Who is your favorite and least favorite flame right now?

[CSharp]

Here's my Flames core group of players I like and why:
- Gaudreau - great eyes and hands in the offensive zone and one of the few guys on the Flames that can keep the puck in the offensive zone to make plays.
- Bouma - he's a big body that can skate, blocks a lot of shots, and is great at PK. Even though he's not as skilled as players like Monahan or Gaudreau, he's needed in crucial situations. He reminds me of Stephane Yelle.
- Monahan - Big centerman and is a game breaker. Gotta love his hands!
- Colborne - Size and a big centerman. If he gains another 10-15lbs, watch out!
- Hudler - kind of like Gaudreau, but has the skills to make things happen.
- Gio - he's mobile, can hit hard, makes the plays defensively and offensively. He's stepped up as the captain.
- Brodie - gotta love his skating and mobility; almost like Gio. Gotta love the one-two punch of the top two d-men on the Flames.
- Russel - for his small size, he plays pretty well, is mobile, and blocks shots. Can't ask for more.
- Ramo/Ortio combo - this should've been the goalie combo from the start of the season.
- Jooris - if he's healthy, he's pretty good centering for Gaudreau and Hudler. Maybe this is what's missing for Gaudreau right now with his slump. Jooris provides the speed and drive to the net that Gaudreau is looking for.

I don't really have any dislikes at the moment except Hiller bugs the hell out of me with his butterfly style and his inability to move after he goes down on his knees. He's just lucky that the d-men in front of him blocks a lot of shots.

[Hanna Sniper]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

I honestly can not tell if this post is sarcastic or not...

dead serious, all players have faults and some get under the skin of other fans more then others... unfortunately his unwillingness to use his body in any capacity to win any board battles drives me nuts... it's an easy out for the opposition every time. He'll do well by watching Hudler and see how skilled players can and be effective physically without throwing body checks. Right now he's too one dimensional with his stick check only... and losing those battles

It's not a requirement of all fans that they must like certain players. I wasn't a fan of Joe Mullen but he was a hell of a hockey player. The OP as for favourite and least favourite... If you were to buy me a jersey and crest any players name on it and continued to do so till we hit Gaudreau we would be scraping the barrel before his name was called.. so what, I just see Nikolai Borschevsky V2.0 but as long as he wears the C i hope he has success and doesn't get killed

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Hanna Sniper

dead serious, all players have faults and some get under the skin of other fans more then others... unfortunately his unwillingness to use his body in any capacity to win any board battles drives me nuts... it's an easy out for the opposition every time. He'll do well by watching Hudler and see how skilled players can and be effective physically without throwing body checks. Right now he's too one dimensional with his stick check only... and losing those battles

It's not a requirement of all fans that they must like certain players. I wasn't a fan of Joe Mullen but he was a hell of a hockey player. The OP as for favourite and least favourite... If you were to buy me a jersey and crest any players name on it and continued to do so till we hit Gaudreau we would be scraping the barrel before his name was called.. so what, I just see Nikolai Borschevsky V2.0 but as long as he wears the C i hope he has success and doesn't get killed

He's 150lbs, I love that he doesn't try use his body to win battles. He's small and smart about it. If he started using his body his career would be over due to injuries. He also makes things happen when he has the puck, which I love.

I know you're entitled to your opinion, I was just wondering why you thought that as it is a very unique view on a guy who seems to be universally loved by Flames fans...

[crapshoot]

Johnny Gaudreau just got compared to Nikolai Borschevsky?

[C-ero]

Favorite: Monahan
Least Favorite: Hiller

[evman150]

Favourite: Johnny
LF: Bollig

HM to Engelland/Smid for LF. Also, Byron's stone hands are really getting on my nerves.

[doctajones428]

Most: Gaudreau, followed by Monahan/Giordano/Brodie/Bouma/Jooris/Byron/Backlund
Least: Glencross

Engelland gets too much hate. Yes he's overpaid but he's a solid #6

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Favorite - Giordano. Close 2nd is Gaudreau.
Least fav - its a tie. Jones and Engelland. Didnt like the Engelland signing - he is a hard worker and I like that he is gritty but him and smid are too similar to be on the bottom pairing together. Jones I feel bad for. He has never justified his contract and I think he would have had a much better career here and even in Colorado if he wasnt injured every 30 games or so. These guys need to justify their cap hit. I know we need to make the cap floor but I'd like to see better players on these contracts. Jones has been ok recently but I expected a better player for the cap hit for sure.

[Cflames_12.5]

Most: Gio. The guy is a beast
Least: Jones. Hands of stone, bones of glass and rocks for brains.

[locsofblu]

Right meow. Favourite - Ortio. Worst-Raymond

[goodyear]

Favourite: Hudler - such sublime skills

Honourable mention: Jorris

Leat Favourite: Engelland - pylonesque

Honurable mention: Raymond -just cant seem to get it all together

[D-Red]

Great thread... choices I made were harder than I thought.

Favorite: Gio
Close second: Monahan and Gaudreau.

I keep flip flopping between all 3 like crazy.... but finally went with Gio. His leadership and dedication to the C have had a significant impact on changing the culture on the team to what we see now. Gaudreau's "hold your breath" factor every time he has the puck is hard to pick a player over, but I honestly don't see this team being remotely close to where they are right know without a Captain like Gio.

Least: Raymond
HM: Bollig Engelland

This was tough too, but at the end of the day I went with the chemistry again. Bollig and Engelland came from teams where they experienced high levels of success. They know the effort it takes and I think that ends up rubbing off on everyone. I've always felt to create a winner, you need to bring in winners, and as frusturated as I get watching them sometimes, they've been there. On the other hand i feel that Raymond is 100% replaceable. Don't see him bringing anything to the table that our young depth doesn't match or beat.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by D-Red

This was tough too, but at the end of the day I went with the chemistry again. Bollig and Engelland came from teams where they experienced high levels of success. They know the effort it takes and I think that ends up rubbing off on everyone. I've always felt to create a winner, you need to bring in winners, and as frusturated as I get watching them sometimes, they've been there. On the other hand i feel that Raymond is 100% replaceable. Don't see him bringing anything to the table that our young depth doesn't match or beat.

Not to dispute your choices, but while Bollig has a ring, Engelland doesn't, and Mason Raymond has arguably had more high level of success at the NHL level when he was a Canuck.

[chopper89]

Favorite: Gio- everything you want in a captain and #1 dman. I'll admit I was skeptical he'd ever become either- but he has been seriously amazing, and is the #1 reason they are in a playoff spot at the All-Star Break.

Least Favorite: Raymond - unfortunately the injury didn't help, but he's nowhere near the replacement for Cammallerri he was sorta being billed as. He's fast, but has almost no confidence, and right now is just taking up Baertschi or Poirier's spot.

[D-Red]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Not to dispute your choices, but while Bollig has a ring, Engelland doesn't, and Mason Raymond has arguably had more high level of success at the NHL level when he was a Canuck.

Touche sir, haha. Maybe I should fact check before I spew my mouth off. Since 2011-12 Engelland only has 4 more playoff games under his belt than Raymond. And beyond that Raymond obviously destroys him at 46 -0..... I guess it just goes to show how I associate the Penguins with winning and Vancouver with..... well you know.

[GioforPM]

Engelland was a year too late to get a ring, and the Pens never made the finals after that - Raymond has been in a finals (losing spectacularly).

Bollig's ring he got on the strength of only 5 games in the POs that year. But he was around the team, I guess.

[Karl]

In no particular order.

Favourites: Stajan, Gaudreau, Backlund, Brodie

Least favourites: Engelland, Diaz, Bollig, Smid

[calgaryboy]

Like: many...just many players, this team is so amazing last 2 seasons, impossible for me to choose one or two

but least favourite: Glencross..... for me, he is the last piece of the old Flames from last years before this rebuild.......floating around

[FlameZilla]

There isn't a player on this team who I don't like. Raymond isn't really doing it for me lately, so he's the closest to being my personal whipping boy. Jones, Stajan, Glencross and Wideman have been players I've ripped on in the past, but they're all playing well (the ones who are healthy, anyway). All in all I like the team and feel most everyone has bought into it. They strike me as a close-knit group and that reflects on the ice.

My favourite 3 are the big cliche ones in Monahan, Giordano and Gaudreau. Beyond them I'm a big fan of Backlund, Brodie, Hudler and Russell. Colborne, Bouma, Byron and Jooris are rarely in my bad books. I like the goalies. I like the mascot. Go freakin Flames Go

[Stay Golden]

Ortio is new to the mix. If the kid keeps turning out these goaltending performances how can the Flames in their right mind send him down.
Even if he loses the Ortio mojo has rubbed off on the team they have to keep this vibe up with the Flames.

Johnny
Gio
Brody
Monahan
Hudler

Are the game to game heart of the team. Monahan should be wearing an A next season.