[News] With the 21st overall pick Flames select C Mark Jankowski

[Flamefan1]

If I were a young prospect the last team I would want to get drafted by would be the Flames. Gully is too scared to give young kids a chance unless they are top 10 draft choices. He would rather play the old retreads like Glass, Stajan (not a retread but old), Bartkowski, Wideman, Grossman, Versteeg (still useful but not at expense of a Jankowski or Lazar) all whom have no upside for the remainder of the season. Obviously Wideman,Grossman and Vey were were last years example. You are buried in the Flames system and have little chance under current coach of a recall unless Tree intervenes which I hope happens soon.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Love

Honestly I believe BT should try and go all in. Monahan + d prospect + ? for a signed Tavares.

Ah yes let's destroy our team to go get Tavares. He's as inconsistent as they come and isn't as good as some who only get their hockey news from the media, believe.

Oh and Tavares hasn't had a single point in 6 straight games. You'll be wanting to trade him when he can't "create offense" for 6 straight games.

And last I checked putting the puck in the net is creating offense. Literally.

[Monahan For Mayor]

I've always been lower on Janko than most of CP. That said, I would not be surprised if he is a better player than Bennett today. He absolutely needs to be called up and given a chance. If we are serious about contending we need to be icing the best line up.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Where is this Tavares talk coming from? Even if the Flames did trade for him, why do people think he would re-sign with the Flames, or that they could afford him?
Or is this just a crazy magic world fantasy? If so - carry on.

[Jore]

game 8 now without a player who would be an obvious improvement on probably 5 of our bottom 6 forwards. remember when literally everyone felt that he made the team and people were saying that he would be back in a week when he first got sent down?

how good is bt if he allows gulutzan to ice and play glass/stajan/brouwer/bartkowski every night? this team deserves the results it gets.

[Vinny01]

If Tavares gets traded the Flames should be in the mix because I believe they have assets that could get a deal done but Monahan is definitely not one of those assets.

If he doesn’t agree on a deal with the Islanders they may look st moving him. If they want more than a typical roster player, prospect, draft pick rental return they will move him before Christmas.

If the Flames were to make an offer it likely includes Bennett as the roster player type centerpiece. It would include at least 2 of our top prospects so one of our D and likely one of our goalies (call it Fox and Parsons) and likely a conditional pick that could be another 1st he te-signs or the Flames win the cup.

If the Flames could ship out Brouwer in some way shape or form they could theoretically afford to keep Tavares and Backlund but both would need to sign team friendly deals. Backs in the $5M per range and Tavares in the $8.5M range.

They say you win with depth on the blueline and down the middle.

Tavares
Monahan
Backlund
Jankowski

Gio-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic

No team touches the combined top 3C and top 4 D in the league the Flames would have

[calgaryblood]

There is zero chance Bennett is the center piece in a trade for Tavares. Bennett is 21 not some 18 year old prospect. If he's traded it'll be similar to a Strome deal where we have to take a struggling player back with a high salary or a 2nd rounder like we gave up for Lazar.

And Tavares won't want to come here either way so the point is moot.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

There is zero chance Bennett is the center piece in a trade for Tavares. Bennett is 21 not some 18 year old prospect. If he's traded it'll be similar to a Strome deal where we have to take a struggling player back with a high salary or a 2nd rounder like we gave up for Lazar.

And Tavares won't want to come here either way so the point is moot.

Kyle Turris received a top prospect and 2nd with a career high 25pts before the deal. Bennett is not Lazar here.

Personally I think Tavares stays in NY but if he doesn’t they will send him west. Not many teams can put forth a package the Flames could.

Flames could even go Bennett+Jankowski+Fox/Valimaki/Andersson+Gillies/Parsons.

There are not many teams as close to contender status as the Flames who also could out together a package like that and still re-sign J.T.

One major benefit the Flames have is they do not have a player making more than 6.75 on the roster right now. They could get away with paying Tavares the 8-10M he would need long term.

I agree that it is highly doubtful but if Tavares hits the trade market the Flames will be kicking tires. Tree already has made a big deal with Snow so there is history there.

[JJFlash]

Winning goal by Janko last night and first star.... Just saying.

[calgaryblood]

Turris was still a relatively unknown commodity who had barely any nhl experience when he was traded so teams didn't really no what he could bring.

Bennett has 170 games In the nhl so teams have had a look and aren't giving up a top prospect and a pick in return.

Edit: he did have nhl experience but wasn't really given a proper shake spending a lot of time between AHL and nhl.

[JFK]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Turris was still a relatively unknown commodity who had barely any nhl experience when he was traded so teams didn't really no what he could bring.

Bennett has 170 games In the nhl so teams have had a look and aren't giving up a top prospect and a pick in return.

Edit: he did have nhl experience but wasn't really given a proper shake spending a lot of time between AHL and nhl.

So yes as you eventually found out Turris had a bunch of NHL experience, over 130 games.

It's also fascinating how when it's another player in another organization your mind immediately makes up excuses. Turris was given plenty of fair shakes, he just couldn't cut it and bounced up and down a bit. The Flames have kept Bennett up, the Coyotes put Turris down at times. Shoe on the other foot type deal here.. but I doubt if Bennett had seen some AHL time you'd be claiming he hasn't been given a fair shake.

[djsFlames]

Bennett needs to be a winger. He won't be until he's a liability in another dozen games though. Would love the team to be proactive and make the necessary changes before it costs us for once.

Next injury in the top 9 will be a blessing in disguise when the team realizes Jankowski should've been up all along.

[Bingo]

Any one see the irony in many trying to jettison Sam Bennett to make room for Mark Janowksi, when many over the past three years wanted to deal Jankowski because he wasn't going to make it?

I think the Flames have been pleasantly surprised with Jankowski since he turned pro and foresee a larger role for him. That however takes patience.

They don't want to bring up as a healthy scratch.
They don't want to bring him up to play on the fourth line.

So with that they are talking to him, he's in on the plan, and the issue is one of a) an injury in the top nine or b) moving someone in the top nine to make sure.

a) is easy and temporary but b) requires a period of evaluation that may seem exhaustive the average hockey fan but prudent when it comes to sports management.

Treliving's greatest moves have come from patience, he won't change that because of the need to get Jankowski into the lineup.

Be glad this is the opposite of Oiler land.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Flamefan1

Very. Good points Vinny. We should put put F Hamilton on waivers asap and bring up Jankowski. Jankowski should replace Staj in the line-up most games and play winger the other games. Lazar should also be in the line-up most nights meaning Glass or Versteeg take turns sitting to make room. Kulak needs to replace Bartkowski who did not look good for most of the Carolina game.

I definitely don't put Versteeg in the press box. He's one of the vets who is actually showing up consistently. Stajan and Brouwer's intangibles can include eating popcorn.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Any one see the irony in many trying to jettison Sam Bennett to make room for Mark Janowksi, when many over the past three years wanted to deal Jankowski because he wasn't going to make it?

I think the Flames have been pleasantly surprised with Jankowski since he turned pro and foresee a larger role for him. That however takes patience.

They don't want to bring up as a healthy scratch.
They don't want to bring him up to play on the fourth line.

So with that they are talking to him, he's in on the plan, and the issue is one of a) an injury in the top nine or b) moving someone in the top nine to make sure.

a) is easy and temporary but b) requires a period of evaluation that may seem exhaustive the average hockey fan but prudent when it comes to sports management.

Treliving's greatest moves have come from patience, he won't change that because of the need to get Jankowski into the lineup.

Be glad this is the opposite of Oiler land.

Is it as simple as that? Say if Jagr or Versteeg is injured does Janko get called up?

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Love

Now it sounds like I am dumping on Monahan, which I really am not trying to. I love the kid and he was the first youthful bright spot on this team in a very long which is why Flames fans hold him so dear to their hearts, but he's not a cup caliber 1C. I'm sorry, but to win a cup we'll need one of those.

It sounds like you're dumping on him because you are vastly underselling him and completely ignorant to the fact that he's still not a finished product. He's young and still improving.

You might not have said his clutch goal scoring is easy but you certainly implied it and it's ridiculous and why people started to pile on.

Secondly, this conclusion you've come to that the Flames will unequivocally never win a cup while he's the top centre is also ignorant. There are many important factors that make up a championship winning team. I'd suggest depth, goaltending and the luck element of catching fire (as a team) at the right time are all more important factors than one centre.

It's obvious you've come to a conclusion here that's completely arbitrary and you're attempting to spin it as factual.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Is it as simple as that? Say if Jagr or Versteeg is injured does Janko get called up?

I think teams have plans based on need, not just a line that goes to the NHL that forms at the back of the room.

If any of Monahan, Backlund or Bennett get hurt than he would be obvious, but I have a feeling that he would aslo get the call if any of the top 5 wingers get hurt (I say 5 because right now there seems to be one guy that goes 3rd line to 4th line to out of the lineup currently)

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

I'd suggest depth, goaltending and the luck element of catching fire (as a team) at the right time are all more important factors than one centre.

Depth is a no-brainer, but everyone good has depth. Depth won't get you over the edge because there's a salary cap. It'll drag you down as it has with the Capitals, but at the highest levels depth vs depth usually ends up a wash. First and second line Centers have the biggest effect in my opinion (we've seen it from the other side, too, with Ryan Getzlaf singlehandedly beating us AND pretty much single handedly beating the Oilers) due to the nature of the position. I can understand thinking Monahan has upside, and I have no doubt that Monahan's actual skillset is not only repeatable but reliable in the role he plays - but I think there's a ceiling on this team with Monahan as the best center. Tavares is on another tier with almost zero doubt and can dominate a series on his own - which you need. HOWEVER I'll say that

1) I think it's a myth that Monahan is our #1 center. He handles one important aspect of that - scoring - but Backlund is our #1 center in the "Championship Quality" aspect of it. Together, their strengths definitely seem to combine into the play of a number one center. The question is whether their weaknesses (Monahan's play-creation and defense, Backlund's ES scoring) are sufficient to pass as a number two center. I'm skeptical when you have a team like the Leafs rolling Nazem Kadri as its 2C while an Auston Matthews is basically Backlund+Monahan combined - and that's why a Tavares trade makes sense to me. However in a cap world Tavares-Backlund-Monahan would not be feasible and Tavares is also a pending UFA.
2) I think Jankowski and Bennett have a lot more upside than people acknowledge, and I also think that Bennett's play is a wild card as he was arguably our most effective even strength center in playoffs, including Backlund and Monahan.

Finally I'd argue that "goaltending" and center play have a strong correlation. Obviously you can't have an Elliott-type run but you look at most deep runs and it's guys like Toews, Kopitar, and Crosby simply erasing so many sure-fire goals with elite backchecking and positioning.

And yeah, luck plays a part, of course.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by cannon7

I definitely don't put Versteeg in the press box. He's one of the vets who is actually showing up consistently. Stajan and Brouwer's intangibles can include eating popcorn.

Versteeg? I think he's been one of the most mediocre Flames thus far. Stajan and Brouwer have actually been better, especially given the PK trouble. I thought Versteeg was invisible before his injury in the Canes game. He gave Bennett no options in the offensive zone.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Depth is a no-brainer, but everyone good has depth.

Obviously, that's what I meant. But it goes even further than that. Not only do you need depth, you need to stay relatively healthy, which is another part of that luck /striking lightning in a bottle I was referring to.

Regardless, I'm not really interested in the semantics of what you want to call Monahan.

I was strictly referring to the short-sightedness of the suggestion that this team will never compete for a cup with him as our top centre.

With Backlund and the emergence of someone like Bennett or Jankowski (and the fact Monahan has room to grow) there's a very good chance that - in combination with many other factors overlooked - should be good enough to compete.