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Old 09-16-2017, 04:46 PM   #21
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Jankowski, foo, Hathaway, crammarosa, klimchuk each have a shot at a fwd spot.

On d, I think Kulak wins out the 6 spot despite decent showings by the other hopefuls
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Old 09-16-2017, 04:48 PM   #22
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At center, I'd prefer no surprises. Bennett, Jankowski, Monahan, Backlund. Those four should play center.

At wing, I would like it to be Emile Poirier. A few reasons:


- I want the Flames to be among the fastest teams in the league, and Poirier is probably our fastest NHL-ready forward prospect
- More importantly than raw speed is that Poirier is an excellent forechecker. I made an observation last November that Poirier looked dangerous at times and the numbers didn't seem to line up with what I was seeing. He's the kind of guy that could get in on a Doughty or a Keith and still come out with the puck. Part of that is his speed but forechecking is also a skill.
- I am just a nervous person about waivers. I know, the chances he gets claimed are slim, but all it takes is one team to like him and keep an eye on him. Beyond that, he's our former first rounder. Waiving him is usually an admittance of a wasted pick. People talk about not wanting to blow the 2nd spent on Lazar by exposing him, but we spent a better pick on Poirier who is from Lazar's draft class.
- Natural LHS allows a Versteeg-Bennett-Poirier to either load up off-wing snipes or a Poirier-Bennett-Versteeg line to play their "strong" wings for tighter defensive play.
- Maybe I wasn't as high on him as others a couple years back, but I definitely saw flashes of top 6 skill that I'd like to see utilized with some of our top 6 caliber players like Gaudreau, Backlund, or Bennett.

It's up to Poirier but I am rooting for him.

At defense, I'm pulling for Josh Healey. To pull a Treliving phrase, to me he "checks all the boxes". First pass. Skating. Blow-you-up hitting.

I'm rooting against Kylington making the NHL - I'm actually a huge Kylington fan and it would be great if he were ready, but I want to see him throw up a dominant offensive season in the minors, like Jankowski did last year. Kylington was good last year offensively, but there's so much potential that needs to be untapped. I truly think he is our most dynamic prospect and concerns about his high-risk play are overblown. But I also think he's only 20 and a truly high-end year in the A would be a perfect stepping stone into the NHL. I don't see why a Duncan Keith type trajectory for his NHL career would be a bad thing, and he still has two more years of minor league to go if we're measuring by age.
Good breakdown.

If he makes the cut, I think it'll be at the expense of Foo. Foo goes down to acclimatize himself with the Pro game and we see him called up later.
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Old 09-16-2017, 05:06 PM   #23
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Cramarossa is the only "surprise" player I think has a good shot of making the team.

I have Hathaway pencilled in but I don't consider him a surprise
Jankowski making the team shouldn't surprise anyone
Foo would be a surprise to non-hardcore fans but not much of a surprise to most of us. I think he'll be in tough but I do like his chances better than a lot of names people are mentioning
Kulak wouldn't be a surprise
I guess Wotherspoon making the team might surprise some

Don't see Shinkaruk making the team
Klimchuk would be a surprise but I don't see a lot of room for him
Poirier needs to get his game back on track in the minors and get his offensive mojo back IMO
I don't think Mangiapane has a realistic chance at all yet.
Valimaki would be a surprise but I don't think he has a realistic chance. He'd have to be heads and shoulders above the others and I don't think he will be. Kulak/Wotherspoon are the much better bets
Healey needs to learn how to defend at the pro level. It's a big jump for college defensemen and I think Kulak/Wotherspoon have the edge up on him.
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Old 09-16-2017, 05:07 PM   #24
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Healy

I think they want Rasmus to be in the AHL and I think Healy sneaks up and blows past Kulak and Wotherspoon
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Old 09-16-2017, 05:20 PM   #25
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Also, a Josh Jooris "shocker" pick could be someone like a Ryan Lomberg.
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Old 09-16-2017, 05:22 PM   #26
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Poirier wins the Calder.
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Old 09-16-2017, 05:34 PM   #27
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If we hadn't signed Hamonic I honestly believe Valimaki would have stole a starting spot regardless of what the team says about grooming prospects.

I mean I'm glad we vaulted ourselves into a top 5 defensive core but it still would have been an interesting and exciting battle to watch.
He could still easily slot into that third pairing LD alongside STone. Andersson has it tough with Hamilton, Hamonic and Stone infront of him, but Hamonic/Stone play a style where injuries are gonna happen so he'll get his opportunity eventually.
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:05 PM   #28
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Brouwer
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:10 PM   #29
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Mark Rassell ftw
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:22 PM   #30
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Poirier would be extremely fun. Speed and skill is off the charts and he's another greaseball to add to the collection of Bennett/Tkachuk/Lazar/Ferland
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:40 PM   #31
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Poirier up front and either Healy or Valimaki on D. I see the Flames having 3 rookies play more than 25 games this season
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:45 PM   #32
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Lomberg, mangiapane or Hathaway

At least, I hope one of them makes it
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Old 09-16-2017, 06:46 PM   #33
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IMO there is still a >50% chance we see one of:

- first ballot HHOFer winger signed
- another team's PTO signed a la Versteeg
- waiver wire pickup

before game 1 of regular season. If not, maybe Poirier has a chance.
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Old 09-16-2017, 07:07 PM   #34
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Valimaki has a big development year ahead of him, captaining the Finnish World Juniors team. Dominating in the W. I think he's fine where he is.
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Old 09-16-2017, 07:16 PM   #35
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Cramarossa is the only "surprise" player I think has a good shot of making the team.

I have Hathaway pencilled in but I don't consider him a surprise
Jankowski making the team shouldn't surprise anyone
Foo would be a surprise to non-hardcore fans but not much of a surprise to most of us. I think he'll be in tough but I do like his chances better than a lot of names people are mentioning
Kulak wouldn't be a surprise
I guess Wotherspoon making the team might surprise some

Don't see Shinkaruk making the team
Klimchuk would be a surprise but I don't see a lot of room for him
Poirier needs to get his game back on track in the minors and get his offensive mojo back IMO
I don't think Mangiapane has a realistic chance at all yet.
Valimaki would be a surprise but I don't think he has a realistic chance. He'd have to be heads and shoulders above the others and I don't think he will be. Kulak/Wotherspoon are the much better bets
Healey needs to learn how to defend at the pro level. It's a big jump for college defensemen and I think Kulak/Wotherspoon have the edge up on him.
Haha, this is all great in describing what will likely happen, but you know what a surprise is right?
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Old 09-16-2017, 07:32 PM   #36
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IMO there is still a >50% chance we see one of:

- first ballot HHOFer winger signed
- another team's PTO signed a la Versteeg
- waiver wire pickup

before game 1 of regular season. If not, maybe Poirier has a chance.
I doubt it, it doesn't make sense with the depth the Flames have to add another player.
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Old 09-16-2017, 07:54 PM   #37
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I doubt it, it doesn't make sense with the depth the Flames have to add another player.
I see a lot of unproven players up front. Players that could certainly step up and provide NHL depth. But I really believe this management team wants another forward vet.
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Old 09-16-2017, 08:15 PM   #38
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If last season's Eddie Lack shows up this pre-season then Rittich or Gillies have a shot
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Old 09-16-2017, 08:24 PM   #39
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I have kulak and jankowski already pencilled in so I'll say poirier makes a case and is the first injury call up.
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Old 09-16-2017, 08:30 PM   #40
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I'll make the bold prediction that Dylan Olsen steals a depth spot on the back end.
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