[News] Gridin and Brzustewicz assigned to AHL for Olympic break

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

How is it arbitrary? You wouldn't put JK Rowling in the same sphere as Tolstoy or Steinbeck, now, would you? The more informed and reputed people's perspectives align with my own, which is no surprise.

You kinda just said it yourself. You do know what confirmation bias is don't you?

There are statistical models, where the author would have no interest in the ranking the Flames highly, that have them near or at the top.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

These aren't stock tips, they don't just become irrelevant after six months. Of course there are fluctuations, and that includes prospects who are now trending in the opposite direction, or the ones whose development has been stunted by serious injuries.

Yes they do.

Any analysis becomes more and more useless with time.

Something done in August after a player was just drafted is clearly inferior to something done now with 2/3 of a D+1 season.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

The four lists I cited are also 2026 updates, which should have the Flames climbing with the performances of Parekh at WJCs, Gridin, Wytter, Reschny, Potter and others this year.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Journalists with decades of experience are not bloggers, they are journalists. Bloggers are bloggers.

So writing for a newspaper for 25 years makes you a better hockey scout than a blogger that might have a scouting background?

Why?

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Bingo

So writing for a newspaper for 25 years makes you a better hockey scout than a blogger that might have a scouting background?

Why?

Access, hundreds of interactions with actual scouts and executives, writing about prospects for years, working in an actual newsroom, all make you more qualified to write about NHL prospects than someone who "might have a scouting background".

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Access, hundreds of interactions with actual scouts and executives, writing about prospects for years, working in an actual newsroom, all make you more qualified to write about a subject than someone who "might have a scouting background".

That might make you a better writer, but not necessarily better at evaluating prospects.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Pronman has had some embarrassing lists in recent times.

Whatever "access" he's had clearly hasn't made him a better evaluator.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Access, hundreds of interactions with actual scouts and executives, writing about prospects for years, working in an actual newsroom, all make you more qualified to write about NHL prospects than someone who "might have a scouting background".

This argument won't matter by mid May when all of the ones you love come out with updated lists that have Calgary top ten.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

It's a long way from playing hockey after your morning lecture to the NHL.

Parekh spends more time on the treatment table than on the ice, Wolf has crashed back to earth, Coronato is maybe playing to his contract at best.

Parekh is not a future 1D at this stage. So right now, all you have is a top 10 goalie, who is small, no top D and no top line forwards at all. Will they be drafted in the next 1-3 years? Yes, I hope so, but it's far from guaranteed. Even if a top coach wants to come here and the stars align, Edwards will probably be too cheap to pay him.

Are we a contender by the end of the decade? My money is on no.

What a dork!

[bdubbs]

Damn, I'm so glad that someone hired cam to come temper my expectations on a fan (fanatic) forum. My life might never be the same if I got too excited about our prospects! No, disappointment is all that I could possibly look forward to if I don't heed his warnings!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Gridin looks like a top liner in the making.

The upside of guys like Wyttenbach, Reschny and Potter is also very much TBD. Top line upside while not probable isn't out of the question either with what they've individually shown.

90% of writers with scout access would classify Parekh as a top pairing talent.

[3thirty]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

The OP you were responding to said "top 10, closer to top 5"

A statement perfectly in line with those rankings. You're the one creating negatively-oriented narratives.

Can't let the facts get in the way of a good argument.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Pronman has had some embarrassing lists in recent times.

Whatever "access" he's had clearly hasn't made him a better evaluator.

He sure looked dumb with Lane Hutson.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

I think people are a little desperate for our picks to work out, given the bleak outlook for the club. Getting your hopes up is a recipe for disappointment.

So what?

[Roof-Daddy]

Lol you gotta love when the wet blanket shows up and is posting every other post in a thread stemming the tide of optimism and positivity.

Not all heros wear capes.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Flames have two P/GP+ NCAA centres in their D+1s, plus a winger who is leading the entirety of NCAA D1 hockey in scoring. Two firsts in each of the next two drafts. Parekh, Gridin, Honzek, Mews, Brzustewicz, Coronato, Wolf. Bleak!

And when anyone evaluates a team and what the look like in 3 years, why only look at prospects and picks. All assets should factor in including contracts and potential trades.

Coronato is signed to mid range 2nd line money for a long time

Wolf is signed for bottom 15 #1 goalie money for a long time.

Kadri, Coleman are looking to be adding more picks and prospects

Flames are positioned for a top 5 pick.

Flames are looking to move players to position for a top 5 pick next year.

Flames finish bottom 5 next year more vets could be on the move for more picks.

Weegar is top pairing with a steal of a contract

Frost could get us another pick

Farabee is playing into a player than could grab us another pick

Whitecloud could land us another pick.

The Flames won't trade everyone all at once, but over the next 2 years most these guys will move. Flames seem willing to move anyone that doesn't sign on Conroy's terms.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think people are still sleeping on Gridin, even Flames fans...he looks like a top end player to me, like top top

Not saying his ceiling is even in the realm, but that shootout goal, the release and silky handling reminded me of Kucherov.

[YyjFlames]

Silly to suggest there's not a lot to get excited about with the Flames' prospects. Pipeline is stacked.

I'm curious to see where Scott Wheeler has the Flames. He usually publishes his team rankings starting in January. I suspect it's delayed because of the Olympics, and he'll start releasing the order next week.

His list is typically pretty fair, not weighing too much on analytics, or on some intangible bias like Pronman seems to have about prospects. But it does skew a little heavier towards earlier first round picks, which has dropped the Flames a little bit in the past.

I suspect the Flames will just crack the top 10 this year unless he graduates Parekh, which is unlikely as Parekh could still play some AHL games next year (and that's a key criteria for Wheeler).

He had Reschny and Potter ranked 15 and 16 going into last year's draft, so those two should boost the team. And it'll be interesting how he handles Wyttenbach, who he, like a lot of people, didn't rank in his 2025 pre-draft rankings.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

The system is lacking in some top end, but with where they are in the standings while actively trading away vets, more top end pieces will be coming.

In terms of 1B/2A prospects, they're chock full. About as topped up as an organization can get, even before the swath of picks to come.

And those prospects always have the potential to elevate.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Damn, I'm so glad that someone hired cam to come temper my expectations on a fan (fanatic) forum. My life might never be the same if I got too excited about our prospects! No, disappointment is all that I could possibly look forward to if I don't heed his warnings!

Psst, don't tell him, but his attempt at managing others' expectations is actually him attempting to manage his own expectations because of his fear of being disappointed in the future.