2012/13 General Heat Discussion Thread

[Freeway]

Random thought: does anybody get a vibe that Max Reinhart and Roman Horak are very similar players? Both have great hockey sense and are good in most situations, although I'd argue that Reinhart probably has a higher ceiling. But based on a bunch of factors, I can't help but get the thought that they are very much on similar wave-lengths as players.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Random thought: does anybody get a vibe that Max Reinhart and Roman Horak are very similar players? Both have great hockey sense and are good in most situations, although I'd argue that Reinhart probably has a higher ceiling. But based on a bunch of factors, I can't help but get the thought that they are very much on similar wave-lengths as players.

Not until you just mentioned it.

Smart players, good two-way centres, better playmakers than they are scorers but can still put it in the net, damn near equal points in the WHL...

Yeah I'm seeing the similarities for sure.

[Freeway]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Not until you just mentioned it.

Smart players, good two-way centres, better playmakers than they are scorers but can still put it in the net, damn near equal points in the WHL...

Yeah I'm seeing the similarities for sure.

Very similar in temperment and/or mannerisms, too.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Third day of training camp.

Baertschi. Wow. He had a dman draped over him and absolutely sniped it with the back hand. He also took out Aliu with a hit and he's about half a foot smaller.

Aliu looking great again. So much damn tenacity and work ethic.

Estoclet showing some nice moves too.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Double post - my phone has a bad connection in the arena.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Horak is looking really good today. He's fast and almost never loses the puck in one on one situations. He's even showing a bit of leadership in helping the invitees understand Ward and his drills.

Brust, so far, is quite impressive. He never gives up on a drill. Because of that he thinks nothing of making a desperation save. Gotta love the effort. Can't help but think Taylor has his work cut for him with Brust playing like this. I'm also assuming Irving is a lock.

Howse is looking a little better today, but still a little noticably behind the rest. Still has a nice shot though.

Brodie is easily the best dman out there. So shifty and crafty with the puck.

Cameron switched to the Red Team today. Today and the first day he's looked pretty good. Awesome shot as well. Never hesitates where to shoot.

Team Black is out now.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Cameron having an excellent day. He's getting double practiced today along with Dennis Urban and he's doing really well.

McKelvie and Bancks going at it hacking, slashing, and cross checking eachother. McKelvie likes to be a prick haha. The first day he and Ferland were going at it.

Wahl looking pretty good, but he's getting pushed around pretty easy. Amazing shot though.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Not enough thanks for PMM.

This is the best content on the site right now, by a mile.

[Freeway]

McKelvie is gonna be a fine addition to that blueline.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Back from training camp. Couldn't stay the whole time because I have a mad amount of reading to do for school.

Basically, the drills focused heavily on breakouts for the first half and heavily on cycling, board play, and forechecking in the second half.

The most impressive players today for Team Red was Baertschi, Aliu, Bouma, and Estoclet. Aliu and Bouma have been paired for the last three days. In fact, as far I can tell, they're the only pairing to have stuck together over the last three days. Both are making a case for best grinding prospect in the system.

Estoclet was able to score at will today. It seemed like every shot he took went in. He went top corner nearly every time. Very skilled player with good board play. Can't battle it out physically, but moves the puck well along the boards.

Baertschi had his best day today. Extremely creative and can passes like it's nobody's business. Not too much else to say. Basically what we all expect from him haha. He seems to get along well with anyone on the ice. The coaches get him to demonstrate their drills quite often.

Irving wasn't very good today. He got scored on alot. Mind you, some of those shots were snipes, but still he didn't stop many. An off day for him for sure.

On Team Black, I only caught 50 minutes of their practice, but Lamb was good as usual. He's grittier than you'd expect. He also plays about half a foot taller than he actually is. He's got a very nice shot as well. Always knows where to shoot the puck so there's a rebound for his forwards. I'd consider this guy one of the Flames best defensive prospects for sure.

Bancks is always stuck in second gear. He doesn't have a first gear haha. He doesn't coast, he skates like he's on a breakaway all the time. He often outworks defensemen in the corners easily.

So after the third day, my thoughts are this: Coming into camp, the forwards were expected to be the hardest group to work into in a team of 13 players. I'm starting to think that the forwards are becoming a little more clearer than the defensemen and the goalies.

Brust, Taylor, and Irving have been playing well, especially Brust.

The defensemen are so damn good that I only see a few that probably won't make it. There's so much parity in this group with only Brodie, Lamb, and McKelvie truly standing out play-wise, and Piskula standing out conditioning-wise (he also hasn't been bad play-wise).

I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings, but as the longer the camp goes on, the more murky it is getting in terms of who will and won't get cut.

Originally Posted by Freeway

McKelvie is gonna be a fine addition to that blueline.

Big time. He's like a better skating, smarter Matt Pelech. I'm very impressed. Good scout Weisbrod haha.

[Wronskian]

Not sure if it warranted it's own thread so I thought it'd through it in here. Check out Ty Ratties stat line;

4 games; 0g 1a 1point

Missing Sven much?

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Wronskian

Not sure if it warranted it's own thread so I thought it'd through it in here. Check out Ty Ratties stat line;

4 games; 0g 1a 1point

Missing Sven much?

He is playing with 2 new linemates and is only 4 games in. A little early to draw any kind of conclusion

[kehatch]

Haven't heard much about Street, Laing, Walter, or Sylvester. How do they look?

I assume the forwards still in the running for the top 13 are:

Baertschi, Street, Nemisz, Walter, Horak, Bouma, Aliu, Kolanos, Byron, Sylvester, Bancks, Reinhart, Eddy, and Laing? Estoclet or any of the invites still stand a chance?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Haven't heard much about Street, Laing, Walter, or Sylvester. How do they look?

I assume the forwards still in the running for the top 13 are:

Baertschi, Street, Nemisz, Walter, Horak, Bouma, Aliu, Kolanos, Byron, Sylvester, Bancks, Reinhart, Eddy, and Laing? Estoclet or any of the invites still stand a chance?

Street is very much in the Walter/Kolanos classification. You can tell he was a top 30 point getter in the AHL last season. He's got a quick release and is quite fast.

Walter has looked good, but a little unnoticable. It could be just me, but I don't notice him until he makes a good play, then I'll look at my sheet and say holy crap that was Walter. So he's looking good so far.

Laing is looking good as well. I'm a little biased because I don't want an older guy like Laing taking a job away from a young prospect, but it's hard not to like the guy. He's all heart and soul and has an awesome attitude.

Sylvester looks stronger than last season. He's able to hold off defensemen along the boards and he's still got a deadly shot. I wouldn't pencil him into the lineup quite yet though. There's some guys that look like they could be top 9 material.

Your last question is difficult to answer because there's so much damn parity right now at camp. There's sometimes when I'll think a guy is a lock, but then an hour later he'll look out of place.

I'm not even going to begin to guess who the 13 forwards will be because it hurts my brain haha. I will say that there are some invitees that have looked anywhere from good to really good. Off the top of my head Mouillirat, Drew McKenzie (at times), the goalie Rollheiser have been impressive.

If I were to make the cuts I probably wouldn't have Callahan on the opening day roster. It's not that he's been bad, but he hasn't stuck out.

[kehatch]

Thanks again for all of the updates.

You have to think Baertchi, Nemisz, Walter, Horak, Bouma, Kolanos, Street, Aliu, Byron, and Reinhart are locks. That makes the battle for the final 3 pretty fierce. Especially if you pencil in Bancks or Eddy.

Of course injuries will happen. And hopefully the lockout ends at some point opening up more spots.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Wahl looking pretty good, but he's getting pushed around pretty easy. Amazing shot though.

I wonder how much potential is left in him. It sounds like he never fully recovered from that early AHL injury.

...Also, didn't Ward also hint at some other issues with Wahl?

Originally Posted by Wronskian

Not sure if it warranted it's own thread so I thought it'd through it in here. Check out Ty Ratties stat line;

4 games; 0g 1a 1point

Missing Sven much?

There are lots of factors at play. He just lost his entire line and much of the 2nd line (Ross, Baertschi, Noebels, Gabriel all left the team). Learning from the ground up with a new line is going to put him in a bit of a spin, especially when the new young player to watch is Seth Jones, not another forward.

Additionally, we knew he was never that good. Rattie's ceiling is befitting of his draft position. Same with Baertschi. It's obvious which one was supporting which.

Finally, we're also in 4 games. If this extrapolation worked, Jacobs might be the steal of the year,

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by kirant

I wonder how much potential is left in him. It sounds like he never fully recovered from that early AHL injury.

...Also, didn't Ward also hint at some other issues with Wahl?

I think he hinted at Wahl not listening to the coaches in Hamilton or Utah or something like that. i could be wrong.

I'm not sure how much potential he has left either, but this season is going to be his moment of truth.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

I think he hinted at Wahl not listening to the coaches in Hamilton or Utah or something like that. i could be wrong.

I'm not sure how much potential he has left either, but this season is going to be his moment of truth.

Playfair didn't seem to mind Wahl's attitude but I could see it off putting to some.

Wahl's time with the Heat last season also gave bench boss Jim Playfair an opportunity to get to know the Calgary Flames second-round pick from 2008. Playfair got to know the Seal Beach, CA-native so well he's begun referring to him as, "Cool Hand Luke".
"When you talk to him and see him play, he's pretty calm � its interesting that he has to pick up the intensity of his work, but his demeanor can remain the same, Playfair said. "I think that's an important balance for him."
Wahl admits he was unsure of the reference at first.
"I did hear that he gave me that nickname and I wasn't familiar with it," said Wahl chuckling.
"I had to ask around to figure out what it meant. Its' pretty funny, I guess he sees me as a laid back guy, but I'm fine with that.
"It could be the California surfer side of me I guess."

http://hockeynow.ca/posts/7712-ahl-h...lagued-2009-10

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Fourth on ice day of camp, but it's just a short one. Only 50 min for each squad because they have an hour and a half scrimmage this afternoon.

Baertschi, Street, and Horak together. I've seen that line quite a few times together. All three look great together. Such a dynamic line.

They've put Drew McKenzie on the Red Team. He's been impressive so it doesn't surprise me.

Eddy had his best 50 min today. He has great hands and is pretty fast. Talked for a solid 10 min with Luke Strand before practice.

They practiced a lot of even strength pressure and powerplay puck movement.

Not much else to tell you about this group. It was a short, not intense practice because they want to keep them fresh for the scrimmage.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Interesting. Hartley and Conroy are on skates for this upcoming short practice.

I guess Feaster and and Weisbrod want eyes and ears at ice level?

Edit - actually all of the Flames coaching staff is out here, with no sign of players.

Edit 2 - nevermind, its just the coaches scrimmaging eachother for fun until the real scrimmage.