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conundrumed

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Posts posted by conundrumed

  1. 4 minutes ago, cberg said:

    He single-handedly turned the PP from ~12% to ~30% over the last month, and formed one of the most deadly lines of the whole season.  Yeah, we don't want more like him...

    Yeah, I'm a little torn between the 2 of you. Loose cannon, but a cannon nonetheless. I'm happy to give him an offseason by our watch. Maybe we can find more from him than a protected O-weapon.

    It's worth a shot. We're biding time regardless.

  2. 5 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

     

    Are we talking $6-mil x 6 or what?

     

    Depends how much and how long.  To me, he's a second line talent who produced after getting first line minutes.  Can he repeat this performance?  We don't want another Mangiapane.

     

    Timing also... Flames should try to bottom out for 2026 and draft McKenna... Or any #1 Center.  Draft one first before thinking about ending the retool and trying to win again.  Worst case is we end the retool and lean on Kadri, Zary, and Backlund to win a Cup.  We need that game breaking #1 Center.

    A year at $3.1. Calm down.

     

    You can't manage a team to bottom out for McKenna. You'll be fired. Be patient, take a breath.

    Drafts help, but they aren't the sole driver. A manager needs to manage. Scouts are there to help one part, not run the show.

     

  3. 10 minutes ago, redfire11 said:

    Not sure what you're trying to convey here or which direction you are heading as I don't have any teenage daughters and don't speak the post millennial dialect. 

    I am in inexhaustible favour of the selection, should the implication prevail, that Nikita Artamonov should become available upon our 29th selection in the 2024 NHL hockey draft for young men 18 years of age from September 16 of 2023, yet not exceeding September 15, 2024 birthdates, my good sir. Further, past agreements regarding our international friends and exceeding age limitations shall not be impeded.

    Which era do you prefer? lol

    • Like 1
  4. Just now, The_People1 said:

     

    How much are you paying him on an extension though?  That's the bigger issue.  Sharongovich had one year of success.  The suggestion to move him this summer was because there's a chance he returns to the mean next season and back to a 15-goal guy.

    Dude. Sharangovich has some hesitancy to his game. Understandable. NJ was unforgiving.

    I liked the trade a lot from the outset. One of the few it felt like. He's a really good player. He showed flashes in NJ without question. I peg him to match Buchnevich's numbers. They're not the same, but no 2 players are.

    Do you like Buchnevich? Because you have a younger one.

    It's a pretty fair comp to where Sharagovich is heading.

    I definitely wish we signed Buchnevich away from the Rangers.

    St. Louis' best player. Sharangovic will grow further. He just needed a fair opportunity, not unlike Buchnevich.

  5. I might as well say it now. TML are going to scream O'Reilly right up the rankings into a 1st rder. Whereas I want him with our Dallas pick. He's been really good, all situations, these playoffs. Urgency near every shift. He'll explode next year, given a top role.

    They had Mark Hunter, why didn't they just keep him? lol

    Now they just pick the kids that he scouts and develops.

    Kyle Dubas, genius. I have no idea why the SSM GM became some hockey guru. lol

    Oh right. Stat-trending means that you're way smarter. Nice to see that working out as anticipated.

  6. 11 hours ago, The_People1 said:

     

    If Yakemchuk can pop in over 20G on the PP year after year, then does that forgive some average edge work?  I've watched him live a couple of times and while I was never wowed by his skating, I never felt like it was holding him back.  He's kind of a calm and steady presence.

     

    With the puck, I've seen him shake-n-bake at the point to move off shot blockers and then shoots and scores.  Defensively, he tracks well and keeps tight coverage.  He has a good stick and always pins players to the boards.

     

    It's not Elite edge work but I have to ask what is expected of his type?  He's not TJ Brodie or Quinn Hughes at 6'-3" and 195 lbs.  He probably wants to play closer to 220 lbs at the NHL level for his game to have success.  His lateral is supposed to be limited at that size, no?

    There have been a couple of games I've watched that have made me feel like things are moving in slow-motion when he has the puck. That kind of time with the puck is going to be eradicated at the pro level. He is literally sauntering with it, while hardly even being challenged. His puck-handling is not great. He's given a surprising amount of space to do it, though. Maybe because his team is so bad that the opponents are lulled to sleep.

    I wasn't expecting him to be that lumbering, but it's what I saw. I watch the O a lot, so it left me feeling that there is no way he's putting up those numbers in better coverage.

    Watch Dickinson. He's 6'2". So size is an afterthought. Heck, watch Fischer, he's 6'3" and growing. The difference in skating abilities are almost night and day.

    That's what I mainly have against him, and why I use the, "1st year midget vs 2nd year Bantams" analogy.

    I don't understand why he's given so much time and space. It's not like he's a fantastic passing threat, he's fairly tunnel vision carrying the puck.

    Weber was mentioned, that was 20 years ago. The game has changed. Forechecking has become vastly faster.

    20 years ago forechecking looked like a line change vs today. Over-stated, but it is way faster now, and getting faster.

    Almost dangerously fast to quote Mickey Redmond. "Flying around out there like a bat out of hell. There are landmines everywhere, and you're moving too fast to see them". Speaking, in particular, about Jack Hughes, but also generally.

    I wish him and Ken Daniels could do all the playoff games for balance and insights. lol

  7. 8 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

    The idea would be an extension from NYI.

     

    They're not shy about giving term.

    I think the idea of moving him now is counter-intuitive. The idea of acquiring a player that perhaps just needs opportunity has pretty fleeting success. When you have success with that, I don't think it's very savvy to go ahead with, "okay, let's trade him now".

    There's more at play imo. It took him awhile to settle in, but he kind of found a way to do it. Now he hits this offseason knowing what to work on, where they see his fit. So I think it's still an adjustment period.

    Add, now you've probably got a player that's grateful for opportunity and being given a purpose.

    It's not very compelling to turn around and say, "well, we'll get better value trading him now because we won't be able to afford him, won't fit our window etc etc".

    These are made up excuses disguised as foresight. Same goes for Kuzmenko. Give the players an offseason guided by your instructions, for pete's sake. You can't just throw everyone you've just acquired to the wind because of the possibility that you'll have to pay more for what amounts to your successes. It's cutting off your nose to spite your face. Plus, you haven't completed the opportunity that you're giving them.

    I'm happy knowing that there is no way that Conroy is going to manage like that. Nor do I think anyone would be allowed to turn a franchise into a chaotic misadventure. "But, but...draft picks". The potential of giving away NHL players for zero should easily outweigh that.

     

     

    • Like 2
  8. That's fantastic!! Outside of me being digitally underwhelming.

    Not sure what 5 categories will look like.

    Most creative prolly ties into most creative. I feel there's kind of a "normal" as far as data, where I'd just as soon have more Dallas mouthy redneck kids getting popped. lol

    Maybe funniest? Though humour can be subjective.

    Best use of Flames main page and analysts maybe?

    Best homage maybe..."this day in Flames history" type-thing?

    I'll try to think of excrement to throw at the wall to see what might stick.

    It can't be tough to have 5 solid categories....can it? lol

     

  9. 13 minutes ago, cberg said:

    Oh Thanks!  Once it warms up I'll likely put out a few more videos... Snow blizzard yesterday and cold... boo... And again, those small guys keep getting put down, hope more are able to break through and be consistent NHL performers.  

    I'm luckier, our lows barely creep below 10C. I've got everything out of the house windows full time now, so I'm back in the good books. lol I've got the radish in already and prolly a busy wkend getting everything out of my hair and seeding. Danger of frost is virtually zero. I do the tire trick with my potatoes and love it. Do you do that one?

    Usually 6-7 tires high by harvest time. We get snails and slugs like you wouldn't believe, so it alleviates that. I have a separate kale area where the rabbits can go ham. It works pretty well.

    It's pickerel season in the lake, so I really need to scream the garden into place. lol

    @The_People1 I'm a huge fan of both Jirecek's. I want one. lol I think the Czechs are on a roll for developing very well-rounded dmen.

    Yakemchuk's skating is going to be a problem. I'd coach to expose him wide at speed personally. His lateral isn't great, his edges are meh. He's an average skater. That's great in jr as a dman. You can get by with it.

  10. 53 minutes ago, cberg said:

    That’s what I thought too, he’s solid.  And if he’s got similar skill and determination of his brother, he’s a keeper.

    Could be a player like Denver Barkey. Fell to 95th last year solely due to size. Good player.

    Slapped down 35/67 102pts in 64 games for the Knights this year. 3/10 13pts in 12 playoff games so far.

     

    Ah, before I forget, you have a new subscriber!:) Haven't gotten far...composting!! Awesome.👍

  11. 14 hours ago, cberg said:

    C'mon man... you going to pass over Demidov and Levshunov for Dickinson?  Doubtful.

    It won't be my list. lol

    Just a vast guess at who might take whom. There's normally someone no one saw coming in the top 10.

    So this is entirely guesswork. If I were to explain, this post would never end...

    SJ-Celebrini

    CHI-Levshunov

    ANA-Buium

    CBJ-Lindstrom/Catton

    MTL-Demidov

    ARI-Catton/Helenius

    OTT-Parekh/Dickinson

    SEA-Silayev/Dickinson

    CGY-

    ARI could well go with Eiserman. Lindstrom's IR history could be a factor. The fitness tests and meetings will all play into results, undoubtedly...if Parekh is the fall guy, we should let him fall. It'll depend on whether teams think Quinn Hughes or Tyson Barrie.

    So at D, I'd take Jiricek if all but Parekh are gone. But Helenius/Catton/Lindstrom change the conversation.

    We'll get a solid prospect. Then complain about who we should have taken instead. lol

    • Like 1
  12. 3 minutes ago, cberg said:

    potential issue with Yakemchuk,

    Space is always an issue making the jump. Easy enough when you should be in 1st yr midget playing 2nd year bantam, is kind of how I view him. His age group was last year. Pulkkinen is similar, but made a pro men's league.

  13. For fun in the now, this list will evolve somewhat, I'd do something like this:

     

    09: 1. Dickinson 2. Jiricek (outlier: Helenius)

    28: 1. Artamonov 2. Misa 3.Beaudoin 4. Freij

    41: 1. Pulkinnen 2. Gridin 3. Mews

    62: 1. O'Reilly 2. Fischer 3. Humphreys 4. Josephson

     

    D & C all the way, baby. C's end up wing, don't care. I know wings can't play C.

  14. 4 minutes ago, cross16 said:

    This is an interesting thread related to the "Dallas Model" idea and what the Stars did to have some success. Talks about some trends that the Stars used.  Long story short, you arn't going to get there by taking long shots and flyers, you need to take players who had a good chance to hit. 

     

    The good news story is the Flames are pretty good in this area.  Sure they have some misses (Kuznetsov, Boltmann, Stormgren are the primary outliers here) but what is really key to point out about the Stars is they made their headway in the first 2 rounds. That's where you can avoid the flyers and bet on talent so if the Flames can keep acquiring more picks in this area they've got a shot. 

     

     

    I totally agree with the "flyers" comment. Don't take flyers with our first 5-6 picks. Take established talent, and see growth, even in the last 4 months.

    Growth is what intrigues me about Jesse Pulkkinen. Wish I knew the details.

    Here's a guy that was undrafted last year, and decided, F%$^ this, I'm done with hockey".

    I have zero idea who his support is that said, "look man...".

    Whatever the cause of the attitude adjustment, just wow. That's a helluva'n offseason.

    Tries again. "Well, he's going to the low rung". Shreds. "He's too good for that, move him up to our version of the A". Shreds. "Yeah, call him up permanently" (Liiga).

    That is massive growth in the course of a year.

    Whatever triggered him, he's there now. I'd take some of that action.

     

     

  15. 1 hour ago, jjgallow said:

     

    I am starting to think that there may actually only be three elite D in the draft.     

     

    Levshunov, Parekh.   Yakemchuk.

     

    Not willing to put a list together yet, but if I were to narrow it down today, it's these 3.  One of these 3 (Yakemchuk), and possibly 2 of them, will drop to us.     

     

    I read on here that Yakemchuk may not have the same elite-skill ceiling as the others.  But his stats say otherwise.  Due only to proximity, I did something I would never normally do.   I very briefly put my keyboard and phone down long enough to watch him play.      

     

    He's elite.  Straight up.

     

    I ask myself how could we miss elite right under our nose.  I am reminded of Makar.

     

    I really believe that of the D available in that ranking right now, there are only 3 currently demonstrating 1st line potential  on great teams, and it's those 3.     Of the 3, Yakemchuk has the most warts (call it defensive intelligence if you must).   All his warts are teachable and removable.    But his ceiling is as high or possibly even higher than the other 2.    I would have no problems taking him with our pick and I don't think it's a reach.

     

    I think we're looking at Tij and Yakemchuck in our spot, both essentially Calgarians, which is very cool.   And I don't think we can go wrong with either one.   I think both are Still under-rated with standout trajectories.   But rarely does the draft go as planned. Someone will drop, or we will win lotto...  much remains unknown.

    Well, you named one. lol Parekh is the last guy that I want us to take. Unless you're moving him to wing. Because there is no way on this green earth that he's going up against the opposition's top 3, more likely, top 6.

    He is getting overrated. He literally sucks at playing D.

    There. I said it.

    He plays D to start rushes, he doesn't play D to, you know, play D.

    If you'd replaced those 2 with Buium, Dickinson or Silayev I'd have left it alone.

    You're way off track.

    Yakemchuk. How many times do we need to hear, "great skater for his size"? If you have to add the, "for his size", you've got yourself a not-great skater. That catchphrase is debilitating. lol

    You're a great skater or you're not.

  16. 54 minutes ago, jjgallow said:

     

    If he's still  available in the 3rd I would do it.  I just don't expect him to be because there's always a GM who will be like "big mature player, he'll  pay off before I get fired" and draft him early.    

    There are quite a few options. I don't envy NHL scouts. I wouldn't hate taking Fischer for the purely selfish reasons of seeing him all the time. The Sting are, "rebuilding", shall we call it? Blew their load in the 22-23 season. Traded Martone for Del Mastro for starters. Gonna be a young team next year. Picked 2oa in the draft, so that might be fun. Fischer's likely as good a pick as anyone from 60-75. But there are C's there that I like, if we've already taken 2-3 dmen. Or maybe we should have a pretty full-on Dman draft? I'm not sure. I'd really like Misa with the Van pick.

    He's close to Catton, imho.

    US-Finland becoming a game after the US went up 4-0. 4-2 now and Helenius just drilled the post. Oops, Stiga with his 4th goal. 5-2. Damn.

  17. @The_People1

    Am I going to regret telling you to check the OHL playoff scoring leaders?

    That guy sure isn't hurting Sennecke's draft-stock, either.

    I'm OHL-centric due to live viewing, so I was championing Musty, then this guy...

    I still like the Honzek pick. There just really isn't much that separates 15-50 in most drafts, let alone 15-30.

    I highly recommend watching the OHL semis and Finals, alongside the same from the dub.

    Stoopid dub start times. But what, am I supposed to watch the Oilers/Van? I don't gaf about those teams. lol

  18. 51 minutes ago, jjgallow said:

     

    you are super optimistic on 6th round availability yo 😅

     

    I take him in the 6th round for sure.   But, for where they're ranked,

     

    This guy, and Dickinson come across as guys who have matured early (even if they're young).   6'3 - 6'4, built, basically men, looking good against children, but still can't...score.

     

    Defensive instincts are super important, but can be taught.   I'm on the same page with you regarding the importance of D, but seen a lot of 1st and 2nd round mis-fires drafting guys who can't quite put it together offensively against kids despite massive physical and maturity advantages.    Seider upside yes.  But not guaranteed and nothing higher.  High likelihood of making the NHL but low likelihood of becoming impact players.

     

    In that range, these kids look way more skilled with higher ceilings even if maturity-wise they're further behind.  And they're not even in the amjhl lol.
    https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/618996/alfons-freij
    https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/577193/henry-mews

     

    I'll straight up ask....is it possible to watch certain leagues/teams too much?  And start to rate some kids higher there as you do?   I think/hope Conroy would say yes, if he looked back on some picks from 2023.

    Lousy team, he's still the shortest in his fam by a few inches. Freij and Mews are both borderline 1st rders, Fischer will be in the late 2nd - early 3rd, so not the same range. Dallas pick to our 3rd. Someone will be getting great potential with Fischer. Too funny if it's Detroit. "Sorry son, you were next on our list, honestly".

  19. 20 hours ago, jjgallow said:

    @conundrumed  I got an idea for some of your 30 6th rounder picks this year, since you were desperately looking for scouts there.

     

    My inspiration was your love of recruiting sons of former Flames, like Tij.

     

    https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/599383/lucas-st-louis

     

    For serious though, who is the Gold Standard in undrafted late-bloomers?  And the gold standard in exceptions to the size rule?

     

    Now look at what the kids are doing and their trajectory.   Most notably Lucas.   Mason too early to tell.   I won't pretend that they are their Dad.   They aren't, this isn't a Tij story.   But, interestingly, I came across Lucas quite by accident, looking for undrafted statistical anomalies in the USHL.   The exact same kind of screen that would have picked up their Dad.  Lucas was at the top of it. 

     

     

     

    Way more interested in Wings kids. lol

    Especially when they're the youngest in the draft, not the oldest:

    https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/692910/lukas-fischer

    • Like 1
  20. 21 minutes ago, cberg said:

    Don’t really know, but trade valuations giving him a comparable of Chara.

     

    Actually, I’m laughing.  This is supposed to be a so-so draft but here we are arguing between the top12-15 as if they may all be hall of famers.  Not likely, maybe 3-4?

    It's what we do. lol

    Hard to not be over-excitable when we have picks for a change! And we're trending towards actually utilizing draft picks as more than trade fodder. What a concept!!

    • Like 2
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