[News] Flames claim Radim Zohorna off waivers from Penguins

[dino7c]

I think some of you need to look at the rosters of other teams...with the cap the way it is nobody has a perfect team. Christ the Oilers are supposedly our biggest competition in the division and were stacking McDrai to narrowly win a preseason game against the Flames missing their top 3 centers.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

There sure never seems to be a bunch of trades happening a week before the season starts so I'm not sure where they are supposed to pick up a skilled top 6er to push everyone down right now.

Honestly, how does claiming someone hurt the team in any way? No one knows if he clicks with this team yet but what does it hurt?

It wasn't the move he was looking for, therefore it was a bad move.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I was hoping the Flames would claim him but did not expect it at all. Pleasant surprise.

Huge winger with a small dose of offense. Can't hurt to give him a shot.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

I agree with this. I get the team got pushed into a corner by Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but this team really is poorly constructed IMO. I just don't see where players fit, and we keep adding from the bottom up rather than trying to move a player in with some skill and push players top down. I see the pair thing sort of working, but the third player on each of the lines is so uncomplimentary I don't see how they're going to benefit the main pair? This keeps getting weirder and weirder.

keep circling back to huby-kadri-lindy or huby-lindy-kadri becoming a thing not because it's the best strategy on paper but out of necessity when the rotating door on the right side doesn't click . Hopefully it does and TT can elevate with a top line opportunity . I maintain he didn't look bad with them in the edm game at home

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

I agree with this. I get the team got pushed into a corner by Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but this team really is poorly constructed IMO. I just don't see where players fit, and we keep adding from the bottom up rather than trying to move a player in with some skill and push players top down. I see the pair thing sort of working, but the third player on each of the lines is so uncomplimentary I don't see how they're going to benefit the main pair? This keeps getting weirder and weirder.

Fwiw I could see something like

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Dube
Mangiapane - Kadri - Toffoli
X - Backlund - Coleman

maybe working out, but Zohorna doesn't strike me as fitting alongside Backlund either. Those two need someone who can really work in transition and the defensive zone. Maybe Zary if Sutter is willing to gamble.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Ruzy is Slovak

I always forget that too. There have been other Ruzickas in the NHL who had Czech nationality, so I always associate the name with Czechia.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think some of you need to look at the rosters of other teams...with the cap the way it is nobody has a perfect team. Christ the Oilers are supposedly our biggest competition in the division and were stacking McDrai to narrowly win a preseason game against the Flames missing their top 3 centers.

Even Colorado has had huge questions in net year in and year out and they won the cup.

Tampa is probably the only team that can say they are very strong at forward, defense and goaltending over the last 3 years.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

I agree with this. I get the team got pushed into a corner by Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but this team really is poorly constructed IMO. I just don't see where players fit, and we keep adding from the bottom up rather than trying to move a player in with some skill and push players top down. I see the pair thing sort of working, but the third player on each of the lines is so uncomplimentary I don't see how they're going to benefit the main pair? This keeps getting weirder and weirder.

I'm not sure I agree. If Zoharna can play a tough defensive role like he did in Pittsburgh then I think the slotting starts to make sense.

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Huberdeau will play with two finishers, both who are defensively responsible.

Dube - Kadri - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Dube and Kadri are both tenacious and quick. Either Toffoli or Mangiapane fit as a third IMO.

Zohorna - Backlund - Coleman: Backlund and Coleman have good success together. Zohorna brings a defensively responsible winger with size that might have more offensive upside (0.5 PPG).

Lucic - Rooney - Lewis/Ritchie: Should be a sheltered, defensively responsible 4th line.

That slotting makes some sense to me. Ideally you'd have another top 6 forward to push down Toffoli or Dube, but in a cap world all teams have a hole like that in either their top 6 forward group, top 4 defense, or in net. Just how it works.

[gvitaly]

Any idea of when will he be getting into town? I assume today, with a practice tomorrow. In which case that will be hard on the player with the elevation, flight and the hassle of figuring out a place to live and all that.

I look forward to what he can bring, but I don't expect much right of the bat at camp.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

That slotting makes some sense to me. Ideally you'd have another top 6 forward to push down Toffoli or Dube, but in a cap world all teams have a hole like that in either their top 6 forward group, top 4 defense, or in net. Just how it works.

And now the Flames hole isn't at centre. For the first time in a long dang time.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1577009342330462208

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I'm not sure I agree. If Zoharna can play a tough defensive role like he did in Pittsburgh then I think the slotting starts to make sense.

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Huberdeau will play with two finishers, both who are defensively responsible.

Dube - Kadri - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Dube and Kadri are both tenacious and quick. Either Toffoli or Mangiapane fit as a third IMO.

Zohorna - Backlund - Coleman: Backlund and Coleman have good success together. Zohorna brings a defensively responsible winger with size that might have more offensive upside (0.5 PPG).

Lucic - Rooney - Lewis/Ritchie: Should be a sheltered, defensively responsible 4th line.

That slotting makes some sense to me. Ideally you'd have another top 6 forward to push down Toffoli or Dube, but in a cap world all teams have a hole like that in either their top 6 forward group, top 4 defense, or in net. Just how it works.

agree. also many teams have holes at more than 1 position . Flames are shored up at D G and C. might be one top 6 wing short but some of that is made up in having three 40 point+ dmen and a better than average d group overall . I think we'll do just fine

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I'm not sure I agree. If Zoharna can play a tough defensive role like he did in Pittsburgh then I think the slotting starts to make sense.

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Huberdeau will play with two finishers, both who are defensively responsible.

Dube - Kadri - Toffoli/Mangiapane: Dube and Kadri are both tenacious and quick. Either Toffoli or Mangiapane fit as a third IMO.

Zohorna - Backlund - Coleman: Backlund and Coleman have good success together. Zohorna brings a defensively responsible winger with size that might have more offensive upside (0.5 PPG).

Lucic - Rooney - Lewis/Ritchie: Should be a sheltered, defensively responsible 4th line.

That slotting makes some sense to me. Ideally you'd have another top 6 forward to push down Toffoli or Dube, but in a cap world all teams have a hole like that in either their top 6 forward group, top 4 defense, or in net. Just how it works.

Yeah, if Zohorna were to fit with Backlund (why not?) that slots Rooney back down at the #4 C position, which is ideal.

Then you are really solid at 11 of the 12 spots, with the only weakness being Toffoli playing above his pay grade on the 1st line (which again, I don't think is a big deal)

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Very little of our ancillary roster actually fits together. We're still jamming Toffoli next to Huberdeau and Lindholm, no one really looks like they fit next to Kadri and Mangiapane, and I'm not sure who fits with Backlund and Coleman.





They're probably gonna throw as many 6'4"+ darts at the wall as they can all year until they need to mortgage more futures for another deadline acquisition

Yes. Prospects for team success this season are very bleak and the situation appears absolutely dire.

Sent from my SM-G986W using Tapatalk

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Yes. Prospects for team success this season are very bleak and the situation appears absolutely dire.

Sent from my SM-G986W using Tapatalk

I would expect a "textcritic" to be able to contextualize the word "ancillary" in a statement.

[Enoch Root]

I mean, Mangiapane and Kadri haven't even played together yet, how the hell does he conclude that 'no one really looks like they fit next to (them)'?

And let's maybe give Toffoli more than 2 games to develop some chemistry with Huberdeau and Lindholm.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Zohorna - Ruzicka - Klapka

Flames can have their own Legion of Doom.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Czech-mates

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Ruzicka is Slovak. He may take exception!

I guess he might also take exception to 'The Two Towers' or 'Two and a Half Men'.

[genetic_phreek]

Reminds me of a euro Joe Colborne.

[heep223]

The forward group does look a bit awkward on paper, but take a step back. The team has one of the top groups of centers in the league, one of the deepest defenses in the league, one of the best goalies in the league and a more than competent backup goalie.

Being a bit cobbled together on the wings is the best problem to have as a salary capped hockey team.

[Enoch Root]

So looking at the Flames' cap space, with the addition of Zohorna...

23 man roster that includes Zohorna, Ruzicka and Ritchie, and removing Valimaki and replacing with Mackey, leaves us with:

$1,375,000

With Kylington gone, add Stone at $750,000 and we are at $625,000 for now.

If they want to really bank some space, they can waive one of the forwards (Ritchie, Rooney, Ruzicka) and run with a 22 man roster.