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Calgary Flames Drafting and Development: Your Analysis


rickross

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9 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Playoff experience gets way too much airplay. I'd argue that it doesn't matter. Playing a lot more games, yeah, I get it..

Motivation is a non-issue.

Playoff experience isn't necessarily about "experience" per se. I always figured it was getting used to the second grind.

We always talk about how college kids are in for a shock their first and second pro seasons because they go from playing roughly 30 games a year to playing 80 games a year. Now, we have a bunch of guys who are used to playing 80 games a year, now we have to get them used to playing 105 games a year (I go for about 105, because I figure 16-7 on route to the cup win). It's still a big jump. Playoff experience to me, is experience in that extra time. That is still an extra 6-8 weeks of games and practices. That's an extra 6-8 weeks of flights and hotels. That's where that playoff experience comes in.


Also, credit to the development staff (and Huska) on Andersson. Despite conditioning issues, they have turned him into a guy who looks to be key for our D in the future.

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11 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Major tip of the cap to the scouting staff.

 

Finding Andrew Mangiapane in the 6th round looks to be a steal. It took a while for him to get his feet under him at the NHL level but boy does he ever look comfy now. My hope is he can be a Connor Sheary type player for us, not a superstar but good for 10-15 every year, maybe even flirt with 20 if given a top 6 role and provide excellent depth come playoff time. Even if he never graduates from a 4th line role it's still a win, getting a NHLer in the 6th round is a huge win. Only 3 other picks in the 2015 6th round have played games, Mason Appleton, Cooper Marody and Brett Seeney. Credit to our scouts.

 

Even with the amount of picks sent out the door in recent years I feel optimistic that the scouting staff may have found some guys who will become players.

Dube, being the most obvious, Emilio-Pettersen could be a highly skilled player we found in round 6, Pospisil I think has a chance even if it's to be in the role Hathaway currently plays, Roman plays a game that's gonna transition well to pro, Ruzicka has all the tools but can he put them all in his toolbox at once remains to be seen, Zavgorodniy has tons of talent but he's gonna need to do it in the pro ranks like Matt Phillips is going through. The cupboards aren't as bare as they may seem up front, I'm sure the backend will be targeted more-so at this years draft

 

They had scouted Ras from the same team, so they already had seen him play quite a bit.  It seemed like a no brainer to draft him, just surprised they waited so long to pull the trigger.  Labanc had barely outscored him in his draft year, but was drafted a year earlier.  Labanc is probably a good comp for the type of player that Mange can become.

Some guys that can score in the AHL never translate to the NHL, but it's starting to look like Bread Eater has found out the secret.  Loved the one-timers against VAN.  We are really missing that on this team.  Perhaps, dare I say, he could use that on the PP?

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15 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Worth a shot, but if he’s looking to be an every day player then Ottawa will be his best bet 

 

The risk is minimal.  It can only be a one year ELC.  At worst, he spends the year in the AHL and we part ways.

At best, he replaces Bennett or Czarnik.

 

I think after this season, we will be looking hard at the team and seeing what we have, what we need and what we don't need.

 

Keepers are:

JH, Monahan, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Backlund, Ryan, Neal, Mangiapane, Hathaway

Gio, Hamonic, Hanifin, Ras, Fanta, Kylington, Valimaki

Rittich

 

Bubble guys, whose playoffs will show their value or could be a cap casuality:

Bennett, Janko,  Czarnik, Frolik, Quine

Brodie

 

AHL guys that could make the team:

Dube, Philp (depends on how he looks this summer), Gawdin, Phillips

 

Thats a lot of depth with little room for graduating players.  The AHL guys have one season under their belts (except Philp).  Dube made the team last year out of camp, so he's a shoe in to make the team.  The bubble guys could become trade pieces for a goalie or a top 6 RW.

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1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

The risk is minimal.  It can only be a one year ELC.  At worst, he spends the year in the AHL and we part ways.

At best, he replaces Bennett or Czarnik.

 

I think after this season, we will be looking hard at the team and seeing what we have, what we need and what we don't need.

 

Keepers are:

JH, Monahan, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Backlund, Ryan, Neal, Mangiapane, Hathaway

Gio, Hamonic, Hanifin, Ras, Fanta, Kylington, Valimaki

Rittich

 

Bubble guys, whose playoffs will show their value or could be a cap casuality:

Bennett, Janko,  Czarnik, Frolik, Quine

Brodie

 

AHL guys that could make the team:

Dube, Philp (depends on how he looks this summer), Gawdin, Phillips

 

Thats a lot of depth with little room for graduating players.  The AHL guys have one season under their belts (except Philp).  Dube made the team last year out of camp, so he's a shoe in to make the team.  The bubble guys could become trade pieces for a goalie or a top 6 RW.

Next season could definitely get interesting this offseason coming. I think the huge decision to be made surrounds Neal and if he is a keeper. If he is a keeper BT and BP need to decide what a proper line looks like for him. I would like to see them at least try Tkachuk LW, Bennett C and Neal LW as our 2nd line. Move Backlund to C a 3rd line and let the competition for jobs in the lower 6 take place. Throw Nygard into the mix.

I would like to see BT go for Mrazek to go with Rittich.

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22 hours ago, travel_dude said:

According to Dreger, Flames/Jets/Sens are looking at FA Joakim Nygard.

 

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/25858/joakim-nygard

 

What could go wrong?

 

At first I was kind of meh about this guy and still think he is probably only a bottom 6 guy at best, but when I looked closer at his stats I was a little more impressed. He was 2nd in the SHL in goals and 15 in points. Judging by the stats it looks like the SHL is more of a defensive league.

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2 minutes ago, JTech780 said:

 

At first I was kind of meh about this guy and still think he is probably only a bottom 6 guy at best, but when I looked closer at his stats I was a little more impressed. He was 2nd in the SHL in goals and 15 in points. Judging by the stats it looks like the SHL is more of a defensive league.

Little bit more insight here. Could be a good player to sign as we will need to find some cheap depth for next season

 

 

https://mynhltraderumors.com/nhl-rumors-new-jersey-devils-buffalo-sabres-ottawa-senators-and-calgary-flames/2019/03/29/

 

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17 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I think one of our best acquisitions in recent history is Hakan Loob as Director of European Scouting.

Big trust in his scouting team analyzing the specifics we're looking for. Goalie prospects is definitely one.

If Loob is digging up players like Ngard LW and Zagidulin G he is definitely earning his keep and helping the team.

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1 hour ago, rickross said:

Dmitry Zavgorodniy just signed his entry level contract. Hopefully he continues to progress, could turn into another late round gem for the Flames. 

7th round 198 OA . Zav might not end up being anything but this Hail Mary pick turned into a first down.

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30 minutes ago, rickross said:

Should be interesting draft this year. You have to wonder what BT is going to do. It’s a nice potential trade chip although I do think we need to do some restocking of prospects tho

 

 

I think we could start a restock this offseason. A few players can be traded off for a pick or something along those lines to make way for some contract flexibility.

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31 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

I think we could start a restock this offseason. A few players can be traded off for a pick or something along those lines to make way for some contract flexibility.

I think this offseason could get real interesting with roster adjustments from BT.

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4 hours ago, MAC331 said:

I think this offseason could get real interesting with roster adjustments from BT.

Same. The playoffs will be telltale imo. A good run would make for harder choices.

We've got some depth below the A, but how much of that you'd identify as Top 6 forward depth is suspect.

I think we'll see a lot of RFA's, particularly with arb rights, not qualified.

The biggest question for me is Stone. He's overpaid and would be the popcorn eater when we can re-sign Fantenberg at < half and move Fanta to RD.

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3 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Same. The playoffs will be telltale imo. A good run would make for harder choices.

We've got some depth below the A, but how much of that you'd identify as Top 6 forward depth is suspect.

I think we'll see a lot of RFA's, particularly with arb rights, not qualified.

The biggest question for me is Stone. He's overpaid and would be the popcorn eater when we can re-sign Fantenberg at < half and move Fanta to RD.

My guess is BT tinkers a bit with the team, most likely add a top 6 winger. 

 

This is is a great team we have, but also lots of career years. Not everyone will duplicate their success next year, add a body or two to make up for any regression some of our guys may have next year 

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