[News] 21 Training Camp Cuts Made

[Sandman]

Glass and Gazdic aren't good players, but I don't think Cramarossa is that bad-alot of teams apparently put waiver claims on him last year. He looked pretty good in practice on Sunday as well. I wouldn't be surprised if he was offered some form of contract, he could be a useful player.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by JFK

Don't want to harp on it too much, what's said has been said a million times but a hundred posters but oh sweet Hunter Smith... three years post draft, just turned 22, he really shouldn't be among the initial cuts with the invitees and the first timers.

Meh. He's a 6'7 late bloomer. He was always going to be a long term project. Not saying he's trending great or looking great cause he's obviously not been super impressive yet. But I think expecting him to be more than a project at age 22 was unrealistic. If he turns out it'll be a couple years still. This is the year we need to see him start to score at the minor league level though. If he can't start to show some improvement this year I'll be losing hope.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Pollock still up which is a bit of a surprise. Not that he is making the team or anything.

Yeah that was one of the notable things to me as well. I didn't have a lot of hope for him after his ECHL year but I think I wrote him off too early.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Yeah that was one of the notable things to me as well. I didn't have a lot of hope for him after his ECHL year but I think I wrote him off too early.

He looks like he's done a lot of work this off-season-in the drills during Sunday's practice he looked a hell of a lot faster than previous times I've seen him.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Meh. He's a 6'7 late bloomer. He was always going to be a long term project. Not saying he's trending great or looking great cause he's obviously not been super impressive yet. But I think expecting him to be more than a project at age 22 was unrealistic. If he turns out it'll be a couple years still. This is the year we need to see him start to score at the minor league level though. If he can't start to show some improvement this year I'll be losing hope.

I can't think of many comparables who've produced as little as Smith has as a pro by 22 who ended up with much of an NHL career outside of fighters. I'm sure there are a few but has to be rare.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Listen, I try to always be as optimistic as possible...when warranted. In Hunter Smith's case, there's little reason to be optimistic.

[jlh2640]

Pribyl is done imo, injuries suck but that is the reality.

Hunter Smith is on his way out as well, love his size though.

[JFK]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Meh. He's a 6'7 late bloomer. He was always going to be a long term project. Not saying he's trending great or looking great cause he's obviously not been super impressive yet. But I think expecting him to be more than a project at age 22 was unrealistic. If he turns out it'll be a couple years still. This is the year we need to see him start to score at the minor league level though. If he can't start to show some improvement this year I'll be losing hope.

Well I don't know what you think is unrealistic but I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect him to make it past the first round of cuts three years after being drafted as a 22 year old. He shouldn't be getting cut with the AHL invitees and the freshly drafted 18 year olds.

He's got this year to prove himself otherwise I don't see the point in a qualifying offer.

[bubbsy]

Can Smith skate? I mean, in a game does he have not just speed, but the quickness to get into the play/forcheck.

[HUSKER4FLAMES]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanFromBC

FORWARDS
Mikael Backlund
Troy Brouwer
Sam Bennett
Michael Frolik
Austin Carroll
Brett Findlay
Luke Gazdic
Joseph Cramarossa
Zach Fischer
Garnet Hathaway
Sam Dove-McFalls
Spencer Foo
Marek Hrivik
Dillion Dube
Glenn Gawdin
Morgan Klimchuk
Michael Ferland
Curtis Lazar
Joel Lowry
Johnny Gaudreau
Ryan Lomberg
Rod Pelley
Tanner Glass
Brad Morrison
Emile Poirier
Freddie Hamilton
Brett Pollock
Daniel Pribyl
Ben Hawerchuk
Adam Ruzicka
Mark Rassell
Mark Jankowski
Hunter Shinkaruk
Hunter Smith
Andrew Mangiapane
Matt Stajan
Matthew Tkachuk
Sean Monahan
Kris Versteeg
Matthew Phillips

DEFENCE
Matt Bartkowski
T.J. Brodie
Rasmas Andersson
Mark Giordano
Kayle Doetzel
Tyson Helgesen
Dougie Hamilton
Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak
Adam Ollas Mattsson
Josh Healey
Sam Ruopp
Dylan Olsen
Daniel Maggio
Michael Stone
Colby Robak
Tyler Wotherspoon
Juuso Valimaki
Cliff Watson
Oliver Kylington
Oleg Yevenko

GOALIES
Mike Smith
Jon Gillies
Mason McDonald
Tyler Parsons
Eddie Lack
David Rittich
Nick Schneider

I really appreciate this list and love following. As we get closer if it could include waiver eligibility or requirements that would be great. We have a bunch of kids battling for jobs and while the whose best thing is a great start for a discussion, keeping someone who can be sent down with no risk of losing will be a huge factor. If my 12 and 13 forwards are close and I can send 12 down without risk of losing him, but risk losing 13, I'm keeping 13 and sending 12 down even though 12 beat 13. We have a lot of decisions like this coming over the next couple of weeks.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by JFK

Don't want to harp on it too much, what's said has been said a million times but a hundred posters but oh sweet Hunter Smith... three years post draft, just turned 22, he really shouldn't be among the initial cuts with the invitees and the first timers.

Same could be said for Mason McDonald.

[frodo_t_baggins]

Took a quick peak at the flames roster page and there is a bunch of players missing. Kylington, Kulak, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, etc. Certain similar players are still listed like Andersson, Valimaki and Gillies. Incoming cuts or incompleteness?

https://www.nhl.com/flames/roster

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by frodo_t_baggins

Took a quick peak at the flames roster page and there is a bunch of players missing. Kylington, Kulak, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, etc. Certain similar players are still listed like Andersson, Valimaki and Gillies. Incoming cuts or incompleteness?

https://www.nhl.com/flames/roster

That is a really odd list. Perhaps the website is only designed to list a maximum number of "active" players that would be normal during regular season and there's some arbitrary cut-off when loading info from a database. Or some intern randomly chose to fill out the few available non-regular spots.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by frodo_t_baggins

Took a quick peak at the flames roster page and there is a bunch of players missing. Kylington, Kulak, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, etc. Certain similar players are still listed like Andersson, Valimaki and Gillies. Incoming cuts or incompleteness?

https://www.nhl.com/flames/roster

It is incompleteness, I checked a few days ago and it was the same list.

[dammage79]

Yeah, Flames.com is literally the worst. I have no idea who they have running their stuff but they are an ocean apart from the rest of the league.

As it is with the Flames AV club, so it is with the web guys.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by frodo_t_baggins

Took a quick peak at the flames roster page and there is a bunch of players missing. Kylington, Kulak, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, etc. Certain similar players are still listed like Andersson, Valimaki and Gillies. Incoming cuts or incompleteness?

https://www.nhl.com/flames/roster

The Flames site never updates with the full training camp roster. It will update at the end of camp if players on the current list don't make the opening roster, and vice versa.

[FBI]

So far I'm preferring Andersson over Kulak this year.

[PeteMoss]

I think people are over estimating the impact of waivers on the defense decision. Highly highly doubtful that anyone would claim Kulak. Every team in the league has guys like him.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Gulutzan says he wants to be down to “one, manageable group” after tonight’s game. #Flames

[mdubz]

Originally Posted by FBI

So far I'm preferring Andersson over Kulak this year.

Don't think the coaching staff wants 2 players of the same hand on the same pairing though.