The Flames Not As Weak As Many Believe

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by timbit

Seriously, what team in the NHL has a worse prognosis, moving forward, than the Flames?

None. I'd like to hear the people who think the Flames aren't that weak to name three NHL teams that have a worse collection of 18-25 year old talent, giving those team's young players and prospects the same optimistic projections for development as they give the Flames young assets.

[Vulcan]

The one thing we have going for us if we do collect some franchise players, is we can pay to the cap to round out our team. Some other bottom feeders can't.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The one thing we have going for us if we do collect some franchise players, is we can pay to the cap to round out our team. Some other bottom feeders can't.

Agreed. Florida, Colorado, Phoenix, and some others are going to have a hard time supplementing their young talent with the internal budgets they have to operate with.

Flames have to be careful though, that they don't waste the cap space by overpaying the wrong ufa's.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

None. I'd like to hear the people who think the Flames aren't that weak to name three NHL teams that have a worse collection of 18-25 year old talent, giving those team's young players and prospects the same optimistic projections for development as they give the Flames young assets.

It's not just that. Teams that rank with the Flames in terms of worse collection of 18-25 year old talent are generally playoff teams or teams that have have made the playoffs more often than not in the past few years and so can buy time.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by moon

Based on what?

He has shown average to below average offensive skills in every year that he has been a professional and wasn't great in Sweden or the WHL either.

He has okay defensive skills, is weak on and off the puck so it isn't like his defensive abilities are going to make up for his lack of offense.

It's not pessimism its looking at his track record and what he has shown on the ice.

Actually he's shown a lot more offense this year and a lot more strength on the puck. He's our best offensive centre. Half his stats last year can be thrown out because of injury.

Guess we're watching a different guy. He's really developed this year as has Brodie. I think you underrate the upside of both.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Actually he's shown a lot more offense this year and a lot more strength on the puck. He's our best offensive centre. Half his stats last year can be thrown out because of injury.

Guess we're watching a different guy. He's really developed this year as has Brodie. I think you underrate the upside of both.

I agree. He's a number two centre, a consistent 25 goal, 55-60 point guy, if he's healthy. Which is a big if of course.

It would be good,to see him put in a 75 game season to get some steam up. It's the only thing holding him back now.

Cowperson

[moon]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

I agree. He's a number two centre, a consistent 25 goal, 55-60 point guy, if he's healthy. Which is a big if of course.

How can you say that when he hasn't once come close to putting up those numbers or even be on pace to do so?

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

I agree. He's a number two centre, a consistent 25 goal, 55-60 point guy, if he's healthy. Which is a big if of course.

It would be good,to see him put in a 75 game season to get some steam up. It's the only thing holding him back now.

Cowperson

2010-11 (his best season) he pro-rated to 28 points over a full season
2011-12 22 points pro-rated
this season 39 points pro-rated

Scored 15 goals in one season (AHL) ONCE during his career.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by moon

LOL.


Putting some BS blame on one guy that was the best defenseman on the team over his contract?

Best defenseman??? Give me a break, the guy didn't know how to play defence. Reminded me of Phaneuf, a player who should have been a forward.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Best defenseman??? Give me a break, the guy didn't know how to play defence. Reminded me of Phaneuf, a player who should have been a forward.

Doesn't know how to play defense?

With solid analysis like this how can I argue. I imagine that is why the well run Blues gave up a 1st round pick for them. He has looked good playing RW for them so far.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by moon

Doesn't know how to play defense?

With solid analysis like this how can I argue. I imagine that is why the well run Blues gave up a 1st round pick for them. He has looked good playing RW for them so far.

If anything they gave up a 1st for his offense. Do you suppose all the criticism of him in Calgary was because of how impressed we were with his defence? His contract was the worst waist of several million dollars on the team.

[moon]

Well they aren't playing him sheltered minutes or solely on the PP so they can't be that terrified by his defense and rarely are defenseman traded for a 1st round pick solely for their offense, especially when that offense isn't even top 20 for defensemen in the league.

I think people criticized him because they wanted a scapegoat and he was an easy target. I can tell you this a lot of that criticism was for his offense so hard to see why Blues would want him solely for that.

I didn't say he was full value for his deal or super awesome just that he was the best defenseman on a team with mostly bad defensemen. He was far from the main (or even big) problem this team has had the last 3.5 years.

[Lanny_McDonald]

I know its not cool to go against the grain and call this team anything but total crap, but the young players like Brodie, Baertschi, Horak and Reinhart all show incredible promise and should provide improvement for next season. For the first time in a long time we are not just pointing at Backlund as the only young guy with potential to be players for the squad. We aren't going to be challenging for the playoffs, but we will likely see some improvement in key areas. Add in the three players we recoup from this draft class and our college players coming out next season and the team looks a lot better.

[Steve Bozek]

At the start of the season many of us believed the Flames would miss the playoffs but be in the group of teams that were close. Most of the time they played at that level, but it was painfully obvious that they were totally outclassed when they played the top teams. And in the unlikely event they made the playoffs, they would be swept by a top team. It's no coincidence that the decision to blow it up came when the Californian teams embarrassed them.

But I don't think they were or are a last place team, even without the big two they traded away. They just aren't good enough to be contending for the playoffs.