Heat get slammed by Vancouver Sun

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Heat at mercy of the terrible Calgary Flames. They have some decent points though.

Unfortunately, if you're a Heat fan, that requires a thick skin when it comes to some of the moves Flames general manager Darryl Sutter and his staff have made in recent weeks regarding the farm club.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/H...#ixzz0uSA8mINY

I apologize if this is being talked about elsewhere but I haven't seen anything.

[Torture]

No mention of all the kids that will be joining the team in their first year of pro hockey...

[Ducay]

It's only because the Moose fans are angry that it's their dollars that are supporting the Heat....through the Rampage

[tvp2003]

Wow, that is a horribly written article. It's one thing to document the personnel changes (both in number and perceived popularity), but the conclusion tears apart the whole angle he's trying to go with:

Now, it should be mentioned that the first job of the Calgary Flames management is not to produce a Calder Cup winner in Abbotsford. It's to produce a Stanley Cup winner in Calgary.

[Roof-Daddy]

No offense to Mike Keane, but I'd rather have young prospects like Neimisz, Wahl, Cameron, Macmillan, Patterson, Bouma, Brodie, Breen etc, etc getting and competing for minutes on our farm club, as opposed to a 40+ year old ex-NHLer taking ice time from a potential future Calgary Flame.

I realize that there is value in having a veteran like that to mentor your young guys, but coaches can have pretty much the same effect IMO.

Also, I'd rather have a young team full of prospects that loses (but develops players), than a team loaded with AHL journeyman who push for Calder Cups.

Heck, in a couple years after some of these kids get some experience, we might have both.

[Jables16]

Originally Posted by Torture

No mention of all the kids that will be joining the team in their first year of pro hockey...

Don't really know where the writer was coming from with this one, the team should be better in most respects with the new prospects coming in next year. Backlund, Pelech, and Sutter are likely gone but guys like Breen, Brodie, Nemisz, and Bouma should replace them nicely.

Edit: beaten to it and forgot Cameron and Wahl.

[Vulcan]

Tell me when doesn't the major league team piss off the minor league's teams fans. I still remember when the Canons were playing for the PCL championship and Seattle called up our ace starting pitcher on the eve of his start. We lost and he sat on the bench in Seattle for the rest of the season.

Otherwise it was an okay article but read a little disjointed like the editor did some serious cutting.

[Phaneufenstein]

Yea he mentions all the players exiting but nothing about the guys that will be stepping in next season, except for McMillan who can be labeled as a questionable acquisition

[fanman]

He didn't mention the guys coming in cause everyone in the media has decided that the Flames organization has no prospects and therefore zero chance in the future.

I like the last paragraph thrown in at the end as a "side point". And here I thought the purpose of NHL clubs having farm teams was to develope their draft picks and unproven players. So it's always very shocking when the better players are moved to the NHL club, or some of the older players are let go to make way for young future prospects.

[Nuje]

I have a feeling there is going to be thorough slamming of the Heat every off-season, because our farm team is where Vancouver wishes their farm team was.

Have to add the fact that it is the property of the Calgary Flames, not True North Sports & Entertainment, we are therefore able to choose. If we want to add that veteran to mentor the young guys, we can. If we want them to figure things out on their own, we can do that too. The Canucks don't have such a luxury, and we should always be thankful that we do. Having an affiliate like the Moose is great I'm sure, and much better than not having your own affiliate at all. However, the Flames went from the absolute worst AHL situation (sharing) to the best (owning and operating it all on their own)

[Reggie Dunlop]

They're just jealous.

[KelVarnsen]

Serenity now!

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Definitely a one-sided article that focuses pretty much exclusively on the players leaving.

The incoming crop might be the most impressive single crop of rookie pros that I can recall in my time of following the Flames. Nemisz, Wahl, Brodie, Cameron, Patterson, Breen. A few high round draft picks, a couple UFA signings.

Some of the veterans had to be let go to let this influx in. And the remaining vets will be counted on to lead I'm sure.

[Itse]

IMO that's a fair angle to take right now, although nothing new under the sun.

Since the team hasn't exactly established itself yet, it's obvious that losing those recognizable names hurt right now, which is basicly what the writer is saying. Should he be talking about the new additions more? Sure, maybe, but why take chances with hyping up new Heat players when you don't even know exactly who they are yet.

It's too early to start hyping up the coming season, that's a whole new set of articles to earn your pay with

[Flames1848]

We will have a very good and young team.

[Resolute 14]

Not that it might mean much, but that is actually an Abbotsford Times article. The Sun just reposted it on their website.

[Parallex]

Bah, this isn't a "slam" or it's a weak one if it is. The articule seems pretty accurate to me. If you're a fan of the Heat but not the Flames there isn't a whole lot to praise. You're losing the hometown boy, the leading scorer, the guy who was the starting goalie at the end and potentially a few other top players (Backlund and maybe Sutter) and getting nobodies in return.

Now, I'm a fan of the Flames and the Heat only by extension so I don't mind (I'd rather the Heat be stocked with potential NHL talent then guys who'll star in the "A" but never make it in the big league, it's called the "Farm" team for a reason) but if I had no allegience to the parent club... yeah I'd be a bit critical. But whatever, I'm sure after a little while they'll get just as attached to the Mitch Wahl's, the Lance Bouma's, and the Greg Nemisz's as the got to the departed (Exception being VDG... he being the hometown boy, although I suppose any of them that were familier with Bouma via the Giants might "adopt" him as the sentimental favorite at least until Howse turns 20).

[Locke]

This Heat team is effectively veterans surrounded by infused youth and draft picks requiring development.

For all intents and purposes, what you see here is the AHL equivalent of the Edmonton Oilers. Its probably not going to be pretty, or, more optimistically speaking, the Heat could probably still give the Oilers a decent run for their money.

[TorqueDog]

Next up, the Winnipeg Sun writes "Moose fans at the mercy of the parent Vancouver Canucks".

B.F.D.

[3 Justin 3]

When can Howse join the Heat, after new season?