Your wish list

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

This guy will be lucky to even have an NHL career period let alone make the big team next year. He needs more time in the AHL as Wotherspoon is further ahead and couldn't crack the big team.

Oh I thought this was a wish list.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Oh I thought this was a wish list.

Fair enough.

[Murph]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Very likely was a career year for Wideman. Hudler too. Excellent to have an environment that brings out the best in players. Someone(s) else just needs to carry more next year.

Yeah, I know... Just piling on really. Though I do think Wideman has a better shot than Hudler. He's consistently scored at or slightly above 0.5 pt/game pace and the Flames system encourages defensemen to join the rush which is something that he's likely never experienced before.

At any rate, I don't think we need Wideman or Hudler to repeat what they did this year. I expect progression of younger guys to make up for any regression.

[Monahan23]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Very likely was a career year for Wideman. Hudler too. Excellent to have an environment that brings out the best in players. Someone(s) else just needs to carry more next year.

I'd expect Wideman and Hudler to regress but still be better than what they were in the past

[woob]

Originally Posted by polak

Disagree. Patience is one thing but this team is most likely not going to be drafting in the top 5 any time soon so what are we being patient for?

You leave the team alone to fight on the bubble again and what do we gain? Picking one or two spots higher? I'd rather trade a forward prospect and use up some cap and try and improve and make the playoffs.

Obviously you don't sell the farm at this point but some improvements should definitely be made. We're sitting pretty on offense and in goal in terms of prospects (although its looking less likely that theres anyone that will be able to step into the top 6 soon) but we have zero high end D. Thats a hole we need to fill and we have the cap space and depth up front to do it.

I think we're essentially saying the same thing. I pointed out that they need to make smart decisions but be patient about it. You're saying obviously we don't sell the farm but improvements should happen. Kind of what I was getting at with my post.

Make adjustments but don't get into that cycle of making moves just to make the playoff push, which ultimately leads to us being further back than where we were.

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Would like all the Flames D to remain with exception of Diaz and Potter.
Smid i think is going to be long term injury list.
Need to toughen up 1 more Dman but decent skating.
First choice would be...
6'5 28 yr old McQuaid
Beauchemin
Franson was much better with NSH andnot being a Leaf.
Jackman
Oduya
Bartkowski
Need to shore up 1 RW with size and skill
Beleskey
Stafford

Keep in mind though that if we get Johnny Oduya we also have to get his natural defence partner, Billy Boydoai and that's a pretty big cap hit.

[cannon7]

We all hope that Sieloff will develop, as d-men that mean and fearless are pretty rare. It just hasn't happened yet. Maybe he'll be a late bloomer, who knows?

I hope the Flames are looking closely at what the Avs did last offseason and learn from it. The Avs had even less depth on D and went out and acquired Iginla.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Murph

So what you're saying is that Wideman had an unsustainable season?

Well he basically just did a bit better offensively than his previous best.

Offensively he could very easily get 55 points again especially with the way the Flames play. But he'll be a year older next year, and the way him and Russell played down the stretch into the playoffs was so spectacular that I don't think it will ever be repeated again.

Then again, with Gio playing a full season hopefully it won't need to be repeated.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

This guy will be lucky to even have an NHL career period let alone make the big team next year. He needs more time in the AHL as Wotherspoon is further ahead and couldn't crack the big team.

The guy also lost a full year of development because of health issues.

I think people are vastly under estimating him. He'll be a beast.

[cannon7]

Regarding our top-line, obviously it is tricky arguing for breaking up that kind of chemistry. But I was really impressed with the chemistry that Gaudreau and Bennett had together. So maybe next season our top-six looks something like...

________-Monahan-Hudler
Gaudreau-Bennett-________

With the hope that someone in our system could step into one or both of those spots. But I'd happily settle for Beleskey on LW and Stafford on RW.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Azure

Sieloff makes the team, averages 10-15 min and hits people.

Ferland emerges as a 10-15 goal scorer that hits people.

Colborne figures out how to consistently use his size, scores 15-20 and hits people.

Bennett adds 10lbs muscle over the off-season again, takes over the 2nd line center role, scores 15-20 and hits people.

Monahan scores 25-30, figures out that he is a beast, and hits people.

Raymond is traded because he won't hit people.

Bollig is traded because Ferland is better at hitting people.

Stajan is kept here for the 4th line center role because he is a hell of a guy, hits people, blocks shots, wins faceoffs, and beats the Canucks. Like it or not we are still in rebuild mode and we need him here for another year at least.

Jones is traded for draft picks because he won't always hit people.

Jankowski to take big steps forward. A 6'4" center that can skate, win faceoffs, has some decent hands and good offensive/defensive instincts? Yes please. Hopefully they teach him how to hit people.

Mostly I want more people that hit people, and for our young guys to keep doing what they are doing.

Oh, and draft some players that can hit some people too.

It's not about hittibg people. This just means you are chasing the puck.
For example, Getzlaf doesn't hit people, he runs them over with the puck. People bounce off when they try to hit him. Tremendous physical player who doesn't hit because he has the puck. Toews is the same. Monahan should be too. And Colborne. Use size and strength to keep the puck, not knock others off it. If you are playing a non possession game, you have to hit people.
I don't want the Flames continue with this kind of chase the puck game.

[Azure]

Dominating physical players open up room for smaller skilled guys. Raymond was effectively useless on his line because he isn't a physical player, plus the other guys on his line weren't physical either.

Ferland created room for his line, as did Jones when he actually decided to play physical.

Monahan is a big center who doesn't player overly physical at this point. If he wants to give Johnny more room he'll have to learn how to be more physical.

I'm not saying that everyone should hit people, but we should look at developing some big physical players if we want to compete with the Ducks of the NHL.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Azure

Dominating physical players open up room for smaller skilled guys. Raymond was effectively useless on his line because he isn't a physical player, plus the other guys on his line weren't physical either.

Ferland created room for his line, as did Jones when he actually decided to play physical.

Monahan is a big center who doesn't player overly physical at this point. If he wants to give Johnny more room he'll have to learn how to be more physical.

I'm not saying that everyone should hit people, but we should look at developing some big physical players if we want to compete with the Ducks of the NHL.

It will be interesting to see how the series against the Hawks goes because they are smaller than the Ducks as well. I'm willing to bet if the Flames had more experience and depth, like the Hawks do, that the Ducks would have a tougher go of things. Right now the Hawks are the franchise to model our team against, with the exception of all the cap troubles.

[Mattman]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

A big physical RW that can play top line minutes and add to team toughness.

Wayne Simmonds

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Mattman

Wayne Simmonds

Is he on the block, or just a wish?

Simmonds would be awesome on this team.

[The Fonz]

And he's fantastic on faceoffs.

But for all of those reasons... he is very obviously not available.

[dash_pinched]

I wish we could trade Mason Raymond to the Devils for Mike Cammalleri - he would definitely help the 2nd PP unit (likely the 1st PP unit as well).

[Mattman]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Is he on the block, or just a wish?

Simmonds would be awesome on this team.

Its a wish.

But you gotta think that Philly is going to want to make changes soon after an embarrassing season like they had. I would like to think Simmonds is available for a decent price.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

I wish we could trade Mason Raymond to the Devils for Mike Cammalleri - he would definitely help the 2nd PP unit (likely the 1st PP unit as well).

No. Cammalleri only played for himselfe and when it suited him.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by ScorchyScorch

our defenders couldn't physically muscle guys like Maroon and Getzlaf off the puck. We need someone big and strong enough that can.

They have a player like that. He just was not playing. You mean another player like that.