Bill Peters discusses the upcoming season (link to interview included)

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ We will see. He was in the fastest skater competition in the Edmonton skills comp.

I’m sure Brodziak- Kassian - Lucic as a line played a slow game. Flames don’t have any other players that bad

[dino7c]

Lucic is no slower than Neal

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by getbak

Give me fuel. Give me fire. Give me that which I desire.

Double Chowder's eye?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Lucic is no slower than Neal

Remind me how Neal fitted in with the Flames in regards to his skating. It's going to be a problem but he's one of those guys a coach simply has to manage properly depending on the type of game and opposition. Maybe when they are facing fast, skilled teams he sits on the pressbox? I do feel it's going to happen at some point during the season but maybe a chance of scenery works out for him and he can at least provide the Flames one decent season.

[The Cobra]

Lucic will not be playing with Johnny and Monny for extended periods of time.

It's just a terrible match.

Maybe on the PP, but Lucic didn't have a tom of success playing with McDavid on Edmonton's PP, I don't see this any different.

Lucic has gone from "there is no way the Flames would trade Neal for Lucic, as Lucic is the worse player in the league" to fans eagerly waiting for Lucic to suit up on a line with Johnny and Monny.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I don't think anyone is suggesting, or eagerly awaiting, Lucic playing top line minutes for extended periods of time.

I do think it will be interesting to see if the advanced stats match the eye test, though. I have a hard time believing Staples was right about anything Oiler related, so the idea that Lucic is a driver of possession seems just wrong to me, but I hope he proves it in Flames colours.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Lucic is no slower than Neal

..and Neal was slow AF and a detriment to the team in nearly every game


Would probably be a frequent healthy scratch if he was still with the team

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Lucic is no slower than Neal

Lucic is a much quicker skater than Neal. I think people are going to be surprised at his speed, he is not fast but he is not James Neal slow. Nobody is.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Lucic will not be playing with Johnny and Monny for extended periods of time.

It's just a terrible match.

Maybe on the PP, but Lucic didn't have a tom of success playing with McDavid on Edmonton's PP, I don't see this any different.

Lucic has gone from "there is no way the Flames would trade Neal for Lucic, as Lucic is the worse player in the league" to fans eagerly waiting for Lucic to suit up on a line with Johnny and Monny.

I don't think it's gonna happen with any regularity, but TBF, McDavid plays a rush game while Johnny and Monnie play a much more controlled - cyclish game. They've never played with a Lucic type unless you count Brouwer (who didn't get that much time with them). So I don't think lack of success with McDavid = lack of success with Johnny/Monahan.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

..and Neal was slow AF and a detriment to the team in nearly every game


Would probably be a frequent healthy scratch if he was still with the team

They are different players, who are effective/ ineffective in different ways.

Neal played an open ice game where the puck would be moved to him, presumably so that he could shoot it.

Lucic is a corner battle player, who presumably wont rely on speed to fulfill his role of leaning on D men.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Lucic will not be playing with Johnny and Monny for extended periods of time.

It's just a terrible match.

Maybe on the PP, but Lucic didn't have a tom of success playing with McDavid on Edmonton's PP, I don't see this any different...

It’s demonstrably different. The Oilers iced a powerplay that consisted of McDavid and Draisaitl, a couple plug-forwards and a defenseman who could barely complete a pass. In Calgary the powerplay draws from options beyond Monahan and Gaudreau like Lindholm and Tkachuk up front, Norris trophy defenseman Mark Giordano and other puck movers like Brodie and Hanifin on the blue line.

If Lucic gets any powerplay time I would expect better results from him by virtue of the fact that the Flames have more than two players through whom to funnel their offense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Flash Walken]

Moving backlund for a low cost piece, shifting lindholm to #2 c, keeping brodie and frolik and running RW by committee might be the best way to fit tkachuk in and balance the lines.

Probably a moot point as Backlund likely doesn't waive so why even ask him, but maybe a move to Columbus for a player like Bjorkstrand.

Saves the flames just shy of 3 mil which is enough to sign Tkachuk and Mangiapane.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Bjorkstrand
Tkachuk - Lindholm - Frolik/Mangiapane/Lucic
Bennett - Ryan - Frolik/Mangiapane/Lucic
Quine/Czar - Dube/Janko - Lucic/Frolik

Something like that.

[The Cobra]

I get that Calgary has superior players on the PP (including a Norris winning d-man and other puck movers to run the PP through).

I do wonder though how Edmonton ended up with the NHL's 9th ranked PP, the Flames 18th?

If Edmonton had a d-man who could complete a pass, who knows what heights that PP could reach.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by getbak

Give me fuel. Give me fire. Give me that which I desire.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I think it's going to be incredibly shocking to some fans when they see just how slow Lucic is. Like not even 4th line slow. This guy will definitely be a press box staple by mid-season

Lucic had 259 registered hits last year. On the Flames the highest was Hathaway at 200 who is now gone and Bennett 2nd at 121

Neal had 46 hits.

Lucic is as slow as Neal was last year.

The only thing shocking is how people still see Neal in rose coloured glasses, we know we are getting a very slow player in Lucic. Lucic can at least provide some value when he's not scoring.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Firebot

Lucic had 259 registered hits last year. On the Flames the highest was Hathaway at 200 who is now gone and Bennett 2nd at 121

Neal had 46 hits.

Lucic is as slow as Neal was last year.

The only thing shocking is how people still see Neal in rose coloured glasses, we know we are getting a very slow player in Lucic. Lucic can at least provide some value when he's not scoring.

As fast as the game has become, a large portion of the game is still won and lost in the corners and against the board. Neal was useless in board battles, and when it came to the open ice aspect of the game he was ineffective. Lucic at least can contribute to one portion of the game even if his open ice play is useless.

[Geeoff]

Typically, when 30+ players start declining, they get progressively worse, not better so my expectations for Lucic are set very low.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by getbak

Give me fuel. Give me fire. Give me that which I desire.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Typically, when 30+ players start declining, they get progressively worse, not better so my expectations for Lucic are set very low.

This is fair, having low expectations for Lucic is a good thing. I think that the onus will be on Peters to put Lucic in a position where he will succeed.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

If I had to guess, Lucic will spend most of his time in the pressbox

I'll take that bet