Big year for Max Reinhart

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

3rd/4th line winger. His should hopefully compliment Bouma on the opposite wing.

The cap floor situation is tricky for the Flames but I hope we don't target any UFA forwards this summer. If we need to hit the cap floor overpay for Butler for two years or for a back up on a 1-2 year deal as well. Let guys like Galliardi and Westgarth walk. Shane O'Brien still has one year left on his deal, 2 million for next season.

I'm equally worried about both extremes.

1) You sign UFAs that block the way for young players to find spots on your roster
2) You don't sign UFAs basically giving spots to young players on your roster.

The Red Wings have done a great job of keeping guys in the AHL, but that's not to say they have the best method of developing players.

Such a hard line, and one with a myriad of answer.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Max is put together like a third liner even though his numbers suggest otherwise. The kid's entire style is revolves around being a third line scorer/defensive specialist. He's probably the most versatile forward on the team because he can play on any line, in any role, at any time during the game.

If he doesn't make the Flames roster next season, it'll be a shame.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm equally worried about both extremes.

1) You sign UFAs that block the way for young players to find spots on your roster
2) You don't sign UFAs basically giving spots to young players on your roster.

The Red Wings have done a great job of keeping guys in the AHL, but that's not to say they have the best method of developing players.

Such a hard line, and one with a myriad of answer.

The guys I've mentioned are 22-24. I'm not at all giving them roster spots, they've earned an opportunity. If the guys I've mentioned (Knight, Reinhart, Granlund) aren't ready at training camp then there are a plethora of other kids who have a spot available if they seize the opportunity. Gaudreau, Baertschi, Arnold, Hanowski, Agostino etc.

Sure, Reinhart etc won't be competing with veterans at camp but those aren't free spots.

[Vinny01]

I hope they don't really replace Cammy with a vet. I think they should open up a couple roster spots for prospects to make the full time jump next year. Reinhart and Granlund/Sven/Johnny/Porier to make the team

Westgarthncan be replaced by Ferland/Wolf

[Fire]

Start him on the 4th line next season and see where it goes. Like someone said above he can easily replace Galiardi.

[Cheerio]

I remember wanting that Russian kid over him at that draft.. I guess that's why I'm not working in the NHL

[c.t.ner]

I don't know, I'm up in the air on Reinhart. Everything about his position, age, style of play screams that he's a 3rd liner like Bouma... But you watch him on the ice, there's flashes and hints that he's a more than just a 3rd liner and has 2nd line potential.

Sure in his stints with the flames he was running that high energy tempo mentality, but there's parts where he makes a sharp pass or goes to the perfect position. To me Reinhart looks a step above guys like Hanowksi, Knight, Bouma who look destined to be career third liners/PK specialists.

[Roof-Daddy]

If the AHL site is correct, I'm surprised the kid hasn't put more weight on yet....they have him at 185lbs.

6'1" frame, it'd be nice if he could get closer to 200lbs. That little bit more weight would make a big difference at the NHL level IMO....expecially with his playing style.

Heck of a jump for him stats wise this year, so who knows what his limits are. 21 points last year, jumped to 63 this year in one less game played. Impressive.

[belsarius]

I think he's in that third liner with the ability to cover in a top 6 role. Basically the same kind of spot that Glencross was when he broke into the league. Strong 3 liner, penalty killer, but with a scoring touch if he can find a way to translate it into the NHL. It took Glencross a couple of years to get out of that third line role and I think Reinhart will be the same way. I wouldn't put it past him to end up a solid second liner one day.

[McG]

One of the benefits of having a better stocked farm system is that it lets players develop on their own time, not on the NHL team's time.

Players make mistakes; in fact, I might argue that growth stops and stagnates when players stop trying new things and making changes to their game. for example, some might say that the oilers have stopped learning and are all about just repeating the one or two things that got them into the league. it is hard to learn when there are no incentives for it and you just play the way you have always played. for this reason alone, the Flames should give the player development staff raises.

I didn't answer the poll question because I don't think that I know the trajectory of Reinhart... and that's a good thing.

[puckluck2]

I really don't know what more Reinhart could do to earn a regular spot on this team. He has outplayed a bunch of regulars but always seems to get the short end of the stick.

[Ryan Coke]

I had kind of pegged him as a tweener....not skilled enough for top 6, not big enough for bottom 6.

But I have to admit I was surprised when I watched the highlights from a couple of days ago, and his points were definitely high skill points. Reading the ice, then finding a way to get a pass across to them. And then realizing his point totals this year, it has definitely made me start increasing the potential I see in him.

[nik-]

He can play on the third line next year to help his brother ease into the NHL after we draft him

[PeteMoss]

The high end of the cap floor will be around 52 million and that was with the $71 million dollar cap (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=438619) so you're probably looking at $50 million.

The currently signed NHLers on the Flames come in at about $39 million:
FORWARDS
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Matt Stajan ($3.125m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
Sean Monahan ($0.925m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / Mark Giordano ($4.020m)
Ladislav Smid ($3.500m) / Kris Russell ($2.600m)
T.J. Brodie ($2.125m) / Shane O'Brien ($2.000m)
GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
------

Add in the RFAs - Bouma, Byron, Colborne and Galiardi (I could see Bouma and Colborne getting bridge type contracts while Byron and Galiardi get qualifying offers) and you're probably close to another 5-6 million to bring the total to about $45 million.

You still need 2-3 more forwards, two more defense if you plan on having SOB buried again and a goalie. The defense and goalie will likely be veteran players and I would guess you'll get at least one veteran big guy up front.

Cap floor shouldn't be a giant issue unless you're going with rookies to fill all the open slots... which i doubt you'll see.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by getbak

I've said this before, I think he'll be a guy like Bob Nystrom was with the Islanders. He won't be the big high-scorer, but he'll score the big goal when you need it.

Exactly my thoughts - I have always described him as a Sutter, but Nystrom is perfect.

Smart. Not overly big or physical but plays hard and sticks up for his team-mates. Focuses on defense first, but can score and generate offense when the opportunity arises. And chips in big goals.

Sometimes fans seem to imagine that 3rd and 4th liners can't produce offense. But good teams have good third liners that can produce, they just focus on their roles first.

I think the Flames are really doing a good job of developing a pen of potential bottom 6ers that can play: Bouma, Reinhart, Knight, Arnold, Ferland, Agostino, Van Brabant, Hanowski (Reinhart and Ferland have the potential of a higher ceiling).

If 3 or 4 of those guys can become solid NHLers, it would be huge. All guys with good smarts, decent size, and a strong compete level. Add a couple McGrattan or Wolf types, and you have a good bottom 6.

[BlackWallStreet]

Max is one of my fav prospects for sure. Lot of attention on sam right now but the big brother is pretty talented himself

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think bottom 6. He'll get some 3rd line time, but will mostly be a 4th liner.

I am not so sure putting him in the 4th line might help him. He might as well stay another season in the AHL and play lots of minutes. I think the worst line for him is the 3rd line. The way Hartley is playing the guys playing in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd lines are pretty much the same minutes. 4th line is a different ballgame though. They usually just play 5 minutes or less unless Hartley is happy with them, then he'll roll with 4 lines all night.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Reinhart is comparable to Carey Wilson from the championship Flames. He's a guy with offensive smarts but is so good defensively that he can play in any situation. The fact that he is so defensively aware makes him a perfect player for the third line. I hope he gets the opportunity he deserves.

[DOOM]

I think he has the potential to be a great 3rd line player, that can move up if need be.

[TheDebaser]

Some people in this thread are going to be very pleasantly surprised with Max in the coming years. The guy is like a jack-of-all trades, except he's pretty damn good at everything. He's a pretty creative passer, he knows where to go to score, he's fast, he controls the puck well and he's one of the better defensive forwards in Abbortsford.

He'll only be a third liner if we end up with very good depth on the LW. I would bet money that Max is an nhler by 2016 and I think he'll be a good one.

You know, as a flames fan, it's tough to figure out whether or not a prospect will be a top 6er, just because it's been so long since someone panned out. That said, if Bouma is a 3rd liner, then Max is definitely something more.