travel_dude
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Everything posted by travel_dude
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That is certainly the truth. He has gotten away from the "bad goal" per game and only lets in the occasional questionable goal. By questionable, I mean possibly another goalie could have stopped it. But watching last night's game, he made stops that he would have given up in October or November. His rebound control has improved as well. Pucks are being directed into neutral areas now instead of high-danger areas. The one he let in last night looked to be him trying to twist to the other side, but there were two players in his crease. Hard to say if he was interferred with (didn't appear to be), but it made his reaction slower.
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We had two healthy starters on the Flames last season, except for the period that Ortio played. He was later injured himself. Do you think Ortio would have been able to carry the mail last year with Ramo being the 1a or starter? Instead, he got almost an entire year of development playing most night. About right for a goalie that really hasn't distinguished himself as a NHL goalie yet. This year, the 3 goalie system was a failure, but Ortio did not really distinguish himself as the top guy though TC. After a terrible start by the two top guys, they were under a lot of pressure to win right away. But he got his relief period then a start. 4 GA in his first start. Then another relief and a start. 6 GA in his start. Going to take a lot more wins and stellar outings before he will be considered to be a good option for the Flames. I put his chances of playing on the Flames this season at 25%. If Hiller is traded, that goes up to 50%.
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The Official Calgary Flames "New Arena" thread
travel_dude replied to DirtyDeeds's topic in Flames Talk
There was a report that the 'sote had leached into the soil under the river. so that would be a more difficult thing to fix. -
Last game he faced 30 shots and won against Brossoit (48 shots). The previous game he let in 2 goal in the first 3 minutes and was pulled. He went back in after Simpson let in 4, and was "perfect" after that. He is sub 900 in the AHL and 3.21 GAA. I wouldn't call that ready. If he can keep his GA to 2 or less for a stretch, then maybe he is trending in the right direction. Poulin is back now, so unless they want Ortio to go through the waiver again after an injury relief, the only way he gets back is if they trade Hiller.
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Apart from FA signings like Engelland and Raymond, which got inflated for a couple of reasons, BT is signing players for market price or below. You are not getting a player like Gio for $5m or a player like Hamilton for $4m. Bouma was going to arbitration, so he overpaid a bit, not much. Backlund is making less than Sutter, and is better overall. Ramo made $2.9m last year actual. Why would you expect to get him cheaper when he took the team to the 2nd round. Not all his doing, but he earned a raise. We can bellyache all we want about the size of the payroll, but there is baggage that is creating the cap issues, not BT. The top players are earning their new contracts. The previous ones that are playing reduced roles are here because they provide a niche or we can't get rid of them.
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I just generally read the reviews post game, and it sounds bad. I doubt he makes it back to the NHL this year; Poulin is more likely. Gillies is a weird case. Had he been healthy, he might have been in the plans for 2016/17, but he is now another year out. Demko is a lot better after the surgery, and next season should be a good one. The earliest you will see Gillies is 2017/18, baring some injury to our starter next season. I say this because some goalies round out into NHL form rather quickly. Gillies has potential to be a backup after a full season in the AHL. IMHO.
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Right now, he is the only safe option. I can't see them starting Hiller against Anaheim. He was ok last night, but didn't inspire confidence with the breakaway goal. Those are the ones you need to make the first save. Ortio is starting to look like a bust this year. It would be nice to get Bishop, but we would still need a decent backup.
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Summer is fine and makes sense, but is that before the draft or after? A 1st this year may be worth a lot or be a 16-30 range pick. At the draft, it would be a known quantity. A pick next year is a big unknown, but with a goalie like Bishop, is probably just a 16-30th.
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Are you saying that they do that deal now or before the draft or in the summer? If before, it would need to be lotto protected, though there would be a bigger chance of making the playoffs with him playing now.
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I just see a trade for a goalie as imminent, coming after the trade freeze. Hartley doesn't trust him even in a B2B. Ortio could be a possibility if he continues to get his game back. The added game time will at least allow him to be ready if they pull the trigger. If the trade includes a goalie coming back, Ortio stays where he is. I think you see a deal for Stamkos coming before TDL. They probably already have min and max worked out, and have a framework for a deal. If they do, then they would have their backs to the wall come summer. As much as I would like to see, I don;t know we have enough useful parts to make a great offer. I think that the B2B game was the best time you could have started Hiller. They were important games to win, and one should have gone to the backup if you have any faith at all in him.
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That may be the course of action CGY takes. Bishop and Bernier will likely cost in trade in the summer. The cost to get Bernier is never lower than now. Bishop will be a harder sell prior to TDL, as teams will have difficulty taking on his deal, if they in fact want to move him. Bernier is just a buy ow option right now. If he doesn't pull it together in TO this season, he will be a buy out or waiver fodder. And I have no interest at that point. Bishop has the most value right now and the future for us. Would need to move salary to make it work. I believe that Hiller's days are numbered. The fact he didn't get a start in the B2B or aftre two straight losses likely means he is a Christmas return or re-gift. Sounds cold, but I think he is done in Calgary.
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The good goalies have careers into their 30's, so Bishop and Bernier could be long-term solutions. Very seldom do you find a goalie at the top of his game when he is 22. Luongo and Miller are still near the top of their games at age 35-ish. So, given that, Gillies is a few years from being near his top form.
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Babcock has been pretty frank when discussing Bernier. I can't see them helping to work through his struggles. Reimer has been treated like crap at times, but a new sheriff is in town, and they have gone to Reimer a lot. I don't know that he signs elsewhere. Hiller and Bernier both need a change. A goalie for goalie change is a reasonable risk to each team, with Toronto clearing a contract for next year. Not a huge PR nightmare. Worse case is they waive him to end the season. Best case is they have a winner for this season.
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If we couldn't get Hamonic as mentioned, I think Schenn would be a reasonable fit. RHS, so he would need to play with Gio, but then you use Brodie/Hamilton as your top minutes pair. I think that is the pair we should be using to their potential. Brodie seems to like the RD side, but he never had a decent partner when playing on LD. Some night, the only mistakes Brodie makes is making a breakout pass on his backhand. He is one of the best at doing it, but why limit his options to backhand passes across traffic?
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That is right. I used the buyout calculator, but that included 2015/16 salary in the calculations. It would only be a two year buyout, not 3.
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I don't know what potential Marincin has. He had one good season in the AHL, and has 1g 10a in 105 NHL games. Jooris plays mostly in a shutdown role now. Neither is top end talent, but I would put the current value of Jooris over Marincin. 20 games as a Leaf and no points. I don't see the Leafs holding onto Bernier once Reimer is back. They have two other guys that can backup Reimer. Clearing a contract now means there is one less impediment to making big moves this summer.
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Optics would suggest this to be true. It is really clearing cap from their books for next year, so it isn't a firing offense. To offset the "perceived" loss, I could suggest that it be Hiller/Jooris for Bernier/Marincin. Marincin's trade allows them to use Corrado. Marincin is a throw away if he doesn't work for us.
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Agreed about Russell. Nice to have, but he isn't top 4 material. Ideal #5 guy, and I can live with Engelland for now. Would be nice to have a farm kid as a 6/7 guy to rotate in, but really only Nakladal is NHL ready. Kulak is getting there. Ideally we move Wideman in the off-season and Russell before TDL. We aren't going to get Hamonic before the summer. One year remaining Engelland and two more on Smid. May have to buy out Smid's just to make the cap work, but that is carrying the buyout cost for 3 seasons until 2018/19.
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Toronto would do the deal in a moment. They have come to the end of their rope. Hiller is a short term deal that they can let go, or re-sign him if he becomes the man. Every trade or goalie signing has an element of risk. Going into the summer with no goalies signed is huge. What if the guy you want get a deal elsewhere. What if there is nothing but backups available. We don't even have Ortio signed.
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Some of it may be going with the hotter hand, but it may come down to what the goalie coach sees in practice or things in-game that aren't being corrected. A more devious reason could be keeping Hiller away from games, so as not to have him injured prior to a trade. The Flames have been in a trade freeze for over a week now. If this was the case, then it's a trade for Bernier, and it will happen in very early January.
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Pass on that deal. If that is the going rate, then we should be able to get a tidy haul from dealing Russell.
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You are right, I misread your comments. I thought you said you didn't agree. Need to read closer next time.
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Russell has his good points. Smothering offense is not his strong point. Neither is a strong breakout. He actually does best to skate it out, but that is usually when the other team is changing. Weak shots along the D-zone boards or hard passes to the boards to a forward not moving are not his strength. The latter is a function of the Flames set plays, not so much Russell. Put Russell with Engelland and I think you have a decent 5/6 pair, in limited usage. Russell can help balance out Engelland's lack of mobility, and Engelland can help knock players off the puck. We need a top 4 LHS D-man, assuming we keep Brodie on Gio's right side. Or we need a RHS potential top 4 that can play slightly limited minutes with Gio. If that's the case, you need to shelter Gio and use Brodie/Hamilton against the top lines.
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Read this article (use Google translate) https://t.co/bQHmFpFfXC BT seems to be talking a bit about Bishop for next year, but it was just a passing comment. Likely depends on cost, but he may have had discussions already.
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You have to look a bit closer at the articles: Hamilton with Russell: 12:26 TOI, 29.41% CF Hamilton without Russell: 5:21, 82.35% Russell without Hamilton: 6:29, 13.33%
