Mark "Fricken" Jankowski (aka The Big Jankowski)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Matty81

So straight up, will he sign with Calgary at season's end?

"I hadn't really thought about that"

Should Flames fans be worried?

"I haven't really been thinking about that too much"

"I've been talking to some people and my focus is on this season. I'll let it play out after that."

Don't get me wrong... He says good things about the flames but if that's not avoiding the question... Geez

But he also said other things like the Flames have been really good to him etc.

The problem with an article like this is that ERIC Francis chose whichever quotes he wanted, and ignored whichever quotes he wanted, in order to spin whatever implication he was after (which seems pretty clear here).

If someone wants to film a 5 minute interview with him, and show it uncut, then I'll be interested.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But he also said other things like the Flames have been really good to him etc.

The problem with an article like this is that ERIC Francis chose whichever quotes he wanted, and ignored whichever quotes he wanted, in order to spin whatever implication he was after (which seems pretty clear here).

If someone wants to film a 5 minute interview with him, and show it uncut, then I'll be interested.

Eric Francis is the biggest hack in pro sports media. He dislikes the Flames as much as Mike Johnston and is more critical of them than anyone. The guy just wants to get views and doesn't care about gaining credibility or respect.

I take anything he says or writes with a grain of salt. Good job getting one word answers out of Jankowski's family contact. Or maybe there was more said that would cause less controversy in his article.

Loser said Hudler wouldn't get more than a 3rd round pick.

[Savvy27]

A story about Jankowski planning to play out his final season in the NCAA and then move on to the Flames organization to try his hand at pro would be reassuring, but it isn't very interesting. Sports writers need to write and fans need to read about drama or potential drama or nobody is going to read their articles. There isn't much sense in getting anxious until the deadline is approaching and he hasn't signed.

Although if CP has taught me anything over the years it is that E=NG and fans love to worry.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

Sign him before the draft please...if we fluke out with the 1st overall he probably goes elsewhere

At that point we don't need him anyway IMO. Monahan, Bennett, Matthews... no more room unless we convert someone to the wing. Even then, he will be capped to third line duties because all those players would be LW or C, including Jankowski, and we already have a #1 LW.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

At that point we don't need him anyway IMO. Monahan, Bennett, Matthews... no more room unless we convert someone to the wing. Even then, he will be capped to third line duties because all those players would be LW or C, including Jankowski, and we already have a #1 LW.

lol we still need quality players, we need quality centers, we need quality wingers.

Good article though, adds some excitement. If Calgarypuck didn't have something to obsessively worry about we wouldn't be Calgarypuck.

[saXon]

The whole issue with Gaudreau was somewhat worrisome to many, including myself. An undersized underdog rare gem phenom with true top 10 talent in the NHL with a possibility of not signing garners some legitimate concern. Especially with the numbers he put up. However, he signed.

Janko is a great player, and many of us have been rooting for him since his stiched namebar draft days. However, I don't believe he has the same effect. I see it as a non story. One of his best buds in Gillies signed here, and he's had nothing but solid communication and praise from this org since day one. Treliving recommending that he take the last year to develop shows a sign of faith in the kid.

Janko will put ink to paper with the Flames no doubt. The hockey world is small, and not signing with the team that drafts you in good faith, develops you at development camp, and keeps the communication lines open tends to leave a bad taste in people in high places' mouths.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

lol we still need quality players, we need quality centers, we need quality wingers.

Good article though, adds some excitement. If Calgarypuck didn't have something to obsessively worry about we wouldn't be Calgarypuck.

The point was that Jankowski will be in very tough if Matthews is drafted. Do you disagree with this?

Think of it from the player's POV. We would have Monahan, Bennett, Gaudreau, Matthews, Frolik, Backlund, Colborne, Bouma
and Ferland ahead of him as left handed LW/C veterans signed for multiple years. That's not even mentioning guys like Arnold, Shore, Klimchuk and Shinkaruk on the farm. There are a ton of players for Jankowski to beat out already, adding Matthews would just add to that.

If we wait to sign him until the lotto is announced, and we win, I think that will complicate getting him signed. Is that such a ridiculous assertion? Again, think of it from Jankowski's POV.

[MrMastodonFarm]

First of all, we're not going to wait until after the draft lottery. If he's going to be signed it will be at the end of his season, which is before than. Second of all yes he is in tough even without Matthews so yes it's a tougher road regardless but the Flames aren't overflowing with NHL calible forwards so there is going to be spots available.

After the bigger names you rattled off a list of marginal NHL players and similar NHL prospects. He isn't going to be handed an NHL spot so if he expects that maybe he does walk. But I doubt it.

[jiginla12]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

At that point we don't need him anyway IMO. Monahan, Bennett, Matthews... no more room unless we convert someone to the wing. Even then, he will be capped to third line duties because all those players would be LW or C, including Jankowski, and we already have a #1 LW.

Yes, because we don't need quality players in our organization... /s and even if we do end up with Matthews, there are so many factors to be taken into account. For instance, any player could have a season-ending, or career ending injury, a player might not live up to expectations, sign somewhere else after their contract is up, get traded, etc. etc. We need quality players in the organization, and Mark Jankowski is a great start to our rebuild.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Ron Francis.

(you should have warned people)

Eric Francis

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The point was that Jankowski will be in very tough if Matthews is drafted. Do you disagree with this?

Think of it from the player's POV. We would have Monahan, Bennett, Gaudreau, Matthews, Frolik, Backlund, Colborne, Bouma
and Ferland ahead of him as left handed LW/C veterans signed for multiple years. That's not even mentioning guys like Arnold, Shore, Klimchuk and Shinkaruk on the farm. There are a ton of players for Jankowski to beat out already, adding Matthews would just add to that.

If we wait to sign him until the lotto is announced, and we win, I think that will complicate getting him signed. Is that such a ridiculous assertion? Again, think of it from Jankowski's POV.

If Jankowski isn't better than the bolded then we're really wasting our time here. If he signs, he'll get just as good as a shot as anyone to win a spot in training camp and that will also decide on his initial role in the AHL as well. You can bet that if he's one of the last cuts on the team, he'll be playing big minutes in Stockton to start the year.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The point was that Jankowski will be in very tough if Matthews is drafted. Do you disagree with this?

Think of it from the player's POV. We would have Monahan, Bennett, Gaudreau, Matthews, Frolik, Backlund, Colborne, Bouma
and Ferland ahead of him as left handed LW/C veterans signed for multiple years. That's not even mentioning guys like Arnold, Shore, Klimchuk and Shinkaruk on the farm. There are a ton of players for Jankowski to beat out already, adding Matthews would just add to that.

If we wait to sign him until the lotto is announced, and we win, I think that will complicate getting him signed. Is that such a ridiculous assertion? Again, think of it from Jankowski's POV.

This is going to sound very ignorant here, but show me more than a handful of teams that don't have those kind of guys

[Red Slinger]

Just watched a couple videos on Jankowski this year and he's really progressing nicely. Not only is he producing but:

-he's wearing an 'A'
-seems to be taking most of the key face offs
-has good defensive awareness
-is using his teammates well (good vision and IQ)
-looks like the PP is running through him
-not sure but it appears that he may be playing wing on the PP sometime and maybe even the point in some cases
-he has finally filled out
-his skating is really smooth and effortless

I think in a couple seasons he will likely be in a position to take over the 3rd C role and make Backlund expendable. The Flames have really done well in developing this guy. Almost textbook player development.

[Racki]

Boomer discussing right now on 960. He loves stirring things up! Remember Gaudreau? He loves getting us going with this stuff.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Racki

Boomer discussing right now on 960. He loves stirring things up! Remember Gaudreau? He loves getting us going with this stuff.

I was going to ask you to elaborate, but I really don't care what Boomer has to say...

[MrMastodonFarm]

Perhaps Jankowski is bitter the Flames didn't sign him last off season when he wanted to go pro!

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Perhaps Jankowski is bitter the Flames didn't sign him last off season when he wanted to go pro!

I got that sense too.

"We had good talks and in the end, they thought it was best for me to come back for my senior year, get my degree and just try and have that full year where we've got the target on our back"

Not we, not I, they.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Not we, not I, they.

Yeah the Darren Haynes article back from last summer pretty much stated it was the Flames that wanted Jankowski to go back. He wanted to go pro.

Kevin Hayes wanted to go pro after his 3rd year too, but the Blackhawks decided to send him back for a 4th year.

[Imported_Aussie]

I am happy he was a bit down about not getting signed last summer - the Flames had just come off an improbable playoff run, he had won an NCAA title, and was playing great hockey himself. You want guys with ambition to take the next step - the fire/hunger. I would be more worried if he was keen to go back for 4th year and not sign, as that would show he was angling away

[The Fonz]

Or you could look at it another way...
The Flames didn't view Jankowski as having as high of value as a 2nd round pick last summer, and so sent him back to NCAA for his final year/pending FA.

If that's how he feels, he could have a chapped ass towards the organization.