Treliving needs to nail down a tough guy...

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Don't see the need for a goon/fighter at all

That said I do think there's a big need on the backend for a dmen or two that play the game hard. Staple forwards to the boards, knock down small forwards, push players out of the crease, etc. You need some defencemen that make the opposition forwards pay the price if they wanna dump it in and retrieve it. You need some defencemen that make opposition forwards pay the price if they wanna screen our goalie.

Engelland, Stone and Bartkowski all did this to some extent. I'd like to see Stone back but we may need one more strong, physical defensemen. They have to be able to skate and move the puck though.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I tried picturing it, but then realised you must not have watched the Oilers last year. Lucic was a slow nobody.

It's not about having a big bruiser, it's about team toughness. Tkachuk being a crazy person alone did more for our reputation than Engelland did. Teams don't bully teams that aren't afraid, and Tkachuk, Bennett, Hathaway, and even Brouwer most definitely aren't. They might not be heavyweights, but you don't need a heavyweight when you've got a few mean welterweights.

You miss the point... It could Lucic or some other idiot. There are plenty of them around the league.

Tkachuk is an agitator and a great player... He is not a great fighter. He will be missing teeth or tone down that element of his game on a soft team. No one else who can handle themself backs off him, he stirs the pot.

We don't need a knuckle dragger who cant play. The game has chnaged. But we need a solid middleweight who can take a shift. Otherwise someone like Tkachuk or Bennett will throw a big hit and have Kassian or Nurse forcing them to fight.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Gaudreau Monahan Ferland
Jankowski Backlund Frolik
Tkachuk Bennett Lazar
Lomberg Stajan Hathaway
Hamilton Chiasson

Bolded players bring toughness
(if you're wondering where Bouma and Brouwer are, they were fired into the sun)

We could definitely use a scrapper on D though

Who is Lomberg?

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Johnny's a grown man not a child. If he gets pushed down he gets back up. Responses these days typically lead to a two minute minor penalty for instigation or roughing. I think some of you people take this toughness stuff way too seriously. Johnny's seen this kind of stuff for his entire career being one of the smaller players on the ice at all ages. If it was something that he couldn't handle he would never had made the NHL in the first place. I don't understand why there has to be retribution for hard hits or a little pushing. Players are penalized after all for dirty play so I don't see the point of running after a guy that's heading to the box anyway? Flames have several players on the roster that can drop the gloves and it's not like the league has many heavyweight scrappers left anyway.

I don't disagree that Johnny can take care of himself but I do think team toughness creates a certain identity and encourages confidence. We saw how Johnny seemed to respond better with more confidence when they put Ferland on that line. I think opposing teams strategy includes wearing down forwards over the course of a game or series and team toughness can factor into that.

Engelland didn't just bring size but added leadership and character which are important qualities. We will have to see how our team toughness stands up to the test without Engelland

[RougeUnderoos]

Engelland was not a goon. Nobody is saying the Flames need a goon. He was a tough guy and every guy in the room liked having him around. Now they don't have him and he needs to be replaced by another tough guy. This isn't revolutionary talk or an old school mentality. They are still playing hockey.

It's all well and good to have "team toughness", but if the Flames find themselves in a blowout with the Oilers and things get hairy (which still does happen), I'd rather the Flames didn't send Bennett and Tkachuk out to keep things even with Lucic and Kassian.

[kukkudo]

Flames need a player like Kassian haha hate to say it. But someone who can play but can also create some sh*t

[Toonage]

Hathaway fills all these needs. Maybe not leadership. No idea there.

[Backlunds_socks]

Some of the posts are so stupid on here. People calling the OP out with " we don't need a fighter" "fighting is old" blah blah. The OP clearly states we need to get tougher, we need tough players which was true when Engelland was here and is even more true now - the game of hockey needs tough players. Looking at PIT they are a tough team, they are skilled and players like Malkin are not small.

[Kybb79]

Flames need a tough guy like i said lastnight.Lucic will be in his glory knowing no one will fight him now.

[868904]

There's only a handful of guys now who can play aNd actually fight. Unfortunately 4 of them play for the Oilers.

Treliving missed the boat last year when he signed Brouwer and should have signed Stewart instead.

There's still Iggy but he apparently doesn't want to play here anymore.

This is where Engelland had so much value. Now the Flames will have to carry a crap player as the 13 forward or 7 defenceman just for when they play teams like the Oilers and Ducks.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Engelland was not a goon. Nobody is saying the Flames need a goon. He was a tough guy and every guy in the room liked having him around. Now they don't have him and he needs to be replaced by another tough guy. This isn't revolutionary talk or an old school mentality. They are still playing hockey.

It's all well and good to have "team toughness", but if the Flames find themselves in a blowout with the Oilers and things get hairy (which still does happen), I'd rather the Flames didn't send Bennett and Tkachuk out to keep things even with Lucic and Kassian.

The Flames need a physical defenseman or two that can make things difficult in front of the net for opposing forwards far more than they need to spend a roster spot on a player to fit special occasions as bolded. Bring up Hunter Smith if you think you are anticipating a game where things may get out of control.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Flames need a tough guy like i said lastnight.Lucic will be in his glory knowing no one will fight him now.

How many fights did he get into last year? Did he get into a fight with any Flames? You want the Flames to use a regular roster spot on a player that may face Lucic five times in a season? The Ducks didn't beat the Oilers in the playoffs physically. They just scored more goals when it mattered.

[868904]

For those who say you don't need toughness, just look at the Oilers. They turned it around after bringing in Maroon, Kassian, Lucic and Nurse. These guys allowed McDavid and Draisatl to play their game.

The Pens and Hawks don't have a guy now but when their star guys were younger, they did have them. Bollig and Eager was there for the Hawks and the Pens had Engelland.

Never mind the fact that the Flames core is no where near as good as the Hawks or Pens core.

[Par]

The Flames to do list has just gone up, they needed a top RW to play on the top line, a top 6 forward, a top 4 D man, a starting goalie(still a ?) and now toughness, this team has more holes than Swiss cheese.

[djsFlames]

Guys who play tough are more important than tough players for this team right now.

The greatest thing Tree could do is land a top 6 skilled winger that doesn't get pushed around. Monahan and gaudreau sorely need a bully that can also contribute his fair share of offense.

That was supposed to be Brower but I never saw him as that guy.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Flames need a physical defenseman or two that can make things difficult in front of the net for opposing forwards far more than they need to spend a roster spot on a player to fit special occasions as bolded. Bring up Hunter Smith if you think you are anticipating a game where things may get out of control.

Hunter Smith is a crap fighter. Kanzig can't play and isn't that good at fighting either.

Flames will probably acquire a Prout or McIlrath as a 7 defenceman.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

How many fights did he get into last year? Did he get into a fight with any Flames? You want the Flames to use a regular roster spot on a player that may face Lucic five times in a season? The Ducks didn't beat the Oilers in the playoffs physically. They just scored more goals when it mattered.

Engelland fought Lucic twice last year.Who from the farm can do that?Smith got tuned by Nurse before.

[CliffFletcher]

If the issue is getting pushed around, then the Flames need a better powerplay.

Seriously, three of the four teams in the semi-finals weren't tough teams at all. Look at the rosters of the Pens, Preds, and Senators and tell me they're tougher than the Flames.

The game has changed. Do players need to have jam? Yes. Do you need guys wiling to go to the dirty areas and make plays? Yes. Do you need to have guys who will exact retribution by chucking knuckles? Nope.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Par

The Flames to do list has just gone up, they needed a top RW to play on the top line, a top 6 forward, a top 4 D man, a starting goalie(still a ?) and now toughness, this team has more holes than Swiss cheese.

They have 5/6 parts of a fine top 6. They just need the RW.

Resigning Stone would give them an adequate top 4, even though an upgrade would be welcome. And they addressed the starting goaltender. There's holes, but it's not as hole-y as you make it out to be. The rest is just upgrading the depth where possible.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Flames need a physical defenseman or two that can make things difficult in front of the net for opposing forwards far more than they need to spend a roster spot on a player to fit special occasions as bolded. Bring up Hunter Smith if you think you are anticipating a game where things may get out of control.

The thing about Engelland is that he could do both. Now he's gone and that toughness needs to be replaced on the everyday roster. That's all I'm saying.