Stockton Heat 2015/2016 General Discussion

[bigbadboss101]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Smith has more size, better hands, and more skill IMO. If he can develop that first stride, he'll be an NHLer

Carroll is a more technical fighter IMO.

[shotinthebacklund]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Ortio has not been good at all this season. If he doesn't sort himself out soon, I probably would not look at re-signing him.

Ortio was a AHL all-star last year. Hes a goalie, This happens . Cant be too short sighted when it comes to goalies. One poor season could be a Bump in the road. I would expect he is re-signed for one more year.

[cross16]

I ask only because I've never got a chance to watch the Heat, but has Ortio been as bad as stats suggest or is it the team in from of him too?

I'm a big Ryan Huska fan but is there concern at all now that there are back to back fairly up and down seasons?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by cross16

I ask only because I've never got a chance to watch the Heat, but has Ortio been as bad as stats suggest or is it the team in from of him too?

I'm a big Ryan Huska fan but is there concern at all now that there are back to back fairly up and down seasons?

I'd be a lot more concerned about how players are developing than if the team wins or loses. You can import a bunch of AHL all-stars and get a winning team if that's the desire.

In terms of the prospects - none of them are putting up points - so he may be failing there but I don't watch the team to see if there's much development happening.

[868904]

Yea i'm definitely concerned with how the prospects are developing in the AHL. Last year the team didn't find much success but at least individually, there were some bright spots, in particular our best prospect in Poirier.

This year, none of the prospects down on the farm are producing and Poirier especially has struggled. The top scorers on the team probably don't have a real NHL future (Grant, Shore, Hamilton) and 3 of the top defence prospects (Kulak, Morrison, Wotherspoon) who were expected to challenge and push for spots in the NHL have put up terrible numbers.

And the team doesn't win.

[Two Fivenagame]

Originally Posted by 868904

Yea i'm definitely concerned with how the prospects are developing in the AHL. Last year the team didn't find much success but at least individually, there were some bright spots, in particular our best prospect in Poirier.

This year, none of the prospects down on the farm are producing and Poirier especially has struggled. The top scorers on the team probably don't have a real NHL future (Grant, Shore, Hamilton) and 3 of the top defence prospects (Kulak, Morrison, Wotherspoon) who were expected to challenge and push for spots in the NHL have put up terrible numbers.

And the team doesn't win.

Agreed. I think lower individual stats can tolerated if the team is winning; a result of strong positional and defensive play.

[Caged Great]

It is also difficult when you're playing only on the weekend. After the new year, the Heat are playing more consistently which should allow players to get more in a groove.

[Freeway]

If your goaltending is BAD, it's hard to tell how the rest of the team is going because that poisons the entire well.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by shotinthebacklund

Ortio was a AHL all-star last year. Hes a goalie, This happens . Cant be too short sighted when it comes to goalies. One poor season could be a Bump in the road. I would expect he is re-signed for one more year.

Ortio was an AHL all-star because the ADK Flames went on 2 or 3 extended winning streaks in Nov-Jan where they scored a ton of goals and didn't allow many. Yet despite those extended winning streaks Ortio didn't even finish in the top 30 in GAA or SV% in the AHL last year. Being named to the all-star game does not make you one of the best.

[shotinthebacklund]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Ortio was an AHL all-star because the ADK Flames went on 2 or 3 extended winning streaks in Nov-Jan where they scored a ton of goals and didn't allow many. Yet despite those extended winning streaks Ortio didn't even finish in the top 30 in GAA or SV% in the AHL last year. Being named to the all-star game does not make you one of the best.

While I do Agree with what you said, I did not mean he is worth resigning based a mean nothing all-star nomination.

He is worth resigning as a goalie in the system that has shown capability in the NHL albeit small size.

Also its a position of questionable depth especially short term where he fits in.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Ortio sure looked pretty darn good in an extended stretch in the NHL last season.

I think that alone is worth another solid look. Which he may indeed get this season, if we can ever sucker somebody into taking Hiller or Ramo off our hands...

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Ortio sure looked pretty darn good in an extended stretch in the NHL last season.

I think that alone is worth another solid look. Which he may indeed get this season, if we can ever sucker somebody into taking Hiller or Ramo off our hands...

He had some great games and some mediocre ones. The difference between a good goalie and a bad one isn't how good they look in short stretches because they all can. It's how often they're mediocre that tells you what you need to know

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

He had some great games and some mediocre ones. The difference between a good goalie and a bad one isn't how good they look in short stretches because they all can. It's how often they're mediocre that tells you what you need to know

For me, the biggest reason I think Ortio has an uphill battle to be an NHLer is how badly he's flopped in the AHL, multiple times.

He doesn't seem to have the resiliency to take a bad loss, or a demotion, or a change in team, in stride. When he gets shaken, he seems to just completely fall apart for a little while.

Keeping your glove hand high when you're in the butterfly? That's something that can be drilled into you.

Not turning to mush when you need to redeem yourself? That's probably harder to fix, and something he'll need to prove before anyone offers him a starting gig in the big show.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Ortio sure looked pretty darn good in an extended stretch in the NHL last season.

I think that alone is worth another solid look. Which he may indeed get this season, if we can ever sucker somebody into taking Hiller or Ramo off our hands...

how the hell is 5 games (one of which was terrible and another nothing too special) an extended stretch?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by 868904

Yea i'm definitely concerned with how the prospects are developing in the AHL. Last year the team didn't find much success but at least individually, there were some bright spots, in particular our best prospect in Poirier.

This year, none of the prospects down on the farm are producing and Poirier especially has struggled. The top scorers on the team probably don't have a real NHL future (Grant, Shore, Hamilton) and 3 of the top defence prospects (Kulak, Morrison, Wotherspoon) who were expected to challenge and push for spots in the NHL have put up terrible numbers.

And the team doesn't win.

Hathaway was a force in the Flames training camp. He looked like he has NHL upside for sure, more as a grinder sure but he he NHL skating, size, physical play and some decent hands. I actually thought he might have made the team I was that impressed by him in camp/preseason.

Grant looked like a decent NHLer this season. I think he'd still be up if we weren't so deep at centre. Great size, good on faceoffs, good skating. I liked him game this year.

Hamilton may very well end up an NHLer as well.

So yeah, don't really agree with your assessment that their top players probably won't be NHLers.

[Enoch Root]

Just turned the game on and, 3 minutes in, Ortio has been pulled. Pretty sure it's only 1-0.

And no, he was not hurt.

Edit: nope, apparently 2 goals. It's 2-1 Texas. Must have been a busy 3 minutes.

[Drury18]

Its 2-1 actually. 2 quick goals by Texas.

[Enoch Root]

3-1 Texas now, after a PP goal

[Enoch Root]

Hamilton takes advantage of a turnover and closes the gap to 3-2

Regardless of the score, this PBP guy for the Heat is just awesome. His passion is so infectious.

[Enoch Root]

Two quick goals to start the 2nd for Texas and it's now 5-2