2011-12 Prospect Stats and Update Thread

[Freeway]

Ortio's still very young. If he can get some regular playing time, he'd be laughing.
But one of the difficulties is that the organizational philosophy is that the best way to develop players is in a winning environment. It's hard to win with a 20-year-old goalie who's still learning the ropes. I get that. But Ortio's gonna stay the same until they give him more time to learn.

[Cheerio]

Why don't they send Ortio down to the ECHL so he can get more playing time and learn the North American game and get used to the smaller ice? Didn't they do something similar with Irving when in one of his first pro seasons?

[Freeway]

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

[flamesfan55]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

Wow thats risky, good on him though. Sounds like he is in a lot better shape then he was coming into camp.

[Johnny Rotten]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

Great story! I found this interesting, "he's carved his weight down to 205 pounds...".

I think the AHL website had had him at 225lbs.earlier this year; now the website has him at 207 lbs. A BIG change.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

Great story.

Ward is such a amazing coach for the prospects. Now, there's the problem of getting Howse into the top 6...

I'll be going to the game tonight and I'll try to pay particular attention to him.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

That's awesome, so wouldn't fly in the NHL, but someone needed to kick Howse's a** into gear, if Rick Hesketh couldn't even do it this summer.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Troy Ward is a ballsy coach.
How ballsy?
Sitting the team's 50+ goal scorer from the WHL for A MONTH because he showed up heavy.

http://www.abbynews.com/sports/heat/news/135706248.html

awesome read! I think Ward did a great job sidelining Howse - it may be radical, but nothing kicks a hockey player's rear more than not playing him. It seems Howse had to learn what kind of discipline is needed at the pro level, and if Ward's treatment is effective (and it seems it does, cutting down 14 pounds in that short period is impressive), I'm fine with that. I'm really glad Ward is the coach in Abby, it seems he's a good guy.

[devo22]

Patrick Holland had 1 goal and 2 assists in a 5-1 win.

Michael Ferland had 1 goal in a 3-2 loss.

Max Reinhart and Joey Leach were both scoreless in a 5-4 win.

[Johnny Rotten]

Patrick Holland has two goals and an assist tonight; that's 6 goals and 7 assists on his last 6 games.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Brossoit made 21 saves in a 2-1 win.
Elson had a goal and went +1.
Holland had 2 goals and 1 assist and went +3.
Wotherspoon went +5 in an 8-6 win.

[RaitisIvanans41]

Ivanans is injured.

[kermitology]

Thanks for that link on Ward sitting Howse. I am incredibly impressed with Troy Ward. Not only. Ecause of how the Heat are playing, or this ballsy move with Howse, but it seems that every player that is sent up to Calgary is extremely prepared for the NHL game. That has to be Ward's doing.

I kind of want Bärtchi to spend half a season or a full season in Abbotsford just so that he gets time with Ward and matures in a winning environment that Calgary is unlikely to offer next season.

[RaitisIvanans41]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Thanks for that link on Ward sitting Howse. I am incredibly impressed with Troy Ward. Not only. Ecause of how the Heat are playing, or this ballsy move with Howse, but it seems that every player that is sent up to Calgary is extremely prepared for the NHL game. That has to be Ward's doing.

I kind of want Bärtchi to spend half a season or a full season in Abbotsford just so that he gets time with Ward and matures in a winning environment that Calgary is unlikely to offer next season.

I think Ward is a better coach that Brett Sutter.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Thanks for that link on Ward sitting Howse. I am incredibly impressed with Troy Ward. Not only. Ecause of how the Heat are playing, or this ballsy move with Howse, but it seems that every player that is sent up to Calgary is extremely prepared for the NHL game. That has to be Ward's doing.

I kind of want Bärtchi to spend half a season or a full season in Abbotsford just so that he gets time with Ward and matures in a winning environment that Calgary is unlikely to offer next season.

Perhaps Ward will be coaching the Calgary Flames next season. Stranger things have happened.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Perhaps Ward will be coaching the Calgary Flames next season. Stranger things have happened.

He has coached at the NHL level before, so it wouldn't be completely out of the question.

He has so much respect from the players, especially the prospects. If the Flames are indeed going to start a youth movement in Calgary, then I think Ward is definitely the guy.

On the other hand, Sutter has been a young player's coach for nearly his whole career, so maybe they'll keep him on.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

He has coached at the NHL level before, so it wouldn't be completely out of the question.

He has so much respect from the players, especially the prospects. If the Flames are indeed going to start a youth movement in Calgary, then I think Ward is definitely the guy.

On the other hand, Sutter has been a young player's coach for nearly his whole career, so maybe they'll keep him on.

It would be like Mike Yeo in Minnesota. Spent a year in Houston, put his system together there and got to know a lot of the young players trying to make the Wild, and then next year he was hired in Minnesota. Knows the players, knows that the AHL guys already know his system. It makes sense.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by RaitisIvanans41

I think Ward is a better coach that Brett Sutter.

Undoubtedly. One of a coach of a minor league team, and one is a player on the Carolina Huricanes.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by kermitology

I kind of want Bärtchi to spend half a season or a full season in Abbotsford just so that he gets time with Ward and matures in a winning environment that Calgary is unlikely to offer next season.

Normally that wouldn't be an option because the player would have to go back to junior for another season. However Baertschi does have a birthdate that falls in the range that allows him to go the minors next year. Which is nice because it allows the Flames to put him in the minors, or play him for part of the year up in Calgary and demote him while still being able to recall him.

[rednex50]

I don't think that him doing a job on his shoulders last season in the playoffs helped. Obviously he needed to change some habits he picked up (some times billets take care of all the day to day stuff and never show them the way to live properly), which in this case is awesome...but not being able to work out as hard as you expect (or the Flames expected) due to rehab can make you be a little heavier than "norm".

But yes, looking at his time, and stats lately, he seems to finally getting his feet under him and I sense that his first Pro goal is just around the corner...the first of many.

Ryan struggled a bit as a 16 yr old until about Christmas as well. Then he went to play for the Under-17 tourney, and came back with all kinds of confidence and swagger that he needed to crank up his game. From seeing his comments, I am sensing that same thing all over again. Which only bodes well for Ward, the Heat and maybe even the Flames if needed up there this season.

And yes, once he gets on a role and in a groove, you could very well see him in "the show" this season. He is that special.