2013/14 General Heat Discussion Thread

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I spoke with Ward this morning and asked specifically about the amount of good, young prospect depth this year. In a nutshell, he said he's looking forward to having that much young talent. He said in years past there was a core of veterans to augment the average-level prospect talent whereas this season there's going to be a core of good young talent with only a few vets sprinkled throughout the lineup.

I'm more confident than ever that it'll be the young kids time to show and prove. He'll give them every opportunity simply because the talent is actually there in this year's crop of prospects.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Some notes from this morning's Heat camp:

- Reinhart is awesome. It's amazing what a cup of coffee in the NHL will do for a young player. Obviously we'd need to see what he can do in a game situation, but he looks miles ahead of when I last saw him in a Heat jersey last April.

- I think it's extremely telling that Ward uses Nemisz, Byron, Reinhart (as one line) and Knight, Olson, Hanowski (as the other line) to basically show the rest of the players how to properly run a drill properly the first time through. He'll often use Reinhart to give a good example of how to do a drill.

- If the Olson/Knight/Hanowski line sticks together to start the season, the other team will never get the puck. They're relentless on the forecheck.

- Wotherspoon and Billins were a pairing. Don't know if they'll stay together, but they looked good out there.

[Freeway]

Due to the Colbourne trade, the Heat will be getting one more NHL body than they would've otherwise. (Pending waivers, of course).

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Due to the Colbourne trade, the Heat will be getting one more NHL body than they would've otherwise. (Pending waivers, of course).

The competition for spots is going to be NUTS at every position.

Just at the C position Byron, Granlund, Horak, Reinhart, Jooris, Knight, Olson, Jones, Street, Begin, and Nemisz are all fighting for a big role. Some of those guys are going to be put on the wing. But that is a lot of competition.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

This camp just got even more intense.

Depending on injuries, there are going to be a lot of disappointed guys going up to the frozen north.

[StrykerSteve]

So.... forward lineup for the Heat should look something like this, I assume. In no particular order...

Ferland - Granlund - Horak
Olson - Knight - Hanowski
Byron - Reinhart - Nemisz
Jooris - Bancks - Street

With B. Jones and Begin as extras.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

So.... forward lineup for the Heat should look something like this, I assume. In no particular order...

Ferland - Granlund - Horak
Olson - Knight - Hanowski
Byron - Reinhart - Nemisz
Jooris - Bancks - Street

With B. Jones and Begin as extras.

Roughly. I'd almost put Blair in ahead of Olson. He's just far too effective of a player to leave out of the lineup. But yeah, that's roughly the Heat forward group. Absolutely stacked in terms of good young talent. Vastly different from Walter and Kolanos leading the forward group.

[bubbsy]

PMM with your watching the AHL quite closely, what do you think of Coblorne, did he impress you when watching the marlies?

[GettinIggyWithIt]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

So.... forward lineup for the Heat should look something like this, I assume. In no particular order...

Ferland - Granlund - Horak
Olson - Knight - Hanowski
Byron - Reinhart - Nemisz
Jooris - Bancks - Street

With B. Jones and Begin as extras.

I'd agree with most of that. I agree with PMM that Jones should be in the starting lineup. I also think that there is a good possibility that Horak stays up with the big club if Cammy starts on the IR and continues to stay with the big club if Monahan only gets a 1-9 game stint. Just my best guess. If that's the case, I'd say Street replaces Horak, Jones steps in with Jooris and Bancks, and Byron-Reinhart-Nemisz becomes the top line.

Where does that leave Eddy and Elson? Eddy seems destined for Alaska but do you keep Elson as the extra forward or send him to the E to get some ice time?

I haven't been keeping up with the comings and goings in Abbotsford but I'm curious to hear how the d group is shaping up.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

PMM with your watching the AHL quite closely, what do you think of Coblorne, did he impress you when watching the marlies?

I've watched him dozens of times for the Marlies. He's got good hands, no doubt. His speed is average, but his quickness and acceleration might be an issue (as is with every big player).

He'll fit in nicely in the bottom two lines for sure. I'm happy we got him. I've always been a fan because he always seemed to play well against the Heat.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

I've watched him dozens of times for the Marlies. He's got good hands, no doubt. His speed is average, but his quickness and acceleration might be an issue (as is with every big player).

He'll fit in nicely in the bottom two lines for sure. I'm happy we got him. I've always been a fan because he always seemed to play well against the Heat.

Colborne has reportedly really worked on his skating and is much quicker.

[Alberta_Beef]

is there a roster limit in the AHL? If so is it 23 like the NHL? It seems to me the Heat have carried more players than that in the past. If there is no 23 man roster could they keep 14 healthy forwards (plus the injured Begin) and 8 defensemen?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

is there a roster limit in the AHL? If so is it 23 like the NHL? It seems to me the Heat have carried more players than that in the past. If there is no 23 man roster could they keep 14 healthy forwards (plus the injured Begin) and 8 defensemen?

There's no roster limit in the AHL. It's why at one point the Heat had something like 28 players last season.

It used to be that every team had to cut down to a 22 player roster (which dictated who was eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs) on what was called the Clear Day, but with the new NHL bargaining agreement that no longer exists.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Akim Aliu is now a Hamilton Bulldog.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Five players have been cut.

Jordan Kremyr, Andy Taranto, James Martin and Zach Davies are headed to Alaska while Art Bidlevskii is off to Bakersfield.

More cuts might come after Monday's practice, but most likely the rest of the cuts will happen on Wednesday.

[Alberta_Beef]

my guess was going to be 8 defensemen, 15 forward (including the injured Begin) and 2 defensemen stick with the Heat

with Jones, Smith and Street joining the team if the cut all the PTOs except Arnese it should leave 15-8-2

[Drury18]

Reto Berra and Roman Horak seen on the ice for Abbotsford this morning.

[kehatch]

Byron-Granlund-Knight
Ferland-Horak-Hanowski
Jones-Reinhart-Olson
Bancks-Jooris-Elson
(Begin-Nemisz)

Wotherspoon-Sieloff
Cundari-Ramage
McKelvie-Billens
(Lamb)

Berra
Ortio

[Francis's Hairpiece]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Byron-Granlund-Knight
Ferland-Horak-Hanowski
Jones-Reinhart-Olson
Bancks-Jooris-Elson
(Begin-Nemisz)

Wotherspoon-Sieloff
Cundari-Ramage
McKelvie-Billens
(Lamb)

Berra
Ortio

That actually looks fair to middlin. I'm excited to see what that kind of lineup can do this year.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Byron-Granlund-Knight
Ferland-Horak-Hanowski
Jones-Reinhart-Olson
Bancks-Jooris-Elson
(Begin-Nemisz)

Wotherspoon-Sieloff
Cundari-Ramage
McKelvie-Billens
(Lamb)

Berra
Ortio

Nemisz will not be a 13th or 14th forward, not even close, top 9 for sure, probably top 6. That top 6 will also be eaten alive! 4 rookies in the top 6 is just ridiculous. Adding 3 more to your top 4 defensemen is just asking to lose.