travel_dude

Loob has a big input over there, so that's only in the last number of tears IIRC.

Perhaps he can get a longer term deal with FLA. I don't know that the style he used with the Flames fit in the West. Maybe it's closer to what a team like FLA could use. Thye will need him in the playoffs this year.

We seem to only draft players out of the US in later rounds. Might just be circumstance, but we focus on CHL and Europe a lot.

Magic number for Flames is 17.5 (CGY wins + MTL losses). Tragic number is 9.5 (CGY losses + MTL wins) Pretty tight. We play Ottawa, while MTL has two against the Oilers. And then, basically the last chance for us with 3 games in a row.

Calgary's tragic number is now 9.5, by the combination of CGY losses and MTL wins. A MTL win over CGY reduces this by 2.

There are many ways that you get fired. If you are tanking and somehow pick losers or make moves that are bad for the future, then you go.

Needed a goalie, a shutdown D or replacement for Brodie, and a RW. Would we have been able to get him to sign a one year deal at $4m in October? Trading Gio would have helped, if he would sign here. Does his salary going out and whatever coming back get us there? No point trading Gaudreau or Monahan if you are trying to sign a RW.

Not exactly sure what you are talking about. Are you saying we draft college kids and lose them for nothing? Every team has that risk. They only get away from signing with their draft club if they stay the full 4 years. They can sign any time before that with the drafting team. And they can sign with their drafting team after that too. What time and money are we spending on these kids in college? None other than scouting during their years, and that assumes we can even travel there. We spend zero dollars on their development in college.

Another way to look at the battle between MTL and CGY to get to the dance is to look at the "magic" number. As well there is a similar "tragic" number. Or in this case, the tragic number. Once we reach either, we are in or done. Calgary's magic number is 18.5, a combination of CGY wins and MTL losses. A CGY win over MTL reduces this by 2. Calgary's tragic number is 11.5, by the combination of CGY losses and MTL wins. A MTL win over CGY reduces this by 2.

Assuming the AHL starts on time this year, is he eligible to play? The way I read the eligibility is that a player with 4 years in the CHL or will be 20 by December 31st is eligible. In each case, he fits.

Zav finally got his first goal of the year. It was a nice shot, so I'm glad he finally got that one. I had higher expectations (hopes, really) that he would have a good rookie AHL season, but it's not like he's a plug. Lots of players were playing above him. Poirier is an interesting player. I haven't heard much about him improving his defensive work, which was the big knock on him. This year's draft has already yielded 3 ELC's signed; Zary, Kuznetzov, and Solovyov. I don't know if there any rush to sign Francis, as he isn't 20 until December.

I think they value Nordstrom fairly high, so I would not be surprised him getting another deal. Simon never really clicked, but he's under control unless they don't offer the QO. Ryan, I think they wait and do it once the expansion is over. Not ideal, but you have to give him a chance to go home and still make some money; give him an idea of the offer from CGY though. I think that's allowed.

Brought up in Waiver News, though it didn't really fit there. I believe he has to sign an amateur agreement to play in Stockton. Some discussion between me and JJ in Waiver News, about 1/2 way down page 6.

They have a horrid defense, but Pettey may be back by the time they actually play. I don't know that they have any chance this season, but I do hope they beat the Oilers a few times.

What do you suggest? Tell the players trying to stay in CGY to just give up or play less than they are capable of? Tanking can only be done if you ship out every decent player that gives you a chance at winning. BT managed to trade Rittich, even though he said you need two goalies to win in the in this league. He traded Bennett for futures. That is more asset management than tanking. We would likely lose Rittich anyway, and Bennett would not be re-signed unless he had a great finish.

That's fair, but it makes their scedule even worse. EDM has been off a week so far and still have the easiest schedule of the North. You probably see EDM rest some of the team as they get down to the last two weeks. That's when they play the Nucks a bunch of games.

Friday games between CGY-MTL and EDM-VAN will help paint the picture for the race. If MTL can't get their game back on track against us, they will have a tough time with the SENS on Saturday. If VAN puts up a good showing against EDM, then they have a chance at making it a race. But VAN has so many games in a short span of time. it makes their journey so much tougher. It's by far one of the most bizarre season yet. Even last year was just a delayed re-start, not cancelled games in the middle.

The rest of the month basically determines whether MTL or CGY goes o the playoffs. MTL plays 9 games in April - 4 against CGY, 2 at EDM. 1 vs OTT, 1 vs TOR, 1 vs WPG CGY plays 7 games - 4 against MTL, 1 vs OTT, 1 at EDM and 1 at VAN They will have made up all but 1 of the games in hand. VAN is the wild card for us, especially the final 2 games. They either play the spoiler or fold up like a tent. We play after 5 days off before the last two games, while they play 3 games in 4 nights prior.

Weird coincidence, but we did beat the Oilers with him in the room, right? It could easily been a distraction, but I don't think it made as much difference as switching up the lines. Nordstrom on Lucic's line is actually a good fit. Bennett was slower on the forecheck, but stronger on the body. Nordstrom seems to have a knack for hanging onto the puck. He kills time, whether that's always a good thing or not. Get a lead? Play Nordstrom. The other impact is that Leivo is back in the lineup. Not a bad thing, and you see the skill lurking out there. We won't ever replace Playoff Sam, but regular season Sam just didn't fit.

Perhaps this is the right decision, but I wouldn't compare it to a corrupt, mafia controlled construction project.

Let's hope we aren't thinking of building it out of wood. Steel tarriffs are up on exported CDN steel. Sure, we can pause it again for another couple of years. Should only cost about $1B to renovate and upgrade the Dome by then. And we can play in EDM during that time of renovation.

I guess I should research a bit more. The construction costs would increase due to escalating costs (thanks COVID). You would think there was some consideration in the agreement to deal with costs overruns (I thought there was).

So typical in municipal politics. We agree to something. Wait a minute, we shouldn't have agreed. We need to look at the estimates again, because we really didn't want to say yes before. I suspect this is more to do with COVID reducing the expected tax revenues the city thought it had.

Sorry to polute the trgead about a prospect with talk of other LHS players. Let's give Francis props that he deserves. And scouting for picking him in the 5th round. Gems are gems. Shine it up.

Two LHS D-men that won't be on the Flames for at least 3 years? One a LHS shutdown guy. The other a LHS offensive guy. Are there that many RHS guys to go around or do you have a LHS playing RD? In the 2020 draft, there were exactly two RHS taken between Kuz and Poirier. The vast majority were LHS. A couple more taken after. If you want to complain, have an issue with Boltmann, who does happen to be a RHS.