Lines when Colborne/Backs/Raymond are all back

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I really wonder if the team needs Stajan, does he hold us back?

With the emergence of Granlund, I wouldn't say Stajan holds us back, but he's redundant. I think Granlund can do what Stajan does on the ice. Off the ice is a different story. It's well documented how important Stajan has been to the young players and the team as a whole.

[Azure]

Anyone who thinks Jooris is going to sit is not thinking straight.

His role is vital to this team and the success they are having.

Ferland I think sticks too. He has size and plays with an edge.

[PeteMoss]

The Bollig/Engelland moves look pretty bad at this point. Ideally both would be in the press box most nights (need to find a defenseman though)

[AcGold]

If Wideman can turn his game around so can Bollig and Engelland. They are not Setogouchi/Butler bad, they have the physical tools and lack the skills yet but with the physical potential of both guys I wouldn't give up on either guy.

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Glencross - Monahan - Colborne
Raymond - Backlund - Byron
Gaudreau - Granlund - Hudler
Bouma - Stajan - Jooris

Giordano - Brodie
Russel - Wideman
Engelland - Smid


Sent down - Baertschi, Ferland, Reinhart, Knight, Setoguchi
Press box - McGrats, Diaz, Jones, Bollig

Really really hope at some point we get to see the speed line of Raymond, Backlund and Byron - maybe even put Jooris on the line once in a while. Also a skill line with Granlund, Hudler and Gaudreau and a top line of 3 good 2 way players who have some chemistry in Monahan, Glencross and Colborne. Cant forget a super energetic 4th line with Jooris, Stajan and Bouma all 3 very hard workers who can chip in offensively.

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Originally Posted by Azure

Anyone who thinks Jooris is going to sit is not thinking straight.

His role is vital to this team and the success they are having.

Ferland I think sticks too. He has size and plays with an edge.

I think Ferland would stick but the organization will prefer to let him rip it up in the AHL like he was doing before once everyone is healthy. He has impressed me a lot and Ive always been really high on him. I'm sure we will see him as soon as one of our bigger wingers goes down again - its inevitable - or after the trade deadline close to the end of the season I could see Ferland staying up and earning his NHL position for next season.

Im so amazed by our depth in forward prospects. All this production from youngsters and we have yet to see 4 first rounders in the NHL still - Jankowski, Poirier, Klimchuck and Bennett. Not to mention our AHL team is full of young guys knocking on the door and quietly improving their game. What a change from a few years ago and our pathetic trading / drafting / development when we had nobody to be excited about.

[442scotty]

Originally Posted by Azure

Anyone who thinks Jooris is going to sit is not thinking straight.

His role is vital to this team and the success they are having.

Ferland I think sticks too. He has size and plays with an edge.

Agreed. These two will not be going back unless they really regress. As much as I like Sven I think he will go back. Grandlund as well. I like him but he will probably go back when the time comes.

Trades will have to be made without a doubt.

[Azure]

Sven is obviously not ready, and is better suited playing top 6 minutes in the AHL than 6 min per night in the NHL.

He's only 22, so no problem giving him more time.

[PeteMoss]

Granlund has 9 pts in 11 games... very hard to send him back.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

So when those 3 get back, do you guys think we're going to get even better(.600+), same results as now(.500+) or regress (<.500)?

I'm thinking same results. Maybe 1-2 game spikes due to fresher bodies, but nothing phenomenal.

Thoughts?

Two thoughts.

First, our pace so far has been .636 of points available (.590 games won.)

Second, we need to play better to keep getting those same results. Getting players back should help in that.

[Enoch Root]

I don't think there was a single game last year where all the forwards were healthy. And I don't think there has been a single game this year.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt

Glencross - Monahan - Colborne
Raymond - Backlund - Byron
Gaudreau - Granlund - Hudler
Bouma - Stajan - Jooris

Sent down - Baertschi, Ferland, Reinhart, Knight, Setoguchi
Press box - McGrats, Diaz, Jones, Bollig

I like this line-up. If we could move a couple players at the deadline and improve our D-depth, I think there is enough forward depth to not miss a beat.

What about next year? Glencross walks? Backlund and Smid moved out?
That would leave us with:
Ferland Monahan Colborne
Raymond Bennett Byron
Gaudreau Granlund Hudler
Bouma Stajan Jooris

Give a place to Wotherspoon on the 3rd pairing. Bollig and D.Jones in the press box.

Would need to figure out what to do with Baertchi and Poirier as they are knocking on the door (one louder than the other).

Would still have Arnold, Reinhart, Knight, Agostino, Klimchuk as forward depth at the farm.

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

I like this line-up. If we could move a couple players at the deadline and improve our D-depth, I think there is enough forward depth to not miss a beat.

What about next year? Glencross walks? Backlund and Smid moved out?
That would leave us with:
Ferland Monahan Colborne
Raymond Bennett Byron
Gaudreau Granlund Hudler
Bouma Stajan Jooris

Give a place to Wotherspoon on the 3rd pairing. Bollig and D.Jones in the press box.

Would need to figure out what to do with Baertchi and Poirier as they are knocking on the door (one louder than the other).

Would still have Arnold, Reinhart, Knight, Agostino, Klimchuk as forward depth at the farm.

I would hope Backlund is going nowhere. I remember watching him last season and especially in the second half of last season he was playing very very well. I think Backlund is a valuable player moving forward he may be our 'veteran' center next season. I really like Smid as well. I want to see him extended. He is useful, as a bottom pairing D man who can kill penalties and loves to block shots. Seems to be a decent leader with good character and liked by the players as well.

As for Glencross. I love the guy, appreciate his style of play and like how he finishes checks and goes to the front of the net. We only have 3 other forwards who do that in Jones, Colborne and Ferland. Ok maybe Bouma too, but you get the point.

BUT.. he needs a bigger contract, he deserves a bigger contract and he deserves to be on a team already in win now mode so he can be that physical 3rd line winger who can move up and provide goals as well as grit. I bet a lot of teams in the west would love glencross in their top 9 for a playoff run. I just dont think Calgary should give him that big long contract he will probably be seeking at this stage of his career and especially since his current contract is/was a modest home town discount kind of deal.

I would be very happy to get a 2nd round pick or decent young AHL defencemen around the value / quality of Wotherspoon for Glencross at the deadline. Same goes for Wideman. He is older and he makes a lot of money. Im delighted he is playing so well - but I think we would be smart to sell him while his value is high, heck he might even be able to fetch a first round pick the way he is playing this season. Hope we trade him this deadline and address positional needs in the prospect pool and farm team.

But to answer your questions.. I think the flames would be smart to keep Backlund and Smid and flip Glencross and Wideman at the deadline for young emerging defencemen and or big talented, right handed shooting RWers

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt

But to answer your questions.. I think the flames would be smart to keep Backlund and Smid and flip Glencross and Wideman at the deadline for young emerging defencemen and or big talented, right handed shooting RWers

I agree on almost all points, and if we didn't have such a strong youth group pushing for spots, I would happily keep Glencross, Backlund and Smid. Realistically though, we need to open up at least:
-1/2 spots at centre for granlund and Bennett. Stajan has little value while backlund shouldn't be on the 4th line so the writing is on the wall. If not this year than next.
-1/2 spots on the wing for Ferland and Poirier. Glencross leaving is an easy choice due to the points you mentioned. Sitting or nursing Jones back to health is another.
1 spot on d as we need to get some youth in there. Wideman moving would be great, but if he is unmovable then smid is the next in line IMO

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

I agree on almost all points, and if we didn't have such a strong youth group pushing for spots, I would happily keep Glencross, Backlund and Smid. Realistically though, we need to open up at least:
-1/2 spots at centre for granlund and Bennett. Stajan has little value while backlund shouldn't be on the 4th line so the writing is on the wall. If not this year than next.

You can move centers to wing. Granlund might very well be just as good (if not better) as a winger.

But yeah, I have trouble seeing where Stajan fits, now or in the future.

-1/2 spots on the wing for Ferland and Poirier.
Glencross leaving is an easy choice due to the points you mentioned. Sitting or nursing Jones back to health is another.

If we move out Setoguchi, Stajan and assume that Jones is injured, we'll be really thin on veterans next season. Hudler, Raymond... That's pretty much it. We could still use either Glencross or some other veteran winger of at least average size. (Someone with playoff experience maybe.)

It would also not surprise me if Glencross would like to stay, and since he can play on any line, it's mostly a question of money and term. We have money/cap. Term might be an issue.

1 spot on d as we need to get some youth in there. Wideman moving would be great, but if he is unmovable then smid is the next in line IMO

Wideman has playoff experience. We're really short on that. I'd much rather move Smid.

[sa226]

I think there is definitely room for the guys who deserve to stay (Granlund and Jooris)

Sven is interesting because I don't think he has done anything to deserve a demotion, its just that the other guys have been better.

I think Ferland is the intriguing one. He brings an element we don't really have right now and under different circumstances I think he stays the rest of the year. He is ready. But I'm thinking he will be one of the odd men out when we start to get healthy.

[DirtyMike]

Heard that Colborne will be returning from his wrist injury very soon...excited to see how he will slot into the lineup with the emergence of some of the call ups.

[robbie111]

Updated the PPG chart for the Flames so far this year to show the forwards to help this discussion. Added +/-

1. Granlund .818 9 Pts 11 GP +4
2. Hudler .810 17 Pts 21 GP +4
3. Colborne .727 8 Pts 11 GP +3
4. Gaudreau .714 15 Pts 21 GP +8
5. Raymond .700 7 Pts 10 GP +2
6. Jooris .600 9 Pts 15 GP +0
7. Monahan .591 13 Pts 22 GP +3
8. Glencross .591 13 Pts 22 GP +3
9. Jones .500 5 Pts 10 GP +3
10. Byron .455 10 Pts 22 GP +3
11.Bouma .429 9 Pts 21 GP +3
12. Backlund .364 4 Pts 11 GP +0
13. Ferland .333 1 Pts 3 GP +0
14. Baertschi .333 3 Pts 9 GP -4
15. Stajan .182 2 Pts 11 GP +2
16. Bollig .100 2 Pts 20 GP -3
17. Knight .000 0 Pts 1 GP +0
18.Reinhart .000 0 Pts 4 GP -3
19.McGrattan .000 0 Pts 7 GP -1
20. Setoguchi .000 0 Pts 12 GP -7


Granlund is still our best point per game player.

Was funny how Monahan and Glencross now have the same pts, GP and +/-

Lines according to points per game would now look like this:

Colborne-Granlund-Hudler
Gaudreau-Jooris-Raymond
Glencross-Monahan-Jones
Bouma-Backlund-Byron
Ferland Baertschi

That 2nd line would be incredibly fast and team speed would be amazing. The depth of lines is also very strong and you could probably feel safe with all of them on the ice and easily roll all four lines. Could insert Ferland for size, forecheck and toughness against bigger teams and the way he has played so far in his short stint he may move up the depth chart quickly.

The way they play you could also interchange players in the pressbox to give guys some rest. Maybe where you play 12 games and then each player would get a 2 game rest and then get shuffled back in for another 12 in row. You could stagger it every 2 games. For example Ferland and Baertschi sit games 1 and 2 then play the next 12. Bouma and Byron sit games 3 and 4 then play the next 12. Backlund and Jones sit games 5 and 6 and then play the next 12. Monahan and Glencross sit games 7 and 8 and then play the next 12. Raymond and Gaudreau sit games 9 and 10 and then play the next 12. Jooris and Colborne could sit games 11 and 12 and then play the next 12. Granlund and Hudler could sit games 13 and 14 and then play the next 12. It would allow for a healthy rested lineup come playoff time when they make it this year.

[PeteMoss]

Sven is going back down when people come back barring some kind of miracle. Some of you should brace yourself for it.

[GioforPM]

For next year, shouldn't we all wait to see how Bennett (a) recovers; (b) plays in training camp; and (c) plays in his 10 game NHL window before shipping out actual NHL centres with decent contracts?

Glencross - this all depends on what he is looking for. I'd like him to continue the play from last game, and make the Flames' choice tough, because if that happens and they can't meet his demands, he should garner the best rental fee round. Cup contenders would love to have a guy like him and might be willing to give up a decent D prospect. I could see them wanting a Wideman too.