Expectations for Adam Ruzicka this season

[transplant99]

All the tools to be a good NHL player sans an important one....his compete level.

Too often he just doesn't get involved the way he should. Poor along the boards at times and loses far to many puck battles for a guy with his size. That is simply desire or lack thereof.

Its on him alone to figure that one out, and I really hope he does. He can really help this club if that happens.

[Aarongavey]

He was 9th on the Flames in terms of forward scoring as a 23 year old while playing 35 fewer games than any forward who finished above him. The fact that the expectations for him were higher than the expectations for any other forward who finished higher in scoring by the coaching staff was part of the problem with the previous coaching staff. Hopefully this coaching staff gives him a bit more rope this year.

[Harry Lime]

The 4th line looks like it could be a rotation of deuhr and ruzicka along with a linemate based on results and opposition. I can't remember the last time I could look forward to the 4th line hitting the ice, so that sounds like a very positive change.

The last couple of years, we saw the demise of the pure fighter on teams, and now hopefully the 4th line will have to really be able to play, to compete.

[CFO]

Both deuhr and Ruzicka need top 9 time. Playing on 4th line is a waste.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by CFO

Both deuhr and Ruzicka need top 9 time. Playing on 4th line is a waste.

Flames fans are used to the 4th line being a black hole of sadness.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Flames fans are used to the 4th line being a black hole of sadness.

Yup no more Ritchies or Lucic.

They will find a top line that clicks, a second line that will rotate in and out and two third lines with ice time given depending who’s going.

The “Fourth” line won’t be saddled with anchors, on any given night it will have the likes of Duehr/Pelletier/Coleman/Coronato as wingers. Dube and Mangi when they aren’t going.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Flames fans are used to the 4th line being a black hole of sadness.

We had a decent 4th line every 2nd year since 2018-19.

• Last year the 4th line was overused, and seemed slow.
• 21-22: The 4th line was pretty good while Monahan was there. Lucic - Lewis - Ritchie was great in the playoffs, and was pretty decent in the regular season.
• 20-21: It sucked during the Canadian division. Nordstrom, Desimon, Lucic, Ryan, Ritchie all played there
• 19-20: Lucic - Ryan - Dube was awesome in the shortened Covid season. It was actually better than the Bennett - Jankowski line
• 18-19: Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway was the best 4th line in the NHL.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by transplant99

All the tools to be a good NHL player sans an important one....his compete level.

Too often he just doesn't get involved the way he should. Poor along the boards at times and loses far to many puck battles for a guy with his size. That is simply desire or lack thereof.

Its on him alone to figure that one out, and I really hope he does. He can really help this club if that happens.

Fascinating the expectations from fans for work ethic expectations for rookies or young players yet players with experience, who are paid millions and eat up way more of the cap, are more or less given a free ride. I don’t see too many others other than me and a small handful of other posters calling out some super lazy play from the likes of people like Kadri. Like holy ####, this was a professional, veteran, putting in like 30% effort after November last year. Huberdeau? Few nights off for sure. Backlund has had his share although last year his compete was decent. On and on, and yet Ruzicka is the one that can’t take a shift off.

Very strange and very different expectations that don’t make any sense.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

This kid led the team in scoring for over a calendar month during the only stint he received in a top nine role with 17 points in 19 games. This came directly after he sat in the pressbox for an entire month to begin the year. There is going to be up's and down's with these young kids and patience will need to be shown. Throwing him in and out of the lineup in a role his skillset is simply not suited for is not a way to properly develop him at this level. Hell, Darryl didn't even dress this kid in the final game of the year with nothing to play for.. That had to be incredibly frustrating and discouraging for him.

He may or may not have the chops to stick long term at this level, but his play and production warranted him getting a significantly longer look than he was given, and his skillset+size combo is not something you want to see flourish away from your organization.

He’s not a kid. He’s a 6 year pro.

All the tools, no toolbox. No trade value, will be in Europe shortly.

Prove me wrong.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Fascinating the expectations from fans for work ethic expectations for rookies or young players yet players with experience, who are paid millions and eat up way more of the cap, are more or less given a free ride. I don’t see too many others other than me and a small handful of other posters calling out some super lazy play from the likes of people like Kadri. Like holy ####, this was a professional, veteran, putting in like 30% effort after November last year. Huberdeau? Few nights off for sure. Backlund has had his share although last year his compete was decent. On and on, and yet Ruzicka is the one that can’t take a shift off.

Very strange and very different expectations that don’t make any sense.

I have zero idea how Ruzicka having to compete harder to make this team full time has anything to do with expectations of other players....lol.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Some team may take him on waivers as a reclamation project, if it comes down to that. He's now waiver-eligible.

Which mean if you keep him and crunch the numbers, it's unlikely the team goes into the season with three goaltenders on the roster.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I have zero idea how Ruzicka having to compete harder to make this team full time has anything to do with expectations of other players....lol.

It’s a conversation. You’re expecting him to work super hard but I rarely see anybody comment on other players or their expectations for work ethic.

That’s all. Seems to be a common theme in this thread people wanna see Ruzicka work harder / up his compete level, but it seems weirdly isolated to him, this sentiment.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

He’s not a kid. He’s a 6 year pro.

All the tools, no toolbox. No trade value, will be in Europe shortly.

Prove me wrong.

4th year pro, going into his 5th.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

It’s a conversation. You’re expecting him to work super hard but I rarely see anybody comment on other players or their expectations for work ethic.

That’s all. Seems to be a common theme in this thread people wanna see Ruzicka work harder / up his compete level, but it seems weirdly isolated to him, this sentiment.

I think you’re taking it the wrong way. It’s not just expectations that are different, it’s reality. Kadri can put in 30% effort for most of the season and still come off like a middle six center that’s good for maybe 40-50 points. Ruzicka does that and he looks like he doesn’t even belong in the NHL. When Ruzicka’s effort is 100%, he’s still a mile off where Kadri is at the same effort level, so at very least he has to give that consistent effort to secure his spot.

Otherwise guys like Pelletier, Zary, etc are going to take that spot.

Rookies just have to show consistent efforts. It’s not a fan thing, it seems like it’s an NHL thing.

I think every fan expects every player to work hard. But we just know that rookies and younger players struggle to stay in the lineup when they don’t.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

It’s a conversation. You’re expecting him to work super hard but I rarely see anybody comment on other players or their expectations for work ethic.

That’s all. Seems to be a common theme in this thread people wanna see Ruzicka work harder / up his compete level, but it seems weirdly isolated to him, this sentiment.

The thread is about Ruzicka.

[FlamesAddiction]

I don't know if it is effort really with Ruzicka. I think he looked unsure at times when to engage and defaulted to letting the other guys dig, and he would be the guy on the outside waiting for the loose puck. When he does engage, he looks like he is giving effort.

I think it will become more natural and intuitive if he simply plays more. You need to give these young players some rope to learn, but Sutter shut him down really fast.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Toonage

He was better with better players on his line (obviously) and struggled when he had to carry a line on his own, albeit the 4L with Lewis or Ritchie etc.

Is keeping him 4LC but with better players like Pelletier & Duehr a path to success for him?

I can't see him earning a spot higher than that without injury or great disappointment from another player. But if he pushes that player out, thats a good thing.

If Lindholm, Kadri and Backlund are here he’s not getting off the 4th line as a center. Maybe as a winger.

[Flames1217]

So hard to gauge.

In my opinion Sutter's mind games really got to him last season. When Ruzicka is on top of his game he can be a dominant force but when he is off his game he is completely invisible.

At the end of they day it's all in Ruzicka's hands. If he finds a way to consistently put in effort he could be a 30-30 player. If he continues to flip flop between good and bad games than he will be nothing more than a third or fourth liner.

Really hoping that Huska finds a way to light a spark though because having a player like him pop right now is exactly what the flames need this upcoming season .

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I don't know if it is effort really with Ruzicka. I think he looked unsure at times when to engage and defaulted to letting the other guys dig, and he would be the guy on the outside waiting for the loose puck. When he does engage, he looks like he is giving effort.

I think it will become more natural and intuitive if he simply plays more. You need to give these young players some rope to learn, but Sutter shut him down really fast.

This. The truth about Ruzicka is probably in the middle of “he’s too inconsistent and doesn’t compete hard” and “he wasn’t given a chance by Sutter”. Ruzicka in terms of game experience is still a relative newcomer and being a good pro sometimes takes some players longer - it took Dube a while. But you can’t ignore the tools. He needs to be mentored and taught this stuff. And perhaps Sutter’s technique wasn’t going to work with him.

[Calgary4LIfe]

He will get a lot of rope because of his overall package. I also look at how Sutter did praise him for coming in last training camp as a 'man', implying that he put in a lot of hard work over last off-season. If he puts in the work this off-season again, and Huska finds a way to keep him a bit more consistent, he will be an everyday player this season. He has a fairly high ceiling.