Markus "Frickin" Granlund

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Street/Jones are both 27. They are good AHL players and are fine for a short call up, but that's all they are.

Hopefully if we get some more call ups in the near future, they are players like Granlund/Reinhart/Knight/Baertschi.

I get that his value is higher tthan theirs due to age and development, but I was curious if he was already ahead of them

[T@T]

Both Street and Jones will probably be looking for work this fall.

[FlameZilla]

Granlund projects to be a winger, does he not? I don't think he's played much pivot from what I've heard...

To me there is a huge logjam on the LW when you factor in Granlund sounding like he could be ready for a top 6 role as early as next season, Johnny Gaudreau and Kenny Agostino ready to turn pro & Emile Poirier knocking on the door.

Let's say Cammalleri is dealt, we're still dealing with too many left-sided forwards playing on the wing next season, and at least 5 of them are undersized.

Hudler
Glencross
Bouma
Reinhart
Baertschi
Poirier
Granlund
Byron
Ferland
Gaudreau
Hanowski
Agostino

If we want to get the most out of these players I think a couple of bodies need to be moved. One of Glencross or Hudler is expendable in my eyes (preferably the former). Considering our depth in that position I also wouldn't be heartbroken if Sven was moved as part of a deal to bring in a major building block in return. In a strange way I think Granlund's emergence is making Baertschi expendable...

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Granlund projects to be a winger, does he not? I don't think he's played much pivot from what I've heard...

To me there is a huge logjam on the LW when you factor in Granlund sounding like he could be ready for a top 6 role as early as next season, Johnny Gaudreau and Kenny Agostino ready to turn pro & Emile Poirier knocking on the door.

Let's say Cammalleri is dealt, we're still dealing with too many left-sided forwards playing on the wing next season, and at least 5 of them are undersized.

Hudler
Glencross
Bouma
Reinhart
Baertschi
Poirier
Granlund
Byron
Ferland
Gaudreau
Hanowski
Agostino

If we want to get the most out of these players I think a couple of bodies need to be moved. One of Glencross or Hudler is expendable in my eyes (preferably the former). Considering our depth in that position I also wouldn't be heartbroken if Sven was moved as part of a deal to bring in a major building block in return. In a strange way I think Granlund's emergence is making Baertschi expendable...

A lot of those players are capable of playing on the RW though.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

A lot of those players are capable of playing on the RW though.

Capable sure, but it's really not ideal to have so many players on their off-wing. And on defence too. Sure, Poirier & Hanowski seem more comfortable on the RW from what I've seen of them, and with their size & style I don't think they're a problem.

It's the smallish guys I worry about... Hudler, Baertschi, Byron, Granlund, Gaudreau (and Cammalleri if we're stuck with him). They're all top 6 or bust players, undersized and left-handed. Finding a way to accommodate them all into the lineup is going to be very, very difficult.

I really wonder in Feaster and Weisbrod has some Moneyball philosophy going on and worked out that left-hand shooting, under 6’ offensive-minded players were undervalued on the trade market & went about acquiring as many as possible. To what ends, god only knows.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Granlund projects to be a winger, does he not? I don't think he's played much pivot from what I've heard...

To me there is a huge logjam on the LW when you factor in Granlund sounding like he could be ready for a top 6 role as early as next season, Johnny Gaudreau and Kenny Agostino ready to turn pro & Emile Poirier knocking on the door.

Let's say Cammalleri is dealt, we're still dealing with too many left-sided forwards playing on the wing next season, and at least 5 of them are undersized.

Hudler
Glencross
Bouma
Reinhart
Baertschi
Poirier
Granlund
Byron
Ferland
Gaudreau
Hanowski
Agostino

If we want to get the most out of these players I think a couple of bodies need to be moved. One of Glencross or Hudler is expendable in my eyes (preferably the former). Considering our depth in that position I also wouldn't be heartbroken if Sven was moved as part of a deal to bring in a major building block in return. In a strange way I think Granlund's emergence is making Baertschi expendable...

I agree the LW is crowded, but I don't think it's THIS crowded.

Ferland was playing great at RW and Hanowski seems to be more comfortable as a RWer as well. Poirier is a natural RWer as well. Granlund has only played Center hasn't he? And I believe Reinhart can also play center (perhaps we'd see Reinhart on the 4th line, but Granlund would be in tough to make the top 9). Hudler doesn't play LW, he's a RW or Center.

Just because they shoot left doesn't mean they aren't a natural RWer.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I agree the LW is crowded, but I don't think it's THIS crowded.

Ferland was playing great at RW and Hanowski seems to be more comfortable as a RWer as well. Poirier is a natural RWer as well. Granlund has only played Center hasn't he? And I believe Reinhart can also play center (perhaps we'd see Reinhart on the 4th line, but Granlund would be in tough to make the top 9). Hudler doesn't play LW, he's a RW or Center.

Just because they shoot left doesn't mean they aren't a natural RWer.

Granlund's been playing on Knight's wing... Has he played any centre this season?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Granlund's been playing on Knight's wing... Has he played any centre this season?

Nope. Granlund's been playing with Reinhart. I believe Granlund was centre in that line in the game I watched last weekend. I could be wrong but he's played at least half the year at centre.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Nope. Granlund's been playing with Reinhart. I believe Granlund was centre in that line in the game I watched last weekend. I could be wrong but he's played at least half the year at centre.

Yea. Mostly center for Granlund this year.

[Wastedyouth]

Granlund at center with Reinhart on the wing, has been the lineup for most of the season.

[StrykerSteve]

Poirier is a RW.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Poirier is a RW.

And a damn good well rounded one at that.

[GybonB]

Last 16 games 10+10,59 shots on goal,5 PP goals,2 SH goals.

[Savvy27]

Where does Granlund fit on the Flames next season? He certainly looked like an NHL caliber C in his time with the Flames and by most accounts he was the Heat's best player this season.

He's not taking Monahan's spot in the line up. Stajan is locked up long term and he's better used as a third line guy than a fourth (as we've seen).

Backlund has taken a huge step forward this season, but I think there is an argument that Granlund would make a better second line center than Backlund production-wise. Then again, it seems absurd to finally have Backlund develop into a good player and somehow become expendable. Backlund also seems to have stepped into a leadership role on the team.

Do you guys see Granlund moving to the wing? Does his displace one of the other guys? Will he start in the AHL again and have to wait for an injury?

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

Where does Granlund fit on the Flames next season? He certainly looked like an NHL caliber C in his time with the Flames and by most accounts he was the Heat's best player this season.

He's not taking Monahan's spot in the line up. Stajan is locked up long term and he's better used as a third line guy than a fourth (as we've seen).

Backlund has taken a huge step forward this season, but I think there is an argument that Granlund would make a better second line center than Backlund production-wise. Then again, it seems absurd to finally have Backlund develop into a good player and somehow become expendable. Backlund also seems to have stepped into a leadership role on the team.

Do you guys see Granlund moving to the wing? Does his displace one of the other guys? Will he start in the AHL again and have to wait for an injury?

Regardless of where Granlund plays, I think Backlund could be the odd man out. We may be drafting Reinhart this year, Stajan has committed to a new contract and Colborne has taken the steps to become a real top 9 centre.

But onto the topic, Granlund's game seems like it could transition to the wing fairly well.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Cole436

Regardless of where Granlund plays, I think Backlund could be the odd man out. We may be drafting Reinhart this year, Stajan has committed to a new contract and Colborne has taken the steps to become a real top 9 centre.

But onto the topic, Granlund's game seems like it could transition to the wing fairly well.

Our best centre by a wide margin will be the odd man out? Colborne has been playing on the wing the last several games. He will not be a centre for this team moving forward. We aren't going to draft Reinhart.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Our best centre by a wide margin will be the odd man out? Colborne has been playing on the wing the last several games. He will not be a centre for this team moving forward. We aren't going to draft Reinhart.

It's great that you can tell the future.

We'll be drafting anywhere between 5th-3rd. While it's unlikely we'll be getting Reinhart, this is not a clear cut draft. Any of Ekblad, Bennett or Reinhart could go top 3, with a guy like Dal Colle maybe sneaking in.

If Colberne is staying with this team, I can't see how it's not as a centre. You can't teach the physical gifts he has, as well as the mental growth he's taken on this season.

I don't think we'll be trading Backlund any time soon, but if we draft one of the top centres this summer, I think Burke will have to make some decisions about our future down the middle, depending on how Monahan and Colborne look this time next year.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Cole436

If Colberne is staying with this team, I can't see how it's not as a centre. You can't teach the physical gifts he has, as well as the mental growth he's taken on this season.
.

Because his game is much better suited to the wing, as proven by.. him currently playing the wing?

Colborne doesn't have the two-way defensive game to play center. His big body and board play is much better used at the wing. I don't know how it's even a debate at this point. He was moved to wing, he's been better there. It's nice that he can play the middle, if we run into injury problems, but his long term NHL game will be at wing.

Even if we draft a center this year, it's not a sure-thing he'll play that in the NHL. I really like Bennett but from watching him I think he'd be a great winger too. Lindholm is currently playing wing for the Hurricanes btw.

[FBI]

Colborne has been playing well on the wing.. Don't see him going back to center anytime soon..

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Cole436

It's great that you can tell the future.

you were the guy making all the predictions. the flames will do this, colborne will be that, backlund will be out. all major major said was that backlund is a fixture moving forward. not bold stuff. you're the guy with the crystal balls