Yost: Grading each team's blue line depth

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I thought I'd heard something about Tanev likely being ready to start the season.

Anyway, yeah, it won't be Valimaki. Better chance of them just signing Michael Stone and slotting him in.

Endlessly negative towards Vali, Scorp. Give the lad a chance, open your heart! I feel like you’re overlooking just how little pro-time Vali has. Injuries and the pandemic have certainly taken a toll, but I’m still optimistic when it comes to Vali.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Going back many years, it still worries me when people say the Flames have among the best defense in the league.

This time it's real!

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Going back many years, it still worries me when people say the Flames have among the best defense in the league.

We never had Darryl during those years...

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

We never had Darryl during those years...

Well, we did, but not in the good way.

[Major Major]

If you called it "D" + "G", Calgary would be 1 and it wouldn't even really be close. Great way to build a team.

[jlh2640]

Man TSN sucks sometimes. Just incredible someone gets paid to write that.

[dustygoon]

Pretty sure Yost goes to bed at 9pm EST.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Going back many years, it still worries me when people say the Flames have among the best defense in the league.

It really has always felt like on paper the Flames had an elite D

Coming out of the lockout they had Regehr, Leopold, Hamrlik, and rookie Phaneuf. Search and Bouwmeester were added to that group as Leopold and Hamrlik moved on. The tail end of Regehr, Phaneuf, and Bouwmeester Giordano was emerging. Then it shifted to Gio, Brodie as the top guys with Hamilton and Hamonic added. Now we have Weegar, Hanifin, Andersson, Tanev and incredibly strong 5-6.

It has always felt like this team has had a top defense but only occasionally they have been able to live up to the hype.

[Harry Lime]

Neither Mackey nor valimaki will make it through waivers. It will be interesting to see which one the flames decide to keep up.

[VilleN]

Yeah, looking at the grading of other positions, Yost only watches like 3 teams. And 2 of them are Toronto. He has Florida with elite centre depth, Bennett is second on the depth chart.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

It really has always felt like on paper the Flames had an elite D

Coming out of the lockout they had Regehr, Leopold, Hamrlik, and rookie Phaneuf. Search and Bouwmeester were added to that group as Leopold and Hamrlik moved on. The tail end of Regehr, Phaneuf, and Bouwmeester Giordano was emerging. Then it shifted to Gio, Brodie as the top guys with Hamilton and Hamonic added. Now we have Weegar, Hanifin, Andersson, Tanev and incredibly strong 5-6.

It has always felt like this team has had a top defense but only occasionally they have been able to live up to the hype.

Always seems like attitude is the major thing with this team. They just seem to stop playing. It's like Toronto who epically collapses ever year in the playoffs. The Flames just go into this mode where they stop scoring and start making defensive mistakes.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I wouldn't hate Tanev taking his time coming back and getting a couple weeks of Juuso in just to see how that goes. Does he elevate? I'd like to see.

Sometimes injuries can be a blessing. Especially early. Right now lots want to give Valimaki away but if Tanev misses a few weeks it gives him some time to play.

You never want too many guys hurt at once but here and there gets more rotation in the line up. Last year we stayed as healthy as you can then 1 guy gets hurt and it falls apart

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Neither Mackey nor valimaki will make it through waivers. It will be interesting to see which one the flames decide to keep up.

Not saying you are wrong, but not many thought Kylington would get through waivers, yet he did.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Fire

Not saying you are wrong, but not many one Kylington would get through waivers, yet he did.

That was before his breakout season.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

That was before his breakout season.

That's the point. At the time there was a common fear he would get claimed. Every year a bunch of guys get waived that everyone is surprised about and think will get claimed.
And then they don't.
Not saying there isn't risk. There is. But at the start of the year everyone is managing rosters and cap very closely. So there's a higher chance that you can sneak someone through.

I would bet that Juuso would get claimed and Mackey would clear. Even though the latter is more NHL ready.

[Fan in Exile]

It's striking how quickly the board gets down on some prospects. There were holes In Kyllington's game before last season but very few posters even acknowledged his potential before last season. Meanwhile everyone was adamant Valimaki was a surefire #1 or 2.

I'll say the same thing I said about Kyllington then about Valimaki now. He has all the tools and he's likely to put it together. I hope it's with the Flames and not with another team.

[mile]

My concern with Jusso is that I get the sense that he might be personally done with the Flames and might be counting down the days until he plays for another team. He's liked social media comments from fans who complain about how he doesn't get played over guys like Stone and how the Flames should just trade him.

It's concerning that he is even acknowledging that stuff from fans. Even if it is true that he is better than a reserve guy like Stone, I don't like that he is giving attention to negative comments about teammates. It comes across as very "me first" and reminded me of Sutter's comments near the end of the Covid season where he said some players were entitled.

He had a chance to respond to his demotion by being one of the best defenseman in the AHL, but he wasn't even the best defenseman on the Heat. Still got a call up near the end of the season, but played very poorly against the Sharks.

I never got the same vibes from Kylington. Even when he barely played, he said he still had that self-belief that he could make it with the Flames.

[activeStick]

Valimaki getting claimed might be just what he needs to get back on track. New environment, with the team being forced to keep him up on the big club since he was claimed off waivers might necessitate that he plays every night, giving him the minutes and ice time to work through his issues. It won't come without problems for the claiming team as I don't think he's ready right now, but sometimes, playing through it is all a player needs.

[Sofa GM]

I’m not sure there is a defensive group worse than the Oilers. To say they are ‘good’ punches massive holes in the credibility of this assessment as a whole.

[cral12]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1557417222435311616