Training Camp Day 11 Notes - Flames assign 9 players to AHL. 6 players on waivers.

[dammage79]

Long and short of it. You don't get to acquire the kind of assets we have in our core with poop drafting and developing.

Now ponder how much more we could have gotten if we didn't let a couple go like Gio, Brodie, Gaudreau for nothing.

Or blow some top quality picks on some half rate D man like Hamonic.

That's my lamentation though.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I certainly don't think Eakin is fast. But you're right, I unfairly lumped Rooney in there -- his boots are fine.

I just look at the Backlund line. It's a line that has consistently been used to usher young players into the league. That's more of a top-six calibre line than it is a bottom-six line, and it's going to be a formidable scoring unit this year. Both Backlund and Coleman are very skilled.

I don't see what you have to gain by putting a no-mistake low-event veteran on that line. Use the fourth line for that if you must, but Backlund and Coleman need someone who can create.

Also, you can't really give Gudbranson credit for being insulated by a great team.

Of course you can. He could have sucked but he didn't, he did a great job executing the role that he was given. Players can suck playing on great teams.

[TheScorpion]

Sure. That doesn't mean people were wrong to say he's not a particularly effective player. He had as good a year as he possibly could've, and well done to him for that — he parlayed it into an absurd financial windfall, and I'm sure he's a great guy who deserves it. But he defied the odds to do it, and I think he'll be extremely hard-pressed to replicate it.

Gudbranson's success last year was akin to the Flames making the playoffs in 2014–15. It was unexpected, likely unsustainable, and a lot of fun to watch at the time. But there aren't a lot of reliable takeaways from it.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Ugh, if that scenario came true, Valimaki becomes an Oiler.

Well he did a good job of passing on their tape Friday

[FlamesAddiction]

I'd like to see Kadri centering Huberdeau in one of the remaining preseason games. Just to see if there could be some chemistry there. Nothing against Lindholm, I think it would just be interesting to see.

[Sandman]

I’ve said it a couple of times now, but Eakin and Rooney led the forwards in TOI last game. Not saying that’s going to be the norm going forward, but it’s a sure sign that Sutter likes both players a lot. Rooney’s had an excellent camp, and looked impressive last game-I can now kinda see why he was signed, as he’s big, fast, and defensively responsible.

People rag on Eakin’s numbers last year, but is there any lower place in the league than Buffalo’s bottom six? Eakin surely won’t put 40 points on the board like the old days, but he can still be a very useful player.

As for Milano, we are seeing why he wasn’t qualified- it’s because he’s as vanilla as hell.

[Sandman]

Valimaki must be having Sven Baertschi-like delusions of grandeur with his comments that he feels good physically and mentally, with how bad he played last game. If I were him, I would waive MYSELF.

[Savvy27]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Some people like the GM and the 3x stanley cup winning coach like his game

holds a little more weight than some rando on CP

So it's literally an appeal to authority. By you and a few others. Noted.

As I said, despite being a lowly rando on a message board and all, we'll see how the player pans out.

[mile]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Valimaki must be having Sven Baertschi-like delusions of grandeur with his comments that he feels good physically and mentally, with how bad he played last game. If I were him, I would waive MYSELF.

Kinda felt bad for him after watching that interview, was trying to sound like someone who had it all figured out but he sounded really unsure of himself. He’s going to be gutted when he gets sent down again. Only way this doesn’t end in disappointment for him is if he gets traded or claimed by another team. But I’m not sure he would even get a Juolevi-like return right now.

If he clears waivers and plays in the AHL, it’ll be really interesting to see how he responds this time. Does he continue to be mediocre or does he elevate his game?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

So it's literally an appeal to authority. By you and a few others. Noted.

As I said, despite being a lowly rando on a message board and all, we'll see how the player pans out.

You are the one that said "some people like him"

Yeah the coach and GM

He has looked very good in camp to me personally too. We will see how any of these guys turn out.

Rooney being an NHLer has already panned out better than some of these guys will.

[activeStick]

It's funny to me that even after a full season of proving to be an excellent signing, some have gone back to stating that Treliving signing Gudbranson was a bad move. Using Sutter's coaching and systems as the reason for his success. Well, yeah, Sutter is the coach and the systems are his, so he had to have been a factor. I guess the position now that Gudbranson is gone though, is that he was hardly a factor in... his own success. And I actually agree that Gudbranson for his new contract is going to hurt in Columbus. I just don't think it means that he was successful last year in spite of his abilities. I'll never understand the need to downplay a player's abilities the minute they are no longer a Flame.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

So it's literally an appeal to authority. By you and a few others. Noted.

As I said, despite being a lowly rando on a message board and all, we'll see how the player pans out.

It literally isn’t.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

... I just said it shouldn't be on the ice for five minutes a game. Ideally, it's good enough that it can maybe even be deployed as a secondary "third line," as the Flames' fourth line was down the stretch in 2019. Some of the players on it could, theoretically, even receive PP/PK deployment.

The Flames' existing fourth line is a blank slate that tends to get caved in at both ends of the ice. Having Rooney on the third line is not great, either.

47 minutes of five on five hockey a night.

If your 4th line gets 5 minutes that leaves 42 for your top three lines. If you make that even it's 14 minutes per line, but if you lean on the top line then it's less for 2 and 3.

It's just not logical to roll four lines that can score as you put it when that would mean your top two lines would get less ice time.

You have to end up with a fourth line getting no minutes, and that's not a good spot for kids.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Sure. That doesn't mean people were wrong to say he's not a particularly effective player. He had as good a year as he possibly could've, and well done to him for that — he parlayed it into an absurd financial windfall, and I'm sure he's a great guy who deserves it. But he defied the odds to do it, and I think he'll be extremely hard-pressed to replicate it.

Gudbranson's success last year was akin to the Flames making the playoffs in 2014–15. It was unexpected, likely unsustainable, and a lot of fun to watch at the time. But there aren't a lot of reliable takeaways from it.

So in this world you say Gudbranson won't be an effective player and if he sucks you're right. But if he doesn't suck you're still right and the player defied the odds?

Ok ....

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Bingo

47 minutes of five on five hockey a night.

If your 4th line gets 5 minutes that leaves 42 for your top three lines. If you make that even it's 14 minutes per line, but if you lean on the top line then it's less for 2 and 3.

It's just not logical to roll four lines that can score as you put it when that would mean your top two lines would get less ice time.

You have to end up with a fourth line getting no minutes, and that's not a good spot for kids.

For Zary - I'd agree because you have higher hopes for him and he's not fully cooked in the AHL. But for Phillips - he's basically a veteran now. I don't particularly think he's going to make it but he should be treated as a veteran now. He's not going to get any better.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I’ve said it a couple of times now, but Eakin and Rooney led the forwards in TOI last game. Not saying that’s going to be the norm going forward, but it’s a sure sign that Sutter likes both players a lot. Rooney’s had an excellent camp, and looked impressive last game-I can now kinda see why he was signed, as he’s big, fast, and defensively responsible.

People rag on Eakin’s numbers last year, but is there any lower place in the league than Buffalo’s bottom six? Eakin surely won’t put 40 points on the board like the old days, but he can still be a very useful player.

As for Milano, we are seeing why he wasn’t qualified- it’s because he’s as vanilla as hell.

Something not mentioned is that Sutter and Treliving are likely disappointed as well.

They wanted a Pelletier or Ruzicka to pop in camp. They wanted Milano to be a diamond in the rough PTO find for their top six.

It didn't happen.

So now they have to move around the deck chairs to cover up a hole on the third line with NHLers they can trust to play a sound system.

I don't think it's right to assume that this was the plan all along, and it's a conspiracy against young players. I'm sure they're a little down on the whole thing too.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't understand the appeal of Rooney at all, and having him on the third line — especially after an incredibly underwhelming camp — is pretty disappointing. Hoping he can prove his worth in the regular season.

Who says he’s on the third line. Pretty sure he’s the 4th line center.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Something not mentioned is that Sutter and Treliving are likely disappointed as well.

They wanted a Pelletier or Ruzicka to pop in camp. They wanted Milano to be a diamond in the rough PTO find for their top six.

It didn't happen.

So now they have to move around the deck chairs to cover up a hole on the third line with NHLers they can trust to play a sound system.

I don't think it's right to assume that this was the plan all along, and it's a conspiracy against young players. I'm sure they're a little down on the whole thing too.

I think they can ask themselves if they actually put those players in a position to “pop” in camp.

A big reason Kylington “popped” last year is he got time with Tanev and it worked. If Kylington was in group 2 all of last training camp with AHLers he likely isn’t the great story he was last year.

Ruzicka, Milano, Phillips, and Pelletier were supposed to be fighting for top 9 minutes with the Flames, but none of them actually got to play with the Flames top 9.

They got games with young junior and AHL filled rosters, against teams best rosters on the road. While the top team and Brett sutter got easy matchups at home.

[Angelino]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Valimaki must be having Sven Baertschi-like delusions of grandeur with his comments that he feels good physically and mentally, with how bad he played last game. If I were him, I would waive MYSELF.

Unfortunate that injuries seem to have derailed Valimakis career. The 2017 NHL draft appears to have been a near disaster looking back on it.

[Flamesfan05]

All Gudbranson has to do is play a simple games with few major mistakes and provide some toughness/fight

I don’t think that’s hard to repeat . Columbus overpaid him though

Gud looked bad in Vancouver and Ottawa but there were times he was competent. It’s not like he played ‘well’ only as a Flames.