conundrumed
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Posts posted by conundrumed
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Of the 3, I'd like the most expensive.
I agree Bishop is a #1 and would outright solve the problem. But that's gonna take some cold hard cash.
Worth it, undoubtedly.
With Reimer and Andersson, I don't have much interest. I view them as spinning tires rather than resolution.
As an aside, I thought Vasilevsky was under-ranked at the draft and wouldn't have taken issue if we took him 10 picks above his ranking.
Our 'tending was in turbidity, would have been a nice addition.
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I'm just saying if he comes in an puts out like 4 straight shutouts, then we kinda have to look at that.
But realistically that's not going to happen. Just pointing out that it would be a hilarious bit of luck in a season where we've had none.
I dream of how good Backstrom once was. Him and Iggy had epic battles.
He always played like you offended him, and I always love that in goalies.
That's a lot of water under the bridge now, but perchance to dream, we sure could use a "feel good" story.
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I think Ortio can be had for 1mil or less at this point. I'd be willing to pay that based on his post-call-up performance. Worst case scenario its a salary we can afford to bury if he regresses (though as a note, his first 8 games this year are better than the first 8 games played than either Ramo or Hiller this season...)
But we have to look externally for a starter. Unless Backstrom shows he's somehow managed to retain form, which is ridiculously unlikely, but admittedly would be amazing.
Hiller shouldn't see an NHL net from anywhere but the stands ever again.
Ramo's injury could be career-altering, and will take up a lot of salary if we keep him. (unfortunate)
Gillies/MacDonald aren't ready for NHL starter duties.
The others I think at best project to backups.
These are projections though, and things can change quickly. My worry is we crowd the net again and suddenly opportunity disappears due to contracts.
We say Gillies lost a year, but that isn't necessarily so. Goaltending is a mental game, so watching and analyzing can be a good thing.
He'll be seeing lots of rubber in the summer so we can only wait and not jump to the negative. His hip issue went on for awhile. It won't be a concern anymore so that too will be a bonus.
Many a goalie has had that procedure without lingering effect, so even the training it back is well documented.
Tomas Greiss for $1mil 2 years ago sure looks like it would've helped. I doubt the Isles want to keep Halak at this point, I know I wouldn't.
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Hard to watch, so I'd prefer to look at the farm
Gillies
MacDonald
Ortio
Poulin
Schneider
We do have depth here and a pretty decent cross section in age.
With Gillies, you never want a goalie missing that time so early, but it's no different than Bennett. Lingering issue, finishing it once and for all being so young is the best approach.
Poulin's pretty much a journeyman at this point, not to compare, but so was Tim Thomas.
Schneider was a big surprise in camp, I thought he looked quite good.
The only real question for me is do we let Ortio walk? I'd vote yes, but with consternation.
If you can't cover the top of the net adequately at this time, I'm not sure you can fix mechanics in a short time.
All in all, the net has totally collapsed. But looking forward, I don't think it's all doom and gloom.
Goalies want to play, and we have openings.
The Bishops and Holtbys are out there, it's a good time to look at using this as an opportunity, not more fill-ins and chaos.
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Howard is going to be hungry for a job, but I can see St Loo taking him, with Elliot on LTIR.
Could also see Babcock taking him, giving the Wings the best deal if Babcock does want him.
I wouldn't be out of the conversation if I'm the Flames.
At least target a decent backup goalie at TDL, I don't mean Howard at that salary.
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I think it's safe to say we're paying Hamilton on futures right now.
Seeing as this is a defence thread...
If Chychrun is available at our pick, should we take him?
I'm guessing he may be.
Do we "bpa" or draft for sized wingers, errumm, wants?
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Hiller has been poor at tracking pucks all year. Do we not have goalie coaches that see that? I don't get how, all year long, 1 goalie gets beat on a long high wrister from the point. How do you go a whole NHL year with a vet goalie that can't track a puck very well, or comprehend where it's coming from and where it'll go?
I can't help but assume the goalie coaches are lacking...it's just angle stuff for gawdsakes.
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Most fans have their own idea of what constitutes a rebuild and when one is over.
Personally, when I heard "5 year rebuild", I envisioned 5 years with no play-off hockey at all.
There would be pain and lots of losses on the scoreboard.
The team would move the high priced vets, get some high draft picks, and temporarily fill holes with FAs until the prospect cupboard was full again, and the new core given time to mature.
I still feel the same way, as it's only year 3.
2018/2019 is when I expect the Flames to be able to win a few play-off rounds and hopefully become a perennial contender.
Nothing against anyone who feels differently, I know that patience is a very hard thing to have.
Most fans have their own idea of what constitutes a rebuild and when one is over.
Personally, when I heard "5 year rebuild", I envisioned 5 years with no play-off hockey at all.
There would be pain and lots of losses on the scoreboard.
The team would move the high priced vets, get some high draft picks, and temporarily fill holes with FAs until the prospect cupboard was full again, and the new core given time to mature.
I still feel the same way, as it's only year 3.
2018/2019 is when I expect the Flames to be able to win a few play-off rounds and hopefully become a perennial contender.
Nothing against anyone who feels differently, I know that patience is a very hard thing to have.
I think I know the answer. The rebuild ends at Stajan. When we fill our holes to the point Stajan can be replaced, the rebuild is complete.
It seems a ways off to me yet.
I am not at all disappointed this year, nail some picks and gather up the cap.
One thing I'm shocked by, though, is Hiller's vision at his blueline. I knew Ramo tracks the puck better, but Hiller has just gone blind this year. It's tragic and hard to watch. Take a high wrist shot from the point this year, seems 50-50.
Where's the coaching to identify it?
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Yeah RW is a gaping hole on this team, Flames have shown they can put up numbers..that 1st line put up 9pts against the Ducks yesterday. The concern is if a player like JH got injured this team would play and look quite different. JH helps us with our zone entries, elite passing and creating time and space. There's really no one else other than Bennett that possesses those types of high end abilities on this team.
I'm more of the mind that wing is a gaping hole, left or right. Everything after Johnny is weak. Maybe not Hudler as a 2nd line, but if he's gone, we really don't have 3 out of 4 wingers required for the top 2 lines imho.
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I think the appeal of drafting the next Milan Lucic or Chris Simon is always going to be there regardless of team and GM. Anytime you feel an enforcer in Juniors has any offensive abilities, then take a chance on him. Imagine a Brandon Bollig who can score 25-goals a year. That's gold.
We're hoping Ferland can be this homerun pick but I dunno. He's at worse a 3rd liner but he shows offensive skills that have not yet translated into points. I don't think Ferland is on the curve to become a top 6.
In terms of Hunter Smith, his skating is actually decent for a big guy and that's what has me believing he has a chance to make the NHL. There's just not enough NHL-level skills after that.
I really hope we climb another pick in the first rd for Jones. Great shot, great skating for a big kid, takes too many undisciplined penalties, perfect.
Wingers with attitude.
We need some terror on our wings.
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I think the appeal of drafting the next Milan Lucic or Chris Simon is always going to be there regardless of team and GM. Anytime you feel an enforcer in Juniors has any offensive abilities, then take a chance on him. Imagine a Brandon Bollig who can score 25-goals a year. That's gold.
We're hoping Ferland can be this homerun pick but I dunno. He's at worse a 3rd liner but he shows offensive skills that have not yet translated into points. I don't think Ferland is on the curve to become a top 6.
In terms of Hunter Smith, his skating is actually decent for a big guy and that's what has me believing he has a chance to make the NHL. There's just not enough NHL-level skills after that.
If we could pull down 2 picks in the top 25, I'd be all about skilled wingers with size, don't care what hand.
Hope they're only max 2 yrs out.
Goaltending will follow suit, I'm not worried about that as much as too little offensive talent in the roster in general, let alone size.
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I don't think Howard has any value and that's why I think you can get him cheap. He hasn't been a decent started for two seasons and other than calgary and Buffalo who is looking for a 5 mill goalie? Detroits going to find a pretty bare market for Howard which is why I think you can probable get Howard with salary retained and not have to give up much.
Again around here, it's treated like free candy for Raymond.
Detroit is not likely looking for a big contract coming back, but they will get value for him, especially if they are eating salary. I'd guess taking on salary would be a year of Smid for them, not retaining Howard salary.
No point in giving him away, Dats is retiring pdq, their cap is fine.
It'll take Hudler and Smid in the give and take, maybe a middling pick our way.
We are awesome at under-valuing anyone not on the Flames.
It sure wouldn't hurt our team to have an 8 yr Detroit vet back there. He hates the same teams we hate. Detroit moved to the East. Howard's a Western Conference goalie used to going toe-to-toe with his western counterparts.
I guarantee Anaheim and Chicago would hate us.
It's not a panic move for them.
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A goalie option i've beomcing more intrigued about is JImmy Howard in Detroit. His contract sucks, (3 more years at 5.25/season) but I think you oculd get Detroit to eat part of that. He isn't getting dealt somewhere for full value, and if they ate 1.6 you could have him for 3.6 for 3 years. Thats decent value and you roll the dice that he gets back to the above avg starter level he was just a season or two ago. Worst, case you've got reasonably priced stability in net while you try and develop Gilles so you can bring in a decent backup at sat 2 mill or less and run with 2 goalies.
Detroit being my "other" team, I would be perfectly fine trying to get Howard. I've never had a problem with him at all. I've seen him full on win games almost single-handedly many times. Chicago's 2013 cup went through Detroit and Howard almost took them out, losing in OT in game 7. I saw 2 games live and Howard was spectacular. The whole arena chanted his name repeatedly.
If Howard is on the block, it's not because he's not a really good NHL goalie, but because Petr Mrazek (2010 5th rd) is looking Top 3 elite at 23. Howard lost his seat to a goalie that would take the seat from 75-85% of all teams.
Mrazek's RFA, they'll be needing Howard's cash, without a doubt.
If you haven't seen much Mrazek, you might want to. Put Howard in, he could easily be Rinne, Bishop, Crawford etc. This kid is taking your job.
Good point to get them to retain salary, but we'll have to give up more than our crap.
I'd think maybe a Hudler rental and upper D prospect.
Retaining salary comes at a cost. Howard's value can't be underrated.
Calgary's goalie transitioning out of Kiprusoff is pretty much a failure.
For Detroit, if you're playing pairs,
Datsyuk
Larkin
Zetterberg
no 4th (Abdelkader?).
Hudler is a perfect fit.
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Thought it was 4 years, actually 5 years. Only thing wrong was not getting 8 years. Term is fine and $$ are a steal, just wish we could have gone longer.
It's 5 yrs after this one. Hard to knock it for a 6 yr, 8 yr $ amount goes up.
I don't know how you argue it wasn't a great deal for us.
Sometimes you just have to admit you made a mistake...
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Doing so requires that you show confidence in both, not just the guy winning or playing well. Hiller got his chance after Ramo was brutalized by bad bounces. You want Ramo to get cold? Sit him out until he is needed.
That's how they tandemed last year though, how cold do you think Hiller was? We need both of them playing well, Hiller needed some games. I'm just really happy he didn't lose us games. The team in front of him has responded well, also.
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He is getting the next start (deservedly so) based on a SOL. He let in a softie, but overall was good against a team struggling to score. I'm not sure I agree with the strategy of going with the hot hand over who established himself as the #1. Yes, you give the guy who gets a shutout (in a lopsided game) the next start, and 1GA is a good reason to get him a 3rd in a row, but Ramo is the guy that got you to this point. You have to go back to Ramo after the NJD game.
I think the point is that we need both guys going.
Shouldn't be a "favourite" in our tandem, just establish confidence and reliability in both.
That was a lot of why we surprised so many last year imho.
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Ramo was 12 minutes shy of setting a franchise shut out record. He let in one goal and got the win. Seems incredibly knit picky to over analyze a goal against from a wide open Stamkos off if a wide open shot.
Depends on point of view I guess. If we were all Michelangelos, the world would be a boring place...
If you want to focus on negatives when you read, I can't do much about that.
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How about the players who should actually be covering Stamkos ? Stamkos should never be left alone in our zone.
But I was talking about how the goalie played a shoot in, I know full well 6 other things could have happened.
I'm not ROASTING Ramo as CheersMan alludes to.
I'm talking about 1 split second play, and I've given Ramo full props.
Can be a touchy bunch around here.
There is a saying, "midseason form" for a reason. We're hitting it. Hopefully it's yet another message to fans to wait 6-8 weeks into the season before being dismissive and down on everyone...
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Are you really trying that hard to find fault in his game? Dont like him that much?
As kehatch said and I said earlier, its not exactly an easy play no matter which way you slice it. Ramo had a stellar game.
No, I'm commenting on the goal, not attacking Ramo. I'd have said the same of any goalie; it's still Stamkos, I never said easy save, just that he got out of position too early and couldn't recover.
Since Nov 13: 12-6-1; 2.07; .926.
Not complaining, it was one play, I'm not slamming him
All I can say about Ramo is that he's ripped that starter roll and we're getting consistency, all due to him.
He's pushing 2 months of being a bonafide NHL starter while playing every single game.
It is firmly him that's really helped turn it around.
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Ramo had no chance in the stamkos goal. That took a wicked bounce off the board right to a wide open stamkos. Would have taken an unbelievable save to stop that. I was as there and the puck shot off the boards right to Stamkos.
Before the wicked bounce, he exited net left on a wide of the net shoot in.
If he stays on the post and watches the puck, he gets across for the shot.
I thought the goal was his own fault. Misplayed the sequence on the shoot in.
He should have 2 shutouts in a row, don't get me wrong, not complaining.
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I have been hard on Ramo in the past, but he has absolutely turned his game around the last month. He seems much more calm in the net, he isn't overplaying the puck and is staying deeper in the net, his rebound control is much better, and he isn't cheating as much. He seems much better positionally and technically and relying on his athleticism when has to. Hopefully he can keep this level of play up for the rest of the year.
He over-dramatized the shoot in on the Stamkos goal. He instantly put himself out of position and couldn't recover on a shoot in.
Not being overly-critical, I'm sure he replayed that one in his head!
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If we have the cap space and need better goaltending (assuming that it is not a defence issue), why might Treliving not make the deal for Khudobin?
It's the chemistry set imho.
The team struggled as a group to get better and they've been winning.
Not nice to send constant notices to the goalies.
I would surmise it effects the group. Hiller flubs, maybe it was a "we've got your back" win...
who's to say.....we're gaining momentum, can we turn off the sky is falling network yet?
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It can be argued that goalies have a frail psyche and if you hit it enough times it dissolves. Then you work triple time to find it again.
It can also be argued starting Ramo off the hop hit Hiller's psyche.
I could be altogether in the wrong, but every stone must be turned!
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We demote Granlund when we find out if we won the claim or not. We would have to wait till tomorrow to waive Hiller and then wait another day after that to send him down. Granlund would miss tomorrow's game.
We'd really be swinging from a rope if Khudobin doesn't look any better than Ortio.
I realize I'm giving Hiller a lot of rope, but I believe his errors are mental/influenza and can be overcome.
All I'm saying is I want the move to be the right one, not the right now one. I know you guys are just spitballing, but you also have to look at the flip side that maybe he sucks and you just put the boots to Hiller in the altogether.
I had a lot of faith in our roster to start the season and many had hiccups, but for my money, none go under the bus, you pick up the one's that are flailing, it'll only serve you better.
Call it blind faith, but it's faith no less.
Goaltending
in Flames Talk
Posted
Tampa's so dynamic, I'd hate to be Stevie Y between Stammer or Bishop, I don't think there is a right choice.