[News] Wotherspoon issued challenge by Flames

[foshizzle11]

I really do think that Treliving will upgrade our top 4 or at least make it bigger this off season. Maybe that pushes someone down to the 3rd pairing, maybe a Brodie and Engelland pairing, Russell and Wideman and a solid 3/4 guy with Gio, then we have 3 competent pairings to split over the season. If people want Gio and Brodie back together, then great so then we could have the new addition playing with Engelland.

I don't think Spoon is that guy unless he makes a big jump physically this summer and takes a spot.

I see potter staying in the AHL if we keep him and I think Diaz walks because Treliving is going to add another body. Smid doesn't return, career ending injury. So that leave Schlemko as the #7 guy, who is very capable of playing.

End of the story is our back end will need to get bigger and I think Treliving makes it happen this off season. We have plenty of draft picks and good forward prospects to move to get us something worth while back there.

I see Spoon spending time in AHL at the beginning of the season and maybe coming up mid season once some injuries start to creep in a bit and stays in the NHL at the point.

[CaptainCrunch]

I would really love to see Sieloff get back on track. That infection killed his progress, but he's exactly what the Flames need on that bottom pairing. A aggressive hard hitting defenseman with good mobility.


From my limited memory, before that infection took his season he was considered the Flames top call up option and was nearly NHL ready.

the kid is only 21 I think.

But I would love to see him train hard in the summer and giver us that option.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I know it is a more difficult position to master at a young age, but I hope the young D do what Jooris, Gaudreau, Bennett et al. did and force the team to keep them up. If any of Engelland/Smid/RFA guys are sat down, traded or sent to Stockton, so be it. As well as the team played in the absence of Gio, the Flames still need to improve greatly on the back end (physically, defensively, not so much offensively) to become a real powerhouse.

[cannon7]

Realistically Wotherspoon pans out as a third pairing guy, hopefully a solid one at that. The reason he gets as much attention as he does is that there isn't really anyone else pushing for a spot on the blueline. He's probably getting more pressure than he deserves, hopefully a guy like Morrison provides some much needed competition for him. Culkin also looked good for stretches, so hopefully next training camp doesn't amount to Wotherspoon or nothing.

[GioforPM]

What's the word on Rafikov since the World Juniors?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

What's the word on Rafikov since the World Juniors?

Recently signed a 2-year deal in Russia. Will be playing on a team coached by Dave King, and the Flames are apparently perfectly fine with him taking that development path.

Because he's playing in the KHL, and is considered a "defected" player, the Flames aren't at risk of losing his NHL rights, even if he stays there for both years.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by getbak

Recently signed a 2-year deal in Russia. Will be playing on a team coached by Dave King, and the Flames are apparently perfectly fine with him taking that development path.

Because he's playing in the KHL, and is considered a "defected" player, the Flames aren't at risk of losing his NHL rights, even if he stays there for both years.

And then he comes back as the Russian Giordano!

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I would really love to see Sieloff get back on track. That infection killed his progress, but he's exactly what the Flames need on that bottom pairing. A aggressive hard hitting defenseman with good mobility.


From my limited memory, before that infection took his season he was considered the Flames top call up option and was nearly NHL ready.

the kid is only 21 I think.

But I would love to see him train hard in the summer and giver us that option.

I think you'll be more likely to see Seiloff as a 4th line forward than an NHL defenseman at this point.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I think you'll be more likely to see Seiloff as a 4th line forward than an NHL defenseman at this point.

If true, that's troubling for his future with this team. If there is one thing we don't need any more of, it's future bottom 6 players. Sieloff would bring no offense and be a 4th line player. Really doesn't sound to good for him if that's the case. Too bad, I was really hoping he could be stay at home, bottom pairing guy for us down the road.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It's good he's been challenegd, and it's good he reacted with that kind of statement. I guess it's bad he had to be challenged, suggesting he didn't recognize the need for that ethic on his own.

So if you compare to Sven - Sven had to be reminded to work and earn his spot. But the difference will be the reaction.

It doesn't suggest that at all - Treliving and the Flames will most likely have challenged most, if not all, of the young players that are close to making the team or are still working towards solidifying their spot in the lineup.

The only difference is that this one was made public.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It doesn't suggest that at all - Treliving and the Flames will most likely have challenged most, if not all, of the young players that are close to making the team or are still working towards solidifying their spot in the lineup.

The only difference is that this one was made public.

I think Treliving is pretty careful about what he discloses. So there was a purpose to making it public. I think it was to drive the point home to Wotherspoon, knowing reporters would ask him about it.