TheScorpion's 2016-17 Calgary Flames Season Preview | Part 1: Forwards

[Par]

Originally Posted by Murph

This is the second preview I've seen in the last week with Shinkaruk pencilled in beside Monahan and Gaudreau. Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts? If anything, last year showed that Monahan and Gaudreau couldn't handle the tougher match ups they got on the road. And rookie Hunter Shinkaruk is supposed to help with this? I can appreciate the driver behind putting him there (I.e. The whole pairings thing), but I think this looks WAY better:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Shinkaruk - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Chaisson
Bouma - Stajan - Ferland

Sure, it weakens Bennett's line a little, but if it turns into an issue, put Stajan on their wing in place of Chaisson.

I totally agree with this, putting Shinkaruk on the top line RW is a bad idea, Gaudreau and Monahan, need some one, who can help, them open up the ice and that is Brouwer. Shinkaruk with Backlund and Frolik look good, Backlund and Frolik are likely getting 20+ goals each, while being defensively responsible. Shinkaruk can add more to the Backlund line, than the Monahan line and Brouwer can add more to the Monahan line. When I look at that lineup, I am worried, if Tkachuk does not make the team, then we maybe in trouble, the bottom two lines are too thin.

Cannot wait for the NHL training camps to open and than finally see what the lineups will look like, I wonder if there are going to be trade(s)? We can really use another top 6 RW to play with Bennett(we are not sure if Tkachuk makes the team this year), Bennett may not have someone, who can carry "more weight".

[Rick M.]

A fun read. I'm hoping Pribyl messes up all your predictions by becoming a very good top six forward.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Grow up dude. Your obsession with Scorp is concerning.

There are some good points made, missed on some others. Just leave it alone if it bothers you.

I actually like when IgiTang chimes in, because I use him as a contrarian indicator on whether a topic is valuable for discussion.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

lol stats errors, structure errors, and other errors...

I don't understand why this guy gets coddled by "good write-up" yada yada...

But if it was someone else, they'de be getting lit up and flamed beyond belief..

If you're going to criticise my writing for its poor quality, then your post had better have perfect grammar and such, itself.

'LOL' is an acronym, it should be capitalized, and for better sentence structure, you should've just written "LOL stats, structure, and other errors...". There should also be a comma, for flow, before "yada yada yada".

[Niemo]

I'm thinking more along the lines of putting Shinkaruk with Backlund and Frolik.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Shinkaruk - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Bouma
Higgins - Stajan - Chiasson

Hathaway, Pribyl, Bollig

[Par]

Originally Posted by Niemo

I'm thinking more along the lines of putting Shinkaruk with Backlund and Frolik.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Shinkaruk - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Bouma
Higgins - Stajan - Chiasson

Hathaway, Pribyl, Bollig

The Flames want someone who can play offence to play with Bennett and you have with with plugs.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Par

I totally agree with this, putting Shinkaruk on the top line RW is a bad idea, Gaudreau and Monahan, need some one, who can help, them open up the ice and that is Brouwer. Shinkaruk with Backlund and Frolik look good, Backlund and Frolik are likely getting 20+ goals each, while being defensively responsible. Shinkaruk can add more to the Backlund line, than the Monahan line and Brouwer can add more to the Monahan line. When I look at that lineup, I am worried, if Tkachuk does not make the team, then we maybe in trouble, the bottom two lines are too thin.

Cannot wait for the NHL training camps to open and than finally see what the lineups will look like, I wonder if there are going to be trade(s)? We can really use another top 6 RW to play with Bennett(we are not sure if Tkachuk makes the team this year), Bennett may not have someone, who can carry "more weight".

Good points, but I feel like you could use more commas to better clarify your points. Here, have some : ,,,,,,,

I'm a jerk.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Par

The Flames want someone who can play offence to play with Bennett and you have with with plugs.

I agree. I think Bennett will play with one of Shinkaruk and Brouwer, as well as Tkachuk.

[McG]

I'm looking for similar offensive numbers as well; with anticipated improvements in net, it should lead to more wins/points.

Also, came for David Jones reference and left satisfied.

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well, look at it this way... David Jones was on Monahan and Gaudreau's wing for much of 2015-16, and he put up 18 points. Sure, the Hudler effect... but I don't see Brouwer/Shinkaruk putting up more than even 50 points.

[Enoch Root]

I think Bennett will play with Brouwer, and one of Shinkaruk or Tkachuk.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I agree. I think Bennett will play with one of Shinkaruk and Brouwer, as well as Tkachuk.

Agreed. The best way to take pressure of Monahan and Gaudreau is to have the Bennett line given some offensive punch.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Agreed. The best way to take pressure of Monahan and Gaudreau is to have the Bennett line given some offensive punch.

It is from the start not ideal, but the Monahan-Gaudreau pair has proven to produce with practically any other player on the line. They did it with Colborne, Ferland, Shinkaruk, and Jones last year. They will likely do it with a cadre of players again this year.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Par

I totally agree with this, putting Shinkaruk on the top line RW is a bad idea, Gaudreau and Monahan, need some one, who can help, them open up the ice and that is Brouwer. Shinkaruk with Backlund and Frolik look good, Backlund and Frolik are likely getting 20+ goals each, while being defensively responsible. Shinkaruk can add more to the Backlund line, than the Monahan line and Brouwer can add more to the Monahan line. When I look at that lineup, I am worried, if Tkachuk does not make the team, then we maybe in trouble, the bottom two lines are too thin.

Cannot wait for the NHL training camps to open and than finally see what the lineups will look like, I wonder if there are going to be trade(s)? We can really use another top 6 RW to play with Bennett(we are not sure if Tkachuk makes the team this year), Bennett may not have someone, who can carry "more weight".

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Good points, but I feel like you could use more commas to better clarify your points. Here, have some : ,,,,,,,

I'm a jerk.

LOL, I just read it in a William Shatner voice (pause on each comma). It made it infinitely more entertaining to me.

[Par]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Good points, but I feel like you could use more commas to better clarify your points. Here, have some : ,,,,,,,

I'm a jerk.

The commas are thanks to my English teacher.

[ricardodw]

Why is Shinkaruk considered to be a sure thing to play in the top 9? and put up similar points to Bennett's rookie year?

Having him looking better than Poirier and Klimchuk should not give him a pass into the NHL.

His brief appearance in the year end exhibition games are not over the top impact-full as Baertschi's year end or Ferland's playoff run.

How did he pass Linden Vey?

Vey had 67 pts in 74 games as a 21 year old in the AHL and moved from there to the NHL going over a ppg in the AHL and breaking into a much deeper line-up (The SC champs LA kings) than the Flames are putting together. Then he was traded traded to Vancouver for #50 overall in 2014. The Flames would be paying him $350k to play in Stockton.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

...How did he pass Linden Vey?

Vey had 67 pts in 74 games as a 21 year old in the AHL and moved from there to the NHL going over a ppg in the AHL and breaking into a much deeper line-up (The SC champs LA kings) than the Flames are putting together. Then he was traded traded to Vancouver for #50 overall in 2014. The Flames would be paying him $350k to play in Stockton.

Linden Vey is now two years removed from his point/game AHL seasons. Shinkaruk passed him on the depth chart by outperforming him by quite a lot in Utica in 2015–16. It is probably reasonable to hold that Vey—at the age of 25-years-old—has already shown everything he has had to show at the NHL level, while a 21/22-year-old Shinkaruk has yet to prove what sort of a player he is.

[sa226]

Nice write up.

As an aside, I shamelessly keep forgetting about Bennett. Monahan and Gaudreau are the forwards du jour with the World Cup and contract status' at the forefront. Not to mention the will he/won't he status of Tkachuk.

Bennett is just hanging out in the background patiently waiting to be awesome.

I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that he is one of the top forwards this year. Production wise, and impact wise. I think he's ready.

[JiriHrdina]

Jiri's more negative/realistic predictions:

Johnny: 28 goals, 50 assists: 78 points
Monahan: 31 goals, 35 assists: 66 points (better two way game)
Brouwer: 20 goals, 20 assists; 40 points

Tkachuk: returned to junior

Bennett (I see a step here): 22 goals, 30 assists: 52 points

Shinky: 11 goals, 12 assists: 23 points:
Mikael Backlund: 15 goals, 20 assists: 35 points
Michael Frolik: 13 goals, 22 assists: 35 points
Lance Bouma: 2 goals. Traded
Matt Stajan: 3 goals. 6 assists: 9 points
Michael Ferland: 6 goals, 5 assists: 10 points
Alex Chiasson: 8 goals, 10 assists: 18 points
Linden Vey: 2 goals, 5 assists: 7 points
Brandon Bollig: 3 goals. 1 assists: 4 points
Other forwards: 8 goals

Totals:
Forwards: 172 goals
D: 46 goals
G: 1 goal (yeah that's right, Brian's gonna get one!)
Total: 219 goals (down from 231) last year.

[MarkGio]

I'm still betting Tkachuck doesn't make the NHL, especially since he was a rookie CHLer last year and was inflated by his linemates. I see the lines like this:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Chiasson
Shinkaruk - Bennett - Brouwer
Poirer - Backlund - Frolik
Bouma - Stajan - Ferland

[btimbit]

Hm. So Chiasson has already played with each of the Flames coaches except Gelinas? Neat