[News Roundup] Post game and trade deadline

[Enoch Root]

Yeah, a wasted year this year and a contract year next year. I expect him to rebound big-time next year.

I would expect we'll have a similar situation to Cammy this year - see how the contract negotiations go and, if not signed, move him at the deadline

[jofillips]

i gotta back colborne - as someone said, he will know what to do after a full season and to me doesn't seem like he has fully 'filled out' yet.
Weird thing i've been noticing recently - look at Backlunds neck, seems that guy has been working out a lot off season

[ForeverFlameFan]

Now that Stempy is gone, you have to decide whether or not you keep Cammy or Glencross.

Does anyone think Hudler's injury is severe? I don't think it was, maybe 1-3 games at the most.

[Savvy27]

Glencross - I agree that he is an odd man out. It's too bad that he didn't seem to buy into the team concept because he has the physical ability to do exactly what they they seem to be preaching, while also having a high-end scoring touch.

Colborne - They should keep him around. He has only played 76 NHL games in his career and from my vantage point, his last 10 games have been his best. He's winning a lot of board battles now and using his size to protect the puck. I'm becoming a fan.

Smid - I was relieved when Burke told TSN he wouldn't be trading Smid. He's a consummate team player and he plays a role that the Flames are short on. If they had one more Smid instead of Wideman, they would have a decent defensive unit.

Burke - I just want to say that Burke salvaged the trade deadline. I was very negative before learning what the return was for those guys (mostly because I assumed the return would be a 4th and a 6th).

Cammalleri - I thought we would get something for him. It will be a wasted asset if he walks away for nothing, but it does make me wonder about his presence in the dressing room. I wonder if having him around for this stretch of games will pay off in his being a positive example of game day preparation, work ethic in practice, and how to conduct themselves in the media. Another month or so of the insulation that the veterans provide our young players will be enhanced by Cammalleri, so while the asset may disappear, he is providing value in the short term.

Ortio - Can't anoint him a starter or anything, but he looks like one when he plays. He is calm and he controls much of the game with his catching ability and rebound control.

Granlund - doesn't look like a rookie on the ice. He's so aware of what is happening around him. There were a couple of instances yesterday where he had space and he slowed the game right down and found with a pass as they were moving full speed. Great hands on his goal too.

Last night was a lot of fun. It's great to see the players who have been performing well for the Heat come in and seem ready. Definitely a lot better than when Jaffrey or Kolanos would come up.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yeah, a wasted year this year and a contract year next year. I expect him to rebound big-time next year.

I would expect we'll have a similar situation to Cammy this year - see how the contract negotiations go and, when he is not signed, try to move him at the deadline, fail and explain why you were always the smartest guy in the room for not moving him

If it is going to be like Cammy you have to make a slight modification to your scenario.

[lanny9]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He has become a forgotten man. Only he can dictate the situation with his NTC but if the team is frank with him that he's not part of the long term plans he may accept a move with only one year left on his deal. We have seen when he wants to be that he can become a useful player but whether he's ticked off about not getting the captaincy or playing on a losing team he just looked uninterested earlier in the season prior to injury. If he really wants to remain a Flame he needs to start showing it with his play and I sense he will have a better season next year being a contract year for him.

To Buffalo as part of a package to get the #1 this year? Problem is would he waive to go to Buffalo? Maybe if they have a contract extension waiting for him for two years at $5m per? Money talks, Buffalo needs to reach the floor next year too. They also need NHL ready players, seems somehow we are ahead of them there?

I just really want Ekblad and don't want to give up any youth to get him. Maybe Glencross & Hudler plus our 1st? Too much maybe? Just Hudler? Hudler and SOB(doesn't he have another year left?)? Glencross and SOB? Make it happen Burke!

[lanny9]

Give Colborne 10-15lbs of muscle and he will be a very good player. I think we are just starting to see what he is capable of, let him hit the weights this offseason and come back stronger, then he will be able to use that added weight and muscle to drive the net against most NHL defencemen.

[TheDebaser]

Yeah, Colborne isn't really at the stage yet strength-wise where he's the one pushing people around, but he's so capable of being that player. I think having an offseason to train will help a lot of our guys so much.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Way too early yet to give up on Colborne. I wasn't a fan initially of acquiring him (even with the cheap price), but he has grown. I think he has loads of potential still.

I think it was Hartley that said he expects Colborne to train hard in the off-season and put a lot more muscle onto his frame. His board-battles are getting better, as his puck protection (as others have mentioned already).

It is great when you get a big skilled guy that is fearless at crashing the net and knocking guys down on their butts, but it is also very tiring during a game to have guys competing with a much larger and stronger player along the boards. Colborne will wear guys out once he packs on a bit more size, and I think he still has some pretty good upside in offence.

No way Glencross gets dealt until sometime during next season at least. You have to figure his trade-value is at an all-time low at the moment. He needs to go out there, stay healthy and produce. His salary is great value for his production and his versatility. There will be 29 teams that could fit him under their cap next year (especially with the Flames retaining 50%, and even taking back a cap dump that ends up upgrading their trade partner, and lowering their over-all cap). Will be interesting as to how it unfolds. I don't think he will finish his contract here, even with him NMC.

You really do have to tip your hat off to Hartley. There are people who still don't like him, and that is fair. I really didn't want to see him hired to begin with, but he has completely changed my opinion of him. He has this team working hard, and he made the 'tough' decisions on the roster. Sending back Baertschi, benching Backlund and Colborne at times and forcing them to compete against one another. Forcing every rookie to earn every minute of time, and rewarding them with some PP time at that (seriously, he rewarded Blair Jones with PP time on his call-up - someone we all thought he 'hated').

Ward has been phenomenal on the Heat. He is getting these kids ready for the NHL.

Flames are finally reaping what has been a very painfully-slow over-haul of their drafting and development programs. It is nice to go back and compare the state of the program when Button was let-go and Sutter entered, when Sutter was let-go and Feaster started, and the same now with Burke. Sutter kickstarted this (imo), Feaster accelerated it a bit, and hopefully Burke sees that it is becoming (or has already arrived at) a very good program.

Flames are finding guys deep in the draft that look to be NHL'ers (which is a win in itself), but also finding potential impact players and leaders there. The Oilers have not been able to find depth (or if they have, haven't been able to properly develop it with an regularity).

As one of the articles in the OP stated - the Flames had a load of rookies not only playing last night, but contributing positively and arguably pushing the team last night. You have Backlund and Brodie who are 'graduated' and looking more and more impressive (and at worst, good support players). They still have good NCAA prospects with different levels of potential - much of it decent NHL potential (for instance, I would bet my last dollar Arnold eventually becomes an NHL'er - good size, good hands, GREAT IQ, willingness to battle, great defensive acumen). On top of this, they still have what appears to be some pretty good players not yet turned pro.

All of this, and year one of the rebuild is only starting to wind down.

Will all of those players make it? Of course not. However, it really looks more and more like the drafting and development program is leagues ahead of Edmonton's. Maybe it is merely just 'competent' now, perhaps it is way above average. Time will tell on how many players eventually become NHL'ers. It is undeniable what you are starting to see with your own eyes, however - Flames prospects are starting to enter the NHL and are looking like they are making a case for themselves.

Nice to have a coach who is willing to reward youth for earning their minutes, but who will never give them minutes without first earning them, regardless of their draft position or history. Finally the Flames seem to have a working program that starts at scouting and continues right through to the Flames teams itself.

[lanny9]

^^^^^Flames are finding guys deep in the draft that look to be NHL'ers (which is a win in itself), but also finding potential impact players and leaders there. The Oilers have not been able to find depth (or if they have, haven't been able to properly develop it with an regularity).


I was telling my brother via text that same thing last night, he was watching the Calgary game with a friend who is a huge Oilers fan and I said, Edmonton has had lots of chances to get the guys to build a team. They haven't gotten sandpaper, hadn't gotten goaltending(until the last two weeks) and their D depth is enough to make even the most hardened Oiler fan cry! They haven't made the rest of the draft work for them and is why their rebuild is taking so long.

Edmonton may have one thing on us and that is the high end talent at the NHL level, but without a team around them, to protect them, that talent will do squat. We will get some of that higher end talent the next couple of years and we will have developed the depth around to make them successful imo. We still need more d-men but that can come in the draft and free agency/trades.