Sonny Milano on PTO in Calgary

[Sylvanfan]

This reminds me of when the Flames claimed Nigel Dawes off waivers....played him in a top 6 role after giving him a two year deal...than bought him out of the last year. Which honestly was a bit odd because on ice Dawes probably produced as well as could be expected that season. But he was out of the league in short order only playing 13 games the next year between Montreal and Atlanta.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Judging by the JFresh card, we should be putting him on a line with a natural goal scorer and a guy who's good at controlled zone entries

Milano - Kadri - Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman

Killer middle six.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Milano - Kadri - Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman

Killer middle six.

Who plays beside Huberdeau & Lindholm?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Milano - Kadri - Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman

Killer middle six.

Leaves a gap a top line RW i think though.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Dube/Pelletier/Milano-Kadri-Toffoli
Dube/Pelletier - Backlund - Coleman

My guess is something more like that to start

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Who plays beside Huberdeau & Lindholm?

I am biased but I think given the skills those two possess, Matthew Phillips could complement them perfectly if given an opportunity with his speed and hockey sense. Of course I already know the dismissive responses I am about to get so here we go.

Dube is also an option though.

[Toonage]

Not. A. Chance.

[TheScorpion]

Matty Phillips is one heck of a player and there's not a damn chance he's playing more than three NHL games with the Flames this season before leaving as a UFA next summer for a team with less depth.

[gvitaly]

One thing that gives me a lot of hope this year is that our top 9 is going to be so much faster! If we keep the same tenacity and defensive play we had last year, this is going to be a treat to watch.

[dino7c]

Heck of an AHL player

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Leaves a gap a top line RW i think though.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Dube/Pelletier/Milano-Kadri-Toffoli
Dube/Pelletier - Backlund - Coleman

My guess is something more like that to start

Backlund-Coleman is our shutdown line, I cannot see Sutter putting anyone else on there but a proven two way vet, and Dube's failed that audition. Pelletier is a rookie. I think we'll sooner see Trevor Lewis there if Mangiapane is extracted.

[Canada 02]

wonder how much Bob Murray influenced this PTO

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Matty Phillips is one heck of a player and there's not a damn chance he's playing more than three NHL games with the Flames this season before leaving as a UFA next summer for a team with less depth.

I don't think Phillips has shown anything special during last year's training camp. He was the top forward for Stockton last year, but I don't see him being anything special at the NHL level.

The Flames have lost several AHLers/tweeners over the last couple of years, but none of them would have had more than a depth role on this current team. Who do you really miss out of Kulak, Lomberg, Grant, and Lazar, or am I missing someone?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Backlund-Coleman is our shutdown line, I cannot see Sutter putting anyone else on there but a proven two way vet, and Dube's failed that audition. Pelletier is a rookie. I think we'll sooner see Trevor Lewis there if Mangiapane is extracted.

They don't need a 3rd defensive specialist in order to be a good shut-down line. Every line needs balance. Milano has speed and is a good passer, he would actually compliment Backlund and Coleman quite well.

Also, having some offensive threat can make being a defensive line easier

[Vinny01]

I love seeing these Oiler fans on Twitter whine they signed Virtanen and should have signed Milano instead. People in Edmonton need to know of given the option people will always pick Calgary over Edmonton as a place to live. Look no further then Versteeg and Markstrom

[gvitaly]

A weird coincidence that all the new(ish) forward numbers add up to 10. It must be a conspiracy.

Kadri #91
Milano#82
Toffoli #73
Huberdeau #10

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I don't think Phillips has shown anything special during last year's training camp. He was the top forward for Stockton last year, but I don't see him being anything special at the NHL level.

The Flames have lost several AHLers/tweeners over the last couple of years, but none of them would have had more than a depth role on this current team. Who do you really miss out of Kulak, Lomberg, Grant, and Lazar, or am I missing someone?

I'd definitely take Kulak and Lazar back, and I wasn't a huge fan of either when they were here. But Kulak has turned into a legit NHL defender.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Heck of an AHL player

Might even be a heck of an NHL player already too if he wasn't playing on the team with by far the fewest man-games lost over the last two seasons. Tre said it himself — he's earned an NHL audition at some point.

BUT he's not making this Flames team. Too much depth.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd definitely take Kulak and Lazar back, and I wasn't a huge fan of either when they were here. But Kulak has turned into a legit NHL defender.

Does Kulak make the current top 6 for the Flames? I wouldn’t play him over any of the current guys penciled in for roster spots.

[Roof-Daddy]

This is a very good PTO

If he has a good enough camp and ends up signing a league min or near league min contract it could be a massive bargain.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd definitely take Kulak and Lazar back, and I wasn't a huge fan of either when they were here. But Kulak has turned into a legit NHL defender.

Who would you put Kulak above on the Flames' NHL depth chart though? At best he'd be a bottom pairing guy for us and you could make an argument he'd be eating popcorn more often than not.