Welcome back to Calgary Wotherspoon

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

He's 23. Defensemen take time.

Giordano was straddling the AHL/NHL and bolted to the KHL at that age.

Just sayin'.

Giordano had at least showed some scoring touch in his early NHL action, Wotherspoon has not.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

Giordano had at least showed some scoring touch in his early NHL action, Wotherspoon has not.

That's fine, but that's likely not Wotherspoons game.

[Bezer]

I haven't seem much from Wotherspoon to be honest. I don't think he ever gets a full time role in the NHL.

[cznTiburon]

He doesn't get many points, he doesn't play exceedingly physical, he doesn't draw many penalties. He is proverbial 6/7 guy that is behind Jokipakka who has shown more at the NHL level than he has. He is playing where he should be playing and that is bottom three minutes. Perhaps they could increase his minutes a little bit in game but I think we are seeing the Wotherspoon as a decent tweener with bottom pairing potential. Where should he be playing if not where he is now?

[DJones]

I liked him last night. Even made a solid pinch that was dangerous.

He's going to be our #6 next year. Seems pretty obvious to me.

[Enoch Root]

I thought he had a solid game last night. Disrupted several plays, and moved the puck well.

[Strange Brew]

Flames need to figure out the defense corps for next year. Only 3 guys signed for next year which would be a lot to turn over.

My thoughts:

re-sign Engelland for $3 million over 2 years. He is half of bottom pairing.
Pick between Wotherspoon/Jokipakka as a 6/7. They should be making under $1 million.
Sign or trade for a true #4. This will not be easy or cheap.
Leaves a spot open for Kulak or other rookie to emerge. Or value UFA near training camp if no one looks ready.

If you re-sign these guys to reasonable deals, always a chance you lose one to Vegas but not a disaster if it happens.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Flames need to figure out the defense corps for next year. Only 3 guys signed for next year which would be a lot to turn over.

My thoughts:

re-sign Engelland for $3 million over 2 years. He is half of bottom pairing.
Pick between Wotherspoon/Jokipakka as a 6/7. They should be making under $1 million.
Sign or trade for a true #4. This will not be easy or cheap.
Leaves a spot open for Kulak or other rookie to emerge. Or value UFA near training camp if no one looks ready.

If you re-sign these guys to reasonable deals, always a chance you lose one to Vegas but not a disaster if it happens.

Prediction:

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Alzner
Jokipakka - Engelland
Kulak

I'd be very fine with that.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Prediction:

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Alzner
Jokipakka - Engelland
Kulak

I'd be very fine with that.

I would be too, but if Alzner makes it to full UFA, he is going to be very expensive. Flames would have to outbid every other team in NHL. How high are you willing to go, AAV and term?

[Geeoff]

Personally, I think Kulak and Jokipakka are better.

[DJones]

I don't see Engelland being resigned. He's 34. Let him sign in Vegas for a couple years. If Jokkipakka took a one year show me deal I'd be fine but don't want him long term. Kulak and Wotherspoon would be fine as a bottom pair next year. Especially with Andersson and Kylington right behind them.

Get a strong #4 and let the system fill in the rest.

[GranteedEV]

I would trade Jokipakka for a comparable RHD, a guy like Dylan McIlrath. Give our LHD prospects a shot on that side, since they are all IMO closer than Andersson. I would even be open to Wideman returning at vet minimum. He has been a competent #4/#5 tweener.

[Poe969]

As much as I like Engelland, I think he's done with the Flames after this season. I'm guessing he signs a deal with Vegas, ideally he would sign it in the window that counts as the pick from Calgary (if that makes any sense at all). Wothersopoon seems like he'd be a good bottom pairing guy but like a few have said, he needs to work on his strength and "bite" if he wants to stay in the NHL. I'd love to see him get angry and stay angry but if he doesn't, I think he'll struggle to stay up.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by FlamesFan68

Drives me crazy how people can't think for themselves anymore. If I want the coach's opinion, I just have to look at the lineup for the night's game. If I want the GM's opinion the player will still be in the system. If I want the President of hockey operations opinion I'll check the paper and see if the coach and GM are still employed. If I want hockey fan's opinions I will come to a hockey fan forum and get their opinions. Seriously, people think that the opinions of coaches, GMs, and PoHO's is always the right one? Of course it isn't.

I have seen this line of rhetoric from you in the past, and it strikes me as irrational and quite frankly somewhat obtuse. For one thing, agreeing with the coaches or management on decisions they make is not casting aside my own right to "think for myself"; more often than not it is recognising that those people who are employed at the highest levels of hockey are all much more qualified and better suited to making the right decisions with regards to hockey than me or anyone else on this public forum. Your opinion seems to be that hockey professionals are no different from fans, and their opinons are no more informed nor valuable, and this couldn't in reality be further from the truth. Export opinions in every discipline will always be more valuable than those of lay people—hockey is no exception.

As far as Wotherspoon is concerned, I think he has been okay—not great, not terrible, and certainly not any better than any of the other six defensemen who are currently playing in Calgary. Based on this level of play I don't see any reason to think that he has supplanted another defenseman, and the coaches' usage of him to this date seems effective. Since there is nothing in his game that suggests he has been misused, then I am left to believe that the coaches and management have a good handle on his abilities as a player and his future with the organisation. In short, I don't really see any reason to complain about how he has been deployed this year, and I fundamentally reject the insinuation that this is a sign of my inability to "think for myself."

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Poe969

As much as I like Engelland, I think he's done with the Flames after this season. I'm guessing he signs a deal with Vegas, ideally he would sign it in the window that counts as the pick from Calgary (if that makes any sense at all). Wothersopoon seems like he'd be a good bottom pairing guy but like a few have said, he needs to work on his strength and "bite" if he wants to stay in the NHL. I'd love to see him get angry and stay angry but if he doesn't, I think he'll struggle to stay up.

Young guys usually seem to calm down as their careers progress, not get angrier.

While I don't think Wotherspoon is ever going to be more than an average 6/7 at best, I am 100% confident he will never develop a mean streak. It just doesn't happen at 23.

[Huntingwhale]

I like Engelland, but this is a classic case of sell high before he heavily declines. A 34 year old having what looks like a career season screams of Wideman, Glencross, or any other aging vet who should have been traded away for decent pieces to keep the rebuild moving along.

I love what he brings to the team. I love how he's a great leader. I love his toughness. But he's due for a drop off and will quickly become the whipping boy if he's brought back. I don't expect the team to trade him at the deadline if were in a playoff spot, and nor should they. But if BT can get something for him at the draft, he should do so.

If anything I'd be happy with him coming back for 1 year, but no more then that. And for super cheap. But honestly he's earned another decent payday. But likely it's not (and nor should it) be with the Flames.

[topfiverecords]

Kulak is better.

[FBI]

Time for Shilly to make the team next year.

[Locke]

I hope the Flames let Spoon keep his frequent flier miles.

I have a client who does that, his employer sends him to India once a quarter but he has to pay for the flights up-front and they reimburse him so he collects a TON of Airmiles.

Its brilliant.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I like Engelland, but this is a classic case of sell high before he heavily declines. A 34 year old having what looks like a career season screams of Wideman, Glencross, or any other aging vet who should have been traded away for decent pieces to keep the rebuild moving along.

I love what he brings to the team. I love how he's a great leader. I love his toughness. But he's due for a drop off and will quickly become the whipping boy if he's brought back. I don't expect the team to trade him at the deadline if were in a playoff spot, and nor should they. But if BT can get something for him at the draft, he should do so.

If anything I'd be happy with him coming back for 1 year, but no more then that. And for super cheap. But honestly he's earned another decent payday. But likely it's not (and nor should it) be with the Flames.

I don't disagree but if you don't bring back Engelland, are you only bringing back the top 3? None of the other guys are any better than fringe NHLers. That seems like too much turnover on the back end for one year.

And yeah, pretty hard to trade Engelland at the deadline if Flames are in playoff contention, as your defense would be a joke outside of top 3. But you're not trading him at the draft as he will be UFA. So that's why I think he's a guy you sign for 2 years. I'm not too worried about a drop-off. In Engelland's case, he's not that high to begin with.

Of course other scenario is Flames trade for a defenseman at the deadline. Someone with term left on their contract. Which is entirely possible.