[PGT] Flames lose 2-1

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

The cup contenders do....

Panarin-Anisimov-Kane
Teravainen-Toews-Hossa

Benn-Seguin-Nichushkin
Sharp-Spezza-Eakin

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Oshie
Johansson-Backstrom-Williams

Lucic-Kopitar-Carter
Pearson-Toffoli-Gaborik

By Calgarypuck's lofty standards, guys like Eakin, Teravainen, Pearson, Nichushkin, and Anisimov are 3rd liners.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

I'm not sure. I wonder what a top 10 list comprised of young, big and physical D would look like.

You might have to start scouring AHL rosters just to get to 10. This kind of player and solid a the NHL level is a unicorn

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by heep223

Honestly I don't think any team in the league has 6 legitimate top 6 forwards. Look at any roster. Salary cap era

The Oilerrr—aahh...

Oh. I thought you said six legitimate top-six draft picks.

[MoreDrank]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Yes, but if you're wanting to deal off Wideman at some point, marginalizing his playing time isn't in your best interest either. It's a bit of a catch 22 at this point.

I get idea of management trying to showcase Wideman to an extent but ultimately Bob should be worried about winning games (assuming he cares about his job) and make adjustments with the blue line's ice-time. While Wideman has taken a big step back overall this season, he's been especially poor on this road trip.

It's on Treliving to deal with Wideman's contract regardless of how Hartley chooses to play him.

The coaching staff seems to be hoping Wide plays into a hot streak with all the opportunities he's had and it just isn't happening.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Yes, but if you're wanting to deal off Wideman at some point, marginalizing his playing time isn't in your best interest either. It's a bit of a catch 22 at this point.

See I disagree, it seems to be short term thinking. If Wideman goes UFA and leaves whatever, the coach should do whatever it takes to win. When you start taking other things into consideration besides winning it's a road to ruin.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by AcGold

See I disagree, it seems to be short term thinking. If Wideman goes UFA and leaves whatever, the coach should do whatever it takes to win. When you start taking other things into consideration besides winning it's a road to ruin.

Wideman has another year on his deal and the Flames have 6D signed for $28.5M next season. They need to dump one of those bottom 3 with Wideman as the best choice.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Yes, but if you're wanting to deal off Wideman at some point, marginalizing his playing time isn't in your best interest either. It's a bit of a catch 22 at this point.

Wideman has another year left on his contract and that I would think makes him hard to trade. With so many teams up against the cap i'm not sure there are very many teams that could afford his salary.

[Mister Yamoto]

Originally Posted by heep223

Honestly I don't think any team in the league has 6 legitimate top 6 forwards. Look at any roster. Salary cap era

Frolik at 4.3 is the highest paid forward on the team. They need more top end talent up front.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The Oilerrr—aahh...

Oh. I thought you said six legitimate top-six draft picks.

The Oilers have top 6 AHL forwards and nothing else.

[Illuminaughty]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

How about that guy from Colorado, Jarome Iginla?

Just stop, Iggy wasn't the solution before and he sure isn't now.

Yeah players heights don't really matter. However our forwards inability to win enough board battles in the offensive zone is a glaring issue. Hard to keep a cycle going, when the other teams just lean on our guys and get the puck back with relative ease.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Wideman has another year on his deal and the Flames have 6D signed for $28.5M next season. They need to dump one of those bottom 3 with Wideman as the best choice.

Seems like Wideman has no chance of being traded but who knows, the team is in rough shape at the moment. In 3 years time we'll probably be solidly in the playoffs but now, it's going to be tough.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

Just stop, Iggy wasn't the solution before and he sure isn't now.

Yeah players heights don't really matter. However our forwards inability to win enough board battles in the offensive zone is a glaring issue. Hard to keep a cycle going, when the other teams just lean on our guys and get the puck back with relative ease.

Is it even board battles though?

I've always noticed our guys, whether it's Hudler, Jooris, Bouma, or Johnny, do okay in board battles. They're just never in position for a board battle. Hartley's system asks three forwards to all crash the slot gambling for "scoring chances" instead of having people in support of the puck. How often do you see our team run a very basic cycle along the boards? How often do our opponents' 3rd lines just slide the puck along the boards like the Sedins with zero resistance?

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

Frolik at 4.3 is the highest paid forward on the team. They need more top end talent up front.

After this season Gaudreau and Monahan will both be making more, and Bennet the next. They do need more top end talent tho.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

Just stop, Iggy wasn't the solution before and he sure isn't now.

Yeah players heights don't really matter. However our forwards inability to win enough board battles in the offensive zone is a glaring issue. Hard to keep a cycle going, when the other teams just lean on our guys and get the puck back with relative ease.

I was joking, mate

[Illuminaughty]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Is it even board battles though?

I've always noticed our guys, whether it's Hudler, Jooris, Bouma, or Johnny, do okay in board battles. They're just never in position for a board battle. Hartley's system asks three forwards to all crash the slot gambling for "scoring chances" instead of having people in support of the puck. How often do you see our team run a very basic cycle along the boards? How often do our opponents' 3rd lines just slide the puck along the boards like the Sedins with zero resistance?

Yeah but the inability of our players to play along the boards is likely why Hartley doesn't want them trying to play the cycle game, if they aren't capable of holding the puck. Our two bottom lines seem to be able to cycle ok..... sometimes.

[prizefighterinferno]

Originally Posted by AC

Okposo would be nice, he'll probably get a buttload of money though.

The thought of adding Puljujarvi/Laine and Okposo on the right side this offseason is not necessarily realistic (when considering potential cap scenarios), but it's certainly intriguing.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Okposo
Bennett-Backlund-Puljujarvi/Laine

Then ideally, someone steps up the following year and takes over second line LW, facilitating

Gaudreau-Bennett-Puljujarvi (speed)
xxxxxx-Monahan-Okposo (power)
Ferland(?)-Backlund-Frolik (shutdown)

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by AC

$6M is roughly what I had in mind as well. We'd have to dump several of our bad overpaid contracts miraculously somehow.

Raymond + Bollig + Wideman + Engelland + Smid all have 1 year left for a combined $16M. Ugh...

I wonder if the Flames might consider buying out all three of Raymond/Smid/Engelland this off season. Would save 6 million next year, but cost 3 the following year.

I would not be a huge fan of doing that, but it may be a possibility.

I'm hoping they can find a taker for Bollig/Engelland/Wideman at the deadline even if they have to eat portions of the latter two's contracts.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

By Calgarypuck's lofty standards, guys like Eakin, Teravainen, Pearson, Nichushkin, and Anisimov are 3rd liners.

Every player you mentioned are playing with 2 pretty good players.

Problem with Calgary is

Gaudreau - Monahan - X
Bennett - X - X


Bennett needs a good player to play with and even he has only been playing good the last few games.

[djsFlames]

RIP season.

Needed at the very minimum a .500 trip, and couldn't muster that. Top line picked a poor time to disappear.
Sure miss that ol Around the League report these days.
It stings being a goal away from stealing points on so many occasions this season but unlike last not being able to find a way to tie things up. Turns out the old ways were kind of unsustainable.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I wonder if the Flames might consider buying out all three of Raymond/Smid/Engelland this off season. Would save 6 million next year, but cost 3 the following year.

I would not be a huge fan of doing that, but it may be a possibility.

I'm hoping they can find a taker for Bollig/Engelland/Wideman at the deadline even if they have to eat portions of the latter two's contracts.

Why not buy out Wideman and Raymond instead of Smid and Engeland? Am I missing something?