[News] Flames cut training camp roster to 30

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I mean it's the same talk and excuses every year.

"They just want these guys playing a lot in the AHL, when someone struggles they'll be the first call-up"

"They'll be up with the big club pretty soon, no worries!"

"No spots for them in the top 9, they'll get a shot soon though"

And then none of those things happen. Perish the thought that some people wanted to see young players on the team right out of the gate...

Who out of the group sent down would you have kept?

Zary probably, but the rest is meh and one guy is coming back from surgery.

They are not tossing Vladar away for pennies, we will get a decent return and I confident that Wolf will be back very soon and our will take the net from Markstrom.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Other major factors:
-Wolf was AHL's best goalie and MVP in back to back years
-Vladar was 56th out of 62 in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes

Wolf's development is the utmost importance. Ideally, he should play 20+ NHL games this year for said development.

Vladar was one of the worst goalies in the league last year judging by the best/most important goaltending metric. All statistical projections have Wolf likely performing better than Vladar in the NHL.

But goalies are voodoo. So who knows.

are you effing kidding me? Markstrom put out one the worst goalie performances in Flames history last year. If Vladar started even 3 more games we would have made the playoffs last year but Sutter had no balls.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I mean it's the same talk and excuses every year.

"They just want these guys playing a lot in the AHL, when someone struggles they'll be the first call-up"

"They'll be up with the big club pretty soon, no worries!"

"No spots for them in the top 9, they'll get a shot soon though"

And then none of those things happen. Perish the thought that some people wanted to see young players on the team right out of the gate...

I mean, that’s because it does happen every year and there are already three young guys who were not NHL regulars last year pencilled into the likely starting lineup.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Why would they waive Vladar?

They wouldn't explore trading him until they know what Wolf is capable of in the NHL. I'm sure there have been calls from other GMs.

I didn't say they would. I said it seems like poor asset management. That's why I don't really consider it as an option at this point. If he is a sub .900 goalie again that might become an option.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

are you effing kidding me? Markstrom put out one the worst goalie performances in Flames history last year. If Vladar started even 3 more games we would have made the playoffs last year but Sutter had no balls.

Vladar was hot garbage for almost the entire year last year. Let's not act like he was something he wasn't. It is mind boggling the Flames are not integrating Wolf at this point in his development arc solely because they don't want to trade him for what they deem is too little.

Wolf is going to be lucky to start more than a handful of NHL games this year and that is inexcusable given the state both goalies were and potentially are still in on the NHL roster.

[TheScorpion]

I would much rather see Pettersen or Pospisil in the NHL lineup than Schwindt, honestly. Both bring really defined and interesting dimensions. Pettersen is a great playmaker and Pospisil is both talented and strong.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Huska said that he doesn't see Zary as a 4th line center. He would need to change his game/role a little so he can play on the 4th line. Huska sees him as a top 9 player. Hunt didn't lock a spot either, but I don't think it changes anything if he misses any of the Wrangler's camp.

It seems there aren't many suitors for a Vladar trade just yet. Waiving Vladar seems like poor asset management especially if you consider that Markstrom will be starting game 1. Why keep Wolf for the luxury of sitting on the bench and opening the door?

4th lines aren't what they used to be.

Any line 1 thru 4 can be a speed/skill line in this NHL.

And I don't think it's to Huska's advantage given our lack if top end talent to be treating the bottom lines like traditional grinder/energy lines. Depth is what's going to make the Flames any good at all this season.

And imo markstrom shouldn't be treated like the defacto #1 at this point, cap hits aside. This should be a three-for-all. Camp & practice at the NHL is better than camp & practice at the AHL level and Wolf should be here for the entirety of it I think.

But thats my perspective. I guess they want two goalies at Wranglers camp and that's enough reason for them. At least they're in the same building.

[Strange Brew]

The players sent down are better prospects than many of those remaining in camp and the Flames know this. Players like Pettersen and Pospisil are not NHLers IMO and are here to get one last look with the big club because of their age and year drafted. Their NHL dream is on life support really and I'm fine with the club giving them every shot possible.

[TheScorpion]

They already had four goalies at Wranglers camp before sending Wolf down

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I really don't think Schwindt is an NHLer

I get that he is a responsible 2 way guy, but his skating just feels slow.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Other major factors:
-Wolf was AHL's best goalie and MVP in back to back years
-Vladar was 56th out of 62 in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes

Wolf's development is the utmost importance. Ideally, he should play 20+ NHL games this year for said development.

Vladar was one of the worst goalies in the league last year judging by the best/most important goaltending metric. All statistical projections have Wolf likely performing better than Vladar in the NHL.

But goalies are voodoo. So who knows.

Nothing I've heard from the team has suggested a plan to stunt Wolf's development in any way.

The NHL market for goaltenders just hasn't given them the opportunity to sort things out.

Starting this way is hardly the end of the world.

Wolf hasn't exactly won a job anyway has he?

[TheIronMaiden]

How often does the team that starts the season stay the same at the end of the season?
The Flames can and will make adjustments as they see fit.

[D as in David]

There's no doubt that Zary and Wolf (amongst others) will be disappointed at getting sent down. Fortunately, both of them appear to be mature, young men who will continue to work on the areas of their games that they are being asked to and will await their inevitable call-ups to the NHL.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I mean, that’s because it does happen every year and there are already three young guys who were not NHL regulars last year pencilled into the likely starting lineup.

They are doing a better job of it admittedly. Most notably by not bogging down the camp with PTO bums this year. The handling of Wolf is going to be the biggest concern and is hard to jsutify. If you aren't moving this guy along now, then when? The only thing he hasn't done is win a championship in the AHL and there's really nowhere to go but down at this point.

For Wolf, you only get NHL experience by playing NHL games and neither NHL goalie on this team deserves the benefit of the doubt after last season.....especially not Vladar who ranked 72nd in SV% last year and has a woeful .899% on his career.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I am surprised that Pospisil, Schwindt, and Pettersen outlasted Zary. Hard to see any of them being on the final roster though.

Solovyov seems to be the breakthrough player so far at camp, but he is probably still a dark horse to make the final cut over Oesterle, Gilbert, or DeSimone.

When all is said and done, it is looking more and more like Coronato may be the only rookie making the team right out of camp. Pelletier likely would have made it of course if not for the injury. Pretty underwhelming if all the talk about spots being open for rookies to take ends up not panning out.

I think this is more about your perception, than reality.

Zary is 22. So is Schwindt - does he not count as a rookie? Klapka is 23 and he is still here also.

There are only so many spots, and Pelletier was the most likely to get one. Coronato has made it - that's the best news possible. Schwindt and Zary have both been competitive, that's good news, is it not? And Zary will get some games in, very soon, I would guess. Wolf will get games in, regularly.
Duehr has continued his good play. Klapka is still a work in progress.

Finally, no Ritchies or Lewises on the roster. Seems like things are exactly as everyone hoped, to me.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

4th lines aren't what they used to be.

Any line 1 thru 4 can be a speed/skill line in this NHL.

And I don't think it's to Huska's advantage given our lack if top end talent to be treating the bottom lines like traditional grinder/energy lines. Depth is what's going to make the Flames any good at all this season.

And imo markstrom shouldn't be treated like the defacto #1 at this point, cap hits aside. This should be a three-for-all. Camp & practice at the NHL is better than camp & practice at the AHL level and Wolf should be here for the entirety of it I think.

But thats my perspective. I guess they want two goalies at Wranglers camp and that's enough reason for them. At least they're in the same building.

I get your point of view. I'm just repeating what the coach said. That said, it seems players really prefer to have a clearly defined role. A role they can take pride in. That's something that needs to be established in order to have a good 4th line.

Markstrom is the defacto #1 going into the season. His leash would be a lot shorter though. I don't think he would get 10-20 games to play himself out of it. If both our goalies suck 2 weeks into the season Wolf will be called up. Wolf also was up and down in the preseason just like Markstrom, one good / one bad game.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I mean it's the same talk and excuses every year.

"They just want these guys playing a lot in the AHL, when someone struggles they'll be the first call-up"

"They'll be up with the big club pretty soon, no worries!"

"No spots for them in the top 9, they'll get a shot soon though"

And then none of those things happen. Perish the thought that some people wanted to see young players on the team right out of the gate...

There are some players, if they project to be top 6, you don't want them playing on the 4th line in the NHL. But then there are some that would benefit from getting their foot in the door on the 4th line with the goal of working their way up the line up as the season progresses and players get banged up. From Huska's comments about Zary, it sounded like he thought Zary falls into the latter category.

I'm not qualified to criticize these decisions, but am just a little disappointed or underwhelmed I guess.

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah I don't like the "Zary can't play 4th line" logic

IMO I don't think it hurts a player at all to be playing 12 minutes a game in the NHL vs 20 minutes per game in the AHL.

Pavel Datsyuk played 13:30 minutes a game as a rookie and didn't seem to hurt him.

Coleman-Zary-Duehr looks so much better than Coleman-Schwindt-Duehr IMO.

Especially with Lindholm, Backlund, and Kadri on the roster...you can't block Zary forever as a top 9 C. You should be re-thinking your 4th line and Zary between Coleman and Duehr seems super promising to me as a speedy, energy 4th line that could really contribute offensively.

[VilleN]

Wolf being sent down was obviously going to happen, Vladar and Markstrom are our goalies right now. Wolf will get reps, but he isn't going to replace either guy full time yet.

Zary is not a 4th liner, Schwindt is. So that makes sense too.

[dammage79]

There's a full season yet to unfold but I'm in the disappointed camp when it comes to today's cuts.

The term asset management makes me unhappy with cuts to players who clearly are better than their competitors who are still up with the big club.

Yes yes, blah blah blah waivers, blah blah blah, needs minutes down on the farm blah blah.

Let's see how things unfold. Not a good start so far for me with their decision making.