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Old 11-09-2022, 09:26 AM   #1
Lanny_McDonald
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Default Time for a call-up from the Wranglers!

The Flames are missing a piece. It is as obvious as the nose on Tim Hunter's face. They obviously are in no position to make a deal, so the only solution is to call up a player. The big question is who deserves the call?

#1 - Matthew Phillips. The guy is hot, plays RW, and has both the skills and smarts to be effective in the top six. Give the kid a chance. It's now or never. The problem is I don't see Sutter trusting him with the responsibility of winning puck battles along the boards, even if that's the last thing we need right now.

#2 - Radim Zahorna. Last guy cut usually gets the look-see, especially if he's producing. Is a key player on the first line for the Wranglers and has the size Sutter likes. Is he going to be the finisher we need? Not sure.

#3 - Connor Zary. Had a rough start but has turned it around. The exact type of player that Huberdeau seems to excel with. Smart, skilled, but plays a solid north-south game when called for. Reminds me of Duclair, so may be the best fit.

#4 - Jacob Pelletier. A smallish forward that plays a smart game and sports a non-stop motor. Seems like a guy that Huberdeau flourished with last year too.

Those are the candidates IMO. The Flames need a kick in the ass and a call-up may be the tonic this team needs. We are definitely short another skilled player, so it's time to make this happen. Who should it be?
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:28 AM   #2
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Mitch McLain, come on down!
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:30 AM   #3
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Phillips, 100%. See if he can continue his hot streak up with the big club. We've got nothing to lose at this point doing so, since all we're doing right now is losing anyways. If we continue losing, it won't be only Matthew Phillip's fault.
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:38 AM   #4
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I think it's gotta be Phillips. Hard to ignore the AHL goals and points leader. Important to keep expectations in check -- he's not Gaudreau, or anything close to it -- but I still think he can be a middle-six winger in this league for a long time. Think Tyler Ennis.
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:41 AM   #5
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I've been one of the biggest detractors of Phillips, but at this point the Flames have to mix things up. This slump is terrible.
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:44 AM   #6
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100% agree with Phillips and Zary.. I worry about Matthews ability to avoid the hits sometimes, he can dance around AHLers most of the time but occasionally gets rocked, and that may happen a little more in the bigs.

Zary has really grown on me now that I'm seeing him live night after night.. smart and skilled and he has a lot more gravel than I realized, truculence, if you will I think he could really elevate his game on the 3rd line with Backlund

Zahorna has benefitted from playing with Pelletier and Phillips, being the big body while those two maneuver, kind of like Ruzicka previously...

I'm liking Kerins as well, but think he'll need a few more months or even this whole season with the Wranglers. He's been a real spark these 2 games, skating well and finishing his checks, when he scored last night, I really wished I'd chosen to wear his jersey
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Old 11-09-2022, 09:47 AM   #7
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Yeah, Kerins was in the ECHL just a week ago ... he'll need a lot of time. Highly skilled and could have two goals in his first two AHL games of the year if his goal on Sunday wasn't called back.

Honestly, Zary also needs time. I think he's in a great spot right now -- he's not relying on Phillips like a lot of guys (Ruzicka, Pelletier) have down there in recent years. He's with Schwindt and Pettersen, playing centre, and is producing extremely well. He looks great. I think they need to keep that going -- Darryl said not long ago that this is like his "first pro year" because he missed camp last year. Don't think they'll want to rush him.

I actually think the AHL is a more physical league than the NHL -- so many more tough guys/grinders down there. Guys on the Wranglers (including the coach) have constantly said the NHL is a lot more structured. I dunno, worth keeping in mind.
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Old 11-09-2022, 11:45 AM   #8
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Phillips is tied for first in scoring in the A, he has more than deserved a chance.
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Old 11-09-2022, 11:46 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald View Post
The Flames are missing a piece. It is as obvious as the nose on Tim Hunter's face. They obviously are in no position to make a deal, so the only solution is to call up a player. The big question is who deserves the call?

#1 - Matthew Phillips. The guy is hot, plays RW, and has both the skills and smarts to be effective in the top six. Give the kid a chance. It's now or never. The problem is I don't see Sutter trusting him with the responsibility of winning puck battles along the boards, even if that's the last thing we need right now.

#2 - Radim Zahorna. Last guy cut usually gets the look-see, especially if he's producing. Is a key player on the first line for the Wranglers and has the size Sutter likes. Is he going to be the finisher we need? Not sure.

#3 - Connor Zary. Had a rough start but has turned it around. The exact type of player that Huberdeau seems to excel with. Smart, skilled, but plays a solid north-south game when called for. Reminds me of Duclair, so may be the best fit.

#4 - Jacob Pelletier. A smallish forward that plays a smart game and sports a non-stop motor. Seems like a guy that Huberdeau flourished with last year too.

Those are the candidates IMO. The Flames need a kick in the ass and a call-up may be the tonic this team needs. We are definitely short another skilled player, so it's time to make this happen. Who should it be?
If Lanny says it's time to call up Matthew Phillips then you know that's the the freaking time to call up Matthew Phillips.
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Old 11-09-2022, 11:52 AM   #10
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If we do call up a forward, it has to be Phillips. This team currently needs some offensive spark and Zahorna won't offer that and Phillips has outplayed Pelletier and deserves the call-up over him. Zary would benefit from more AHL time. So I say call up Phillips see if he works out or not, Flames desperately need someone who can create offense out of nothing off a rush and there is no one better at that on the Wranglers than Phillips
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:18 PM   #11
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I like Lewis, Lucic, Ritchie and Rooney but all four of those guys should not be playing every night. The lineup badly needs speed and some youth. I much prefer a guy making a mistake because he is trying to make something happen versus a guy that simply doesn't have the skill. Pelletier had a rough camp but his skating and positioning were good. I see no reason why him and Zary could not be used on the third line and start rotating Lucic, Lewis and Ritchie in and out of the lineup.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:21 PM   #12
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A call up as well as a couple of games from Vladar sure couldn't hurt.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:26 PM   #13
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I like Lewis, Lucic, Ritchie and Rooney but all four of those guys should not be playing every night. The lineup badly needs speed and some youth. I much prefer a guy making a mistake because he is trying to make something happen versus a guy that simply doesn't have the skill. Pelletier had a rough camp but his skating and positioning were good. I see no reason why him and Zary could not be used on the third line and start rotating Lucic, Lewis and Ritchie in and out of the lineup.
Agree with this but Ritchie should not be included. He has a set of wheels and actually gives 100% every shift.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:31 PM   #14
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Calling up Phillips is fine, but he has to play. Sutter and his constant complaining can't get in the way. It's not like the team is on fire and winning. If Phillips comes up and gets 6 minutes while continues to send out Ritchie Lucic Rooney and Lewis over and over again what's the point.

We need some spark to finish our chances.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:38 PM   #15
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Calling up Phillips is fine, but he has to play. Sutter and his constant complaining can't get in the way. It's not like the team is on fire and winning. If Phillips comes up and gets 6 minutes while continues to send out Ritchie Lucic Rooney and Lewis over and over again what's the point.

We need some spark to finish our chances.
Ah yes, Darryl Sutter, well known for his constant whining and complaining.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:41 PM   #16
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Ah yes, Darryl Sutter, well known for his constant whining and complaining.
He sure has been whining about no one stepping up and giving us Ritchie Lucic Rooney Lewis over and over again. No one can step up if they never got a chance or get the ice time when those pluggers our there scoring lots of goals and keeping the defensive zone clean.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:42 PM   #17
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I think the genuine, understandable concern is that whoever the Flames call up will just sit anyway as they would be deemed not up to speed with how the team plays etc and just be there as an extra body in case of another injury. If its a young player we get the double gut punch of not seeing them play and then we get to hear lines like "he's getting to experience what life is like in the NHL" and how its "good for his development"
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:56 PM   #18
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I think the genuine, understandable concern is that whoever the Flames call up will just sit anyway as they would be deemed not up to speed with how the team plays etc and just be there as an extra body in case of another injury. If its a young player we get the double gut punch of not seeing them play and then we get to hear lines like "he's getting to experience what life is like in the NHL" and how its "good for his development"
DeSimone and Gilbert have both played.

And the Wranglers play the same system as the Flames, precisely so that players can step right in when called up.
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:57 PM   #19
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They needed to play. A forward call up doesn't need to play necessarily. The Flames have a full line up. Just no spares
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Old 11-09-2022, 12:58 PM   #20
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The Flames are missing a piece. It is as obvious as the nose on Tim Hunter's face. They obviously are in no position to make a deal, so the only solution is to call up a player. The big question is who deserves the call?

#1 - Matthew Phillips. The guy is hot, plays RW, and has both the skills and smarts to be effective in the top six. Give the kid a chance. It's now or never. The problem is I don't see Sutter trusting him with the responsibility of winning puck battles along the boards, even if that's the last thing we need right now.

#2 - Radim Zahorna. Last guy cut usually gets the look-see, especially if he's producing. Is a key player on the first line for the Wranglers and has the size Sutter likes. Is he going to be the finisher we need? Not sure.

#3 - Connor Zary. Had a rough start but has turned it around. The exact type of player that Huberdeau seems to excel with. Smart, skilled, but plays a solid north-south game when called for. Reminds me of Duclair, so may be the best fit.

#4 - Jacob Pelletier. A smallish forward that plays a smart game and sports a non-stop motor. Seems like a guy that Huberdeau flourished with last year too.

Those are the candidates IMO. The Flames need a kick in the ass and a call-up may be the tonic this team needs. We are definitely short another skilled player, so it's time to make this happen. Who should it be?
It's very cool to see Phillips on your list after you said "he was never going to be an NHL player and it was obvious early on." Being one of the best in the AHL is realistically the only shot he has at forcing the Flames to give him a chance. Also, it becomes painfully obvious that the guy deserves an extended look of at least a few games, when even the posters who are critical of his chances start viewing him as a possible call-up. Call him up.



I don't think Matthew will be close to a Gaudreau, but I do think he has the chance of becoming a well liked player on the Flames if given the opportunity he deserves.
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