Enough is enough - Bring up Wolf.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

A little harsh there CGY12, but I guess you're in Toronto so you would know all about god damn delusional fan bases.

Ya maybe a little harsh but that comparison and idea is crazy to me when you consider the Kings personnel to ours. Leaf nation is for sure delusional.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Sutter knows that the only realistic chance of the Flames going anywhere in the playoffs is if Markstrom regains his form. It must be killing him inside as he sees the season slip away.

Then Sutter is a stubborn idiot.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Ya maybe a little harsh but that comparison and idea is crazy to me when you consider the Kings personnel to ours. Leaf nation is for sure delusional.

Their first cup win was from the 8 seed that made the playoffs in the final week, sure they had Kopitar and Doughty but less depth than this current Flames team.

How they win the cup?

One word. Quick

[Nelson]

Saros played 21 NHL games in his draft +4 season. Wolf is in his draft +4 season by my count. Markstrom has an .889, and Vladar has an .899. Our goaltending sucks. Maybe it’s time? Or maybe you don’t want Wolf around Sutter?

[PeteMoss]

If you won't call up Wolf, at least play Valdar as the #1 for a while. He'll probably suck too but Markstrom has had ample opportunity.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Yamer

For starters, a team that doesn't look like a bunch of dejected Snoopys shuffling back to the doghouse.

The smoke says this is the wrong fire for the kid to start cooking. If he's not coming to be the saviour but the expectation is to still make noise then there's no need to put pressure on a rookie goaltender. If it's as much of a write off that some people think it is there really is no rush.

Starting fresh in October would be the prudent choice no matter how you look at it.

Jesus, this way of thinking drives me crazy! Imagine Stars were thinking the same way, Oettinger must have felt so under pressure last playoff series agaisnt us, right? The team in front of him getting outplayed night in and out and he still made it a 7 game series. And lost in OT in the end on a sharp angle goal. Did it kill his confidence? Hell no.

You want Wolf to be a starer in NHL some day? There is no other job in the world with that much pressure. I am sure he is aware of it himself. I am also sure he is 100% ok with it. I am pretty sure he would do anything to be called up right now. And I am also pretty sure if it doesn't work out and we miss out, he is not gonna get the blame for it. You can hardly overlook the first 60 games of the season he was not invloved with and put all the blame on the deadline callup when you don't make it, right?

[madmike]

At this point with Markstrom, what you see is what you’re going to get. They’ve tried to get him going all season long with no success. I’m fine giving him another shot next year, but he should be parked for the rest of this season. The guy is completely shot mentally and nothing short of a very long break is going to fix it.

I don’t see the Flames having anything to lose by calling up Wolf. He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can handle the pressure.

[dammage79]

It'd be nice if the Flames were put ofnit because then he can get called up and get some games in and then go back to the farm for the playoff run that he is the key cog.

I want Wolf in the NHL asap but denying him a successful season in the AHL and a run for a title there seems shortsighted.

[Toonage]

I get it. Fear about bringing him up when the team is such a mess, but its a mess because the goaltending is bad. He still has a chance at a Championship in the AHL, but he could get some invaluable experience playing the Stanley cup playoffs.

Whats best for Wolf?

[Macindoc]

People are forgetting asset management. The Flames desperately need Markstrom to regain some semblance of his previous form in order to make him tradeable. Otherwise, major assets will have to be spent to get him and his contract off the books. A buyout penalty would be massive, and trading him in the current situation would cost multiple 1st round picks/top prospects.

If Markstrom regains some confidence and even puts up a shutout or two, he can be traded in the offseason, maybe with a bit of salary retention.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

People are forgetting asset management. The Flames desperately need Markstrom to regain some semblance of his previous form in order to make him tradeable. Otherwise, major assets will have to be spent to get him and his contract off the books. A buyout penalty would be massive, and trading him in the current situation would cost multiple 1st round picks/top prospects.

If Markstrom regains some confidence and even puts up a shutout or two, he can be traded in the offseason, maybe with a bit of salary retention.

I don't think Markstrom is tradeable. Aging 6 million dollar sieve? The only thing that comes to mind is to send him to a tanking team as a tank commander. Something like Vejmelka for Markstrom + some picks. The problem is the NMC we have smartly given him. So every trade option needs to have his green light. How many possibilities are there? I don't think there are any.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Also without Wolf playing any games in the NHL, lets call him up and just pray he's elite, so we can have a chance at some fluke a$$ run. Doesn't matter if the 99% chance he isn't that and we potentially prolong his development, because hey we have that 1% chance he steps right in and is elite and we know what Sutter can do with elite goaltending lol.

I mean… yeah, why not?

We all watch hockey for fun, right? And watching Wolf at this point sounds a lot more fun than watching Markstrom and Vladar. A “fluke ass run” sounds a lot more fun than 3 points out of the last wild card.

We can’t all be hockey experts who log in drunk at 1 AM to rant about the children’s game played by young adult millionaires we obsess over. Some of us just like to enjoy the games.

[Sylvanfan]

Maybe Tre is scared of having the 3 goalie thing from the 15-16 season. The 14-15 team likely doesn't make the playoffs without that 4 game stretch from Ortio.

[Murph]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Maybe Tre is scared of having the 3 goalie thing from the 15-16 season. The 14-15 team likely doesn't make the playoffs without that 4 game stretch from Ortio.

This is only a problem if Wolf comes up and plays better than the other two. In which case - bring on the three headed monster.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Maybe Tre is scared of having the 3 goalie thing from the 15-16 season. The 14-15 team likely doesn't make the playoffs without that 4 game stretch from Ortio.

He barely has one goalie now.

[Strange Brew]

23 year old Mike Vernon took the Flames to the Finals in 1986 after being called up and playing in only 18 regular season games.
He lost to 21 year old Patrick Roy that year, who played in 47 games as a rookie.
Binnington was 26 the year he was called up and won the Cup.
Matt Murray was 22 when he won the Cup as a mid season callup.

Wolf would be 22 when the playoffs start.

It just seems unlikely for this club to try it.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by CGY12

What a joke. So the kings did it, that means we have a 10% at doing the same? Did they have any game breakers on that team? Do we? Without getting into the kings depth, I'd rather have 2011/2014 Kopitar, Doughty and Quick over any single player on our team. That's 3 key players at every position over anybody that wears red right now.

Also without Wolf playing any games in the NHL, lets call him up and just pray he's elite, so we can have a chance at some fluke a$$ run. Doesn't matter if the 99% chance he isn't that and we potentially prolong his development, because hey we have that 1% chance he steps right in and is elite and we know what Sutter can do with elite goaltending lol.

God damn delusional fan base too. Some of you should work for the team, fit right in.

What a Internet tough guy! Watch out everyone.

[Shazam]

Goalies are apparently delicate flowers.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

They're a rookie goalie and a new PP coach away, yes

I doubt the 2019 Blues thought they were a Binnington away. Sometimes all you need is guts.

I believe the problems of this team extend beyond those two items, so we'll disagree there.

And the Blues are a complete outlier. I wouldn't wager any potential risks of this move based on that Blues season. Besides, what of this Flames team says they are capable of gutting it out at this point?

Originally Posted by gamesaver

Jesus, this way of thinking drives me crazy! Imagine Stars were thinking the same way, Oettinger must have felt so under pressure last playoff series agaisnt us, right? The team in front of him getting outplayed night in and out and he still made it a 7 game series. And lost in OT in the end on a sharp angle goal. Did it kill his confidence? Hell no.

You're disregarding that all of the pressure was on the Flames. The Stars weren't expected to win, and they certainly weren't expected to go to game 7 OT. It's not a comparable situation, as I explained in a previous post.

You want Wolf to be a starer in NHL some day? There is no other job in the world with that much pressure. I am sure he is aware of it himself. I am also sure he is 100% ok with it. I am pretty sure he would do anything to be called up right now. And I am also pretty sure if it doesn't work out and we miss out, he is not gonna get the blame for it. You can hardly overlook the first 60 games of the season he was not invloved with and put all the blame on the deadline callup when you don't make it, right?

To me it's all about timing, and right now isn't it. As I said if you bring Wolf up and give him the reigns you are placing the weight of the season on his shoulders. The team isn't gelling, and I'm of the opinion there's far more risk than reward at stake here. Hoping for a miraculous run isn't realistic, and I would rather see Wolf go on a run with the Wranglers.

Dan Vladar was the saviour until a couple of below average performances, and now we have a thread dedicated to displacing him in favour of a player that hasn't a minute of NHL experience. Do you really think the knives wouldn't be out if Wolf stumbled? The lamentations of "bust" and "ruining a prospect" would dominate the forums. It's one of those things where I can't prove it to be true, but I know it to be true.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Yamer

Dan Vladar was the saviour until a couple of below average performances, and now we have a thread dedicated to displacing him in favour of a player that hasn't a minute of NHL experience. Do you really think the knives wouldn't be out if Wolf stumbled? The lamentations of "bust" and "ruining a prospect" would dominate the forums. It's one of those things where I can't prove it to be true, but I know it to be true.

To be fair, I’ve downplayed Vladar as a saviour long pre-dating his last few losses and I still think Wolf’s fundamentals are good enough to come in and make a meaningful difference.

Not that my opinion means anything or has any weight, but I don’t think using the broad stroke of “first it was Vladar but he stumbled so now it’s just the next guy” is fair. Vladar’s record made him look more impressive to people than he was, while Wolf’s actual play is on another level.

Wolf won’t have a minute of NHL experience until he gets a minute of NHL experience. There’s no difference between doing it now and doing it next season. You’re just advocating for a perfect moment that might never come, but the Flames need to get him in.