Emergence of the young guys

[BloodFetish]

Originally Posted by anwar

I'm hoping we can sign rampage to an ELC and see how he can do with the big club... I don't see him more than a 5-6 Defense him but he'll probably bring in compete and I like his mean side

And autocorrect with the unintentional nickname! Hope he can live up to it, cuz it's Awesome!

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Thats a low standard to beat. Ill bet you a dollar, lets meet here in 10 years.

Accepted


Etid:
Not sure if you're being facetious, but here's the totals with Iggy and Morris still playing:

Val Bure 621 GP 400 Pts
Derek Morris 1040 GP 406 Pts
Denis Gauthier 554 GP 77 Pts
Jarome Iginla 1224 GP 1097 Pts

3439 GP 1980 Pts

[CaptainCrunch]

While the young kids have played decently well, that still hasn't turned into production, so I'm not willing to use the term emerged until that happens.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

While the young kids have played decently well, that still hasn't turned into production, so I'm not willing to use the term emerged until that happens.

Cresting then? I'd post a gross pic, but I've already been warned.

I like these kids.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Accepted


Etid:
Not sure if you're being facetious, but here's the totals with Iggy and Morris still playing:

Val Bure 621 GP 400 Pts
Derek Morris 1040 GP 406 Pts
Denis Gauthier 554 GP 77 Pts
Jarome Iginla 1224 GP 1097 Pts

3439 GP 1980 Pts

I think the 2000 games and 900 points is doable. But I also factor in the other guys that will come in over the year or two. Sven will beat Val, TJ will beat Derek.

There are no Iginla in the current crop. But if they somehow get Calgary a Cup in 5 years that won't matter. Will they? Who knows? That's why we watch.

[JohnnyB]

Hard work and passion can really stand out and look good in meaningless games. Doesn't stand out so much when games are meaningful and the competition has matching hard work and passion plus more skills.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Accepted


Etid:
Not sure if you're being facetious, but here's the totals with Iggy and Morris still playing:

Val Bure 621 GP 400 Pts
Derek Morris 1040 GP 406 Pts
Denis Gauthier 554 GP 77 Pts
Jarome Iginla 1224 GP 1097 Pts

3439 GP 1980 Pts

Derek Morris is still playing?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

I know. I feel so bad for the guy. He'd easily be in the NHL right now if it weren't for his shoulder.

Something tells me he's going to be the Flames #5-7 d-man next season. He's legit good. Strong, mean, excellent stick checker, intimidating, no one can even touch him in a fight. Can't wait to see him at training camp.

Definitely an element the Flames need more of going forward.

Size, toughness, defensive ability all rolled up in a youthful package. Hopefully he can adjust to, and keep up with the NHL pace. I remember somebody saying that although he's not the best skater, he's at least a step above Sarich. If true he should be fine.

Cundari is supposed to have a ton of grit and physicality too, despite being a shorter guy. Hopefully he can be an NHLer too, he and Breen could bring a lot of physicality, and toughness to our backend next year, as well as youthful enthusiasm for a really cheap combined price.

[FlameZilla]

Am I correct in thinking we need to sign the following youngsters soon or risk losing them?

Hanowski
Granlund
Ramage

All 3 could make an impact in the AHL next year. Though I believe Granlund has signed for another year in Finland.

I'm positive about the youngsters. We've got a good core of secondary players developing. Just need to find the all-star talent for these guys to support.

Genuinely worried about Baertschi's lack of production. He does seem to make great passes, but he seems snakebitten in every sense. Surely that will turn around next season... Sky is still the limit for him, but to me he has yet to leave the launch pad.

Backlund deserves a nice long-term deal to reflect his stats. The guy loves the Flames, plays his heart out and shows glimpses of class. Capable 2nd line center but in all likelihood he's our 1st line guy until we find someone better.

Brodie & Horak have shown they have what it takes to play in the NHL. In the offseason I really hope we avoid signing 2nd line players and 2nd pairing D-men because we may as well develop our own guys.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by freakinsaprikin

Stillman and Savard also both had pretty good careers as well. The Young Gun era could of turned out a bit better if we had some money to supliment the young core. Also if we didn't give Savard away for nothing.

Or Martin St. Louis...

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

I don't get why everyone is so down on these players and this era. Yes the team overall was poor, but it was no shame to promote these players at the time. I'm pretty sure Iginla panned out ok.

For me, it wasn't so much the quality of our top prospects as it was just the sad era in Flames hockey in general that the "Young Guns" term reminds me of; poor drafting (late 90's into the 00's)...not enough talent, and no money to get the right players - ever - due to being in the no cap era, as well as a terrible Canadian dollar...few in the city even paid attention, it wasn't "cool" to be a Flames fan...even rumours of moving to Portland...it was just a dark, dark time in Flamesland.

Even thinking about it while I write this is putting me in a funk, I need a beer..

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Or Martin St. Louis...



For me, it wasn't so much the quality of our top prospects as it was just the sad era in Flames hockey in general that the "Young Guns" term reminds me of; poor drafting (late 90's into the 00's)...not enough talent, and no money to get the right players - ever - due to being in the no cap era, as well as a terrible Canadian dollar...few in the city even paid attention, it wasn't "cool" to be a Flames fan...even rumours of moving to Portland...it was just a dark, dark time in Flamesland.

Even thinking about it while I write this is putting me in a funk, I need a beer..

I remember being super excited when we signed Martin Gelinas. It was so rare for the Flames to actually sign a decent free agent that it felt like a superstar signing.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by blankall

Derek Morris is still playing?

Did he beat up a Vancouver Canuck last year?

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Cole436

edit

We're only a few pieces away from having a good young core. We're obviously missing that franchise player, but that could change with our draft pick this year.

Our most pressing concern at this moment is our defense. Outside of Brodie, none of our young D look to be beyond a 3/4 player.

I disagree. We need an entire first line, top defense pairing and starting goaltender.

[Nemisz/Breen]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Am I correct in thinking we need to sign the following youngsters soon or risk losing them?

Hanowski
Granlund
Ramage

All 3 could make an impact in the AHL next year. Though I believe Granlund has signed for another year in Finland.

I'm positive about the youngsters. We've got a good core of secondary players developing. Just need to find the all-star talent for these guys to support.

Genuinely worried about Baertschi's lack of production. He does seem to make great passes, but he seems snakebitten in every sense. Surely that will turn around next season... Sky is still the limit for him, but to me he has yet to leave the launch pad.

Backlund deserves a nice long-term deal to reflect his stats. The guy loves the Flames, plays his heart out and shows glimpses of class. Capable 2nd line center but in all likelihood he's our 1st line guy until we find someone better.

Brodie & Horak have shown they have what it takes to play in the NHL. In the offseason I really hope we avoid signing 2nd line players and 2nd pairing D-men because we may as well develop our own guys.

Feaster, says talks are ongoing with Granlund and he doesn't see any problems with getting a deal done. Also he is going to talk with Hanowski and Ramage this week end at the frozen fourand try and get them signed.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Re-build complete!

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Nemisz/Breen

Feaster, says talks are ongoing with Granlund and he doesn't see any problems with getting a deal done. Also he is going to talk with Hanowski and Ramage this week end at the frozen fourand try and get them signed.

How does the Granlund situation work? In the current CBA I believe you get 4 years to sign a European player, since Granlund was drafted in the previous CBA I thought the Flames would have even longer to sign him.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Fire

How does the Granlund situation work? In the current CBA I believe you get 4 years to sign a European player, since Granlund was drafted in the previous CBA I thought the Flames would have even longer to sign him.

In the new CBA, you have 4 years to sign a European draft pick, but under the old CBA (which Granlund was drafted under), it's only 2 years.

Granlund has to be signed by June 1, or he can re-enter the draft (and the Flames would receive no compensation because he wasn't a first round pick).

Ramage and Hanowski have to be signed by August 15 or they become UFAs.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by getbak

In the new CBA, you have 4 years to sign a European draft pick, but under the old CBA (which Granlund was drafted under), it's only 2 years.

Granlund has to be signed by June 1, or he can re-enter the draft (and the Flames would receive no compensation because he wasn't a first round pick).

Ramage and Hanowski have to be signed by August 15 or they become UFAs.

Interesting, I am assuming his contract on his Finnish team is done after this season, but assuming it wasn't, would that mean the Flames wouldn't be able to sign him?

[FAN]

Originally Posted by FBI

I'm wondering if due to our overload of old veterans, we've been holding them back too long?

...

These guys are looking fast and excited to play, something we have lacked for awhile.
Maybe these guys should have been called up a long time ago and we shouldn't have held them back so long.. Maybe they aren't as bad as we think they are.

I don't really think any of the young guys were held back and I don't think there were too many guys that deserved to be with the Flames but wasn't. A guy like Horak is obviously ready for the NHL, but he wasn't ready for anything more than a 4th line role and some time on the 3rd line. Sometimes you got to sent the guy down for the sake of player development.

But ya, young guys can bring the type of energy that older veterans often lack. But at the end of the day, it's no fun when the team is losing hockey games.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

I don't get why everyone is so down on these players and this era. Yes the team overall was poor, but it was no shame to promote these players at the time. I'm pretty sure Iginla panned out ok.

Cory Stillman-may not have been elite talent, but played over 1000 games and had over 700 points. Not bad for a chunk of his career played in the clutch/grab/trap era.

Derek Morris-didn't end up being a top 2 defender, but was a serviceable top 4 with better than average offensive skills and ok defensive abilities. A solid overall player that has some holes in his game. Again, played over 1000 games in the NHL with over 400 points as a defenceman. If he was terrible he would have been gone long ago.

Val Bure-just too small, especially during that clutch and grab era. He had great skill, but never put it all together. He did have a 75 point season while with the Flames. He later had 45 points in 55 games with the Panthers. Injuries just caught up with him. 600+ games with 400 points.

Notably Todd Simpson and Jason Wiemer do NOT belong in this picture, but Simpson did at least serve as captain for a while and was a very physical defender.

Wiemer...the less said the better. Best season was 31 points...'nuff said.

Definitely agree with this post - so many of those guys are underrated when looking back at those times. I never bought into the "young guns" era just because the feeling was that whenever any would develop enough to be great, the Flames wouldn't be able to afford them.

I actually really loved Todd Simpson - young captain who gave it his all on the ice, and would stick up for team mates constantly. His fight with Domi was one of the highlights of those years. Still remember Domi giving Simpson a 'congratulatory tap' afterwards.

Weimer I actually liked the FIRST go round on the Flames. The guy had no IQ, but he had a lot of jam.

Bure I always felt was the most underrated of them all. I always wish he stayed in Calgary. I was so pissed at that Rob Niedermeyer trade.

That wasn't a bad bunch or prospects to have at all. Like someone said earlier, just a lack of ability on the Flames' part to not surround those guys better. Calgary COULD have had a couple of Stanley cups had they kept Savard and St. Louis of course... but hindsight is 20/20.

This time around I am much more optimistic just because of the cap. Flames will no longer be a 'farm team' or feeder organization in the NHL, like they were during those (in)famous "young guns" era.