[PGT] Flames beat Detroit 5-2! Down by 2, score 5 straight.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by devo22

As one of Deryk Engellands biggest critics (or "haters", if you want) from day one of his Flames career, I feel it's time to eat some crow and give credit where credit is due. Engelland has been really good lately and I did not expect that improvement in performance at all.

I expected more from Engelland than you did. I thought he would be better defensively and be able to play more minutes than he has done, which would also have given him more opportunity to be a physical presence on the ice. After seeing the third pairing be a stone disaster for months, no matter who was paired with Engelland (and even when he was scratched), I was about ready to give up on him.

Now, suddenly, for a couple of games anyway, he has been doing more than I ever hoped for. It seems as if he really needed to be paired with a good offensive defenceman so that he could just play his game, and let other people worry about carrying the puck out of the defensive zone.

So kudos to him from me as well.

[Da_Chief]

At this Backlund will be out of the NHL...



In 15 years when he retires with couple of cups and goes up "Forever a Flame"

Get that Sullivan troll outta here...As Jack Armstrong would say "Get that garbage outta here"

[WhiteTiger]

Well, this was a pleasant surprise to come home to, and the highlights were a right treat. Way to go, Flames!

[devo22]

in hindsight, I should have named this "WRUCOS.gif"

[Obsidian]

If it comes down to Vancouver in the playoffs, hell even if we're a wildcard road team, I have confidence we can pull out a series, so long as they win enough the rest of the way to qualify. Team is all guts, with no expectations and nothing to lose. That's some scary s### for any team that is pegged for a berth in the finals by its fans and media. We'd be loose and laughing, while our opponents would be s###ing bricks.

That's recipe for upset.

[EldrickOnIce]

I listened to Ferraro on TSN radio in Montreal yesterday, and when asked what he thought of the Flames chances at making the playoffs, now minus Giordano, were - he said:

I think I can say, with absolutely NO certainty, that the Flames will miss the playoffs. Remember, that with absolutely NO certainty.

I think that sums it up pretty well. The Flames seems to defy the odds, 'advanced stats, and anything one should probably think... but they still keep doing it.

I love this team.

[Obsidian]

You'd think being compared to the KHL were his go-to insult, looking at Where ru's posts. Everything bad is KHL! Can only imagine his day to day dialogue.. "Dude, these spring rolls are so KHL"..."Well your mom MUST have played in the KHL when she was a butch, young chick, cause dang..she nasty."

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Where ru Chris O'Sullivan

Up until this season, unexpectedly, we've basically been a KHL team.

I'd be thrilled to be wrong...

I bet you a thousand dollars Backlund will not play a game in the KHL before 2020. I'll even give you a 2:1 payout. Deal?

[Inglewood Jack]

Geez, win or lose I never want to have to wade through another one of these WRUCOS takeovers of a post game thread ever again...everyone please pledge to help make this dream a reality.

[Daryei]

loved the hospital hockey on Monahan and Hudler's goals.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So Edmonton had the ability to claim Schlemko on waivers before Calgary did right? Was MacTavish just asleep at his desk? Young-ish defenceman that can be had for nothing who can play solid minutes should have been exactly what he was looking for. Instead he passes, Calgary claims him, and he fits right into the top 6 of a playoff contending team

MacT really is the worst GM in the league

He is, but not for this. Schlemko is a pending UFA who hadn't played since January, and had been waived twice. We only picked him up out of straight desperation due to Gio's injury. If he can sustain what he's done the first two games, then we're laughing as he's just found money.

But in the Oilers position, they are done. Picking up Schlemko doesn't help them in the long run, and if he helped them play a bit better and they move up the standings a bit, actually hurts them. Where the Oilers are now, they are better off looking at their own guys for the next few weeks.

Where MacTavish really effed up was in not claiming Erixon.

[Obsidian]

Dear lord. Made a trip to the OOT on the Canucks board for some potential laughs..

See Canucks fans arguing that Bo Horvat will be a better player than Monahan. Boy, that hurt my brain. I know we highly value our prospects on here, but pretty sure I haven't seen us clamouring that Granlund will be better than MacKinnon. The delusion is strong over there..

[Resolute 14]

Horvat is going to be a good player, but that argument is based largely on hope more than anything. Neither his regular stats nor his fancystats argue that he is close right now.

[Obsidian]

95% hope, 5% substance. Same draft class, though Monahan faces top opposition and is given responsibilities that Horvat would crumble under right now. Horvat is on pace for 25 points in a sheltered role, and will probably take him a few years to crack 20 goals. Whereas Monahan will, in all likelihood, enter the 30 goal club in his second season in a far more challenging role.

Him and Granlund are producing at a very similar rate at the NHL level (Horvat 18p/50gp, Granlund 13p/37gp). And both I think will be decent players. But probably 2b, 3a line forwards, at best. Horvat probably has more potential at being a 2nd line guy. But Monahan is a #1 center right now. Definitely not an elite #1, but he's in the role already and doing an adequate job in it at 20 years old. The two are simply incomparable.

I suppose one must overrate their prospects a more than others when one's prospect base possesses as little top-end as the Canucks' does.

[Moderator]

Take the petty bickering to PM.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Aaron Vickers‏@AAVickers20m20 minutes ago

#Flames improve to 6-1-1 in the second half of back-to-backs. Hudler's explanation: "We're in good shape...were all young guys."

Hahahaha! Yeah, sure you are, Jiri.

[FlamesAddiction]

Monahan is a deceivingly good player. He just isn't all that flashy, but he is above average in so many ways that collectively his total skillset is really good.

One attribute that he has which is probably among the best in the league is his hockey IQ which just isn't all that tangible. Last night's goal was a great example. A lot of players would have just fired the puck, but he knew exactly where everyone was on the ice which bought him more time.

[Jay Random]

^^^
And let's face it, that was a nifty move going five-hole on two Detroit players. If Monahan ever gets tired of hockey, he could have a future as a croquet pro.

[Mony]

I was reading a FlamesNation article yesterday by arii (her Sven trade article received a lukewarm response from those here) but she made a good point about how Jiri Hudler is the type of player that ages well, and I got to thinking that the Flames should look at keeping him around for at least a few more years. I think our high-end rookies could benefit from being on a Hudler line. Sean will probably be fine away from Hudler next year, but a Gaudreau-Bennett-Hudler line seems like it has tons of skill, hockey IQ, albeit small.

[Mony]

Also, the fact Nucks fans on HF think Horvat will be better/is better than Monahan? Give me a minute, I'm laughing.