[News] With the 21st overall pick Flames select C Mark Jankowski

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

This is what I can't figure out. Did the Flames have no intention of having a roster spot available for Jankowski to earn? Or did they hold out that possibility, but something changed?

If the former, then that's a pretty disappointing approach by management. If the latter, then what, exactly, changed?

No-Trade Clauses happened.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

If it isn’t obvious to management yet, today should have shown them that Jankowski is an NHLer. Strong skater, protects the puck well, great offensive instincts, solid transitioning out of his own zone and has a surprising amount of finesse in his game for a big guy. There were some plays he made that were very ‘Johnny’ like. Very impressive performance compared to his first game last season.

He’s considerably more effective then a Freddie Hamilton or a possibly even a Matt Stajan at this point. He’s just going to get better and better once he gets use to the pace and his linemates. I think it’s definitely time to graduate him full time as we may finally have a 3rd line worthy of praise and If he can help make Sam Bennett look like that more often than not, then it’s a no-brainer because this could be the move that elevates this team into an elite one.

What has management said that makes you think it wasn't obvious to them.

Treliving flat out said that Jankowski is an NHLer.

The only reason he was sent down was because, with no injuries (which is pretty unusual), they have too many bodies. And sending anyone else down would risk losing a player, which is bad asset management.

So he was sent down for a whole 3 weeks, where he was able to get lots of ice-time and have some success. But it was a function of asset management, not a case of them being too stupid to see what you and I and everyone else can see.

I don't understand why this point is hard to grasp.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

What has management said that makes you think it wasn't obvious to them.

Treliving flat out said that Jankowski is an NHLer.

The only reason he was sent down was because, with no injuries (which is pretty unusual), they have too many bodies. And sending anyone else down would risk losing a player, which is bad asset management.

So he was sent down for a whole 3 weeks, where he was able to get lots of ice-time and have some success. But it was a function of asset management, not a case of them being too stupid to see what you and I and everyone else can see.

I don't understand why this point is hard to grasp.

There is a big difference between talking and doing though. Jankowski easily made this team out of camp but was sent back to keep up the likes of Freddie Hamilton and Tanner Glass for whatever reason. The stubbornness to keep Sam Bennett at center when it was clear that it was not going to work was also very alarming. The fact that it took an injury to a usually very durable Jaromir Jagr in order to get Jankowski up to me was the most irritating aspect. Had Jagr not been injured, who knew how long it was going to be until Jankowski got the call up.

In my opinion, management made the wrong call from the beginning, Jankowski should've been up with the team from the start with Sam Bennett on wing because not only would we likely have a better record right now, but we would've saved ourselves a lot of whining and complaining about Sam Bennett's struggles and being a bust and etc as he looked like a completely different player yesterday.

[Da_Chief]

When are they calling him up? Damnit! I want answers BT!

[18YrOldSamBennett]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

When are they calling him up? Damnit! I want answers BT!

He played last night

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

There is a big difference between talking and doing though. Jankowski easily made this team out of camp but was sent back to keep up the likes of Freddie Hamilton and Tanner Glass for whatever reason. The stubbornness to keep Sam Bennett at center when it was clear that it was not going to work was also very alarming. The fact that it took an injury to a usually very durable Jaromir Jagr in order to get Jankowski up to me was the most irritating aspect. Had Jagr not been injured, who knew how long it was going to be until Jankowski got the call up.

In my opinion, management made the wrong call from the beginning, Jankowski should've been up with the team from the start with Sam Bennett on wing because not only would we likely have a better record right now, but we would've saved ourselves a lot of whining and complaining about Sam Bennett's struggles and being a bust and etc as he looked like a completely different player yesterday.

I share some of these views; The BIG thing is we should be doing what wins games not experimenting too much with certain idea's. Putting Chiasson on the top line over and over when it was clearly not working is another example, especially when the team was/is struggling. I understand that there needs to be a certain level of patience to allow players to grow and certain expectations to happen but this stubborn aspect seems to be a bit too consistent in some areas.

We should be filling those bottom lines with hungry fast upcoming skilled players and putting up and coming players in positions to succeed. The idea of putting Bennett with players who could not match his skill set or attributes probably weighed heavy on his confidence. I am no coach so certainly there may have been other benefits for Bennett to play with veteran line-mates but
at what point are we being a little too stubborn. Sometimes you have to give those skilled players some wings and see what else they can do.

That said, I am happy with what GG has done so far, I think he is only going to get better. Lots of really poor coaches out there, but I don't consider GG to be one of them.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

What has management said that makes you think it wasn't obvious to them.

Treliving flat out said that Jankowski is an NHLer.

The only reason he was sent down was because, with no injuries (which is pretty unusual), they have too many bodies. And sending anyone else down would risk losing a player, which is bad asset management.

So he was sent down for a whole 3 weeks, where he was able to get lots of ice-time and have some success. But it was a function of asset management, not a case of them being too stupid to see what you and I and everyone else can see.

I don't understand why this point is hard to grasp.

In that poster's defence, 95% of the forum that was upset with Janko being sent down didn't seem to grasp this. It was all to do with it being a numbers game. Not a performance issue. Re-read this thread (and others) and it's pretty clear that the majority of CP didn't understand this.

Can't really blame people for thinking that though. In the world or Armchair GM'ing, it's quite easy to send roster players up and down, make coaching strategies, fix goaltending issues and make trades!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

There is a big difference between talking and doing though. Jankowski easily made this team out of camp but was sent back to keep up the likes of Freddie Hamilton and Tanner Glass for whatever reason. The stubbornness to keep Sam Bennett at center when it was clear that it was not going to work was also very alarming. The fact that it took an injury to a usually very durable Jaromir Jagr in order to get Jankowski up to me was the most irritating aspect. Had Jagr not been injured, who knew how long it was going to be until Jankowski got the call up.

In my opinion, management made the wrong call from the beginning, Jankowski should've been up with the team from the start with Sam Bennett on wing because not only would we likely have a better record right now, but we would've saved ourselves a lot of whining and complaining about Sam Bennett's struggles and being a bust and etc as he looked like a completely different player yesterday.

I don't think anyone expected Bennett to play anything but centre prior to the start of this season. All summer long everyone projected him top have a good year, at centre. Some people (I among them) thought he'd make a good winger, perhaps on the top line. But all along he's been seen as more valuable at centre.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

In that poster's defence, 95% of the forum that was upset with Janko being sent down didn't seem to grasp this. It was all to do with it being a numbers game. Not a performance issue. Re-read this thread (and others) and it's pretty clear that the majority of CP didn't understand this.

Can't really blame people for thinking that though. In the world or Armchair GM'ing, it's quite easy to send roster players up and down, make coaching strategies, fix goaltending issues and make trades!

Well that and there were at least a few players who could be sent down with no realistic risk of losing them, a la F. Hamilton and Glass. Players get put through waivers all the time, it's not some huge risk.

It gets portrayed by some that the organizations'a hands were tied which I don't think is quite right.

Will be interesting if Jagr is healthy in a few days.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well that and there were at least a few players who could be sent down with no realistic risk of losing them, a la F. Hamilton and Glass. Players get put through waivers all the time, it's not some huge risk.

It gets portrayed by some that the organizations'a hands were tied which I don't think is quite right.

Will be interesting if Jagr is healthy in a few days.

Great point that needs to be made. As the Flames saw with Porier, Wotherspoon and Shinkaruk a few weeks ago, every team has players like these and little interest in claiming someone else's fodder.

Jankowski is ready. After 5 years the time is now for a 23 year old prospect to step up to the bell. No more excuses from management about a numbers game etc. If Freddie Hamilton, Glass or Stajan are in the way of him playing on this team you cut them 10 times out of 10 and call up the next healthy scratch from Stockton should any of them get claimed.

[robaur]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett

That is what should be our top line. Load it up.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well that and there were at least a few players who could be sent down with no realistic risk of losing them, a la F. Hamilton and Glass. Players get put through waivers all the time, it's not some huge risk.

It gets portrayed by some that the organizations'a hands were tied which I don't think is quite right.

Will be interesting if Jagr is healthy in a few days.

None of us know what goes on behind the scenes. So maybe some people choose not to believe BT, I give him the benefit of the doubt. Losing Byron was seen as poor asset management when he got claimed. BT seems to be a guy who learns from his mistakes. For all we know, they still see a role for Glass on the team and wanted to keep F.Hamilton for depth and simply didn't want to risk it.

Easy for us at home to say how simple it is to put somebody on waivers and no one will claim them. But none of us know what goes on behind the scenes and you're dealing with people's actual livelihoods when making these decision.

Either way it doesn't matter. Jankowski is here, the Flames have a winning record, and I doubt he's sent down again. If he is, I look forward to the turmoil it causes

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by robaur

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett

That is what should be our top line. Load it up.

Agreed I would like to see this line soon and hopefully all year.

Jankowski with Jagr and Ferland/Versteeg would be a great 3rd line.

Send Hamilton or Glass to the minors bench Stajan and have Ferland/Versteeg with Lazar and Brouwer on the 4th line

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by 18YrOldSamBennett

I played last night

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Fixed

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Great point that needs to be made. As the Flames saw with Porier, Wotherspoon and Shinkaruk a few weeks ago, every team has players like these and little interest in claiming someone else's fodder.

Jankowski is ready. After 5 years the time is now for a 23 year old prospect to step up to the bell. No more excuses from management about a numbers game etc. If Freddie Hamilton, Glass or Stajan are in the way of him playing on this team you cut them 10 times out of 10 and call up the next healthy scratch from Stockton should any of them get claimed.

This argument ignores injuries.

If you simply axe a player in order to make room for Jankowski, and then there are suddenly a few injuries, you have unnecessarily weakened your depth and now you're in trouble.

The only reason Jankowski wasn't up sooner is that there were no injuries. Criticizing management for that is really short-sighted.

You don't weaken your depth just to get a kid up a few games quicker. The injuries were and are going to happen. Most seasons, the original 12 man roster doesn't see the ice a single time. It just so happens that the Flames went through camp and most of October without an injury.

Oh noes.

[Red Slinger]

Additionally, I'm not sure it does Jankowski much good to play on the 4th line and get hemmed in his own zone for 10 minutes a game. That's a good way for a talented, young player to lose confidence.

[stone hands]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

Additionally, I'm not sure it does Jankowski much good to play on the 4th line and get hemmed in his own zone for 10 minutes a game. That's a good way for a talented, young player to lose confidence.

I think this is the key. It has nothing to do with f. Hamilton or glass or stajan, they wanted to put Jankowski on the 3rd line and that spot just wasn't open until jagr got hurt and Bennett was floundering at centre

[Ryan Coke]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

This argument ignores injuries.

If you simply axe a player in order to make room for Jankowski, and then there are suddenly a few injuries, you have unnecessarily weakened your depth and now you're in trouble.

The only reason Jankowski wasn't up sooner is that there were no injuries. Criticizing management for that is really short-sighted.

You don't weaken your depth just to get a kid up a few games quicker. The injuries were and are going to happen. Most seasons, the original 12 man roster doesn't see the ice a single time. It just so happens that the Flames went through camp and most of October without an injury.

Oh noes.

I have full understanding of waiver rules and asset management. But intentionally icing a lesser team team to protect minor assets is an error.

If you don't believe that Jankowski is one of the teams 12 best forwards, then fair enough. If that is your viewpoint then I respect that, although I disagree from everything I have read and heard.

But it isn't about lack of understanding or poor asset management, it is about icing the best roster you can.

And not being willing to risk one of Glass, Hamilton, Lazar, Hamilton, or Brouwer on waivers is poor team management. IMO.

Or Oh noes if you prefer.

[Ryan Coke]

By the way, Eric Duhatschek agrees with me. Whether that matters to someone will depend on if they respect him or not, but I do so it was interesting to hear.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

I have full understanding of waiver rules and asset management. But intentionally icing a lesser team team to protect minor assets is an error.

If you don't believe that Jankowski is one of the teams 12 best forwards, then fair enough. If that is your viewpoint then I respect that, although I disagree from everything I have read and heard.

But it isn't about lack of understanding or poor asset management, it is about icing the best roster you can.

And not being willing to risk one of Glass, Hamilton, Lazar, Hamilton, or Brouwer on waivers is poor team management. IMO.

Or Oh noes if you prefer.

I get your viewpoint, and icing the best possible roster is obviously the goal. But there are 82 games, and there are injuries. Protecting the strength of the roster is done in order to be able to ice the best possible team every night, not just in the first few games.

Also, protecting that depth may pay dividends in the playoffs.

And again, the only reason he wasn't here for the first 8 games was that the Flames were fortunate to have no injuries. Now they have one and he is up. And they still have all their depth. That seems like good asset management to me.