[News] Frolik out with broken jaw. week to week

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

This might make sense if all lines got the same amount of ice time, and there was no such thing as matchups and quality of competition. But they don't and there is.

Backlund's line plays against the other teams' top line. And usually wins the battle. That gives the Flames a huge advantage, and sets things up well for the 1st and 3rd lines.

Eroding that advantage makes no sense. Especially when the reward is a slightly better 4th line.

Just give Frolik more shifts later in the game, double shift him in the top 6 on Backs' line and send Brouwer back down to the 4th line in the 3rd period.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by Karl

Just give Frolik more shifts later in the game, double shift him in the top 6 on Backs' line and send Brouwer back down to the 4th line in the 3rd period.

We are miles apart and will never agree here. Just a year ago, Frolik was 1/3 of one of the best lines in hockey as far as producing while taking on tough minutes. Brouwer was 3/3rds of a write in campaign to be ejected into the sun. Yes he is playing better with Backs right now, everyone does. But if you have a guy that can elevate the game of whoever he plays with, give him a race horse rather then a donkey.

[Erick Estrada]

I think Frolik is starting to round into a 3rd line player as offensively he's been a weak link on the 2nd line. I would hope that next season he's no longer in the top 6.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Karl

Just give Frolik more shifts later in the game, double shift him in the top 6 on Backs' line and send Brouwer back down to the 4th line in the 3rd period.

So why not do that all game?

Frolik is the better player, and should get more ice time, better line mates, and more important assignments.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think Frolik is starting to round into a 3rd line player as offensively he's been a weak link on the 2nd line. I would hope that next season he's no longer in the top 6.

Frolik was the fifth best offensive forward for the Flames last season, and this year ranks #6. There is always going to a lower-scoring player on every line, but Frolik's very consistent +40 pts/GP average is very much within acceptable parameters of top-six production, especially considering the alternatives.

Besides, I think the plan for this team and their deployment of players is to build three effective scoring lines, and in that situation whether Frolik is a third or fourth line winger is fairly negligible.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Frolik was the fifth best offensive forward for the Flames last season, and this year ranks #6. There is always going to a lower-scoring player on every line, but Frolik's very consistent +40 pts/GP average is very much within acceptable parameters of top-six production, especially considering the alternatives.

Besides, I think the plan for this team and their deployment of players is to build three effective scoring lines, and in that situation whether Frolik is a third or fourth line winger is fairly negligible.

The idea is to strive to be better not be happy with mediocre production. He's not been that great offensively this season and I feel Tkachuk needs better line mates. Backlund is serviceable in a 2nd line role but Frolik's rounding into a 30-40 point guy which can definitely be improved upon.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The idea is to strive to be better not be happy with mediocre production. He's not been that great offensively this season and I feel Tkachuk needs better line mates. Backlund is serviceable in a 2nd line role but Frolik's rounding into a 30-40 point guy which can definitely be improved upon.

Is Troy Brouwer that improvement? That's where this discussion started.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The idea is to strive to be better not be happy with mediocre production. He's not been that great offensively this season and I feel Tkachuk needs better line mates. Backlund is serviceable in a 2nd line role but Frolik's rounding into a 30-40 point guy which can definitely be improved upon.

Certainly, the goal is to get better, but as of today and for the balance of this season Frolik is still the best option for the second line, and this is still a very serviceable option.

And Tkachuk is on pace for +20 goals and +55 points which will be a significant improvement on last year's totals. Any team that is getting +50-points from their second line players is in an excellent position. I reject the notion that he is somehow being held back by the quality of his line mates.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanTrev

With how well Frolik has played on the 2nd line, I'd like to see him back on the 2nd line

So lets have Brouwer go back to his useless 4th line self? He's been playing better since being slotted in on the 2nd line. Does it have to do with Tkachuk and Backlund carrying him more than Brouwer playing better? Probably, but why mess up what's been going good?

Like others have said, you can slot in Frolik there if Brouwer starts to play like crap.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

So lets have Brouwer go back to his useless 4th line self? He's been playing better since being slotted in on the 2nd line. Does it have to do with Tkachuk and Backlund carrying him more than Brouwer playing better? Probably, but why mess up what's been going good?

Like others have said, you can slot in Frolik there if Brouwer starts to play like crap.

Brouwer brings down the 2nd line. His WOWY numbers are absolutely staggering.

It's as simple as this. Frolik is a good middle 6 forward. Brouwer is not, so you want him playing as few minutes (ideally zero) as possible.

Frolik has and will continue to make better use of that ice time. You don't give those minutes to Brouwer because two linemates are somehow making him look adequate. With Frolik, they are a top 3 possession line in the league. With Brouwer, they barely keep their heads above water.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Brouwer brings down the 2nd line. His WOWY numbers are absolutely staggering.

It's as simple as this. Frolik is a good middle 6 forward. Brouwer is not, so you want him playing as few minutes (ideally zero) as possible.

Frolik has and will continue to make better use of that ice time.

Who would I slot by Lazar and Mangiapane to get them going? Frolik. I would trust in Frolik to assist with that more than Brouwer.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Who would I slot by Lazar and Mangiapane to get them going? Frolik. I would trust in Frolik to assist with that more than Brouwer.

Why not trust literally any other Flame in that slot instead of bringing the entire 2nd line down? Why gimp the team?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Who would I slot by Lazar and Mangiapane to get them going? Frolik. I would trust in Frolik to assist with that more than Brouwer.

... so you're willfully making the Flames worse for 4 minutes complete minutes per game (difference between Brouwer and Froliks average ice time)? Worse... the other 13 minutes you're making the line that plays the highest leverage minutes worse in order to make the line with the lowest leverage minutes better.

Crazy talk.

[Bourque's Twin]

I see both sides of the argument. Dare I say put Frolik with Bennett and Jankowski? The 3rd line has cooled off lately. Hathaway only has 1 assist in his last 9 games, and we all know he's an amazing 4th liner.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Brouwer
Bennett - Jankowski - Frolik
Mangiapane - Stajan/Lazar - Hathaway

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

I see both sides of the argument. Dare I say put Frolik with Bennett and Jankowski?

You're still giving more minutes then you need to give to inferior players. It's pretty simple, you give more minutes to the better players and less minutes to lesser players (and there is no more lesser player then Troy Brouwer).

[sureLoss]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Michael Frolik no longer wearing a no-contact jersey as the #Flames get morning skate underway at the Saddledome.

[theinfinitejar]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

So lets have Brouwer go back to his useless 4th line self? He's been playing better since being slotted in on the 2nd line. Does it have to do with Tkachuk and Backlund carrying him more than Brouwer playing better? Probably, but why mess up what's been going good?



Like others have said, you can slot in Frolik there if Brouwer starts to play like crap.

Let’s make my bad players a little bit better by making my best players a lot worse. This seems like an effective way to win at the NHL level.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Michael Frolik no longer wearing a no-contact jersey as the #Flames get morning skate underway at the Saddledome.

I wonder if he draws in tomorrow on the back-to-back, or if they give him until after the all-star break to recover...

Either way, happy he's almost back!

[CsInMyBlood]

I don't understand how anybody could want Brouwer to stay on the second line. He's showed us what he's got and its not good.

Been really frustrating watching him play with the 2Ms.

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/958084127151996928