to over rely on rimming the puck when they get in trouble. It's a terrible habit to instill in players that this is an acceptable play and more of a last resort.

With that said, I'd roll the dice on playing players on the off wing simply due to the stated advantages in the offensive zone.

[Roof-Daddy]

Russians are notorious for playing on their off wing.

Ovechkin is a right shot left wing
Kucherov is a left shot right wing
Tarasenko is a left shot right wing
Radulov is a left shot right wing
Panarin is a right shot left wing
Yakupov is a left shot right wing
Kovalchuk is a right shot left wing
Kovalev was a left shot right wing

[Split98]

I would be surprised if Matty TK didn't stay up after 9 games... but I also won't be upset to see the Knights new captain if he doesn't make it.

I'm torn!

[jayswin]

Matty TK? Please, no.