[News] Flames cut 17 players. 33 players left UPD: 4 more PTOS released. 29 players left

[868904]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Except he had one named Tanner Glass for sixteen games last season.

And the players, especially Mike Smith very openly commended Glass for his contributions to the team.

Iginla himself made a point of thanking all the tough guys who had his back in his retirement press conference.

Players appreciate having tough guys on the team.

If you don't understand that, then you don't understand hockey culture. It's the way it's always been. Doesn't guarantee success, but it's the way it is.

If keeping a guy like that on your roster sets your star players at ease, then you do it.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Rittich has played 22 NHL games and 65 NA pro games in total.
Gillies has played 12 NHl games and 97 pro games.
Dansk has played 4 NHL games and 56 NA pro games.

It's hard to make definitive conclusions based on those sample sizes. IMO they are all in a very large group of goalies who might be decent but have yet to prove anything in the NHL.

I agree. The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or something like that. With how closely all these sorts of goalies rank in comparison the Flames are better off sticking with what they have unless faced with a dramatic and obvious upgrade. Dansk is not an upgrade.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by 868904

And the players, especially Mike Smith very openly commended Glass for his contributions to the team.

Iginla himself made a point of thanking all the tough guys who had his back in his retirement press conference.

Players appreciate having tough guys on the team.

If you don't understand that, then you don't understand hockey culture. It's the way it's always been. Doesn't guarantee success, but it's the way it is.

If keeping a guy like that on your roster sets your star players at ease, then you do it.

Nah, it's an outdated way of thinking that is all but extinct in today's hockey league. It's all fine and good if the players like it but at the end of the day the Flames lost 11 of the 16 games that Tanner Glass played last season. I don't care if the players "appreciate" anything as long as they win, and guys like Tanner Glass do just about zero to help a good hockey team win. See anybody like that on the Lightning?

Guys who are entirely useless with the gloves on have nothing to do with success in today's NHL, regardless of how the players feel. I might not fully understand what you consider to be "hockey culture" but I do understand that it's outdated.

[Matty81]

I think the game has changed but you are wrong if you think having some toughness in your lineup doesn't make a difference. I think Johnny in particular plays a bit scared when the games get out of hand and the flames have iced soft rosters.

In an ideal world the nhl would stamp out goonery but we all know that lucic could sucker punch monahan and get 3 or 4 games. On ice policing is still necessary. You don't need 2 or 3 heavyweights anymore but absolutely still need one guy who can fight.

I expect Peluso to make the team and munch popcorn and draw in against the wings and oilers. Prout would be harder to carry but honestly when they are mostly in the pressbox anyway I'd rather see them do that and have andersson playing every night in the ahl or stone get cut than rasmus in the pressbox all year.

[sempuki]

Never hurts the to start the season with veteran toughness. You can always waive them when the kids continue their success in Stockton. No need to rush anything.

[TheScorpion]

Yeah the Flames have started the season with useless tough guys very frequently over the years, guys like Ivanans and Letourneau-Leblond and Glass, and they've always shot right out of the gate, am I right?

No. I hate hate hate how the Flames dress these guys instead of the best possible roster and then lose the first game of the season every single year. It drives me nuts.

[Matty81]

The league is about matchups these days when it comes to fighters. Probably don't need to dress a fighter against the nucks. You do against the oilers who still have 2 heavyweights with intent to do damage. Also against the wings which has a good chance of getting out of hand. Gotta keep those guys on the roster just for the games you need em. I see one of Peluso or Prout playing 15 - 20ish games tops. It's a smart move rather than having a young guy waste his year sitting in the press box.

[TheScorpion]

I'm fine with Prout, because he's shown he can actually play defense and at an NHL level for a full season.

Peluso? Hathaway? Guys like that are just so useless.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Yeah the Flames have started the season with useless tough guys very frequently over the years, guys like Ivanans and Letourneau-Leblond and Glass, and they've always shot right out of the gate, am I right?

No. I hate hate hate how the Flames dress these guys instead of the best possible roster and then lose the first game of the season every single year. It drives me nuts.

Agreed. No need for pylons on the ice for McDavid to skate around. We need speed and skill right from the start.

[sempuki]

You if all people were willing to gift Klimchuk a underserved spot on the roster. What's wrong with making him earn it in Stockton? This is the preseason ffs.

[Stay Golden]

Love to see Dube and Czarnik somehow make the squad.
Goaltending looks a mess so far. Yes its preseason but none of 3 have impressed. All 3 have had goals scored against where they had a good look at the shot coming. All 3 have had goals scored against where they played angles poorly as well.

Have liked the look of Hanifin but Lindstrom has been mostly vanilla. Regular season I'm sure his game comes into form.

Quine's skating is less than desirable in person, he has some work to do. I thought Foo has stepped off a bit from last seasons cup of coffee with the Flames.

[VilleN]

It’s not that big of an issue. Swap out Prout for Stone and I highly doubt you’d notice. Except if a Lucic type is taking liberties. If it makes some of the players feel more comfortable then I don’t have much of a problem with it.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by sempuki

You if all people were willing to gift Klimchuk a underserved spot on the roster. What's wrong with making him earn it in Stockton? This is the preseason ffs.

Klimchuk is a smart two-way hockey player who finished second on the AHL team in scoring last season while being a former first-round pick. He played well in the preseason and came up big in critical moments at times.

Peluso fits exactly zero of those criteria. He's an absolutely terrible hockey player who belongs nowhere near an nHL roster. His career high in AHL points is 11. Emile Poirier scored nearly three times as many points as he did last season and can barely crack an AHL roster. It's absolutely embarrassing that Peluso is still under consideration to make this hockey team and he should never, ever play in a regular role for the Flames, especially over skilled guys who have worked for years to hone their skills and who have actually found success at lower levels.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I agree. The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or something like that. With how closely all these sorts of goalies rank in comparison the Flames are better off sticking with what they have unless faced with a dramatic and obvious upgrade. Dansk is not an upgrade.

Yeah you can’t just swap out your own players constantly, even though I believe a guy like Dansk might have more upside than Rittich. It also probably pisses off other GM’s in the league, not to mention how your own players will view it.

Still I wouldn’t be shocked if Treliving has his eyes on a few goalies around the league. Under the radar types (although his track record at that position hasn’t been great). It just feels like there is a lot riding on this season.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I agree. The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or something like that. With how closely all these sorts of goalies rank in comparison the Flames are better off sticking with what they have unless faced with a dramatic and obvious upgrade. Dansk is not an upgrade.

Don't disagree about Dansk vs. Gilles and Rittich. But IMO, one of the latter two has to make a strong showing in the remaining preseason games. If not, the Flames need to get a credible 2nd goalie to play with Smith. They can't afford to throw away any points in what will be a tight Pacific Division.

As has been pointed out, Toronto will have to choose between McElhinney and Sparks. Picking up McBackup would be a big upgrade for Calgary - in 3 of his last 4 seasons he's put up .934, .917, and .914 sv%s, playing an average of 23 games in those seasons.

The last time the Flames had a backup who had a >/=.914 sv% playing more than 10 games. . . . Roman Turek in 2003/04!

[PugnaciousIntern]

I understand some of the arguments against Peluso. I won't be thrilled if he takes regular shifts.

However, you can't use his lack of offensive production against him. It's absolutely not expected that he will produce anything. If he does end up sticking on the roster, and gets 0 points during the season, it is still possible that he performed his assigned job well. And realistically, yeah it would be wonderful for a 4th liner to put up numbers, but most don't. So if we are going off the assumption that very, very few points come from guys doing intermittent spot duty on the 4th line, and Peluso is certainly not the guy expected to put up points, I think it's time to reassess why he's around.

Realistically, who do you think the players would prefer on their bench? 12 pt Curtis Lazar? 13p Garnet Hathaway? If a 4th line player can be reasonable defensively and bring an 'it' factor, they immediately gain value. I bet some of the Flames would rather a 0 pt Peluso over either of those two. And I'm not convinced that the offensive difference between 12 pt Lazar vs. 0 pt Peluso would actually impact the season's outcome. The team swagger and momentum, however, can certainly impact results.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

at the end of the day the Flames lost 11 of the 16 games that Tanner Glass played last season.

IIRC, most of those were games where the second line was not doing much, the third line was doing nothing, and the top line had to carry the offence all by themselves. You can't hang that failure on Tanner Glass.

[killer_carlson]

I don't mind platooning a tough guy on the 4th line, provided that several of the 4th line regular shifts see him on the bench and whatever forward on the top 3 lines has extra jump gets rewarded with an extra shift.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I don't mind platooning a tough guy on the 4th line, provided that several of the 4th line regular shifts see him on the bench and whatever forward on the top 3 lines has extra jump gets rewarded with an extra shift.

Not only that, I'd much rather have them use a tough guy who can be either munching popcorn or deployed when its needed over stunting a rookies development by playing them on tough 4th line mins.

[savardandjokinen]

Peluso sucks. Should not be in consideration for a spot. Even if you want a goon on your team I'm surprised he was the one chosen from the market.