[PGT] Jan 13: CGY 3 CBJ 5

[Locke]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I’m not looking forward to it. At this rate I’d rather Weegar dealt than Andersson. Weegar has been awful this season. But, still has value based on that great cap hit with great term.

Weegar I think is here for the haul.

He is having a proper nightmare of a season, but he didn't just up and forget how to hockey.

I think he'll be fine in the future and, who knows, we may yet trade him, but probably a little closer to the end of his contract once we see where he fits into the shape of a soon to be changing team.

[getbak]

Except for the Vancouver game, it was a pretty tankeriffic night.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by musth

We're going to miss Ras when he's gone. We might get something great for him in the end, but we're still going to miss him.

The team has lost so much identity over the last handful of years. Started with Ferland and it feels like it just keeps going with nobody really stepping up to replace these guys.

I know it didn’t work out but that 2010-2016 run at the draft was such a rare treat for players you loved to root for. Ferland, Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Andersson, Tkachuk…

It’ll suck to see the last one go.

[traptor]

It's bittersweet forsure but im very excited for that next group right around the corner.




I thought it was a fun game. Really liked Zary, Klapka and sharky tonight

[expatflame]

I still don’t know why we can’t resign Ras. He’s a perfect role model for our young D. We have the cash!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by traptor

It's bittersweet forsure but im very excited for that next group right around the corner.

I thought it was a fun game. Really liked Zary, Klapka and sharky tonight

That powerplay backcheck from Sharky was a thing of beauty and then Ras takes it all the way back up the ice.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by musth

We're going to miss Ras when he's gone. We might get something great for him in the end, but we're still going to miss him.

Undeniably the heart and soul of this team, but you cant fault the guy for wanting to win.

Guys been a soldier for us since day 1, there's no denying his heart and desire to win at all costs. We could use a whole team full of Ras's but now's just not our time to push for a cup.

Trade makes more sense, but we will undoubtedly miss everything he brings, that's for sure.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Whatever team gets him probably becomes my second favourite team

[gvitaly]

https://twitter.com/user/status/2011255532443877857

[saillias]

I guess I'm a minority then, I won't miss this era of Flames hockey or any of these vets on the roster.

I miss when the team was a contender, and the real stars that played for this team. But I have zero sentimentality towards this group whatsoever. I'll be very happy for the org to turn a new page when all these trades kick off.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by saillias

I guess I'm a minority then, I won't miss this era of Flames hockey or any of these vets on the roster.

I miss when the team was a contender, and the real stars that played for this team. But I have zero sentimentality towards this group whatsoever. I'll be very happy for the org to turn a new page when all these trades kick off.

And all these vets eff off??

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by saillias

I guess I'm a minority then, I won't miss this era of Flames hockey or any of these vets on the roster.

I miss when the team was a contender, and the real stars that played for this team. But I have zero sentimentality towards this group whatsoever. I'll be very happy for the org to turn a new page when all these trades kick off.

I think people are moreso alluding to Rasmus's connection to those contending teams. But I agree with the overall point. I find it funny when people object to selling off these guys and cite leadership or their play or what have you. I can't fathom people wanting to see more of this group.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think people are moreso alluding to Rasmus's connection to those contending teams. But I agree with the overall point. I find it funny when people object to selling off these guys and cite leadership or their play or what have you. I can't fathom people wanting to see more of this group.

Personally, I was referring to the group of Gaudreau, Monahan, tkachuk, Bennett, Gio, Rasmus etc. They never reached the heights or consistency I wanted and it got broken up a bit too soon, but it was a fun period overall with hope.


Not so much the Kadri/Huberdeau iteration.

[nieuwy-89]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I know Kadri has struggled lately… but tonight I thought he was really bad. That long turn away to center ice on the GWG was not a good look. I don’t think it was a coincidence that he was not out there for the 6-on-5 with 40 seconds left. Hopefully he picks it up soon. Would like his value restored and hopefully traded for a good return.

Kadri and Huberdeau have just disappeared. These guys are supposed to be leaders but they are adding no value at all. Just fading into the background.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

https://twitter.com/user/status/2011255532443877857

Thought about Johnny ducking as it went off...one of those memories that just makes me smile.https://share.google/XhyTSMw0mNNWSC1nG.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Every generation has its own set of likeable players. The mid-to-late 80s with Lanny, MacInnis, Nieuwendyk, Roberts, Gilmour, Loob, Makarov, Hunter, Mullen (so many to name). Not only were they successful - two cup runs including a cup win - but they were bigger than life. Maybe i was simply a kid looking up at heroes in those days, but there were so many players that I loved to watch and follow. Bearcat Murray! Badger Bob! What about Sergei Pryakhin - the first Soviet player 'allowed' to come over in the history of the NHL, and led to the wave of the Russian Invasion? Started in Calgary! The Loob chants, with Loob getting longer with every goal he scored.


Then the Young Guns era. Not a whole lot of guys to inspire as compared to the previous decade, that's for sure. Those were dark times, with the team potentially leaving, while knowing that if the team did end up staying, the Flames were really a glorified farm team more like the Sparks than the Flames. Still, even in those unsteady years, there were guys that came out and made you love them - Iginla was a bright and shiny beacon. I always like Todd Simpson - pedestrian skill-set, but he was a gamer and a personality. Shouldn't have been named captain so early though, but I always appreciated him. German Titov. Sandy McCarthy and his crazy bouts with Probert, becoming the 'NHL Heavyweight Champion". The best name in hockey - Zarley Zalapski. What seemed to be every woman's dream - Ronnie Stern. Sheldon Kennedy and his battle (which we did not yet know about). Never forget Tabarracci coming out of his crease and laying a big hit in the corner! No, these weren't great days in terms of winning, or even overall 'outlook', but there were some great characters. A brief moment, but hard to forget when the dome was chanting "Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!".


Then of course the 'comeback' team - the '04 Flames and the year before, and the handful of years after. Iginla, Kipper, Conroy, Regehr.. Oliwa and SImon. Niemenen and his huge smile. The Eliminator. Jokinen and the memes. Darryl Sutter! After a long absence from the playoffs - and a long absence from any and all hope itself - this team came out. Didn't win anything really, but they won our hearts and minds that season, and that excitement lasted right up the late 2000s when it was evident that the team no longer had it.


The last rendition - Johnny "the highlight reel" Gaudreau, Boring Sean Monahan, Giordano, Brodie, Tkachuk, Backlund, Bennett, Andersson, Micheal "The Human Nuclear Missle" Ferland, and many other likable characters.. they didn't win squat, unfortunately. However, to say that there isn't any attachment to these players is not being honest. It was the first real rebuild here, and we watched them grow up. It sucks that they left - it absolutely sucks that one is gone forever too (seems every generation has some great guys leaving too soon). It sucks to see Andersson go - he is a real character. It sucks to see your children off too, right? Bittersweet, though it is a bit different.


It is ok to be upset about Andersson (and everyone else) leaving. I still cheer for former players that I like, and still follow their careers. It will be fun watching the new generation come in, show us who they are, entertain us, grow up in front of us, and give us a load of new memories too. That's the business side of hockey, and that's ok. I will always remember Hunter joining the team and giving the Flames that swagger that they were missing, and I will also always remember Lomberg and his oversized head with his oversized smile constantly being happy just to be here (and KO'ing Kassian too!).


Hockey is a sport for those that are playing, otherwise it is entertainment for the masses. Though the Flames haven't won much in their time here in Calgary, every single era has given us players that are hard to forget. Sure, lots of frustration and disappointment, but I honestly remember some of the great moments and some of the great players of each era. I will remember this past era fondly, even if I loudly complain about how unsuccessful they were. Lots of great memories with this last set of players.


Two players really stand out - Jarome Iginla, and Mikael Backlund. Both lasted through two generations. Backlund is looking at lasting through a third. I would argue that Jarome probably should have just stayed in Calgary his whole career, especially given that with hindsight, the returns didn't end up being useful. Would have been great to see him play alongside Gaudreau for a couple of seasons as Gaudreau fed him. Backlund came in as a young player through the tail-end of the Iginla-Regehr-Kipper generation, then blossomed in this last generation, and is still effective as the Flames transition into the next. Really happy to still see him going through the changes. With the way he is playing, maybe he will last through the next, right?


/long-wided nostalgic post out of nowhere.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

We're rebuilding.

Players like Stromgren should be getting adequate ice time to assess them or at least to allow them get any traction whatsoever. Playing 6 minutes over 3 periods is paltry.

Obviously Huska is still clinging to any hope surrounding the season (as he should) and so he'll lean on more experienced players as a result, but that will be a side benefit of making trades.

We need the "next gen" of players to begin to take the wheel from the old guard. Even if it's a little ugly for the first while as they figure things out.

It's encouraging to see Zary make a resurgence offensively and move back to center. it was looking pretty bleak for future core pieces on the current roster. But seeing some younger guys lead the push in recent games and wrestle opportunities and ice time from the coach has been encouraging.

We need this on a larger scale in the coming months and year as we transition to less proven players with greater upside than the core that we're transitioning away from.

I just hope we don't chicken out and backslide somehow. it has to get worse before it gets better and I hope the group upstairs has the intestinal fortitude for that.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by expatflame

I still don’t know why we can’t resign Ras. He’s a perfect role model for our young D. We have the cash!

He wants to play for a winner. This team isn't close to being a winner and I can't fault him for that one bit. I for one am enjoying this season. I can just watch games and if they win it's okay but if they lose it's even better as the time to shine for this edition of the Flames is in late June. In short time, no Flames fans will remember games played this season but they will forever remember the players picked in June. It's all about getting into the right mindset and the plight of the team. Hoping/expecting wins from a bad team is setting yourself up for misery.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by expatflame

I still don’t know why we can’t resign Ras. He’s a perfect role model for our young D. We have the cash!

He certainly plays great in a contract year!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

He certainly plays great in a contract year!

He's been consistently good for the organization with last season being his off year.