AlbertaBoy12

Ive said it for months, I think the most likely position we trade from if BT views ferland as a short term fix for the top line(hes looked good to start the season), that backlund would probably be the one thats traded, as center is a position of strength. I think you can argue the merits of having someone take all those defensive zone draws blah blah blah, but the same thing can be accomplished with a good center winning his draws etc. I wouldnt be surprised to see janko become the heir to the 3m line throne so to speak come next season, hes got some good early returns. Obviously you dont want to put all your eggs in one basket with trading backlund and hoping janko can step up, but I would hope we dont just let backlund walk in FA.

I agree completely.

I think the players are off to a rough start but as I said in the lines and pairings thread, I think our bottom 6 needs to be better right now, we are not creating enough offence. The bottom 6 has created almost nothing through this first bit, and while they wont be 20-30 goal scorers they need to be better. They have had brief bits of good, but way too much bad. I think you combine our lack of offence with way too many penalties and you get why this team is hovering around .500. Id like to see our bottom 6 fixed, improvements in the dot and less penalties, I think that would be huge. The only reason I say imrpovement in the dot, is our centers are getting tossed way too many times with new rules, and our wingers arent winning draws.

It is a huge discrepancy in talent, but my point is that it really doesnt matter if hamilton is the 14th forward, it matters more if top players have someone they like around.

For one what difference does it make if freddie is the 13th or 14th or 15th forward? that player generally doesnt matter, and doesnt make or break a game for the team. Players like having certain guys around, it helps them get through the grind of a NHL season and to say it makes him immature is kind of silly. I dont think gaudreau would be very happy if the flames decided to trade mony for example.

We cant judge every pick, its like a lottery ticket and sometimes you lose. I would have loved to see other players drafted some years but hindsight is 20/20, im sure there is a good reason the flames picked smith over montour and dvorak for example. That good reason might be they were hoping his size and skill might translate well, he did have a huge upswing in points, but who knows.

I dont see why you wouldnt give more time to bennett, and see if he turns it around, there really is no reason not to. That doesnt mean you have to give the player 18 mins a night to develop them properly, and if you have noticed bennett is starting to get pp time he didnt get last year. Not every young player is capable of coming into the league and dominating or being good at 18. Scheifele is a good comparison for alot of young guys, he was developed differently then bennett, but he didnt start being a dominant force till recently. That doesnt mean that bennett will take until hes 23 to be a good player, theres plenty of signs pointing to it coming sooner. Bennett is still 21, and im not worried about him yet, considering hes 55% in the dot. His decision making needs some work, but I think that will come with time and the rests of the tools are there in the box. The only way the flames can develop that properly is get him watching film, and working with him, im pretty sure they are doing that. Also I dont know where you got the idea backlund was projected as a superstar and the flames somehow ruined that, considering he has turned into a selke candidate, I think the flames have done pretty good. We might need to trade a center, but as I said before we might see janko spend a year on the 4th line and then the flames make a choice reference trading centers, and it wouldnt surprise me to see backlund go before the other two.

im not following how bennett is going from little value to flourishing else where. Theres very little evidence to suggest bennett is floundering, hes still young and playing decently, but he does have some improvements to make. To make it out likes hes ruined at a young age, lets relax.

wait what? what part of goalies taken in the first round didnt make sense?

its possible eh? Youd have to think they dont want him playing 4th line minutes all year again, but who knows.

Id trade a prospect at this point to get rid of brouwer for sure. Im sure there is a couple teams that would take him if we retained some cap tho, but I dont want him on this team at all.

I mean we dont have a ton of work to do the flames looked really good out of a few shifts where connor mcdavid just took control and the shots were not all telling. Im not saying the flames were the better team last night by any stretch of the imagination but to say the gap is huge is not true.

It wasent really an AHL team outside of the sedins missing most of the guys out there played NHL hockey last year. On paper we had the better team last night, but I dont think by any stretch the canucks dominated, but the flames didnt really show up either so take that as you will.

This sums up the arguement.

Why is it every year we have these silly discussions on goaltending with you? Honestly I would rate parsons higher then gillies in terms of prospects but at the same time gillies has pro experience. I would expect gillies to spend another full year in the AHL unless the wheels completely fall off the bus.