Friedman's 31 thoughts Dec 31 - some Flames unhappy about being shuffled in/out

[Coach]

If Saad is available, I want him. Yeah he's left-handed, but apparently no one plays right-handed anymore so f*** it.

We need another top-6 winger on this team that can score. IIRC Saad can play centre as well.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Bennett drawing back in tonight is a good thing, but it’s in the wrong spot.

Stop playing Backlund on the RW.

Tkachuk - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Gaudreau - Monahan - Bennett
Lucic - Ryan - Dube
Rieder - Backlund - Frolik

That seems like such an obvious alteration. Why put Gaudreau back with Lucic and Ryan and keep Backlund in a spot where he continues to not produce.

The interest in Jankowski to me means he’s likely gone in the next 60 days - he just has no spot on the roster and can’t find ways to help.

Bennett on the other hand - with Ward saying players need some consistency, I think this is the time you really do try and deploy him as the new Ferland. Clearly the weakest link on the line, but Monahan and Gaudreau could help elevate it. Don’t kick him off the line after 30 seconds or after one mistake. Let them play it out for a dozen games.

Bennett has had his chances. He's 337 games into his career. Anything above the 4th line is a waste of a forward position meant to have some impact. Bennett is just terrible at everything except hitting people, and then he takes too many penalties, limiting how and when you can play him. I'm not sure how you deploy Bennett in today's NHL, but his lack of skill and smarts makes him a liability on most lines. He's a guy you want to improve the roster so you can push him out, not try and push him up the roster where he makes other players worse.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I’m waiting for Friedman or someone like him to start throwing out something about Gaudreau. On pace for 60 points, and the trendline is heading down right now.

You know there is talk within the organization about what may be going wrong with him. For get about trade talk. Trade him or keep him, we need a lot more out do him than this.

Darren Haynes was suggesting back in November that the Flames would consider trading Gaudreau.

Honestly, I could see it if it brought back a decent player. A one-for-one.

The Flames don't need a rebuild, but strong lateral move to change the make up of the roster could be in order. The team doesn't lack skill, but it lacks forwards that can play physical and contribute on the scoreboard.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Guessing its Frolik and Janko that are miffed

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Guessing its Frolik and Janko that are miffed

I’m guessing Frolik and Bennett. I don’t see how Jankowski has anything to complain about until he scores a goal.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Bennett's been scratched once since Ward took over. Not sure that constitutes shuffling

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Bennett's been scratched once since Ward took over. Not sure that constitutes shuffling

That is right, but he may not be happy with being on the fourth line.

Could also be Stone, but I wouldn’t think so. My guess is it’s the same ol from just Frolik and his agent.

[SeanCharles]

Captain Obvious alert: It sucks around here when things aren’t going well haha

I know he has struggled but I don’t think trading Johnny is the answer. Tkachuk is leading the team and has 5 more points than #13.

With a couple good games Johnny could be our leading scorer.

Everyone’s memories are so short in some ways.

The team was firing on all cylinders last year and Johnny had nearly 100pts.

This year the team is struggling and Johnny is on pace for 60pts.

The team needed to add to the group in the offseason, instead lengthy RFA holdouts and a player not waiving their no-trade clause really tied Treliving hands.

We need more 5v5 scoring in the form of a top 6 forwards balance things out.

How can it only be on Johnny when the whole teams scoring rates are down and the offence from the backend has dried up all together this year?

Something bigger is wrong when you are the 2nd worst even strength scoring team, behind only the basement dweller Wings, after being one of the best last season.

We have depth but outside of Ryan our bottom 6 has produced next to nothing.

When that is the case the pressure is on the top 6 and given that Mangiapane is just getting used to the role the onus goes to 5 guys.

Backlund is not best suited to be in an offensive role and has struggled mightily.

That leaves 4 forwards carrying the brunt of the top 6 scoring load. Given this and the lack of defensive scoring it’s no wonder we are struggling to score.

Trading Johnny doesn’t help this problem IMO.


We need someone to slot in:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Gaudreau-Monahan-________

[dammage79]

After listening.to Brad Treling latest interview on the fan, I can comfortably say it's more about find a willing trade partner than it is him not making trades. Cap issue being the biggest logjam. Honestly if he had his way he probably would have traded off assets already. We all know hes probably the most active gm in the league.

All he needs is a dance partner.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Jankowski I think needs a new home more than Bennett for the following reasons:

1) With Lindholm moved to centre we're actually quite deep there. Lindholm-Monahan-Backlund-Ryan means we have four top 3 line centres so Jankowski is never going to get a sniff above line 4 or a scratch
2) He has size, skill and skating and plays the most important position. I'd imagine there are teams out there who think he can still be a 2nd or 3rd line centre with a greater opportunity

The problem is we can't sell too low on him. But he's a guy that makes a lot of sense to me before next season.

I'd imagine both Bennett and Janko are available. But Treliving isn't looking to give them away unlike some posters around here.

The boat has sailed on selling low. He is what he is, a fringe nhler. His worth is mostly in the freed up roster spot his absence will create. If janko was 6' he never would've gotten a sniff of the nhl. Just because he's big doesn't mean people want him. He plays with the edge of an elastic band.

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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

...it’s no wonder we are struggling to score.

Trading Johnny doesn’t help this problem IMO.


We need someone to slot in:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Gaudreau-Monahan-________

It might, depending on how that trade might work out. The reason for trading Gaudreau would be tied to the size of the return, which would be substantial, whether in the form of picks, prospects, or players. It also frees up some cap space with which to help re-jig the roster.

On the contrary, trading Gaudreau could be a significant move to help push this team to another level.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

If gaudreau doesnt get his #### together this year I suspect any trade involving him will be disliked by the fans. His 99 point season looks like an aberration. If I'm a rival GM I'm sure not breaking the bank for a 65-80 point 5'9 LW who is good at literally nothing when he's not scoring.

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[Bingo]

Originally Posted by New Era

Bennett has had his chances. He's 337 games into his career. Anything above the 4th line is a waste of a forward position meant to have some impact. Bennett is just terrible at everything except hitting people, and then he takes too many penalties, limiting how and when you can play him. I'm not sure how you deploy Bennett in today's NHL, but his lack of skill and smarts makes him a liability on most lines. He's a guy you want to improve the roster so you can push him out, not try and push him up the roster where he makes other players worse.

I'm fine with him getting pushed down, he hasn't been as good this season.

But man the hyperbole ... he's been on average an above average NHL forward for his career. Not a second line guy, though closer to that than the 4th line you're professing.

The numbers are the numbers.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The boat has sailed on selling low. He is what he is, a fringe nhler. His worth is mostly in the freed up roster spot his absence will create. If janko was 6' he never would've gotten a sniff of the nhl. Just because he's big doesn't mean people want him. He plays with the edge of an elastic band.

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Yeah he's struggled this year. Yeah, he's not overly physical. But he has proved himself to be a regular NHLer and a valuable PKer. Claiming otherwise is just complete and utter nonsense.

[Camronius]

Probably not a popular opinion but Backlund out, bring in some size and skill instead. I like the guy but sell high before his value plummets. He is what he is and is now starting to decline, someone will snap him up. I don’t think we miss him for the playoffs and potentially including him in a package upgrades our spare parts into a decent return for a better player...

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm fine with him getting pushed down, he hasn't been as good this season.

But man the hyperbole ... he's been on average an above average NHL forward for his career. Not a second line guy, though closer to that than the 4th line you're professing.

The numbers are the numbers.

The massive hyperbole around both Bennett & Jankowski is simply mind boggling. I would say both have proved themselves to be average third liners the previous two seasons and this year in a reduced capacity have struggled with the adjustment to even less ice-time.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

If gaudreau doesnt get his #### together this year I suspect any trade involving him will be disliked by the fans. His 99 point season looks like an aberration. If I'm a rival GM I'm sure not breaking the bank for a 65-80 point 5'9 LW who is good at literally nothing when he's not scoring.

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Have to agree here. I think last season was peak Johnny. If a good trade can be had it has to happen before the start of next season. He may go on to get points in regular season but he's not going to help anyone in the playoffs much.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Yeah he's struggled this year. Yeah, he's not overly physical. But he has proved himself to be a regular NHLer and a valuable PKer. Claiming otherwise is just complete and utter nonsense.

He's a 4th line center at best. Maybe 3rd on a really bad team. He is decent at the pk I will give him that but there are too many soft as hammered #### players on this team as it is. It's time to move on.

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[Fire of the Phoenix]

It's too bad we couldn't have snagged Brian Boyle for that 4th line center role and traded janko for a pack of smokes.

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[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

He's a 4th line center at best. Maybe 3rd on a really bad team. He is decent at the pk I will give him that but there are too many soft as hammered #### players on this team as it is. It's time to move on.

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He was literally a 3rd line center on a team that finished 2nd overall just last season.

All you are accomplishing is making yourself look like you have no idea what you are talking about.