Heat Open Training Camp

[Vulcan]

with pep talk by coach Ward for the 13 cut players.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...401/story.html

also

This morning, 12 tryout players — none of whom was at Flames camp — are to due to arrive in Abbotsford for fitness testing. The reassigned crew must show up there by 7 p.m.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...#ixzz1Ymqxcrv5

[flamesfan55]

Should be an interesting year!

[Cheese]

will be interesting to see who the tryout players are.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I'll be going to be going to the rink today at 1:45 (pacific time) to go see them. I'll see what I can see.

[flamesrule14]

Cam Tucker



Notable #AHL journeymen Jeff May and Krys Kolanos at first day of #AHLHeat camp. http://yfrog.com/kg2ywgfj

Looks like Kolanos and May are two of the tryouts. Anyone know the others yet?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Couldn't really recognize any of the players today. It looked like the 12 tryout players who were expected to be there, plus two goalies.

None of them really stood out as all that good.

One of the players looked like Riley Armstrong, but I don't think it was because he's playing in the DEL this season.

Another one looked like Riley Emmerson. I recognized his face and he was the tallest player on the ice, but again, I'm probably wrong.

Sorry, couldn't provide any information without actually knowing who these players were.

About 45 minutes into the practice, Ward separated four players from the rest of the group to run drills with. Cail MacLean took the rest of the group. I'm wondering if these players impressed the most.

Anyways, I'll be trying to go to all the practices. I'll post what I see in this thread along the way.

[The Eliminator]

The tryout group includes forwards Kolanos, Riley Emmerson, and Joshua Turnbull; defencemen J.P. Cote, Jeff May, Mitch Versteeg, Trevor Glass, Nick Tuzzolino, Patrick Cullity, Philippe Seydoux and Cam Brodie; and goalies Andrew Engelage and David Brown.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_va...130479508.html

So after getting Staffan Kronwall and Keith Seabrook, with no avail in getting their brothers Niklas and Brent here, the plan is to get Mitch Versteeg to land Kris?

[Freeway]

It's gonna be real, real hard for any of the try-out guys to get a spot in Abbotsford. The Flames have probably 30-some players with NHL or AHL contracts already who will be down there pretty soon. Very competitive situation, but very hard to crack the team.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Freeway

It's gonna be real, real hard for any of the try-out guys to get a spot in Abbotsford. The Flames have probably 30-some players with NHL or AHL contracts already who will be down there pretty soon. Very competitive situation, but very hard to crack the team.

You're right. There's barely any room for the players that we have as it is.

It's kind of frustrating, to me at least, that the Heat are almost obligated to open spots for players like MacMillan, Cameron, Grantham, and Meyer. Don't get me wrong, I like Grantham. He's tenacious as hell. Same with Meyer. But unless Cameron and MacMillan can do what they did in the juniors, they'll be plugs and don't deserve the time playing.

I know I'll be watching them really closely during this training camp to see if they actually deserve spots.

[Cheese]

I would think a few players will be shifted to the ECHL....when that happens Abbotsford will fill those spots with some veteran presence, hence the tryouts. Holy crap Emmerson is 6-8 248 and Tuzzolino is 6-5 225?

In saying they will be veteran presence, none have had even decent years in the ECHL outside of Kolanos who hasnt played in a year.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I just saw Wahl and Rheault at a gas station. Wahl's got a bit of a limp. Could explain why he didn't stay longer at Flames training camp.

[Weiser Wonder]

So an interesting fact about Krys Kolanos and the Flames: Kolanos played on the Flames farm team 4 years ago. Not a single player from that team is still with the organization.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Kolanos is flying out here right now. That major hip surgery hasn't seemed to affect his speed. Hell of a shot too.

Sylvester has a great shot.

Martin is beast of a guy. Tall and aggressive.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Quote from Troy Ward tonight regarding Kolanos:

"He was like a man against boys," Heat head coach Troy Ward said of Kolanos. "We kind of figured that would be the way it was, but he hasn't played in over a year."

I have to second that. Kolanos has been flying around the ice at training camp. Don't know how he would fit in to Flames or Heat plans as he is a 30-year-old, but I wouldn't mind giving him an ATO and seeing how he fits in.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Just got back from the Heat practice.

Group A was on the ice first. Group A mostly had the 12 tryout guys with a few Heat regulars (like Armstrong, Patterson, Breen, Cameron, and Howse). Luke Strand and Cale MacLean ran most of the drills. The drills were heavily focused on the rush. 5 on 5's and 3 on 3's. What I noticed the most Ward's patience with the players. If they weren't doing something properly, he'd stop the drill and calmly tell everyone where they needed to be or what they needed to do. He even stopped the drill a couple of times to congratulate the players on being perfectly in position.

As for individual players. No one player stuck out. Riley Emmerson is still coming to every practice and still lumbers around the ice - sticking out like a sore thumb. But no one can take the guy off the puck. He's too damn lanky and too damn strong. Sylvester is a work horse out there. Always in the right place, has great hands, and an even better shot. Very quick too. When everyone was gassed and tired, he wouldn't even go for a drink of water. He'd go straight to the net and start shooting, while everyone rested.

In Group B, which had all of the Heat regulars, they ran all of the same rush-oriented drills. Irving was great in net. He didn't treat it as if it were a practice. He was sprawling across the crease to make great glove and blocker saves. Brodie looked very solid defensively. It seems like every time I watch him his skating is getting progressively better. He skates as well as Negrin now. Rheault never quits working. Even though he's a smaller guy, he works well along the boards and has a great shot as well.

A couple of interesting points:

- Patterson and Armstrong stayed on the ice for both practices (that's about 2 1/2 hours of hard, physical drills). To me, that just shows a whole new level of commitment to getting better. I was quite impressed by that.

- Also, Ron Sutter was out on the ice with the coaches. He's never usually out on the ice. IIRC he's the Flames western scout. I'm wondering why he was out there. I wonder if Feaster asked him to check it out and report back to him on who's giving it their all, and who's slacking. Maybe Feaster wants to know which prospects he's willing to give up in a trade? Who knows. I just found it different that a scout would be on the ice during a practice.

[Canada 02]

Ron Sutter isn't a scout, he is Director of Player Development

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Oh ok, I must've mixed up Ron and Duane.

[Canada 02]

Heat had a scrimmage today after practice. White beat Red 4-0

Dowling, Nemisz, Cameron and Wahl scored

Irving with the shutout

[sureLoss]

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_va...130907653.html

Bryan Cameron, Justin Dowling, John Armstrong and Ryley Grantham were among 10 players assigned to the Utah Grizzlies, the Heat's ECHL affiliate. Others ticketed for Utah included forwards C.J. Severyn, Riley Emmerson, and Joshua "Podge" Turnbull; defencemen Trevor Glass and Nick Tuzzolino​; and goalie Andrew Engelage.


Defenceman Cam Brodie was assigned to the ECHL's Stockton Thunder​, while fellow blueliner Mitch Versteeg will join the ECHL's Trenton Titans.


Four players were outright released: defencemen Philippe Seydoux, J.P. Cote and Jeff May, and goalie Adam Avramenko.

[The Eliminator]

Among the tryout still remaining are Kolanos, David Brown and Patrick Cullity.