Flames bring back Douglas Murray and Aaron Johnson on PTOs

[CroFlames]

I think people just like to see a drafted prospect go through the development cycle and make the team they were drafted by. I think there is a certain degree of satisfaction that come out of that as a fan, and so that's why people want Wotherspoon to make it so bad. He seems like the likeliest candidate.

I think he's on the right track developmentally. However, as it stands the Flames have 7 NHL defensemen. Hartley is in the business of winning hockey games. He's going to pick his 6 best d-men every night. Wotherspoon has some good tools, but he still has kinks he needs to iron out. He looked nervous with the puck sometimes in the playoffs, and it seemed like the game was a 1/2 step to fast for him. These are problems that can be coached, and I'm not worried about him.

Also, the Flames all of a sudden have a nice crop of d-prospects that have some pretty good potential. I wouldn't be shocked if Andersson supplants Wotherspoon for instance. I couldn't believe how well he handled himself in Penticton, and his positioning was perfect from my viewpoint. I think having a donnybrook with Nurse showed that he is emotionally invested in games, and has that desire to win. Nurse was clearly the best kid on the ice, so Andersson goes after him. Classic.

[Phanuthier]

By the time Rasmus Andersson is challenging for a NHL spot, half our blueline might have turned over (Smid, Engelland, Wideman)... paving the way for some collection of Andersson, Wotherspoon, Morrison. Maybe by the time Kylington and Hickey are ready, Russell is moving on.

I would be very very surprised if Andersson plays in the NHL as a teenager, BT talks about over-ripening players all the time. He even said he would have sent back Monahan back to juniors in his 18-year old season even though he did well; I can't see him having Andersson in the NHL as a 18 year old or 19 year old. I think he'll probably want to see D prospects play a full year in the AHL before they get serious consideration for the NHL. Its one thing to play great in a young stars tournament against other prospects, its another to provide the same level of play game to game in January and February against Florida and Tampa Bay back to back.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

By the time Rasmus Andersson is challenging for a NHL spot, half our blueline might have turned over (Smid, Engelland, Wideman)... paving the way for some collection of Andersson, Wotherspoon, Morrison. Maybe by the time Kylington and Hickey are ready, Russell is moving on.

I would be very very surprised if Andersson plays in the NHL as a teenager, BT talks about over-ripening players all the time. He even said he would have sent back Monahan back to juniors in his 18-year old season even though he did well; I can't see him having Andersson in the NHL as a 18 year old or 19 year old. I think he'll probably want to see D prospects play a full year in the AHL before they get serious consideration for the NHL. Its one thing to play great in a young stars tournament against other prospects, its another to provide the same level of play game to game in January and February against Florida and Tampa Bay back to back.

I'd say that, in terms of when they will become full time NHLers. Wotherspoon is still ahead of everyone along the lines of Andersson, Kylington etc. Morrison is 23, let's not forget, and probably closer as well, like Jooris and Guadreau. Nakladl is a wild card IMO. I think he was signed as a guy who could potentially make the team.

On the recent PTOs, Warrener suggested that they were signed in part to fill preseason road game rosters, so that the Flames can meet requirements for NHL players in those games.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I'd say that, in terms of when they will become full time NHLers. Wotherspoon is still ahead of everyone along the lines of Andersson, Kylington etc. Morrison is 23, let's not forget, and probably closer as well, like Jooris and Guadreau. Nakladl is a wild card IMO. I think he was signed as a guy who could potentially make the team.

On the recent PTOs, Warrener suggested that they were signed in part to fill preseason road game rosters, so that the Flames can meet requirements for NHL players in those games.

Yeah, probably. Half a decade ago, I would have said 1/3 prospects will probably fill their potential. Normally the optimistic side of me will say half, but I'll be even more optimistic and say 2/3 here.

Pick 4 of 6 of Kylington, Andersson, Wotherspoon, Morrison, Hickey, Kulak. To me, Wotherspoon might not have the same upside but he's a lot safer bet since I've seen him play in the NHL and I like what I see. I understand what you say with Morrison RE: age, so I have him in this first lot. With 4 spots probably opening up (Smid, Engelland, Wideman, maybe Russell) - seems to make sense. Probably at least one of those prospects may be packaged in a trade at some point too.

Maybe 1 of 2 of Culkin, Sieloff (the 2 perma-injured prospects).

Not sure what to think of Nakladl, especially since he's a bit older; I think this is more of a pit stop for him, like Ryan Wilson.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Yeah, probably. Half a decade ago, I would have said 1/3 prospects will probably fill their potential. Normally the optimistic side of me will say half, but I'll be even more optimistic and say 2/3 here.

Pick 4 of 6 of Kylington, Andersson, Wotherspoon, Morrison, Hickey, Kulak. To me, Wotherspoon might not have the same upside but he's a lot safer bet since I've seen him play in the NHL and I like what I see. I understand what you say with Morrison RE: age, so I have him in this first lot. With 4 spots probably opening up (Smid, Engelland, Wideman, maybe Russell) - seems to make sense. Probably at least one of those prospects may be packaged in a trade at some point too.

Maybe 1 of 2 of Culkin, Sieloff (the 2 perma-injured prospects).

Not sure what to think of Nakladl, especially since he's a bit older; I think this is more of a pit stop for him, like Ryan Wilson.

What you are saying is that the Flames have the best D prospects in the history of the NHL.

This is basically starting from zero in 2014-15 having no one ready when the team was down to 4 NHL D men.... with no high draft picks


I challenge you to find me any team's prospect list from 5 years ago where even half of the prospects are now solid NHL players.

[Caged Great]

We'll be doing alright if 2 of our current group hit their potential, and very lucky if three or four do. Mind you, they have hit with an unusually high number of their forward prospects as well thus far so who knows.

[Heavy Jack]

While I agree that it would be a rare sight ricardow I have to say that the current prospect pool in D is quite substantial in terms of potential and ceiling.

Objectively I'll say that Kulak, Culkin and Wilson are the longest shots to ever play a meaningful amount of games in the big league. They'll have to work the hardest because there is nothing elite about their games.

Wotherspoon whether its with the Flames or someone else has all the tools to play at least 300 plus games with a good potential for a lot more. He's a steady defender, had a great cup of coffee two years ago and is a stud at the AHL level. He's a gamer for sure.

The Swedes both have insane offensive upside, that alone will capture them both some significant NHL time. But if they work on their conditioning and their 200 foot game they could easily become big players in time. Most NHL D are taken in rounds 2-4 and with Wotherspoon and the Swedes with have three mid-late 2nd rounders. Are they guarantees??? Nothing in hockey is guaranteed, all the Flames players are saying it, Russell, Wideman, Backlund, Gaudreau they all have recently stated that. Which is what is so exciting about our current group of young talent and prospects, the management and coaches have everyone on the same page, no passengers, which will see the Flames turn out more and more drafted talent as the years go by.

Backlund
Brodie
Bouma
Ferland
Gaudreau
Granlund
Monahan
Ortio


Most if not all of these players will play some significant games this year, all drafted talent, easily the most the Flames have iced since the young guns days. To go with that we have so much more talent knocking on the door in Klimchuk, Poirier, Wotherspoon, ect

Are they all going to make it? Probably not, but its hard to deny how much upside our prospect pool has currently, easily one of the deepest in the league.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

While I agree that it would be a rare sight ricardow I have to say that the current prospect pool in D is quite substantial in terms of potential and ceiling.

Objectively I'll say that Kulak, Culkin and Wilson are the longest shots to ever play a meaningful amount of games in the big league. They'll have to work the hardest because there is nothing elite about their games.

Wotherspoon whether its with the Flames or someone else has all the tools to play at least 300 plus games with a good potential for a lot more. He's a steady defender, had a great cup of coffee two years ago and is a stud at the AHL level. He's a gamer for sure.

The Swedes both have insane offensive upside, that alone will capture them both some significant NHL time. But if they work on their conditioning and their 200 foot game they could easily become big players in time. Most NHL D are taken in rounds 2-4 and with Wotherspoon and the Swedes with have three mid-late 2nd rounders. Are they guarantees??? Nothing in hockey is guaranteed, all the Flames players are saying it, Russell, Wideman, Backlund, Gaudreau they all have recently stated that. Which is what is so exciting about our current group of young talent and prospects, the management and coaches have everyone on the same page, no passengers, which will see the Flames turn out more and more drafted talent as the years go by.

Backlund
Brodie
Bouma
Ferland
Gaudreau
Granlund
Monahan
Ortio


Most if not all of these players will play some significant games this year, all drafted talent, easily the most the Flames have iced since the young guns days. To go with that we have so much more talent knocking on the door in Klimchuk, Poirier, Wotherspoon, ect

Are they all going to make it? Probably not, but its hard to deny how much upside our prospect pool has currently, easily one of the deepest in the league.

I think that based on the openings that they Flames have had and the opportunities that the players have made the best of it has given us Flames fans an unrealistic expectation of our prospects.


It is great that there unlike when Bouma, Backlund and Brodie were the only prospects that graduated out of our prospects.

As to the 2nd to 4th draft picks on defense..... it stands out when a later round pick makes it because it is a good story. The facts do not bear this out.

From the 2011 draft Larrson, Hamilton, Brodin,Ryan Murphy, Oleseak, Beaulieu, Klefbom, Connor Murphy all are from the first round and will without some drastic blow up will be playing more than their 100th NHL games this season....

In rounds 2-4 the best guys are Wotherspoon, Clendening and Oulett and are the only guys that are at all close.