[News] Zohorna recalled. Phillips and DeSimone assigned to Wranglers

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Naitix

The issue is that Lucic barely lost any coaches confidence after playing ~80 games of garbage hockey

Scratched three games in a row.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Scratched three games in a row.

And then productive after that! But obviously Sutter is an idiot....

[ForeverFlameFan]

It’s time to use Phillips as trade bait. May as well if you aren’t going to use him.

[Harry Lime]

I thought that in the limited time he had, Phillips did everything that he could to stick. Played the boards and went to the net, didn't shy away. Looked more dangerous than anyone on the fourth line (other than Lewis) over the entire seasons of games so far.

This is 100% because he failed at growing taller, and needs to be punished for it.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

It’s time to use Phillips as trade bait. May as well if you aren’t going to use him.

I don't think he has any trade value.

[RedHawk12]

I actually didn't think Phillips did very well in the games he played. He was ok, but did not stand out enough to warrant staying in the lineup.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

I thought that in the limited time he had, Phillips did everything that he could to stick. Played the boards and went to the net, didn't shy away. Looked more dangerous than anyone on the fourth line (other than Lewis) over the entire seasons of games so far.

This is 100% because he failed at growing taller, and needs to be punished for it.

In reality he just wasn’t as good as you make him sound.

I think he probably should’ve gotten a bigger opportunity and I have no doubt it’s difficult to get into a groove when you’re getting so few minutes, but it’s not like he did anything that suggested he belonged more than anyone else, and that’s what he has to do to stick.

[Zarley]

Not surprising, Phillips was unremarkable during his call up. Hopefully he gets another shot later in the season.

[Kasi]

I’m more curious how Pelletier and Zary get handled. Phillips I agree is probably a stretch but on most other teams they likely would have given the player a better chance.

[Yanda]

Philips was only recalled to get him a Christmas Bonus

[Patek23]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I just think it's far more risky to continue playing someone like Lucic, who has not been an NHL-calibre player for the better part of the last 100 games, on the second line (!) over players like Ruzicka, Phillips, and/or Pelletier.

Particularly when, if we're going to judge players off small samples, Lucic's last game against the Ducks was worse than anything Phillips has done in his NHL career. The Huberdeau line was completely neutralized against one of the worst teams in the league. Like you can talk about size but the Flames have consistently controlled the play with Phillips on the ice over his three NHL games.

I mean semantically you're not wrong as he's literally exactly 50/50 in his career, for his two games this year 47% so that parts inaccurate. However I find it hard to take your opinions as unbiased when you over exaggerate things to push your personal belief of the player. For a media guy you should work on that cause the way you make it sound is as if he was some force when really he gave average results.

I agree he probably should of gotten more time and a better look but you don't need to stretch things so much like the Pelletier/Phillips size comparison to make that point either.

EDIT- I have to walk back my first part a bit as I found a second site putting him at 57% this year (38.8% even strength though), so not sure what to take as fact or not, but either way its not dominance as you'd make it sound.

[TheScorpion]

I don't think he's dominant. I just think he's better for a top-six role than Lucic. I guess I appreciate the unsolicited advice, but my qualm isn't centred around the guy being dominant yet overlooked at the NHL level. It's on him being a totally unknown quantity at the NHL level. Whereas Lucic, over the last year, has arguably been the worst player in the entire league, and many of the Flames' other depth forwards haven't been much better.

I guess I, like a lot of people, hoped they would actually give the player a legit shot that he'd earned when they recalled him. They didn't, by any measure.

[Patek23]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't think he's dominant. I just think he's better for a top-six role than Lucic. I appreciate the advice, but my qualm isn't centred around the guy being dominant yet overlooked at the NHL level. It's on him being a totally unknown quantity at the NHL level. Whereas Lucic, over the last year, has arguably been the worst player in the entire league, and many of the Flames' other depth forwards haven't been much better.

I dont disagree with that. I'm no fan at all of Lucic even being in the line-up let alone top 6. I just feel the facts dont need to be misrepresented to make that point.

[BigFlameDog]

If the NHL coach and staff thought the AHL player, who they have watched for 4+ years, could help them win NHL games now, he would be on the roster.

The hope is, he receives feedback and works on whatever they tell him to work on. AHL is a large step below NHL. He has to kick down the door when he comes up not knock on it. He still may, but he hasn't yet so they default to the players they know. I don't blame them.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't think he's dominant. I just think he's better for a top-six role than Lucic. I appreciate the advice, but my qualm isn't centred around the guy being dominant yet overlooked at the NHL level. It's on him being a totally unknown quantity at the NHL level. Whereas Lucic, over the last year, has arguably been the worst player in the entire league, and many of the Flames' other depth forwards haven't been much better.

Yet, Lucic has 2 goals and 2 assists over the last 5 games, and is plus 4.

Hmmm.

[TheScorpion]

I just don't jive with appeals to authority when NHL GMs and coaches do obviously stupid things every week. They've watched him lead their farm team in scoring for years. They also healthy scratched Oliver Kylington for Nikita Nesterov over a full season and currently have Adam Ruzicka on the fourth line and Lucic on the second. These guys don't just make mistakes, they're prone to them. And I think keeping Lucic as a fixture on the roster over the kids without an appropriate external replacement lined up in a year where they have pushed in all the chips on trying to win is an enormous mistake.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by timbit

Yet, Lucic has 2 goals and 2 assists over the last 5 games, and is plus 4.

Hmmm.

If the Flames are gonna base their decisions for the long run on a two-game set against a Sharks team playing some of the worst defensive hockey the NHL has seen in recent years, they're in for some trouble. Lucic is not a viable option to play top-six minutes in anything other than the most dire situation. Trying to compete against the MacKinnons and Kucherovs with this setup is something straight out of 1997.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

If the Flames are gonna base their decisions for the long run on a two-game set against a Sharks team playing some of the worst defensive hockey the NHL has seen in recent years, they're in for some trouble. Lucic is not a viable option to play top-six minutes in anything other than the most dire situation. Trying to compete against the MacKinnons and Kucherovs with this setup is something straight out of 1997.

You’re the guy who called Lucic the worst player in the NHL.

It most certainly appears that he is not.

[TheScorpion]

Over the last 80 games, he's in the bottom three. Three games don't change that. Even the least effective NHL players are still incredible athletes.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Flaming Homer

I mean semantically you're not wrong as he's literally exactly 50/50 in his career, for his two games this year 47% so that parts inaccurate. However I find it hard to take your opinions as unbiased when you over exaggerate things to push your personal belief of the player. For a media guy you should work on that cause the way you make it sound is as if he was some force when really he gave average results.

I agree he probably should of gotten more time and a better look but you don't need to stretch things so much like the Pelletier/Phillips size comparison to make that point either.

EDIT- I have to walk back my first part a bit as I found a second site putting him at 57% this year (38.8% even strength though), so not sure what to take as fact or not, but either way its not dominance as you'd make it sound.

Does a guy need to have his profession questioned when he offers a point of view? Scorp is just adding his opinion on why Philips should get more of a look. No need to call him out as a"media guy" like that. Maybe Philips didn't show enough or maybe he did, Scorps looking at the bigger picture not just Philips.