Brett Fricken Kulak

[GGG]

The key to getting love from the broadcast crew is to bring your parents.

Lacks Dad
Ferlands mom
Buttons parents.

Any kind of feel good story about parents and you get mentioned at every break.

[868904]

Originally Posted by bax

Fans of every team complain about the broadcast having a bias against their team. The complaining is insufferable and almost always exaggerated

I haven't complained this year about the broadcasting, but my beef with Romanuk and Johnson isn't their bias, but rather the plain and simple fact that they suck.

Romanuk gets the names wrong a lot and Johnson just isn't very knowledgable compared to others such as Hrudey or Simpson.

I have no idea why Rick Ball and Hrudey aren't the number 1 or even 2 broadcast team. Ball is so much better at describing the play and Hrudey is infinitely more knowledgable than Johnson. Plus Ball is a pro, you wouldn't even know that he's a Vancouverite and loves the Canucks.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I thought last year was a monster Flames love in on he National media front. Tends to happen when you overachieve versus expectations.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by 868904

I haven't complained this year about the broadcasting, but my beef with Romanuk and Johnson isn't their bias, but rather the plain and simple fact that they suck.

Romanuk gets the names wrong a lot and Johnson just isn't very knowledgable compared to others such as Hrudey or Simpson.

I have no idea why Rick Ball and Hrudey aren't the number 1 or even 2 broadcast team. Ball is so much better at describing the play and Hrudey is infinitely more knowledgable than Johnson. Plus Ball is a pro, you wouldn't even know that he's a Vancouverite and loves the Canucks.

Careful what you wish for, Ball and Hrudy would be our regional team if they were a National Broadcast team, meaning we'd get them on less Flames games. I'd be surprised if it doesn't happen soon TBH and then everyone in here complaining about them not being 1 or 2 is going to hate that we barely have them call our games.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Hockey is visual. The commentators don't tell us much we don't already know and see. Why is it so vital to enjoying the game?

It's like eating cake with a couple of flies buzzing around and landing on the plate the whole time.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Giordano-Brodie
Kulak-Hamilton
Russell-Wideman

Looks good to me. I roll those pairings, ~20 mins each. I play Engelland as the 7th D when playing teams like the Ducks.

Jesus. H. Christ.

We have a guy that made the team out of camp because of Brodie's injury, and Smid's continued recovery. He did so by beating out guys like Ryan Wilson and Jakub Nakladal. This is the same guy who spent the bulk of his first pro season in the ECHL.

All of a sudden we're putting him on our second pairing with Hamilton? Ahead of Russell and/or Wideman?

Good lord, it's been two games. Even Kevin Dahl looked good for two games.

How about we pump the brakes here on where Kulak is penciled in the lineup going forward, m'kay?


For the record, I'm a fan of Kulak, but he's still very inexperienced to be playing anything more than 3rd pairing minutes, and sparingly so at that. He's still got a lot of learning to do at the NHL level. Putting him in a top 4 position where he has to face pretty stiff competition will expose him immediately. NOT a good idea.

[Gord_Wappel]

I watched the Stockton game as well and Nakladal looked awesome. Strong defensively and good offensive instincts.

So who is in our top 6-7 assuming everyone is healthy in a couple months?

Gio
Brodie
Hamilton
Engeland
Wideman
Russell
Kulak
Smid
Nakladal
??

Personally, i would try and trade Smid, Wideman, and Engelland however i am not sure if there is any value there for any of them and i know BT loves what Engelland brings.

[hockey.modern]

Gio-Brodie
Russell-Hamilton
Kulak-Wideman

[terminator]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Gotta say I agree. I'd keep him over Engelland or Smid at this point.

You'd regret doing that

[Poe969]

They should rename the Norris to the Kulak...

He hasn't done anything to prove he's that great yet imo. Evaluate him after 5-10 and see how he's doing before making him out next saviour.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by terminator

You'd regret doing that

Why?

[Caged Great]

It would be interesting to see a Brodiak pairing once Brodie is healthy. Considering they play a similar style of game, it might be a good fit.

[Caged Great]

The Flames need to move at least one of Smid/Engelland regardless between now and next season either through trade, demotion or buyout because they will need a spot on the blueline free. With Kulak, Culkin, Wotherspoon, Morrison, and Sieloff all being close or ready for an NHL spot, they need to test guys to see if they can stick. The only way to do that is to have a spot or two available, which will likely be the #6/7 spot.

Kulak at least is showing enough where he's at least the #8 guy right now.

[CroFlames]

His first game this year was definitely nothing to write home about. But no one played well, except for a few forwards.

He was solid in his 2nd game. The bank pass to Raymond was brilliant. Sound defensively, and executed his assignments well. Hopefully he continues to improve, but doesn't try to do "too much" to try and stay with the big club. If he listens to Bob & Brad, they will develop him properly and he definitely won't get lost in the shuffle. If he starts to make stupid rushes in an effort to show himself, it'll probably do more harm than good.

Hopefully when TJ comes back, Kulak and Engelland alternate scratches for a few games and essentially let those two battle it out for #6. Both will be forced to step it up which will lead to nothing but good things. If Engo beats him out, Kulak to the AHL to continue playing games. If Kulak beats Engo, even better obviously.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

His first game this year was definitely nothing to write home about. But no one played well, except for a few forwards.

Kulak was one of the standouts though from what I recall. At even strength he had a 58% corsi, and that was a game where we were outshot 44-30.

[indes]

We'll have to see how he does once the "first time in the NHL adrenaline" wears off. He looks like a gamer though!

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Kulak was one of the standouts though from what I recall. At even strength he had a 58% corsi, and that was a game where we were outshot 44-30.

He didn't play any better than the rest of the D, and remember that his ice was limited. Gio was a minus 3, so it was the big guns who were taking shot attempts against.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

He didn't play any better than the rest of the D, and remember that his ice was limited. Gio was a minus 3, so it was the big guns who were taking shot attempts against.

I thought he played better than the rest of the D in game 1. He made two mistakes (one bad pass and one bad pinch) but also had a lot of good plays.

No doubt he was sheltered, and that has to be factored in, but he was a better #5 than Engelland was a #6, than Russell was a #3, than Wideman was a #4, than Hamilton was a #2, or than Gio was a #1. That's not saying a whole lot though.

In game 2, he played great at both ends.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

He didn't play any better than the rest of the D, and remember that his ice was limited. Gio was a minus 3, so it was the big guns who were taking shot attempts against.

Wow great logic...

+/- is nothing to do with how many shot attempts you face, it's about how many shots actually go into the net.

Kulak was one of the better D in game 1 and was pretty well mistake free in game 2. So far so good as far as I'm concerned.

[GioforPM]

Since Engelland played better with Brodie last year, and since Kulak is Brodie-lite, it's a bottom pairing that makes sense.

I do think, however, that if Nakladl had a full camp he'd have had a good shot at making the team.