Friedman's 30 thoughts now on Sportsnet

[djsFlames]

Why rush him? It's not rushing him if he's that good. See: Monahan, 2013.

But we'll see how he fares at camp.

[Travis Munroe]

Love the quote of the summer where the Arizona Coyotes GM wanted to ask to be put into the eastern conference after watching the playoffs.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

If he were on my team, I'd let Gaudreau start in the AHL and if he's doing well make him the first call up. Why rush him in? It's the approach I hope the Canucks take with guys like Horvat and have taken with Shinkaruk.

16 points in 18 games in the dub with a declining PPG total in each of the last two seasons.

This is called not rushing now?

[heep223]

Love that the league wasn't sure about publishing (ie. publicly shaming) the list of diving infractions/fines every week, and that it was the players themselves that pushed them to do so.

I think that this will be the most effective way to cut down on diving.

[heep223]

nm

[T@T]

What is all this stupid AHL talk? If Gaudreau is a top player at camp (which is suspect he will be) why on earth start him in the AHL.Isn't the idea to put the best players on the ice that will help you win and to creat excitement for the paying fans?

Will the AHL teach him new skills? Will it teach him to be a "pro" hockey player? Is the AHL a ##### league where he won't get hit or cheap shotted?

Skills wise the AHL won't teach him jack and the best people to teach you how to be a pro is from the best pro's.(guess where they are) and due to mega fines/suspensions the chances are he won't get cheap shotted as much in the NHL as he would in the A.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by T@T

What is all this stupid AHL talk? If Gaudreau is a top player at camp (which is suspect he will be) why on earth start him in the AHL.Isn't the idea to put the best players on the ice that will help you win and to creat excitement for the paying fans?

Will the AHL teach him new skills? Will it teach him to be a "pro" hockey player? Is the AHL a ##### league where he won't get hit or cheap shotted?

Skills wise the AHL won't teach him jack and the best people to teach you how to be a pro is from the best pro's.(guess where they are) and due to mega fines/suspensions the chances are he won't get cheap shotted as much in the NHL as he would in the A.

Contrary to what you believe, the best thing for a 21 year old player isn't always to throw him out there against players like Thornton, Kopitar, Getzlaf, Perry, Toews, Keith, Doughty, Weber, Suter, etc.

JG still has a lot of learning to do, and he'll learn a lot quicker in the AHL where he has more control of the play. We don't want him in the NHL against the above players if he's going to be spending most of his TOI chasing the puck. That wouldn't be good for his development at all.

[868904]

The way I see it, Johnny needs to play where he can be best protected.

I don't think the pace or skill level of the NHL game will be a problem at all. The only thing you have to make sure is that he is protected wherever he is.

I think there are a lot of idiots in the AHL, pure goons who can't crack an NHL roster, who have to make a name for themselves by doing stupid stuff. I don't know if Johnny is safer in a league like that.

In the NHL, majority of the players are actually good hockey players, even the "goons". And with the Flames, they have arguably the top heavyweight in the lineup with added protection from the likes of Bollig and Engelland.

I really think Johnny is safer in the NHL than anywhere. No one is going to mess with him in the NHL when you have McGrattan, Bollig, and Engelland around.

[Two Fivenagame]

Originally Posted by 868904

I really think Johnny is safer in the NHL than anywhere. No one is going to mess with him in the NHL when you have McGrattan, Bollig, and Engelland around.

I think this is the tell-tale sign that the apparent push from the current prospect group is coming from the smaller/skilled forwards that will need to be protected. I think the only missing piece at this point is a thug with skill who can effectively create space on the top lines and bang in some rebounds. Do the flames have that player anytime soon?

[formulate]

Ferland is probably the best shot currently. Smith is a long shot, but could turn out to work in that role a while down the road.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by 868904

The way I see it, Johnny needs to play where he can be best protected...

Good lord. He's not a china doll.

The way I see it, Gaudreau needs to play where it will benefit him the most in the long run. There are plenty of good reasons for him to open the season playing in NY, even if it is just for a handful of games. Even if nothing more than to help him adjust to the lifestyle and routine of a pro hockey player, with increased demands on fitness, nutrition, travel, etc. He may very well be better off making these sorts of adjustments closer to home, and away from the blinding lights of Calgary.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Contrary to what you believe, the best thing for a 21 year old player isn't always to throw him out there against players like Thornton, Kopitar, Getzlaf, Perry, Toews, Keith, Doughty, Weber, Suter, etc.

JG still has a lot of learning to do, and he'll learn a lot quicker in the AHL where he has more control of the play. We don't want him in the NHL against the above players if he's going to be spending most of his TOI chasing the puck. That wouldn't be good for his development at all.

Complete pile of steaming

Funny you mention players that didn't serve an hour in the AHL and most of them were regular NHL players at 19.

Gaudreau was drafted in the 4th round because of his size not his brain, at 21 his hockey sense is as good or better than any of those players were at the same age.

Before you decide to play GM again can I suggest you watch him play other than the highlight reels. Gaudreau would not be chasing anyone or the puck.

He's all over the puck like ugly on an ape, his hockey sense is off the charts when it comes to being around the puck...that is a fact ..son!

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Sz

[Red Ice Player]

Good god...I'm going to have to agree with T@T on this one. I just don't see JG spending time in the AHL. He adapts to any level of competition he is thrust into, and he adapts faster than anyone I have ever seen. He is already an NHLer. It's not hype, he's the real deal.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by T@T

Isn't the idea to put the best players on the ice that will help you win and to creat excitement for the paying fans?

No. The idea is to develop players so they're most likely to reach their full potential as all-around hockey players in the long run. Do you want the Flames to develop players the way the Oilers do, or the way the Red Wings do?

Originally Posted by 868904

The way I see it, Johnny needs to play where he can be best protected.

I don't think the pace or skill level of the NHL game will be a problem at all. The only thing you have to make sure is that he is protected wherever he is.

I think there are a lot of idiots in the AHL, pure goons who can't crack an NHL roster, who have to make a name for themselves by doing stupid stuff. I don't know if Johnny is safer in a league like that.

The difference is that the guys trying to take Gaudreau's head off in the AHL will be slower than the guys trying to take his head off in the NHL. It's not goons who pose a threat to Gaudreau, it's defencemen who can line him up and plaster him against the boards or lower the boom in open ice. And NHL defencemen are better at that than AHL defencemen (and way better than college defencemen).

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by T@T

Complete pile of steaming

Funny you mention players that didn't serve an hour in the AHL and most of them were regular NHL players at 19.

Before you decide to play GM again can I suggest you watch him play other than the highlight reels. Gaudreau would not be chasing anyone or the puck.

He's all over the puck like ugly on an ape, his hockey sense is off the charts when it comes to being around the puck...that is a fact ..son!

Didn't serve an hour in the AHL? How did they play in all of these AHL games then?

Keith
20 y/o - 75gp
21 y/o - 79gp

Getzlaf
20 y/o - 17gp

Perry
20 y/o - 19gp

Suter
20 y/o - 63gp

Weber
20 y/o - 46gp

Thornton, Doughty, and Toews, did not "serve an hour" in the AHL. They were also drafted #1, #2, and #4 overall... Not 104th.

Before you decide to throw a tantrum and slap your raging boner against the keyboard again, I suggest you do some homework.

[automaton 3]

If Johnny plays well enough in camp to make the team, I don't see the point of sending him down to the A "just because".

He already has sky-high level skills and hockey iq. Even if he has some learning to do (ie systems), would it not be preferable to have him mentored by our best coaches and veteran NHLer's?

Not to mention the deterrence factor of having Engelland, Bollig, Bouma and McGratton ect around on the big club.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

...Before you decide to throw a tantrum and slap your raging boner against the keyboard again, I suggest you do some homework.

Homework is clearly not T@T's forté.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

If Johnny plays well enough in camp to make the team, I don't see the point of sending him down to the A "just because".

He already has sky-high level skills and hockey iq. Even if he has some learning to do (ie systems), would it not be preferable to have him mentored by our best coaches and veteran NHLer's?

Not to mention the deterrence factor of having Engelland, Bollig, Bouma and McGratton ect around on the big club.

I guess the question remains, then what is "well enough." I believe that the bar is set pretty high for Gaudreau. He will quite literally have to be the best forward in camp to make the team; given any margin for error to select between Gaudreau and a veteran player, then chances are that the coaching staff will choose the veteran.

[Bingo]

I'm intrigued with the Flames clear change in plans for Bennett and Gaudreau for tonight's game. Not sure what to read into it though ...

Bennett had his best game of the tournament against the Oilers, and Gaudreau has put up two straight and getting buzz.

Have they reconsidered, or at least opened the door to them making the team and therefore want to see them together more to develop more chemistry?

Or have they decided even more so to send them down, so may as well get them more ice now?

Or this has little to do with anything and I'm reaching? :O)

Either way, seemed like a change, and a change comes from something.