cross16

1. Will the Flames make the playoffs? Yes 2. Pacific Division Standings Predictions? 1. VGK 2. EDM 3. CGY 4. LA 5. SEA 6. VAN 7.SJ 8. ANA 3. Flames Top Three Scorers? 1. Gaudrau 2. Tkachuk 3. Lindholm 4. Will Gaudreau be traded this season or sign an extension? Extension

yes. Thank you for pointing that out.

It was a bad pick, there isn’t much debate there and the two primary decisions makers on the pick are both gone. Hindsight analysis has some value but I would agree with conundrumed that having the same argument again and again (when the answer is also pretty obvious) doesn’t make much sense. Best to move on Imo.

This guy is probably the most intriguing prospect for me in the organization right now. Drafted in the 6th round but some think he would have gone much earlier if the OHL didn’t cancel their season. Some sneaky offensive ability. Nice start to the season here with his first goal. High skilled play. He’s going to be very interesting to track.

I think the AHL is the right place for Duehr. Solid camp,put himself on the radar, he’ll play nhl games this year but I thought his game dropped off as the pre season went ok and the competition got better. Nothing wrong with allowing him to continue to adjust to the pro game in the AHL IMO. Ritchie should be who is sent done once Coleman is done his suspension. I think the Flames run with 8D. Kind of have to given the circumstances.

No Flames on waivers today. Would mean Kylington,Stone, Gawdin and some others, will at least start the season with the team. Pending a trade or course.

I like those D pairings. Nice to see Valimaki get a shot with Tanev.

To add to this, it sure sounds like he had his coach in his ear about the player. Sometimes a GM makes a move to please his coach and I think that's what happened here.

I think it may take some time to settle on D pairings. As good as Kylington has been it is after all just the pre season and it would not be the first time someone had a great pre season only to revert back during the regular season. I'm not offering that as an opinion on Kylington I just think you have to be careful penciling someone in based on pre season. The way I see this: Hanifin - Ras and Tanev are your top 3. The 4th spot is open Hanifin and Tanev should not be a pair at least to begin. Don't think they can afford to load them up and I thikn they need to us Tanev as a stabalizer Zadorov should not play in the top 4 Means they are going to have to experiment with the rest of it. If it were me I'd start playing Kylington and/or Valimaki on the RS.

I'll admit I haven't watch full games, mostly highlights, but from what I've seen it's not going to be easy to find a pairing for Zadorov. I think they have to consider having Kylignton or Valimaki play the right side.

Tyler Parsons appears to not be attending training camp with the Heat now either.

I should add i'm not surprised the NHLPA is taking this route. I just think the frustration Lehner showed has been building for some time mostly because I don't think the NHLPA has ever done a good job of protecting it's players. Sure they capitalized on the growth of the 90s and were able to leverage some very good CBAs for their player, but outside of that their history as a union is brutal at best. I don't think Lehner is the last to say something and as pointed out her really isn't the first either. He's just the first active player to act this critical but I think more will follow.

I do not get how you can rationalize that a player who cannot defend makes your team tougher to play against. I think having Gudbranson out there makes the flames easier to play against.

I think he is bang on. It’s the NHLPAs job to represent and protect their players so why don’t they? Where have they been on the issues of concussions? Medical care? Eichel? They don’t say a thing

I think the flames should move past the idea of getting Monahan’s offensive numbers back. I think the focus should be expanding his skill set and finding other ways to help the team. I think having 2 speedy wingers in Mang and Coleman would help imo.

skillsets IMO. I think forcing Johnny to play his off wing and back hand would hurt his transition game. Tkachuk on the other hand already plays at a slower pace.

This is what I would run with and I’m a bit surprised it hasn’t been plan a. I thought the Gaudreau-Lindy-Chucky line showed some great stuff at the end of last season and It be the go to in camp.

I dont care nor worry. It is simply the only observation I care to make on the game.

I don't really see any value in fretting about pre season be it game 1 or the last one of the season. I think the idea of preseason is about 90% useless and really the only goal of it should be to avoid injuries. I personally don't care or fret if veterans sleep walk through a pre season because honestly I prefer it. Avoid injuries, that's all the ask should be. The only thing I think worth mention is it does go to show that Sutter has his work cut out with him with this D core. Bad penalties and a lack of puck movement was/is a problem on paper.

I didn't fact check this but I feel like it has to be almost a decade or more since Iginla or Gio didn't lead this. Might have been a year or 2 in there that someone else won it but those 2 were pretty dominant.

Can't really drawn that conclusion. This is standard speak at the beginning of the year, both sides come out and say they won't talk about it as they don't want it to be a distraction. Most of the time the deal ends up getting done, they are just trying to stop the media from asking about it everyday. The fact that both sides want this to go away actually tells me they are on some common ground. probably some major details to be worked on but I think there would be more being said about it if they were miles apart. I get the satisfaction in Tre is low but I also don't believe for a second he is comfortable with letting Gaudreau walk for nothing. Would be pretty out of character.

Agreed. The effort was there I agree, but the game plan, structure and accountability really wasn't. I don't believe there is any team in the league that can win games consistently or look consistent if they are not on the same page within their game plan. Flames are not unique in that situation.

I'm sure Gaudraeu wants a contract that will take him to retirement. Not sure if that's 7 or 8 but I would totally understand that being his goal. I think if the Flames were going to do that term then the last few years they'd want to drop the cap in order to lower the AAV. Bonuses would come into play there too.

According to Treliving Parsons could not satisfy the quarantine requirements. Sounds like it's vaccine related.