2018/2019 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[neo45]

Here is the chart that shows there clearly is an issue with depth scoring on our team.

The only team in the league with a higher discrepancy would have to be Edmonton, or maybe Buffalo (I didn’t actually do the math)

[Enoch Root]

But part of the reason that the depth scoring is lower, is that the top 5 have been awesome, and healthy, and as a result, have dominated PP time.

Also, I expect Backlund, Neal, Bennett, and probably Jankowski, will all have better 2nd halfs than first halfs.

I don't see a lot to be concerned about here.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Neal is 6th in TOI per game among forwards. That sounds about right to me. And that is partially due to PP time, which also makes sense. Maybe Bennett should be ahead of him? Who else?

I mean, it's debatable, but it is hardly egregious.

Well all things considered, a 0.18 ppg with top 6 minutes is about as bad as it gets league wide. Is there even a player in the league that plays the same minutes as Neal who has a worse points per game played? Then if you consider salary and who he's played with, he'd probably be at the very bottom of the NHL statistically speaking.

How Jankowski hasn't made his way up to the PP is beyond me. Not only is the guy out scoring everyone else in the bottom 6, but he's doing it with short handed goals/points. Neal should be moved below the hashmarks and Jankowski should be situated in the middle or the flank to utilize that shot of his.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Well all things considered, a 0.18 ppg with top 6 minutes is about as bad as it gets league wide. Is there even a player in the league that plays the same minutes as Neal who has a worse points per game played? Then if you consider salary and who he's played with, he'd probably be at the very bottom of the NHL statistically speaking.

How Jankowski hasn't made his way up to the PP is beyond me. Not only is the guy out scoring everyone else in the bottom 6, but he's doing it with short handed goals/points. Neal should be moved below the hashmarks and Jankowski should be situated in the middle or the flank to utilize that shot of his.

I agree that Neal hasn't performed - everyone does. But the question is how to deal with it? Give him opportunities to get going? Or cut his ice-time, ensuring he will never right the ship, and give the ice-time to who - Czarnik? Hathaway?

[CanadaMatt]

Seeing as though the conversation had moved away from a Trade speculation, Somebody should start a dedicated Neal thread for this discussion

[djsFlames]

We could use a bit more scoring down the lineup. If Neal were on pace for a 25 goal season like he was signed in hopes of then this wouldn't even be discussed I think.

Backlund should be better in the coming months, Jankowski is trending up and hopefully Frolik can get back to scoring like he did pre injury.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I agree that Neal hasn't performed - everyone does. But the question is how to deal with it? Give him opportunities to get going? Or cut his ice-time, ensuring he will never right the ship, and give the ice-time to who - Czarnik? Hathaway?

Well in terms of names, Bennett, Frolik would be up there. Quine could stand to see some extra shifts. Jankowski should definitely be the PP. When Dube is on his game, he should be getting middle 6 minutes. He's probably the fastest player on the team along with Johnny and can create offense with his speed and forecheck.

[Enoch Root]

so a bunch of LW and Cs. None of whom are putting up more (significantly) points than him

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by neo45

The stats actually do bear out a lack of depth scoring. When you remove our top 5 scoring players we are near the bottom in goals for. Since we are 4th in total goals for that completely proves his point that there is a major discrepancy.


Outside of our first power play unit we don’t have many players capable of driving offense. Other teams do. That’s a problem

No, I’d go back and look at his post. By “too top heavy” he’s suggesting we’re a one line team, and that a solution is needed to get the top two lines going (adding Simmonds, moving Lindholm down to the 2nd line).

Showing a chart that suggests the majority of our scoring already comes from lines 1/2 doesn’t prove the point that we need more scoring from line 2, it might disprove it entirely.

And this is still simply inventing a problem for a solution. Other teams have more offensive depth, true, we also have 5 of the best point producers in the league right now. All 5 are in the top 50 in the NHL. Out of 31 teams, we have 5 of the most productive player in the top 50, and 4 of the most productive players in the top 31.

So yes, when you take out our 5 best players there is a discrepancy. No kidding. That’s because our top 5 are better than any other top 5 in the league.

When you factor in things such as TOI, P/60, etc, our discrepancy isn’t much different than that of Pittsburgh, Winnipeg, San Jose, etc. Most teams aren’t unicorns that have a ton of top line scoring in addition to scoring throughout the rest of the roster. The team that is, is called the Lightning.

I mean really, don’t you think there are teams out there scoring throughout the lineup saying “we don’t have a top line who can drive the play like Calgary’s, that’s a problem.” Just because another team has something you don’t, doesn’t make it a problem, as long you have something they don’t (and would you look at that, we do!)

[sureLoss]

LeBrun suggests the Flames adding another veteran d-man would be the perfect move in his latest The Athletic notebook.

Looks like pure speculation on his part, but it has been shown that he has reliable sources with the Flames.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

LeBrun suggests the Flames adding another veteran d-man would be the perfect move in his latest The Athletic notebook.

Looks like pure speculation on his part, but it has been shown that he has reliable sources with the Flames.

Do not want. The kids have been more than ok.

[TheScorpion]

I could see the want for a left-handed veteran depth guy, something which the Flames don't really have.

[alan21]

Is it needed with Kylington stepping in and Valimaki due back in a month or so. Also Michael Stone is still around.

[TheScorpion]

It's not "needed," per se, but it's a nice luxury that could turn into a game-breaker should this team face injuries in the playoffs. Remember, Stone also shoots right. And we've seen what's happened this year when Peters has slotted in two right-handed defensemen alongside each other in the bottom half of the lineup. Andersson and Prout really looked like a poor pairing.

Another natural lefty would make a world of sense. The Flames have one vet star on the left side in Giordano and then three guys aged 22-and-under after that. Meanwhile, the right side is a much more diverse mix. I could see Treliving picking up a guy in that 27-29 range on a short-term deal. Guys like Kevin Connauton, Fredrik Claesson, or Jordan Oesterle would fit that mould.

[Heavy Jack]

I’d like a higher end rental center as well if the cost wasn’t too steep to play between Bennett and Neal.

Dzingle
Spezza
Brock Nelson
Filppula

Out of that group Spezza is the guy I want to see playing with the Flames the most by trade deadline; he’s almost matched his total output of all last year in half as many games, has a 59% faceoff percentage and is playing on the PP and averaging 14+ mins a night. If Dallas is out of it in February he’d be a perfect addition to target.

As for the defence one guy I want in particular and for nothing more than a mid pick/b prospect type offer would be Kronwall who Peters is very familiar with from being an assistant for 3 of his seasons in Detroit.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Spezza - Neal
Jankowski - Ryan - Hathaway
Dube, Czarnik

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Kronwall - Andersson
Valimaki/Kylington

Rittich
Smith

[sureLoss]

nm

[oldschoolcalgary]

hoping calgary doesn't do any rash that compromises the team long term nor messes with the chemistry of a team that is clearly playing well with one another.

[Phagoof]

Kronwall, Maroon, Schenn/Other talented center would all be wonderful

[David Struch]

Deep: (even without Frolík)

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Ryan
Bennett - Schenn - Neal
Maroon - Jankowski - Hathaway
Mangiapane - Dubé - Czarnik

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Kronwall - Andersson
Valimaki - Kylington
Prout - Stone

Rittich
Smith

[CGY12]

Do not want Maroon. If we need to add size, that player needs to be able to skate and keep up in transition. Maroon doesn't fit that build.

Schenn would be a good pickup.