Joe "Frickin" Colborne

[Geeoff]

You gotta wonder why that condition was even added. The odds of the Flames making the playoffs this season were astronomically low. Seems like a waste of ink.

[Da_Chief]

He has 7 points in last 7 games averaging about ~15 mins a game. Could we potentially have a top 6 forward here? I hope so and hope he can continue to pile up some points.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

You gotta wonder why that condition was even added. The odds of the Flames making the playoffs this season were astronomically low. Seems like a waste of ink.

added for better optics to please Leafs fans, I guess

[Bingo]

His game has really changed in the last 25 games ... he's scoring now, but the change happened before Xmas.

Now he no longer has plays die on his stick. He gets it deep, finds teammates and isn't a turn over machine.

Coaching had him realize that he has reach that no other player on the ice seems to have and that change has helped him immensely on the wall to create on the cycle.

The latest nuance to his game is going to the net, which as we saw last night is huge in scoring big body goals.

I don't think he'll ever be an elite player, but I'm more certain that he's an NHL player now, and a great reclamation project (like Russell) to add to a rebuilding club.

Still hoping they can Joel Otto him into a third line center with size, faceoffs, and that can chip in.

Lumbering third line winger isn't a bad thing either though.

[Enoch Root]

It was a smart trade at the time to give up a 4th rounder for C with size and decent potential - small risk, lots of potential reward (especially for a team starved for Cs).

But the key here is how much he has progressed this season. It's not like he's 20 - he's 24. Not old, obviously, but not a kid either. So it was a valid question to ask whether there was much more to his game.

Well, he has gotten ice-time here, with the rebuild and all the injuries, and he has made the most of it. He is a different player than the one we saw in his first few games.

Generally, I like to see players developed at C, not moved to the wing, because C is a more valuable position. But for Joe, it was a good move - he seems to be able to utilize his size more and focus on his own game.

He has come a long way and I hope the progression continues.

Great trade by Feaster and a nice job by Hartley with him

[Da_Chief]

I think there are too many other candidates for the 3rd line C job, who are good at faceoffs. Knight, Jooris, Arnold to name some. His size could be beneficial on the wing on a line with Gaudreau or Sven.

I'm hoping he can be a 2nd line winger but will take 3rd line as well.

[EVERLAST]

I think we've yet to see what this Joe can do.

I think he needs a little more bulk added to that frame and keep giving him minutes and play him in all situations and hes golden.

[formulate]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I think there are too many other candidates for the 3rd line C job, who are good at faceoffs. Knight, Jooris, Arnold to name some. His size could be beneficial on the wing on a line with Gaudreau or Sven.

I'm hoping he can be a 2nd line winger but will take 3rd line as well.

You've still got Stajan in the mix. I'm almost certain he'll be the third line center next year once Monahan's minutes increase. The possibility of adding a center in the draft could even push Backlund out of the top six in a couple years. Right now it's really looking that if he's on the team long term, it's as a winger.

[kermitology]

If he has commitment to his game and works to add some strength, he can be a tower of power. He's so lanky right now that he's not able to use his size effectively. But hopefully he can see how it can be used, like he did on his two goals. The defence couldn't move him. He scored.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

I think we've yet to see what this Joe can do.

I think he needs a little more bulk added to that frame and keep giving him minutes and play him in all situations and hes golden.

Meant to say this - he needs to get stronger in order to take his game to the next level. I am hoping he does that over the off-season

In order for him to be Joel Otto good, he needs to get Joel Otto strong

[Street Pharmacist]

We've just got way too many 3/4C here and in the pipeline. Stajan, Backlund, Knight, Reinhart, Colborne, Arnold, Jankowski, and on and on. I'm sure I'm missing a few

[Husky]

Looks to be much better on the wing. Less responsibility for a young inexperienced player.

[Sylvanfan]

I think he's finally growing into his frame, and realizing what he can do with his size. Todd Bertuzzi was about 24-25 when he started to find his way in the NHL. Cobourne has hands that are similar to Bertuzzi. So if he can be a light version of Bertuzzi sans the thuggery and douchiness, that would be pretty fantastic.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by devo22

added for better optics to please Leafs fans, I guess

I think this is why you see alot of conditional picks, they can make a trade look better or worse than it is. The blowback on trades is immediately, once the condition is met or not met the vast majority of fans don't care anymore

Originally Posted by Bingo

His game has really changed in the last 25 games ... he's scoring now, but the change happened before Xmas.

Now he no longer has plays die on his stick. He gets it deep, finds teammates and isn't a turn over machine.

Coaching had him realize that he has reach that no other player on the ice seems to have and that change has helped him immensely on the wall to create on the cycle.

The latest nuance to his game is going to the net, which as we saw last night is huge in scoring big body goals.

I don't think he'll ever be an elite player, but I'm more certain that he's an NHL player now, and a great reclamation project (like Russell) to add to a rebuilding club.

Still hoping they can Joel Otto him into a third line center with size, faceoffs, and that can chip in.

Lumbering third line winger isn't a bad thing either though.

The whole team has really come alive in the last 15 games. That brawl against Vancouver single handedly turned our season around.

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

We've just got way too many 3/4C here and in the pipeline. Stajan, Backlund, Knight, Reinhart, Colborne, Arnold, Jankowski, and on and on. I'm sure I'm missing a few

No we don't, because besides Stajan and Backlund none of them have proved they are regular NHL players. You can never have to many centremen, if you have to many in the lineup, move one too the wing (like Reinhart has done this year)

[OldSam]

I wonder if he got a bit stuck in TO with Dallas Eakins as a coach. He did look lost when he first came. He has changed so much since then, I'm beginning to wonder if lying on the ice barking like a dog isn't Joe's style.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

No we don't, because besides Stajan and Backlund none of them have proved they are regular NHL players. You can never have to many centremen, if you have to many in the lineup, move one too the wing (like Reinhart has done this year)

Yeah, exactly. Can never have too much. It's great that Poirier and Klimchuk are looking so good as wing prospects but it's good to have a plethora of centermen. Reinhart and Colbourne are showing it's a much easier transition to the wing if there isn't an NHL spot for them. You aren't going to have the same success if you attempt to move Gaudreau, Poirier, Buoma, Ferland etc to the middle.

Also don't agree with Street Pharmacist that some of those guys are strictly 3/4 line guys.

Regardless drafting a guy like Sam Bennett would be great this summer. Would really shore up the centre position. Having him and Monahan as a one-two punch down the middle would be deadly. It would allow Backlund to continue to be that "elite" two-way 3rd line guy and really allow depth to form on the wings.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Yeah, exactly. Can never have too much. It's great that Poirier and Klimchuk are looking so good as wing prospects but it's good to have a plethora of centermen. Reinhart and Colbourne are showing it's a much easier transition to the wing if there isn't an NHL spot for them. You aren't going to have the same success if you attempt to move Gaudreau, Poirier, Buoma, Ferland etc to the middle.

Also don't agree with Street Pharmacist that some of those guys are strictly 3/4 line guys.

Regardless drafting a guy like Sam Bennett would be great this summer. Would really shore up the centre position. Having him and Monahan as a one-two punch down the middle would be deadly. It would allow Backlund to continue to be that "elite" two-way 3rd line guy and really allow depth to form on the wings.

I agree, I think even pigeonholing Backlund as a #3 is too soon as he has shown vast improvement this year. If he can continue to improve offensively the next couple years he could be a 50 point centreman.

Just saying this gives me a plateful of crow too since I never thought he would be better than a #3 myself

And don't get me started on Janko again, lol

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

No we don't, because besides Stajan and Backlund none of them have proved they are regular NHL players. You can never have to many centremen, if you have to many in the lineup, move one too the wing (like Reinhart has done this year)

I should have clarified. I didn't mean it's a bad thing, I'm commenting on people saying Colborne is better moved to the wing. I was just saying there's too many better options for the 2/3/4 centre position than Colborne. It's not a bad thing to have too many centres, I agree

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I should have clarified. I didn't mean it's a bad thing, I'm commenting on people saying Colborne is better moved to the wrong. I was just saying there's too many better options for the 2/3/4 centre position than Colborne. It's not a bad thing to have too many centres, I agree

fair enough.

I kind of hope we see Max show he can stick this year and have he and Colborne flank Backlund next year

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I agree, I think even pigeonholing Backlund as a #3 is too soon as he has shown vast improvement this year. If he can continue to improve offensively the next couple years he could be a 50 point centreman.

Just saying this gives me a plateful of crow too since I never thought he would be better than a #3 myself

And don't get me started on Janko again, lol

I think Backlund is already a 2C