Justin Kirkland Placed on Waivers

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Maintaining that he’s Huska’s favourite when he’s played 5 games in the last 1.25 seasons and less than 35 over the last 2.25 seasons is also silly. Some may even call it disingenuous.

Oh I’ve never said he was Huskas favourite, that’s someone else’s words and not mine. I’m saying he’s played a modest amount of NHL games where that time would have better been better suited to developing younger (think 2-5 Pepsi years younger) players.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Oh I’ve never said he was Huskas favourite, that’s someone else’s words and not mine. I’m saying he’s played a modest amount of NHL games where that time would have better been better suited to developing younger (think 2-5 Pepsi years younger) players.

What younger players did Hunt hold back? At the time you are talking about (2023-24), Kerins was 21 and was not lighting it up in the AHL - it was his first real season having been in the ECHL previously. Coronato and Pospisil played more NHL games than Hunt and essentially got called up permanently. Pelletier was also called up but got hurt. Morton was right out of college and struggled a bit. So it was a bunch of guys who seemingly needed more AHL time: Klapka, Jones (who went on to score zero points in 32 games with Minnie, or Schwindt (now a scrub for Fla two teams later).

[SuperMatt18]

Schwindt is the easy answer to that question.

And not because he was going to be a star or anything.

Just when it comes to these tweener jobs in the NHL i'd much rather they play a young guy that might have some upside even if it's likely he doesn't.

Than play the older guy that you know doesn't have any upside.

Especially when you're not a playoff team and not looking to contend.

I'd personally have much rather seen Morton / Kerins play some of the 70 games that Kevin Rooney played last season too.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

What younger players did Hunt hold back? At the time you are talking about (2023-24), Kerins was 21 and was not lighting it up in the AHL - it was his first real season having been in the ECHL previously. Coronato and Pospisil played more NHL games than Hunt and essentially got called up permanently. Pelletier was also called up but got hurt. Morton was right out of college and struggled a bit. So it was a bunch of guys who seemingly needed more AHL time: Klapka, Jones (who went on to score zero points in 32 games with Minnie, or Schwindt (now a scrub for Fla two teams later).

Any of the players you mentioned would have made more sense than Hunt. He was a finished product at 27 years old back then with no further development path. His play was passable at best during his NHL stints, so there was no benefit to having him other than having a warm body on the team. There was no chance of growth and no long term benefit to the flames. He was just filler.

That season was one year post Tkachuk trade and where the “rebuild” started. What should have happened was to focus more on thedevelopment of the prospects that you mentioned. What happened was 1/3 of a season of Hunt and more of the Roondog.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Any of the players you mentioned would have made more sense than Hunt. He was a finished product at 27 years old back then with no further development path. His play was passable at best during his NHL stints, so there was no benefit to having him other than having a warm body on the team. There was no chance of growth and no long term benefit to the flames. He was just filler.

That season was one year post Tkachuk trade and where the “rebuild” started. What should have happened was to focus more on thedevelopment of the prospects that you mentioned. What happened was 1/3 of a season of Hunt and more of the Roondog.

No, they didn't make more sense. They were AHL rookies. Klapka was given a few games, then 30+ the next year and now he's a mainstay. They developed him properly. Schwindt got a few games and didn't look very good. he's now the Dryden Hunt of Florida. Has Minnesota mistreated Ben Jones? They keep sending him down (and will again). Kerins was right out of ECHL. They elevated Pelletier, Coronato and Pospisil over Hunt.

[Bingo]

I think Dryden Hunt up to play a fourth line role in a season where the team is in a playoff spot and looking to compete is fine.

Makes less sense when the team is in 32nd place and there are young players with waiver implications to be explored/determined.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

No, they didn't make more sense. They were AHL rookies. Klapka was given a few games, then 30+ the next year and now he's a mainstay. They developed him properly. Schwindt got a few games and didn't look very good. he's now the Dryden Hunt of Florida. Has Minnesota mistreated Ben Jones? They keep sending him down (and will again). Kerins was right out of ECHL. They elevated Pelletier, Coronato and Pospisil over Hunt.

And that’s your opinion, I think they should have focused on developing those rookies instead of wasting a slot on Hunt. I don’t agree with your view at all.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Dryden Hunt up to play a fourth line role in a season where the team is in a playoff spot and looking to compete is fine.

Makes less sense when the team is in 32nd place and there are young players with waiver implications to be explored/determined.

They weren't in a playoff spot in 23-24 though.

And last year they were in a playoff spot - but the 4th line with Rooney was a glaring weakness all season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

And that’s your opinion, I think they should have focused on developing those rookies instead of wasting a slot on Hunt. I don’t agree with your view at all.

Yes, the Flames sure missed out on developing Schwindt and Jones. While they were giving Zary, Pelletier, Coronato, Klapka and Pospisil great looks.

[PaperBagger'14]

Yes, Zary, Coronato, and Pelletier are all playing great for the flames this year, true stars they have developed into. Definitely no room for improvement, we have everything perfected! The only thing left to do is sit back and count the Stanley cups.

[Kipper_3434]

I like Hunt more than Lomberg.

[MissTeeks]

Cleared.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1989046664913645970

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Lol "that's the joke"

Jest aside, Hunt is fine, a safe choice if you will - I harp on Hunt because it's the board's favorite running joke around recalls. I don't actually think he's useless. Thought that was evident what with the memes of late and unjustified name calling, but fair enough.

While their performance has been relatively on par with each other (full credit to him), they do project to be different players at the NHL level based on skill and make up of their games. Kerins is more suited to a top 6/9 role if he actually develops. Whereas Hunt is more of a utility player that they can plug in wherever and can play responsibly, hence why he probably gets the nod more often than any one else up front.

If you're looking for your best bet to add point production and a player that can inject skill into your top 6/9, Kerins is probably your leading candidate, which is also evidenced by his first stint in which he was productive despite waning as it went on.

Sorry - my sarcasm detector must be malfunctioning.


I do not disagree with your outlook on the Kerins vs Hunt thing - though I do think that Hunt gives the team a better chance to win 'today' vs Kerins. Hunt is well-liked by coaches because he never cheats the game, and doesn't lose you games. Kerins was on a heater when he came up last year, and cooled. During the preseason, he looked solid and faster to start, but then really looked out of place towards the end.


So from my perspective, this recall is perhaps the shift that we have all been sort of waiting for - prioritization of development (and seeing what there is in the pipeline up close and personal in the NHL) versus winning.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Yes, Zary, Coronato, and Pelletier are all playing great for the flames this year, true stars they have developed into. Definitely no room for improvement, we have everything perfected! The only thing left to do is sit back and count the Stanley cups.

You didn't read carefully. They all played more than Hunt, except Pelletier and that's only because he was injured. They aren't the youngsters who he "impeded". Nor are kids that were in their rookie AHL year and weren't yet performing well in the A.

The "impeded list"be the guys who were not rookies and who still didn't get called up much that year - Schwindt, Klapka and Jones.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You didn't read carefully. They all played more than Hunt, except Pelletier and that's only because he was injured. They aren't the youngsters who he "impeded". Nor are kids that were in their rookie AHL year and weren't yet performing well in the A.

The "impeded list"be the guys who were not rookies and who still didn't get called up much that year - Schwindt, Klapka and Jones.

I’ll be honest I don’t know if you’re capable of understanding how *more* development time could have benefitted the prospects you mentioned earlier. I don’t have the ability to make this any easier to understand for you, so I’ll have to end this discussion. You’re just not getting it, dude.

I would have thought “prospects playing and practicing with an NHL team for more time is good for prospect development” was a fairly easy talking point. Wow.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I’ll be honest I don’t know if you’re capable of understanding how *more* development time could have benefitted the prospects you mentioned earlier. I don’t have the ability to make this any easier to understand for you, so I’ll have to end this discussion. You’re just not getting it, dude.

I would have thought “prospects playing and practicing with an NHL team for more time is good for prospect development” was a fairly easy talking point. Wow.

Apparently you don't understand how development time also occurs at the AHL level.

You also don't seem to understand that someone can understand your point and still disagree with it.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Dryden Hunt up to play a fourth line role in a season where the team is in a playoff spot and looking to compete is fine.

Makes less sense when the team is in 32nd place and there are young players with waiver implications to be explored/determined.

Which is exactly why this season is where you want a guy like Morton up playing in the bottom 6 the rest of the way. There's ample space for him to learn the ropes and see if he's got what it takes to fill that role with little on the line.

Guys like Kerins, Stromgren, Hunter B, Kuznetsov, and Suniev should be cycling in and out as well to get a decent taste at this point in their careers as well. To me there is little sense in going down the safe but highly limited road which includes Hunt, Miromanov, Kirkland etc unless there are significant reasons to do so such as a glut of injuries or the above are simply overwhelmed and outclassed badly etc.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Apparently you don't understand how development time also occurs at the AHL level.

You also don't seem to understand that someone can understand your point and still disagree with it.

Oh I see it just fine, I pointed out how the examples he used are all playing awful this year and previously had said the may have benefitted from more NHL time.

The response I got completely missed any points I was making and instead created some self described “impeded list” as if that’s actually a thing lol. Nothing that has been said showed that my point was understood.

I also do get that there is some value in AHL time, but when your NHL team is primed to miss the playoffs and trading away multiple roster players, I believe the open spots are better suited for prospects to learn. These are not spots to be filled with 27 year old AHLers.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Oh I see it just fine, I pointed out how the examples he used are all playing awful this year and previously had said the may have benefitted from more NHL time.

The response I got completely missed any points I was making and instead created some self described “impeded list” as if that’s actually a thing lol. Nothing that has been said showed that my point was understood.

No, that showed very clearly that your point was understood. Nearly every prospect that you thought was being ‘impeded’ by Hunt got more games than Hunt, and most of them played higher up the lineup. The only exception was Klapka, since Schwindt and Jones have pretty much topped out as AHLers.

GioforPM simply disagrees with your point, and I think he's got the better argument.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

No, that showed very clearly that your point was understood. Nearly every prospect that you thought was being ‘impeded’ by Hunt got more games than Hunt, and most of them played higher up the lineup. The only exception was Klapka, since Schwindt and Jones have pretty much topped out as AHLers.

GioforPM simply disagrees with your point, and I think he's got the better argument.

I never said impeded wtf is going on here lol.

“I think they should have focused on developing those rookies instead of wasting a slot on Hunt”

That was my direct quote. At no point did I say Hunt prevented them from getting NHL games.

“*more* development time could have benefitted the prospects you mentioned earlier”

Another quote from me acknowledging that, yes, the prospects did receive some development time but ***more*** would have been preferred.