April 1 Practice - Hiller starts vs Blues

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Parallex

This^^

Colborne has been such a trainwreck lately, plays and possession just dying on his stick left and right.

I can think of at least a couple plays in the last 3 games or so that didn't.

[dammage79]

Small tweek to the 4th line, happy that Shore is getting some consistent ice time.

Kind of had a feeling this was Hillers block of games to run with anyways. After two average wins, I have a feeling he's going to be lights out god mode good tomorrow.

Surprised Colborne is going to sit. His role hasn't been one of a top 6 in nature for a while now and he's been a monster along the boards in the offensive zone. But sometimes a time out does wonders.

[CroFlames]

Colborne definitely not as bad as some people are saying he is.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Colborne definitely not as bad as some people are saying he is.

Folks need someone to hang all of the time. Raymond hate is getting old. Onto the new goat!

[heep223]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Small tweek to the 4th line, happy that Shore is getting some consistent ice time.

Kind of had a feeling this was Hillers block of games to run with anyways. After two average wins, I have a feeling he's going to be lights out god mode good tomorrow.

Surprised Colborne is going to sit. His role hasn't been one of a top 6 in nature for a while now and he's been a monster along the boards in the offensive zone. But sometimes a time out does wonders.

Really like Shore's game.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Small tweek to the 4th line, happy that Shore is getting some consistent ice time.

Kind of had a feeling this was Hillers block of games to run with anyways. After two average wins, I have a feeling he's going to be lights out god mode good tomorrow.

Surprised Colborne is going to sit. His role hasn't been one of a top 6 in nature for a while now and he's been a monster along the boards in the offensive zone. But sometimes a time out does wonders.

I have definitely liked Shore's game - fast, size, decent passing (nice one to Ferland for his first). I understand he's good at faceoffs. He and Stajan worked well together.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Folks need someone to hang all of the time. Raymond hate is getting old. Onto the new goat!

I guess people want 12 Hudlers, 6 Gios, and 2 Kippers, and anything short of that is garbage.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I'm not understanding the Colborne hate? He's been pretty physical as of late and had a decent game last game, picking up an assist.

He just needs to quit taking dumb penalties.

Agreed, I think with Joe the pressure of the run is just getting to him, I could sense in the Dallas @ Calgary game that the significance of the moment was huge and the out of town situation was getting to him too. Not only is he someone that experienced the intensity of the 04 run as a fan, but he's someone who experienced a monumental collapse by the Leafs in game 7 of the first round (which they wouldn't have made if there were cross-conference play that season). You can see a bit of panic in him lately that needs to be "experience gained" out of his system.

What Joe Colborne needs is to experience success, and the rest will come naturally. He's essentially a sophomore player. I'm okay with scratching him in a game against a very good team. He'll play against the Oilers and 'Yotes, hopefully well enough that we can have a bit of a cushion going into the LA game. And hopefully Raymond sits in the LA game for Byron or Ferland, because we will need to win one on one battles on that night.

Granlund - I don't see the offence. He had a few very lucky bounces in his first go-round and hasn't done much since being recalled

Granlund is a very good shot. THe problem is that he's expected to play center which he's not that good at, and finds himself pinned in the defensive zone all game, and when he's in the offensive zone he handles the puck a bit too much. Once he's got a guy like Bennett setting him up on the wings, his beauty of a shot will shine.

[SuperMatt18]

Colborne always seems to be an inch away from making something great happen.

If he can ever get those plays to go his way he will be a good player.

[dammage79]

Yep, Granlund really needs to use his shot more. Problem is his line usually is defending a lot. Also feel like he could use some better forchecking line matess to gain possession on dump ins and he hangs out up high. The system is a little wrong for Granlunds style offensively.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Granlund is a very good shot. THe problem is that he's expected to play center which he's not that good at, and finds himself pinned in the defensive zone all game, and when he's in the offensive zone he handles the puck a bit too much. Once he's got a guy like Bennett setting him up on the wings, his beauty of a shot will shine.

I think there's better options at centre right now, namely Colborne and Shore, both of whom are better faceoff men. I know Colborne was thought to be better on wing, but compared to Granlund, he's a better centre. Jooris can play centre too, though his faceoffs are terrible.

I'd like to start Bennett at wing at first, if he's capable of making that switch. Less responsibility.

[Cuz]

I'm happy with them sitting Colborne. He has taken quite a few bad penalties lately.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Why are we talking about Colborne sitting? Is this info incorrect?

Derek Wills @Fan960Wills
#Flames lines at practice:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bouma-Backlund-Jones
Raymond-Granlund-Colborne
Bollig-Stajan-Shore
#CGYvsSTL

I do think he needs to show more offensively (along with that line as a whole), but I don't see him sitting just yet.

[GioforPM]

He's also still useful in a shootout FWIW.

Raymond/Granlund/Colborne just seem like such different styles to me. But at least Raymond will shoot if Colborne can dig it to him.

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He's also still useful in a shootout FWIW.

Raymond/Granlund/Colborne just seem like such different styles to me. But at least Raymond will shoot if Colborne can dig it to him.

Not that great this year. 1/4 versus 4/9 last year.

[hackamore]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Agreed, I think with Joe the pressure of the run is just getting to him, I could sense in the Dallas @ Calgary game that the significance of the moment was huge and the out of town situation was getting to him too. Not only is he someone that experienced the intensity of the 04 run as a fan, but he's someone who experienced a monumental collapse by the Leafs in game 7 of the first round (which they wouldn't have made if there were cross-conference play that season). You can see a bit of panic in him lately that needs to be "experience gained" out of his system.

What Joe Colborne needs is to experience success, and the rest will come naturally. He's essentially a sophomore player. I'm okay with scratching him in a game against a very good team. He'll play against the Oilers and 'Yotes, hopefully well enough that we can have a bit of a cushion going into the LA game. And hopefully Raymond sits in the LA game for Byron or Ferland, because we will need to win one on one battles on that night.



Granlund is a very good shot. THe problem is that he's expected to play center which he's not that good at, and finds himself pinned in the defensive zone all game, and when he's in the offensive zone he handles the puck a bit too much. Once he's got a guy like Bennett setting him up on the wings, his beauty of a shot will shine.

Last game against the Kings 5-3 loss, with forty five to eighteen shots against Calgary, yet Raymond had four of those 18 shots along with two goals and plus one. Last year he scored the short hand winning goal for Toronto against them, even though the fans in Toronto wanted him sat too because they figured he is too weak against big bad Kings. Not saying he will perform like that every time playing LA, but he has a track record of of usually playing pretty decently against them. Going forward Ferland might become an absolute stud, but like most young players saying he automatically a better bet has not been proven yet.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I dunno - a 20 goal/ 33 point pace (which ain't bad for a 3rd liner getting about 12m per game)? Way more offence than Byron, Colborne, Stajan, Granlund or Bollig?

I think Hartley knows what Raymond brings and what he doesn't and uses him accordingly. He's been much less of a liability on the ice than when he returned, and way more consistent with the puck.

he has 6 hits in his 15 minutes a game for the 52 games he has played. Johnny Gaudreau is a physical player compared to him.

He is the #4 flames forward in term of PP time on the ice 2:10 a game and has 1 pp assist... ties him with Ferland and Bouma who get 24 and 3 seconds of pp time /game

He is the #6 forward on the Flames in terms of ice time 19 seconds behind Colborne.

He does less with more opportunity than any other Flame.


Are you his agent?

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I guess people want 12 Hudlers, 6 Gios, and 2 Kippers, and anything short of that is garbage.

The Oilers have 6 Gio's.

They also once had Rob Schremp, which was a guaranteed 1300 points, which is about 3 - 4 Hudlers.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

he has 6 hits in his 15 minutes a game for the 52 games he has played. Johnny Gaudreau is a physical player compared to him.

He is the #4 flames forward in term of PP time on the ice 2:10 a game and has 1 pp assist... ties him with Ferland and Bouma who get 24 and 3 seconds of pp time /game

He is the #6 forward on the Flames in terms of ice time 19 seconds behind Colborne.

He does less with more opportunity than any other Flame.


Are you his agent?

First, no I'm not his agent - just tired of the unrealistic expectations, and the ignoring of the actual stats.

Top 6 fwd in terms of ice time? I assume that's average per game, not total minutes, because he's only played 52 games. But, even with that, he is top 6 in goals, even with his injury. That's .23 gpg, which is 4th on the team, behind the top line and ahead of Bouma.

Possession? 4th on the team (fwds) in shots, even with his injury. I imagine his shots per game put him up among the leaders. That's why he's on the PP. Speaking of which, the whole 2nd unit is low on points, no matter who goes in. Backlund has no goals, one assist - shall they take him off too?

[genetic_phreek]

This years Flames were supposed to be cellar dwellers but are holding on to the last playoff spot which is quite remarkable.

With this success and every player contributing in different ways into the magical season, why be negative nancy's all the time. Instead of praise for all the good things they do, CP constantly likes throw guys into the lions den. I'm paraphrasing what I could remember but here are some examples:

Stajan - He makes too much money, get rid of him
Byron - He should get benched because he can't score on breakaways
Bollig- He's terrible, bring up Wolf (I was part of this too)
Raymond - He's so soft and does nothing for us
Engelland - He's useless on D
Diaz - He can't hit the net
Colborne - has been such a trainwreck lately, plays and possession just dying on his stick left and right.

Did I miss any?