2015-16 Flames' NCAA Prospects, General Discussion Thread

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

There's just not enough room for Gilmour and Hickey to go pro. Knowing how the Flames like to have more bodies that not, I can see the depth chart being:

Gio-Brodie
Hamilton - Wideman
Smid - Engelland
Nakladal or Free Agent

Wotherspoon - Culkin
Kulak - Kylington
Kanzig - Seiloff

Now if you include the Flames having a veteran for Stockton, it's gonna be the ECHL for Hickey and Gilmor

Jokipakka is all but garaunteed a spot in Calgary next year as well.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Wideman needs to be shipped out, Smid needs to go on LTIR.

Two of Wotherspoon, Culkin or Kulak need to make the jump next year.

[Enoch Root]

The nice thing about also having the ECHL affiliate is exactly this:

new guys, like McDonald and Hickey can be kept in the organization and get professional coaching, along with ice-time.

Then, when they are ready, or an opportunity opens up due to injury, the organization has the flexibility to move them up.

[Enoch Root]

I think you need more than 15 defensemen between the big club and Stockton - probalby 16 or 17 (7 and 9 or 10).

Then you also have spots in Adirondack.

I don't think we have too many defensemen at all.

Edit: and, as noted, Wideman, Engelland and Smid are probably all gone before the end of next season.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Edit: and, as noted, Wideman, Engelland and Smid are probably all gone before the end of next season.

All of them? I'd be shocked. Veteran d-men are still important and depth is critical when injuries hit.

Wideman I think is likely to go. Engelland I think is likely to stay as he's the only physical, defensive defenseman we have unless Jokipakka is pretty physical.

Smid is a complete question mark at this point because we don't know if he'll be healthy or not.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

All of them? I'd be shocked. Veteran d-men are still important and depth is critical when injuries hit.

Wideman I think is likely to go. Engelland I think is likely to stay as he's the only physical, defensive defenseman we have unless Jokipakka is pretty physical.

Smid is a complete question mark at this point because we don't know if he'll be healthy or not.

Qualifier: if the Flames are in the playoff picture, then Engelland likely stays. But if they're not, I see them all gone by the deadline.

Wideman has been replaced on the PP by Hamilton. I know he would be worth more at the deadline, but I think it would be better to just trade him in the summer and move on.

I am guessing Smid is on LTIR until his contract expires.

Engelland's status will be at least somewhat a function of how others play. If Jokipakka and Nakladal continue to earn more ice-time, and if one of the young guys is ready (which I think will be the case), then I think he's gone.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Now if you include the Flames having a veteran for Stockton, it's gonna be the ECHL for Hickey and Gilmor

Frankly if Hickey signs there is zero chance he goes to the ECHL (IMO far more likely that Sieloff/Culkin/Kanzig go to the ECHL over Hickey).

I think Andersson and Mattsson are eligible to come over/up as well.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Frankly if Hickey signs there is zero chance he goes to the ECHL (IMO far more likely that Sieloff/Culkin/Kanzig go to the ECHL over Hickey).

I think Andersson and Mattsson are eligible to come over/up as well.

For sure Andersson makes the jump up to pro because there's nothing further he can learn from the juniors, but Mattsson doesn't look likes he's having a good productive season.

Andersson might even be a dark horse to make the team out of camp IMO.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

For sure Andersson makes the jump up to pro because there's nothing further he can learn from the juniors, but Mattsson doesn't look likes he's having a good productive season.

Andersson might even be a dark horse to make the team out of camp IMO.

I don't think Mattsson will ever have a productive season as far as stats go, well maybe a good plus-minus as he isn't that type of defenceman. One good thing is we don't need to rush him over here as we can keep his rights.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I don't think Mattsson will ever have a productive season as far as stats go, well maybe a good plus-minus as he isn't that type of defenceman. One good thing is we don't need to rush him over here as we can keep his rights.

Yeah, you are right. Mattsson is a defensive type than can play physical and we hold his rights until June 1st, 2018 iirc

[getbak]

Ollas Mattsson was on the Swedish World Junior team and looked good until he broke his leg. I don't know if he has come back since the injury (from what I can tell, it doesn't look like he has).


Two summers ago, he signed a 2-year deal in Sweden. I suppose he could sign another deal over there, but I'd think the Flames will want to see how his game translates to North America.

If I were to predict, I'd say Hickey is more likely to go back to BU for another year than Ollas Mattsson is to play another season in Sweden.

[getbak]

In NCAA action on Friday night:

Providence has a bye this week and will play their first games of the Hockey East playoffs next weekend.

MSU is still playing the end of their regular season. DeBlouw scored the first goal of the game, but the Spartans lost to Minnesota by a 4-2 final score.

Colgate started their best-of-three first round of the ECAC playoffs with a 3-2 loss to Dartmouth. Harrison had an assist on their first goal of the game. If they lose tomorrow, their season will be over.

BU opened their best-of-three first round of the Hockey East playoffs with a 2-1 OT win over UMass. Hickey was kept off the score sheet. If BU wins tomorrow (or Sunday), they'll advance to play UMass-Lowell next weekend.

[GranteedEV]

Any chance of signing Harrison? I think I like him more than BVB.

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Mattsson doesn't look likes he's having a good productive season.

Watching Mattsson in the WJC, I actually thought he's probably already ahead of Sieloff, and I'd say Sieloff's having a decent season.

[getbak]

I would be very surprised if Harrison is signed this year. He still has one more year of eligibility, so I think they'll let him play it out.

Ever since he got there, Colgate's offence has been built around a bunch of guys who are graduating this year. This season, Harrison is 6th overall in points on the team, but the top 4 are all seniors, so he should get a much bigger role with the team next year.

Colgate's top players are the Spink brothers, a couple of twins from Ontario, who have been the team's top performers throughout their four years. It looks like Harrison has been getting time playing with the Spinks recently. His last 5 points have been assists on goals scored by one of the brothers.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by getbak

I would be very surprised if Harrison is signed this year. He still has one more year of eligibility, so I think they'll let him play it out.

Ever since he got there, Colgate's offence has been built around a bunch of guys who are graduating this year. This season, Harrison is 6th overall in points on the team, but the top 4 are all seniors, so he should get a much bigger role with the team next year.

Colgate's top players are the Spink brothers, a couple of twins from Ontario, who have been the team's top performers throughout their four years. It looks like Harrison has been getting time playing with the Spinks recently. His last 5 points have been assists on goals scored by one of the brothers.

That really sets him up nicely to take on a scoring role next year too, thanks for that info

[Zoller]

Hobey Baker nominees for 2016 announced
http://www.hobeybaker.com/awards/the...rial-award/v4h

[sureLoss]

With a 5-4 win BU advances to the next round of the Hockey East Tournament. Hickey had 0pts and was -1.

Providence awaits the winner of NH vs Merrimack on Sunday.



Colgate forces game 3 with a 5-3 win. Harrison had 0 pts. A win tomorrow would advance them to next round to face Yale.

[Fire]

So if Providence loses in the quarters will they be done or will they be in one more tournament?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Fire

So if Providence loses in the quarters will they be done or will they be in one more tournament?

They will most probably get an invite to the national tournament even if they lose at some point in the Hockey East Tournament.

The national tournament starts March 25 and the finals for that tournament is April 9

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Fire

So if Providence loses in the quarters will they be done or will they be in one more tournament?

These are just the Conference playoffs. There is still the NCAA Championship tournament, which ends with the Frozen Four.

There are 6 Conferences. The 6 Conference Champions get an automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament. Then, the 10 highest-ranked teams that didn't win their Conferences fill out the rest of the NCAA Tournament field.

Right now, Providence is 4th overall in the ranking they use to determine the NCAA invites, so even if they lose two straight games next weekend, they should still easily be high enough to get the invite.


The NCAA Tournament is a single-elimination tournament. The 16 teams get split into 4 groups of 4 for the "Regionals". If you win your Region, you go to the Frozen Four (which is in Tampa this year).

The Regionals are the weekend of March 25-27. The Frozen Four is April 7-9.