[News] With the 54th overall pick the Flames select RW Hunter Smith

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by AcGold

You forgot the tallest of them all. Kanzig has a chance too, if he can learn to skate.

... Wotherspoon 6'2, Hickey 6'2, Rafikov 6'2, Hathaway 6'2, Morrison 6'3, Ollas Maatson 6'4, Caroll 6'4

If nothing else, we're gonna have a big AHL team in a short while

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by AcGold

You forgot the tallest of them all. Kanzig has a chance too, if he can learn to skate.

Kanzig won't be in the top 9 unless he learns a new position.

[AcGold]

I agree, but it's pretty much guaranteed a dman will go down at some time. Probably more than one. If Kanzig's improving fast and we are playing a team like the Ducks well maybe he can help break up a cycle or two.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I agree, but it's pretty much guaranteed a dman will go down at some time. Probably more than one. If Kanzig's improving fast and we are playing a team like the Ducks well maybe he can help break up a cycle or two.

You miss the point. The other poster was talking about top 9 forwards.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Smith should be AHL bound. He's NHL size ready now. What he needs is to hit the weights in the off season and match up against adults. Another year in Jr's would likely stunt his development.

Not sure if he is a good enough skater to be AHL Bound.

Will an interesting training camp.

[AcGold]

Guess I did miss the point. Have to multitask less then maybe.

[killer_carlson]

What Smith needs to do is listen to every word his skating coach says and follow through.

I sure hope he noticed that the difference between Ferland and Wolf out there was that Ferland got to the spots a whole lot quicker than Wolf did. That's what Smith needs to do as well.

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I know the odds of them all making the starting roster are relatively low, but can you imagine a top 9 in a few years that includes:

6'6 Hunter Smith
6'5 Joe Colborne
6'3 Mark Jankowski
6'2 Micheal Ferland

Size, speed, and in the case of Smith and Ferland, a definite physical edge...

Gonna be a pretty big farm team too...

6'0 Klimchuk
6'0 Poirier
6'2 Hathaway
6'3 Harrison
6'0 Arnold
6'2 Wolf
6'1 Agostino
6'2 Van Brabant
6'4 Carroll

Not to mention already having some youth with good size in 6'1 Bouma, 6'3 Shore, 6'1 Jooris and 6'2 Monahan.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Troy Crowder will help him out with his skating for those that are concerned.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Not to mention already having some youth with good size in 6'1 Bouma, 6'3 Shore, 6'1 Jooris and 6'2 Monahan.

Ooh, forgot about Shore. Hope he can develop his game on the wing; it looks like he might have some good tools to work with.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Gonna be a pretty big farm team too...

6'0 Klimchuk
6'0 Poirier
6'2 Hathaway
6'3 Harrison
6'0 Arnold
6'2 Wolf
6'1 Agostino
6'2 Van Brabant
6'4 Carroll

Not to mention already having some youth with good size in 6'1 Bouma, 6'3 Shore, 6'1 Jooris and 6'2 Monahan.

Everywhere I've seen Poirier is listed at 6'1" while the AHL is listing him at 6'2" and 200lbs.. He doesn't look that big to me but here it is.

http://theahl.com/stats/player.php?id=5574

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think the Flames stick him in the AHL, but if they don't think he will get the ice-time, he will go back for his over-age year. That is what they did with Carrol after all, and I don't think it is a waste of a year. Kids still develop in juniors unless they are just vastly superior talent-wise. Playing 20 minutes a night in junior will be much more beneficial to being rotated in and out of the lineup.

I do think he makes Stockton. That is a nice influx of size, grit, and nastiness - Carrol, Smith and Kanzig.

[GranteedEV]

There's the contract angle too, right? I think they haven't signed Smith yet, so they might be trying to do what they did with Caroll and squeeze the most years out of his ELC by signing him at the right time.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

There's the contract angle too, right? I think they haven't signed Smith yet, so they might be trying to do what they did with Caroll and squeeze the most years out of his ELC by signing him at the right time.

Yeah if he were to sign a contract now, he will burn a year of his ELC regardless of where he plays.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I know the odds of them all making the starting roster are relatively low, but can you imagine a top 9 in a few years that includes:

6'6 Hunter Smith
6'5 Joe Colborne
6'3 Mark Jankowski
6'2 Micheal Ferland

Size, speed, and in the case of Smith and Ferland, a definite physical edge...

Caught the tail end of an interview with Smith with Pat this afternoon. The Big Rig is now bigger. 6'7 225.

Big.

[username]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

Troy Crowder will help him out with his skating for those that are concerned.

Awesome!

Loved Crowder when I was growing up. His fights with Probert were epic.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Caught the tail end of an interview with Smith with Pat this afternoon. The Big Rig is now bigger. 6'7 225.

Big.

Damn, that is awesome. A guy that size can easily fill out to 250+ lbs. (thinking like Brian Boyle size).

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Caught the tail end of an interview with Smith with Pat this afternoon. The Big Rig is now bigger. 6'7 225.

Big.

Big = GOOD

Anyway, the best thing about Smith is that he looks like a 30 years old out there, even in Pentincton he looked like that.
And I can't wait for the playoff series where Ferland, Smith and Kanzig destroy half of the Canucks roster.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by playmaker

Big = GOOD

Anyway, the best thing about Smith is that he looks like a 30 years old out there, even in Pentincton he looked like that.
And I can't wait for the playoff series where Ferland, Smith and Kanzig destroy half of the Canucks roster.

Might be waiting a while, because I don't think the Canucks will be making the post season in the next few years. I mean they're relying on Baertschi becoming a top-6 player for them next season..

[Fire]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Caught the tail end of an interview with Smith with Pat this afternoon. The Big Rig is now bigger. 6'7 225.

Big.

If he makes the NHL, there will be a lot of standing in front of the NHL goalies in his future.