Bob Mackenzie Flames 16/17 preview

[djsFlames]

Given the lack of experience in the options we have to fill those 'holes' I'd be less surprised thinking about it now if Higgins gets a one year contract. Even just to be a 13th forward that can slot in on the 2nd/3rd line if needed.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by New Era

Makes all the sense in the world. Toss an 18 year old rookie on a line with a couple of two way checkers and think he is going to, not only survive in the NHL, but provide offense for those two checkers. I would hope Gulutzan has a little more on the ball than that. I would hope he would recognize that would be an incredible waste of talent. Your generality is sweet and all, but just out of curiosity, who was the last Flames player that started out as a checker and showed he was a top line talent? Who has top line talent that was thrust into a checking role that found his way to be a talented scorer like the Flames hope that Tkachuk will be?

You're talking about Backlund and Frolik like they're fourth line plugs, which isn't accurate at all. They are more than capable of providing secondary scoring while being responsible defensively. Tkachuk wouldn't be playing with them to "provide offense for those two checkers", he would be playing with them to learn defensive responsibility from two reliable NHL veterans that can help to cover his mistakes. Expecting Tkachuk to produce top six (or top line) scoring in his rookie year is a bit far fetched. If he is to make the team out of camp it will be in a third or maybe second line role, and if he shows well then he can move up the lineup. Always earned, never given. Are we still saying that, or was it a Hartley-ism?

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I really, really hope Bennett and Tkachuk can gel into one of those pairs. Having a Monahan-Gaudreau and Bennett-Tkachuk one-two punch would serve us well.

I hope not, I really believe that you can stunt players growth by making them jump up to early. Give Tkachuk 3/4 of the year to grow and mature in the AHL. Even if he has a great training camp!

Short term pains for long term gains!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

I hope not, I really believe that you can stunt players growth by making them jump up to early. Give Tkachuk 3/4 of the year to grow and mature in the AHL. Even if he has a great training camp!

Short term pains for long term gains!

Tkachuk cant go to the AHL - it's make the team or go back to London

And with respect to Tkachuk and Bennett becoming a pairing, I don't think he meant right away, just eventually.

And Poirier would be a great RW for them if he can take that step

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

I hope not, I really believe that you can stunt players growth by making them jump up to early. Give Tkachuk 3/4 of the year to grow and mature in the AHL. Even if he has a great training camp!

Short term pains for long term gains!

Tkachuk would have to go back to London, not AHL.

[Vulcan]

I'll let the coach and training camp figure it out but I'd be enthused to see Tkachuk with Bennett this season.

[Illuminaughty]

Personally I would like to see our prospects seasoned in the appropriate leagues, until they are really kicking the doors down to make the big club. We still have too much dead weight on the big club and let's be honest, even with the new acquisitions, we aren't ready to contend just yet. Too many question marks and things that would have to go right for us to make a deep run. Besides, it would be nice to have some guys on cheap deals when we are poised to make a cup run.

[HelloHockeyFans]

I'd love to be wrong of course, but I just can't see Chiasson being a viable option on the top line. Does Pribyl play RW? Long shot there too, but I suppose he's more of an unknown, where as we've seen Chiasson's struggles last season in the NHL with Ottawa.

[activeStick]

Tkachuk has to make it over one of Ferland, Higgins, Bollig or Shinkaruk... I think he does as long as he keeps up his pain in the ass style

[wired]

Originally Posted by Iniggywetrust

http://www.tsn.ca/video/training-cam...-belief~953291

This guy is just a cut above everyone else out there.

I totally agree with you. Too few quality analysts out there.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I would be hesitant to start Tkachuk with Backlund and Frolik. Not because I think they are 'offensively challenged' - Backlund makes other players better.

I just think that the Backlund line puts in the hardest minutes against the top competition. Tkachuk on a line with Bennett and a vet like Brouwer would enable Gulutzan to work Tkachuk in a bit more slowly and allow him to be a bit more sheltered, IMO. The opposing teams will always try and put their top defensive guys out against Monahan and Gaudreau, and I would assume that Gulutzan would be putting Backlund and Frolik out against the opposition's strongest offensive players. Leaves the 2nd line slightly easier to shelter someone in.

[Lord Carnage]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

I'd love to be wrong of course, but I just can't see Chiasson being a viable option on the top line. Does Pribyl play RW? Long shot there too, but I suppose he's more of an unknown, where as we've seen Chiasson's struggles last season in the NHL with Ottawa.

Take a look at Chaisson from his time with Dallas though... Yes, Ottawa didn't go well for him, but if reuniting him with Gulutzan gets him back to how he performed with the Stars, I see no reason he couldn't fill that top-line role...


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[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Gaudreau - Monahan - ___
____ - Bennett - Brouwer
____ - Backlund - Frolik
Stajan - ____ - Bouma/Ferland/Bollig

I clipped this for the length, but I do believe if Stajan is moved to LW it would be to get him more ice-time, not to be 4th line LW.

[TheScorpion]

One possibility which no-one has brought up could be a Stajan - Backlund - Frolik line. That'd be some kinda shut-down line.

[TheoFleury]

Stajan is done as an offensive player in this league. I really hope the Flames keep him stapled to the 4th line rather than taking opportunity away from anyone with some semblance of offensive upside. The idea that he is a great defensive player is overblown IMO. He's slightly above average in that regard, slow, and has zero offense at this point. He is a replacement player.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

One possibility which no-one has brought up could be a Stajan - Backlund - Frolik line. That'd be some kinda shut-down line.

Mackenzie suggested this and said Gulutzen has told Stajan this might be possible. Few posters last year have suggested this too.

Could be good imo. Build up some value and possibly trade him at the deadline if need be.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Mackenzie suggested this and said Gulutzen has told Stajan this might be possible. Few posters last year have suggested this too.

Could be good imo. Build up some value and possibly trade him at the deadline if need be.

I really hope not. LW on that line is the perfect place to shield a young up-and-comer. If Stajan's there, it means it's more important to prop up a stale, expensive vet than it is to let a young guy have it... or, even worse, none of the young guys prove they are better than Stajan. Either way, not good.

[JiriHrdina]

It isn't that black and white. I imagine we will see all sorts of combinations not just in camp, but through the season, including Stajan on the 3rd line

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

I really hope not. LW on that line is the perfect place to shield a young up-and-comer. If Stajan's there, it means it's more important to prop up a stale, expensive vet than it is to let a young guy have it... or, even worse, none of the young guys prove they are better than Stajan. Either way, not good.

Disagree. As someone above already mentioned this is a shutdown line that will see bunch of tough matchups. There's no hiding on this line.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Disagree. As someone above already mentioned this is a shutdown line that will see bunch of tough matchups. There's no hiding on this line.

I just don't think Stajan is good enough defensively to offset his lack of speed, skill and upside. Putting a Poirier, Tkachuk or a Shinkaruk on that line isn't going to compromise their overall effectiveness as a line, especially if the other option is Stajan. I would be right there with you if Stajan was still any good but that ship has sailed.