[News] Flames recall Dryden Hunt. Oct 25 Upd: Assigned to Wranglers

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Because playing AHL games is better than doing NHL practices. Especialy this early in the season.

How about calling Kerins up to take Kirkland's spot, and then sitting Kirkland, why isn't that an option here?

Personally I don't even think Kirkland should be here - Kerins and Morton were both better than him in pre-season IMO.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Because playing AHL games is better than doing NHL practices. Especialy this early in the season.

As luck would have it, there are no games until tomorrow night.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by saillias

I think people read too much into it, Hunt is the designated popcorn eater. Kadri seems hurt, Pospisil is not ready. Sharangovich goes back into the lineup, Hunt sits. pretty simple situation. Calling up Gridin or Kerins to sit would piss people off more

That's true, if he got called up to sit we would be upset.

I still think you could put Gridin in for any of Farabee, Coleman, Zary, Sharo, or Lomberg and you wouldn't be missing anything sitting any of them.

Although I don't really want to sit Zary.

[All In Good Time]

Team Tanknuts - "We need to lose!! We Need TO LOSE!!! so we can have a 1 in 4 chance of winning a lottery!!!'

Flames - Traded a bunch of vets for picks last year
- Make NO moves to improve the roster this summer
- Leave younger talented players in the minors to develop for the future and not expose them to this tire fire
- Claim 3 of 16 possible points to start the year


Team Tanknuts - "NOT LIKE THAT!!!"

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by All In Good Time

Leave younger talented players in the minors to develop for the future and not expose them to this tire fire

This is where Team Tanknuts loses its mind.

They honestly have no idea of the negative effects that getting blown out night after night has on a young player's development. They actually seem to think it's good for you to be asked to give 100% every night in a hopeless cause.

Sometimes I wonder if some of the posters here know any actual human beings. Then I remember that the posters here are sports fans, and sports fans, for some strange reason, tend not to think of the players they cheer for as actual human beings.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

As much as I love trying to rationalize the decisions the Flames make, this is a stupid one.

Hunt's age plays into this, he is what he is. What's the absolute best case scenario here? Is playing Hunt going to win the Flames games? Spark their offense?

The Flames need to see what they have in Morton, Kerins, Gridin, Stromgren, Suniev, you name it. Even if it's all about points then Hunt has 6P in 4GP, meanwhile Gridin has 3P, in 2GP, and Kerins has 5P in 4GP.

At the end of the day, it's still the 13th forward, and it's not that big of a deal. It's just a development opportunity wasted.

I believe you answered your own question here - it is the 13th forward. I posted in this thread without looking at the practice thread. There is no way that Hunt is getting into a game. Kadri is likely to be back, but even if he isn't, who do you take out to insert Hunt? Sharangovich? Probably not.


So this is a bone the organization is throwing to a solid vet who chose to sign in Calgary's organization and who helps show the way to the young prospects in the system on how to be a good vet. He gets 825K for playing in the NHL, and 400K for playing in the minors. This puts more cash in his pocket as a thank you for being a solid vet and a team leader down on the Wranglers, and nothing more.


It isn't much of a development opportunity. Even if he does get into a game, it will probably be 10 minutes for a game. Flames have too many bodies, so I would be surprised he gets this. I thought there might have been 2 or 3 bodies out when I saw this recall, but it is just Pospisil. Hunt won't get into games anyway.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

As luck would have it, there are no games until tomorrow night.

It could be also that Kadri is hurt more than we think and they need to IR him until he can play. In which case they need a roster guy.

Honestly, even if he plays, I don't feel like thowing Gridin or Kerins out with Lomberg and Kirkland does much for them.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Hey, I am 100% on "Team Tank" - the best thing for this organization moving forward is to get a high pick.


However, I am not against this move, and I do see the need to develop kids PROPERLY, rather than feed them to the wolves. I never agreed with MacTavish and is idiotic statement: "There is no greater springboard to development than failure." That's why the Oilers sucked for so long, and it took two players to develop in spite of that philosophy to turn Edmonton around.. and yet they still stink at drafting and development, which is why they haven't won a cup, and maybe their window is closing up already.


Not everyone who is hoping for a high pick is wanting to see the Flames lose 81 games this season, or to trade all the vets away and play all the rookies. Heck, I want Coleman extended rather than traded as he is the epitome of a solid vet to bring the kids up around.


I also quibble with the whole "The NHL is not a development league" statement, however. The NHL is 100% a development league. Every young player entering the NHL who ends up staying and having a career, improves over time, no? So therefore, "The NHL is not a development league" is a false statement devoid of any facts or substance. I argue two things instead:


1) Prospects should be at a certain level both physically and developmentally to take that next step in the NHL
2) You need to create the proper developmental conditions to bring a prospect who is at or beyond that threshold in order to give him the opportunity to succeed. For instance, not being a tire fire in every way, not making prospects play roles that they have no business doing (like a small skilled guy on the 4th line), not giving prospects too much responsibility and eroding their confidence, not making them the 13th forward/7th defencemen for long stretches (they need to play to develop!). Don't throw them to the wolves, and don't over-shelter them either. Find appropriate roles and make sure your organization works on culture and accountability, with strong leaders.

[Jay Random]

Out of thanks, Calgary4LIfe, so thanks. You nailed it in every respect.

I think the ‘not a development league’ crowd actually mean that at the NHL level, winning games takes priority over development, whereas in the AHL the opposite is true. I do think that's valid, but it seems not to be understood that way at times.

[Calgary Highlander]

There will be plenty of ice for Gridin and Brustewich post trade deadline.

There are also of plenty of players that are still early enough in their development trajectory that I'm interested in watching to see how their seasons play out, even if most of the games are losses (Wolf, Parekh, Coronato, Honzek, Klapka).

I much prefer this over Sutter's last year where the only developing player that played more than half the season was *checks notes* Adam Ruzicka

[savardandjokinen]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

How about calling Kerins up to take Kirkland's spot, and then sitting Kirkland, why isn't that an option here?

Personally I don't even think Kirkland should be here - Kerins and Morton were both better than him in pre-season IMO.

I totally agree. I don't know why this 29 year old career AHLer journeyman is coming off an extremely significant injury who had a 20 game Cinderella run is getting this long of a leash. Like even if they had to keep one of them up I would rather keep Hunt up as he is just the better player

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I think it works the other way as well.

The Flames could make the worst trade in the world, and the same 5 or 6 posters on here would defend every move no matter what. Blind homerism.

fan

3 of 3
noun (2)
1
: an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator
2
: an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit)
science-fiction fans

The actual definition supports being somewhat homerish.

It doesn't support finding a problem with every thing the organization does on a daily basis.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

That one poster earlier who said your posts are always condescending was spitting facts. That is all I'm going to say about most of your responses to me and others.

Can I send you a docusign to lock this down?

[CroCop]

Perfect. Any other bums they can bring up to help minimize points?

[Muta]

Originally Posted by CroCop

Perfect. Any other bums they can bring up to help minimize points?

We could sign Anders Eriksson again to play a vital role in our top four

[Saqe]

I still remember when Hunt was with the Panthers, it's been a minute. Never thought he would play over 200 games in the nhl.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It could be also that Kadri is hurt more than we think and they need to IR him until he can play. In which case they need a roster guy.

Honestly, even if he plays, I don't feel like thowing Gridin or Kerins out with Lomberg and Kirkland does much for them.

Huska at the end of the season said that he sees Kerins as a top 9 player. It was one of the reasons he was the one going on waivers ahead of Kirkland, or Miromanov. Which is fair, but if a top 9 spot opens up, shouldn't he be the guy you try in that role?

You could argue that Zary, Klapka, or Sharangovich deserves that spot, which is fair, but then I would like to try a Stromgren or a Morton playing with Lomberg, simply to see what elements they can bring to the 4th line.

Even if it's a paper transaction, which is largely inconsequential from a hockey standpoint, it still seems like a bad decision because it's bound to rub the fan base the wrong way and create more negative PR for this team.

[dino7c]

I doubt he plays but if Kerins is so good why cant he blow Hunt out of the water and leave no doubt anyway

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I doubt he plays but if Kerins is so good why cant he blow Hunt out of the water and leave no doubt anyway

Because he's 5 years younger, they're playing on the same line, and the same PP. Usually one of the 2 sets up the other. I don't think anyone here is saying Hunt is a bad hockey player, I just don't see him ever becoming more than a 4th liner at the NHL level.

Kerins was still 11th in AHL scoring last year, one of the top players in preseason, and he can't seem to crack the lineup.

PS: Fun fact, Kerins now leads the Wranglers in all-time points with 100, Hunt in comparison just got his 250th AHL point.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I genuinely hope there is a youth-centric focus that they shift to in the coming weeks.

There's no reason to continue holding kids down on the farm who could use nhl experience to further their development.

I'd love to ask Conroy what exactly they need from Kerins for him to see more nhl time because im having a hard time pinpointing what else he needs to prove.

Yeah they had too many top 9 players in camp but some are hurt and many are underperforming now.

For a rebuilding team in 31st there should be more than 3 notable rookie/sophomore players and those that are playing should see meaningful minutes and situations.

Kadri, Coleman, Backlund etc dont need to dominate all key situations. They arent the ones being developed to carry this team in two years.

Their decisions just arent congruent with where the team is and that's kind of baffling.