[News] Flames recall Chad Billins

[moon]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

Give me a break. We all know those polls were a good part popularity contest, and most people knew little if anything about Billins.

Plus having a guy get called up a for a game without even seeing him play a game at the NHL level seems very premature to be calling out a list in which most guys are still under 20 and in the CHL/NCAA.

This call-up hardly means that Billins is a better prospect than guys like Gaudreau, Gillies, Seiloff etc. who are much more deserving to be ahead of him on the list and it hardly means that the 30 other guys ahead of him are bound for NHL glory.

A very odd (though not surprising) post from Ricardow to bring that list into this thread.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

31st best prospect ??!!

The Flames prospect pool must be soooooo deep that the 31st best prospect gets called up 2 injuries and 13 games into the season.

24 years old, only his second year of Pro hockey only his first year of being signed to an NHL contract.

In his first year he was the best D-man playing in the Detroit organization but not signed by the Wings.

There was a total lack of confidence expressed by the CP population in the Flames management going out and getting Billins to the 925,000 ELC with a $92,500 signing bonus.

He was ranked behind a 5th round 2013 pick Roy and the 6th round pick Harrison and same as the 7th round pick Rafikov. yikes!!!

It's pretty simple: Billins has been the best defenceman on the Heat, bar none, and earned his call up. There is no better defenceman on the Heat right now.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

He's still terribly undersized for a defenseman at the NHL level. 24 years old is where you have to start showing you belong in the NHL. If he does this on this call up (and there will be opportunity for him with this group of defensemen), then maybe I can see a spot for him going forward. But we already have Kris Russell that fills that role and he's been playing quite well.

And quite frankly, there's nothing saying that Roy, Harrison, and Rafikov couldn't have more impact in the NHL than Billins. Those are recently drafted prospects and Billins is a bit more seasoned and experienced.

The defensemen drafted after the 4th round by the Flames since 1993 (20 years) that have played in 1 NHL game:

Adam Pardy 2004 6th round 208 games

Mickey Dupont 2000 9th round 23 games

Jonas Frogen 1998 8th round 41 games

Kind of safe to bet that Billins , if he gets more NHL Ice Time than Tim Rambolt, will have a better NHL career than Roy and RaFikov.


I found it hard to understand that Billins being an all-star d-man on the Calder cup winning team didn't count for anything in considering him as a prospect to the CP experts.

I would venture to say that had Billins been a thow-in on the 1st round pick trades.... Hankowski, Agostino, Cundari he would have been ranked as better prospect.

[moon]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

I found it hard to understand that Billins being an all-star d-man on the Calder cup winning team didn't count for anything in considering him as a prospect to the CP experts.

I would venture to say that had Billins been a thow-in on the 1st round pick trades.... Hankowski, Agostino, Cundari he would have been ranked as better prospect.

There have been plenty of AHL All-Stars, many with much more impressive AHL resumes than Billins, who have done 0 at the NHL level.

Plus if you followed that voting you would have seen that one of the biggest issues was that many wouldn't consider a guy like Billins a prospect due to his season of pro hockey so couple that with his age and it isn't that surprising to see that he fell down the list a fair ways.

But again perhaps we should actually see him play a game at the NHL and how he does before lamenting where he fit on a fan vote prospect list.

[nik-]

Asking as someone who legitimately doesn't know how things have been going on the farm, why this guy over Cundari? More goals obviously, but I would have figured it would be Cundari.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

I found it hard to understand that Billins being an all-star d-man on the Calder cup winning team didn't count for anything in considering him as a prospect to the CP experts.

I would venture to say that had Billins been a thow-in on the 1st round pick trades.... Hankowski, Agostino, Cundari he would have been ranked as better prospect.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Are you suggesting that hiring a CP poll as an NHL GM would be a bad idea?


It would still probably be better than what they have going on in Edmonton.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Conroy mentioned the Heat have been playing Reinhart at the wing, considering it's Stempniak out I think he might make more sense. Reinhart is a beast along the boards, only so many center spots available he could be a solid bottom six winger for the Flames, a real compliment to Bouma on the other side.

Yep I actually read that a few weeks ago. They think Reinhart had a better chance in making the NHL as a winger and not as a center.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by nik-

Asking as someone who legitimately doesn't know how things have been going on the farm, why this guy over Cundari? More goals obviously, but I would have figured it would be Cundari.

Based on the comments in the Heat thread from people who have been watching their games, Cundari hasn't looked very good this season and Billins has been their best d-man by a wide margin.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by nik-

Asking as someone who legitimately doesn't know how things have been going on the farm, why this guy over Cundari? More goals obviously, but I would have figured it would be Cundari.

Meritocracy in action. He's been the best d-man in Abbotsford.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by OzSome

Yep I actually read that a few weeks ago. They think Reinhart had a better chance in making the NHL as a winger and not as a center.

Reinhart to me is another Tom Kostopolous in the making. A 4th liner that has some offensive abilities and can provide some lower line leadership. Not someone that's a key piece, but is definitely a useful player to have.