[News] Flames do NOT qualify Hanowski, Ramage, and Acolaste

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

What surprises me the most is that people are surprised Paul Byron got qualified.

Do you people watch the Calgary Flames play hockey?

Glad our management and coaching staff know what's up.

Byron slipped people's minds because of the late season injury and missing the playoffs, but yeah, he's the poster boy for 'earned not given.' Glad he's still around. Key bottom 4 and PK guy.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

If Byron puts a full summer into his shooting/dekeing, he can become the perfect 3rd line player. He's already amazing on the PK. He's already faster than everyone else. He's got the tenacity of Ferland without the size. His puck possession seems to be quite good without looking at any stats.

If he could manage to score on 1/3 break-aways, damn. That would be a player. Until then Byron is still a very versatile utility player and is the perfect 13th forward to put into games where speed will trump size.

Regarding Ramage, I don't think he's big enough to play his defensive game in the NHL. His leadership abilities are supposedly through the roof though, so I could see him getting picked up somewhere. If Edmonton was smart they'd put him on their farm team.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I absolutely agree, and he was huge help during 4 on 4s and OT. Just get him a good breakaway coach, because if he starts converting all those chances into goals he would be lethal.

The main thing to be said against him is that he is small, and makes the flames so much less physical after the whistle. On the forward ranks we only have Bollig, and Ferland that can dish out the rough stuff(also, Bouma and Jones to a lesser extant).

It is obviously a weakness, as it was exposed in games like game 3 in the Canucks series. After the score got to 4:1 Flames the Canucks started running our players with 5 min left, Bob's bench got short in a hurry. It also resulted in players like Russel, Colborne, Wideman(game 2), Stajan(Game 2) having to fight. Byron has the heart of a lion but he seems to only magnify that weakness.

You're in for a treat my friend. Bennett and Poirier are both known to get under the other teams skin. They are big enough to push guys around and are feisty as hell.

Colborne has slowly become more comfortable using his extra weight as well. You know damn well Burke has been telling him to add a physical edge to his game.

I think we have enough hard-nosed players that the Flames can have Gaudreau and Byron both in the lineup without being intimidated by other teams toughness.