[Signing] Flames sign LW David Wolf (1 yr ELC, $925k)

[Bar-Down]

I am hoping Wolf continues to develop, would add toughness that we need while also being able to chip in offensively.

I am kinda choked that Treliving gave up a 3rd rounder for Bollig. I knew that was big over payment the day the deal was made...

[lanny9]

Originally Posted by Bar-Down

I am hoping Wolf continues to develop, would add toughness that we need while also being able to chip in offensively.

I am kinda choked that Treliving gave up a 3rd rounder for Bollig. I knew that was big over payment the day the deal was made...

So did the Hawks! They took it and ran imo!

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Bar-Down

I am hoping Wolf continues to develop, would add toughness that we need while also being able to chip in offensively.

I am kinda choked that Treliving gave up a 3rd rounder for Bollig. I knew that was big over payment the day the deal was made...

I like to think of the whole thing as a Berra + 3rd for Bollig + 2nd. That way we got both the better player and the better pick. Not exactly accurate, but feels better.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Karl

Still no good though.

Careful, those words are reserved for Edmonton!

[GettinIggyWithIt]

Originally Posted by lanny9

So did the Hawks! They took it and ran imo!

Take some solace in the fact that it seems the the Hawks didn't do much with it either. They drafted a guy who at 20 years old is still playing in the USHL and not really tearing it up. Hopefully Wolf gets a shot this year to see what we may or may not have.

[Jacks]

He is on FAN960 right now, sounds like Arnie.

Edit: Sorry can't transcribe, on phone calls.

Edit#2: Should be on the FAN site for replay in about an hour.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/960/on-demand/

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Jacks

He is on FAN960 right now, sounds like Arnie.

Edit: Sorry can't transcribe, on phone calls.

Edit#2: Should be on the FAN site for replay in about an hour.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/960/on-demand/

This is amazing.

"What do you mean development?"
"Well... my linemates are...uh....uh....uhhhh"
"I focus on my worth etheth...worth ethec... how you say...."

It was a good interview either way. I feel like the Flames want him to soak up what he can from McGrattan before calling him up.

[dammage79]

He had a tough time finding the appropriate response when Ker asked him if he thought he'd be playing in the NHL by now. Took him a full 30 seconds of meandering through his response to finally say "I knew making the NHL was going to be hard". Gave me the vibe he thought he'd be up by now.

I think he'll get his shot this year. Hopefully he re-signs as his play has been nothing short of great down on the frm in his first year in NA.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Jacks

He is on FAN960 right now, sounds like Arnie Rainer Wolfcastle.

Fixed.

[Drury18]

Wolf Interview:


Lot of work and effort to put in to where he wants to be

Biggest difference from Germany is the smaller ice, faster game, more physical game

AHL has best prospects in NHL and they are highly skilled, makes it difficult for guys like him coming from the big ice and where play is a little slower

Hasn't felt like he had a breakout game. He puts his all in for each game, needed 10-15 games to feel better. Trying to work to better himself in practice and games. Now waiting to be paid back for the work put in

Wants to help the team out with whatever he can do. Some nights he needs to be more physical, some nights he needs to score goals. He wants to fill every role the coaches give him

Had a couple beauty goals this season, he usually score goals from around the net and uses his body and weight to make them go in

He can hit guys here a little better then Germany. Guys fall down in Germany alot, much smaller, no muscle, get alot of penalties for hitting them. He can take and give good hits here and not get in as much trouble

Back home, not alot of fighting and protecting. You can change a game with a fight or hit and one of the things he respects about hockey over here. It's what's missing in Europe, changing games with some action

Playing with Elson and Hathaway. Also had McGrattan on his line in practice. Hoping to play with him on a line on Friday

Looks up to McGrattan, many things to learn from him. Setoguchi as well. They have lots of experience and giving advice and he's taking what he can from both. They help the young guys

He got special things for his skates as he's a bigger guy and it allows him to move his ankle more. He's worn them for 2 weeks and he can feel skating better because of it. Little details helping his game that he didn't have over there.

Lives with Hathaway and Van Brabant. Hangs out with them the most. He gets along with everyone in locker room, all really nice guys.

Team needed time at start of season to find each other, lots of movement with call up and sent down. Had to find the team and system. They found each other and worked for it and now they are being paid back.

Likes Glen Falls and the fans. Older barn and feels old school in there. Good rivalry with Utica and Rochester. Gets wild and loud in there. Really fun to play in there.

Players have alot to do in the community there. He hasn't gotten anything to do so far, but lots of the guys have gone to hospitals and going with kids on the lake. It's all new for him, they don't have that alot back in Germany. He likes it and looking forward to it.

He thought he was going to NYC when they told him he was going to New York. He was surprised when he got to Glen Falls and it was smaller. He's from a large city in Germany (1.8 million people) and so this is different but nice.

Doesn't think about the NHL right now. Thinks about his game and what he can control. He can control his game, his work ethic. Try to bring that to the table everyday in game and practice. The other things aren't in his hands or decision and not his job to decide those things, so he brings what he can to the team and what he controls and the other things will come or they won't.

Big day in the dressing room when someone gets recalled. They are all friends, they are all part of each other's lives and they are happy for everyone who gets called up to play an NHL game. They are very happy for Tyler who got called up today.

He expected it to be hard to get into the NHL when he came over here. So far, it has worked out pretty well for him. He expected to be like it is when he signed on to the Flames to come over here

[Fire of the Phoenix]

"He can hit guys here a little better then Germany. Guys fall down in Germany alot, much smaller, no muscle, get alot of penalties for hitting them"

LOL that's hilarious.

[djsFlames]

We need to stop juggling all these "goons" and decide who's suiting up on our 4th line for the forseeable future, and do guys like McGrattan who were the odd man out a solid by giving them a chance to succeed elsewhere. I mean depth is good at certain positions, but why do we need to have Wolf, Bollig, McGrattan all signed when only one is needed to be the regular "tough" guy. The 13th and 14th forwards should be top 9 fill ins, not extra stone-handed face punchers. Sure, they addressed that by sending Ern down (which sucks for him), but I still don't understand why we needed to carry both him and Bollig for half a season. Especially when they seemingly were already set on Bollig when they acquired him.

Anyways, might as well call up Wolf and let him make a case for himself. Then pick our tough guy and run with him.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

We need to stop juggling all these "goons" and decide who's suiting up on our 4th line for the forseeable future, and do guys like McGrattan who were the odd man out a solid by giving them a chance to succeed elsewhere. I mean depth is good at certain positions, but why do we need to have Wolf, Bollig, McGrattan all signed when only one is needed to be the regular "tough" guy. The 13th and 14th forwards should be top 9 fill ins, not extra stone-handed face punchers. Sure, they addressed that by sending Ern down (which sucks for him), but I still don't understand why we needed to carry both him and Bollig for half a season. Especially when they seemingly were already set on Bollig when they acquired him.

Anyways, might as well call up Wolf and let him make a case for himself. Then pick our tough guy and run with him.

Because we're trying to find the 'New Breed' of facepuncher. One who can play and can be dangerous in more ways than simply that of punching faces.

We see flashes of it around the league, the new guys have to be agitators, checkers, facepunchers, forecheckers, penalty killers, facepunchers, scorers and not be liabilities.

Thats the hope with Wolf.

[FBI]

I've got a good feeling about Wolf.. Wasn't really feeling it with all the hype at the beginning, but I'm on board now.

[Scornfire]

Wolf is much more than a "Goon", I'm honestly stunned someone would even categorize him as one.

He has decent hands and speed (certainly needs work here) and his hockey IQ is on par with that of his peers. I'd take him over bollig 9 times out of 10

[Itse]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

We need to stop juggling all these "goons" and decide who's suiting up on our 4th line for the forseeable future, and do guys like McGrattan who were the odd man out a solid by giving them a chance to succeed elsewhere. I mean depth is good at certain positions, but why do we need to have Wolf, Bollig, McGrattan all signed when only one is needed to be the regular "tough" guy. The 13th and 14th forwards should be top 9 fill ins, not extra stone-handed face punchers. Sure, they addressed that by sending Ern down (which sucks for him), but I still don't understand why we needed to carry both him and Bollig for half a season. Especially when they seemingly were already set on Bollig when they acquired him.

Anyways, might as well call up Wolf and let him make a case for himself. Then pick our tough guy and run with him.

What Locke said, plus you want depth in various roles. You can't be sure exactly how the season is going to play out and who the extra guy is going to be. You also can't know where the injuries are going to hit.

And if you want to create competition for every position, you need to have someone pushing Bollig and McGrattan too.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Scornfire

Wolf is much more than a "Goon", I'm honestly stunned someone would even categorize him as one.

He has decent hands and speed (certainly needs work here) and his hockey IQ is on par with that of his peers. I'd take him over bollig 9 times out of 10

Exactly.

Wolf isn't a goon, he's more of a bull in a china shop. He LOVES physicality and plowing his way up the boards. But he is a cerebral hockey player - he seeks and recognizes ways (anyway) to help his team, and is willing to do whatever is required.

His style is much more like Lucic than like McGrattan. But, like McGrattan, he is a good team-mate.

He has decent hands and is more than willing to go to the front of the net and the dirty areas that result in goals. If he was a great skater, he would be unbelievable. But he isn't, he's an okay skater who is working hard to become a good skater.

And as a good skater, he would be an extremely valuable NHLer, and exactly what the Flames lack and need.

[GioforPM]

He sounds like what we were hoping for with Bollig, only younger.

[polak]

Yeah can we please ship out Bollig and replace him with Wolf?

[GioforPM]

The one thing is - my complaints about Bollig were (until Stajan centred him) that he was terrible defensively, both in his own zone and on the backcheck. I haven't heard anything about Wolf in this regard.