Tyler Johnson/Ondrej Palat

[JTech780]

12 hours ago, robrob74 said:

Does Vegas have to get to the Cap Floor? Maybe someone with a high contract will help them? 

 

Vegas has a cap floor of $48.3m, versus the rest of the leagues cap floor of around $54m.

[MAC331]

Just now, JTech780 said:

 

Jankowski is better off playing in every situation down in Stockton than playing 10 mins a night on the 4th line in Calgary.

We will just have to disagree on this one JT. You don't know that those will be the minutes any more than I do and you totally ignored what I said about GG looking to spreadthe workload around through the 4 lines. Gaining NHL experience will be way better for him, just ask Tkachuk, Bennett or Monahan. Have him play with a few vets and our immediate future gets a huge boost sooner than later. It also may help with the decision of what to do with the expiring contract of Backlund.

[robrob74]

1 minute ago, MAC331 said:

We will just have to disagree on this one JT. You don't know that those will be the minutes any more than I do and you totally ignored what I said about GG looking to spreadthe workload around through the 4 lines. Gaining NHL experience will be way better for him, just ask Tkachuk, Bennett or Monahan. Have him play with a few vets and our immediate future gets a huge boost sooner than later. It also may help with the decision of what to do with the expiring contract of Backlund.

 

To be honest, I would have played Bennett in the AHL to learn the center position. I still would. He is getting better. 

 

When the coach called him out to be better offensively, I didn't like that. Penalties, he deserved a calling out. 

[JTech780]

2 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

We will just have to disagree on this one JT. You don't know that those will be the minutes any more than I do and you totally ignored what I said about GG looking to spreadthe workload around through the 4 lines. Gaining NHL experience will be way better for him, just ask Tkachuk, Bennett or Monahan. Have him play with a few vets and our immediate future gets a huge boost sooner than later. It also may help with the decision of what to do with the expiring contract of Backlund.

 

Stajan plays about 10mins a night at 5v5 and another 2mins as one the teams top players on the PK, I don't see Jankowski taking on that many minutes on the PK and I don't see being used on the PP so you are left with 10mins a night.

 

Tkachuk, Bennett and Monahan have never played prolonged minutes on the 4th line.

[robrob74]

Some players need the minutes in the AHL. I am not one to rush them in if we don't have to. 

[AlbertaBoy12]

16 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

To be honest, I would have played Bennett in the AHL to learn the center position. I still would. He is getting better. 

 

When the coach called him out to be better offensively, I didn't like that. Penalties, he deserved a calling out. 

Bennett couldnt play in the AHL last couple seasons, he could this year. But that would send a bit of the wrong message to send him down at this point and really I dont think he needs the AHL.

[robrob74]

I don't know, I think if you tell him it is to learn C and gain confidence at the position, gave him 20 games and boroughs him back... 

 

That didn't happen, so it is a moot point. 

 

Bennett is one of my favourites. When he is on, I like how he plays the game.

[AlbertaBoy12]

13 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

I don't know, I think if you tell him it is to learn C and gain confidence at the position, gave him 20 games and boroughs him back... 

 

That didn't happen, so it is a moot point. 

 

Bennett is one of my favourites. When he is on, I like how he plays the game.

Does he really need to center? His defensive zone play has been good, and hes been used on the pk. He is struggling in the faceoff dot, and offensively, but I dont think you send him to AHL for that. I guess you could send him down to get some confidence, but at this point I think that would be worse for the team.

[robrob74]

30 minutes ago, AlbertaBoy12 said:

Does he really need to center? His defensive zone play has been good, and hes been used on the pk. He is struggling in the faceoff dot, and offensively, but I dont think you send him to AHL for that. I guess you could send him down to get some confidence, but at this point I think that would be worse for the team.

 

I think his zone play is good too. But there's something cerebral that isn't catching up to him as a C yet. That's the offensive side of his game. But then again, that could be his wingers. 

 

Imagine a line of:

 

Tkachuk, Bennett, Ferland 

 

Haha, they would be one of the most tenacious lines in the game. 

Bennett and Tkachuk are elbowing disturbers, while Ferland is just a clean, in your face kind of the player. He'll drop them when needed though. 

 

I've liked Ferland on Gaudreau's line though.

 

I don't think we can afford the two guys on this thread though. We would have to give up too much. This is why the salary cap was put in place. The rich teams could afford as many high contracts as they wanted, this makes some of those players spread throughout the league. 

 

It's too bad though, when a team has done well by building through the draft to have to lose those players they've developed. 

[MAC331]

1 hour ago, robrob74 said:

 

To be honest, I would have played Bennett in the AHL to learn the center position. I still would. He is getting better. 

 

When the coach called him out to be better offensively, I didn't like that. Penalties, he deserved a calling out. 

These are the chances you can take when you are rebuilding and the Flames have done so on a calculated risk to be better down the road. Using the experienced veterans as been a smart plan however the maturity of the core will allow some of them to be moved out. I think we can maintain a good mix while younger talent is moved in gradually and Jankowski if he shows ready should make the jump at a position he knows.

[MAC331]

1 hour ago, JTech780 said:

 

Stajan plays about 10mins a night at 5v5 and another 2mins as one the teams top players on the PK, I don't see Jankowski taking on that many minutes on the PK and I don't see being used on the PP so you are left with 10mins a night.

 

Tkachuk, Bennett and Monahan have never played prolonged minutes on the 4th line.

Nor should they have played 4th line as the openings on higher lines were available for them. If Stajan is traded it opens up IMO the perfect opening for Jankowski, sorry you don't see it that way.

[MAC331]

9 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

I think his zone play is good too. But there's something cerebral that isn't catching up to him as a C yet. That's the offensive side of his game. But then again, that could be his wingers. 

 

Imagine a line of:

 

Tkachuk, Bennett, Ferland 

 

Haha, they would be one of the most tenacious lines in the game. 

Bennett and Tkachuk are elbowing disturbers, while Ferland is just a clean, in your face kind of the player. He'll drop them when needed though. 

 

I've liked Ferland on Gaudreau's line though.

 

I don't think we can afford the two guys on this thread though. We would have to give up too much. This is why the salary cap was put in place. The rich teams could afford as many high contracts as they wanted, this makes some of those players spread throughout the league. 

 

It's too bad though, when a team has done well by building through the draft to have to lose those players they've developed. 

I don't know about you but just in the last few games I think the light has come on for Bennett, hopefully he takes off from here. Management will have a decision to make on where to employ Tkachuk next season. I think the horses are here to build from within if they choose to other than I would seriously think of filling the top line RW from outside the organization.

[robrob74]

46 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

Nor should they have played 4th line as the openings on higher lines were available for them. If Stajan is traded it opens up IMO the perfect opening for Jankowski, sorry you don't see it that way.

 

The thing about fourth lines is (though), you need them, usually, to only play that 10 minutes a game. They give the first two lines a much needed rest as well as the third. But more importantly, it rests the best lines enough to feel fresh. If you give all lines even amount of playing time, they're sitting for too long and then are out of the game. 

[robrob74]

49 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

I don't know about you but just in the last few games I think the light has come on for Bennett, hopefully he takes off from here. Management will have a decision to make on where to employ Tkachuk next season. I think the horses are here to build from within if they choose to other than I would seriously think of filling the top line RW from outside the organization.

 

I wouldn't want them to be too expensive. 

I was thinking of Kapanen from the Leafs? But he'd probably cost too much. Let's trade them Poirier and a pick? Maybe the 1st? If he can make the jump next year, he'd still be on an entry level contract and be cheap. 

[MAC331]

16 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

The thing about fourth lines is (though), you need them, usually, to only play that 10 minutes a game. They give the first two lines a much needed rest as well as the third. But more importantly, it rests the best lines enough to feel fresh. If you give all lines even amount of playing time, they're sitting for too long and then are out of the game. 

I agree there will likely never be equal minutes and justifiably so however 10 minutes a nite at the NHL level vs Stockton for Jankowski gets us as a team further down the road to a consistent contender IMO. He also give us an alternative should Backlund not be kept.

[robrob74]

4 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

I agree there will likely never be equal minutes and justifiably so however 10 minutes a nite at the NHL level vs Stockton for Jankowski gets us as a team further down the road to a consistent contender IMO. He also give us an alternative should Backlund not be kept.

 

 

I have a feeling Treliving will keep Backlund at all costs. I am probably wrong, as I am wrong more than I am right. Backlund, I think, is our most valuable player this year. I don't see Monahan taking that over from him in the next two seasons. Well, at least not next season. Maybe the year after that. I think we need Backlund, and he will be a vital player in winning the cup if we do. 

 

We will find our goaltending. IT will happen. It's just not going to be from Backlund. Let's trade Gaudreau for a #1 goalie?  Totally kidding. But for me, it's almost the same thing. They're both that equally important to the team. Backlund could be more so due to what he brings 5vs5, PP & PK. I think he has just as much skill with the puck in how he weaves through teams, but makes smarter plays. That's probably just me though. 

[MAC331]

Just now, robrob74 said:

 

 

I have a feeling Treliving will keep Backlund at all costs. I am probably wrong, as I am wrong more than I am right. Backlund, I think, is our most valuable player this year. I don't see Monahan taking that over from him in the next two seasons. Well, at least not next season. Maybe the year after that. I think we need Backlund, and he will be a vital player in winning the cup if we do. 

 

We will find our goaltending. IT will happen. It's just not going to be from Backlund. Let's trade Gaudreau for a #1 goalie?  Totally kidding. But for me, it's almost the same thing. They're both that equally important to the team. Backlund could be more so due to what he brings 5vs5, PP & PK. I think he has just as much skill with the puck in how he weaves through teams, but makes smarter plays. That's probably just me though. 

I don't disagree that Backlund is a valuable player for us and I likely don't consider trading him unless he wants to much money or he is part of a deal for the exact goalie we want. Let's all remember he is garnering all this attention because he has finally put two healthy years together to have his talent show. We all know it can go the other way with injuries real fast. Anyway you and I won't solve this, not unlike you my ideas almost never happen and the GM come up with something from LF. LOL

[robrob74]

6 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

I don't disagree that Backlund is a valuable player for us and I likely don't consider trading him unless he wants to much money or he is part of a deal for the exact goalie we want. Let's all remember he is garnering all this attention because he has finally put two healthy years together to have his talent show. We all know it can go the other way with injuries real fast. Anyway you and I won't solve this, not unlike you my ideas almost never happen and the GM come up with something from LF. LOL

 

Yes, I got frustrated with Backlund's injuries too. But even before last season I was touting him as who he became this year. I was frustrated early in his career because he wasn't putting it together, yet I thought it wasn't his fault because he could have stayed in the AHL a little longer to develop. But he is turning out good. His body is also (probably) mature now. 

[MAC331]

1 minute ago, robrob74 said:

 

Yes, I got frustrated with Backlund's injuries too. But even before last season I was touting him as who he became this year. I was frustrated early in his career because he wasn't putting it together, yet I thought it wasn't his fault because he could have stayed in the AHL a little longer to develop. But he is turning out good. His body is also (probably) mature now. 

Yeah it was like Sutter had something against and was going to make him learn the defensive game whether he liked it or not. he is better for it today but it has taken a long time. I honestly wouldn't have a hard time extending him for another 4 year deal at 5.5M per season and have him be our Hossa.

I find myself agreeing with cross16 that Brouwer was a mistake not because he isn't a good player but because BT spent to much on him and is really the same type of player as Frolik. Frolik is turning into a very good player himself with Backlund.

[robrob74]

12 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

Yeah it was like Sutter had something against and was going to make him learn the defensive game whether he liked it or not. he is better for it today but it has taken a long time. I honestly wouldn't have a hard time extending him for another 4 year deal at 5.5M per season and have him be our Hossa.

I find myself agreeing with cross16 that Brouwer was a mistake not because he isn't a good player but because BT spent to much on him and is really the same type of player as Frolik. Frolik is turning into a very good player himself with Backlund.

 

What price is a good one for Brouwer? 

He is definitely overpaid. Is a million less better? or 1.5?

A portion of that contract would definitely be better used on re-signing Backlund, or added to a 1st line RW for them. His experience is nice, but is that experience worth the extra million or so that he is paid?

[DirtyDeeds]

The problem with Backlund is the fans here. he is totally underappreciated. Many still cling to the idea he is really a 3rd line center when he has easily surpassed that for 2 seasons now.

 

This year he has played at our 1st line center level all year and achieved success with mostly defensive zone starts and against the best the opposing teams have to offer.

 

 

[conundrumed]

Frolik is a good player and always has been.

Backlund is due a raise after next yr, and Tkachuk will be up the following year. We need to be wary that Mony, Gaudreau, Frolik, Brouwer, Gio, Hamilton and Brodie are eating up cash, add Backlund.

If Tkachuk keeps on, which I'd suspect, there is no bridge deal there.

We've gotta find some balance with contracts. It seems the Cap ensures that you can't keep everyone, and reserve room to upgrade.

Part of why it's becoming a young man's game, is because no one can afford to conflict with that, due to the Cap.

I actually like our 4th line, but we can't afford it, due to cap hit.

[MAC331]

11 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Frolik is a good player and always has been.

Backlund is due a raise after next yr, and Tkachuk will be up the following year. We need to be wary that Mony, Gaudreau, Frolik, Brouwer, Gio, Hamilton and Brodie are eating up cash, add Backlund.

If Tkachuk keeps on, which I'd suspect, there is no bridge deal there.

We've gotta find some balance with contracts. It seems the Cap ensures that you can't keep everyone, and reserve room to upgrade.

Part of why it's becoming a young man's game, is because no one can afford to conflict with that, due to the Cap.

I actually like our 4th line, but we can't afford it, due to cap hit.

It will always be a balancing act which is why BT has to get precise on who are the keepers and at what cost. The future costs of Bennett and Tkachuk especially have to weigh into the offseason decisions now. This is why I would expect BT to make Brouwer available in the expansion draft and hope LV takes him. He is a luxury this team cannot afford. The decision on Backlund is not immediate, neither is Tkachuk. Bennett and Ferland are both RFA considerations this offseason, neither should get big raises yet. Unlike you I would prefer a whole new 4th line for next season.

[robrob74]

40 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Frolik is a good player and always has been.

Backlund is due a raise after next yr, and Tkachuk will be up the following year. We need to be wary that Mony, Gaudreau, Frolik, Brouwer, Gio, Hamilton and Brodie are eating up cash, add Backlund.

If Tkachuk keeps on, which I'd suspect, there is no bridge deal there.

We've gotta find some balance with contracts. It seems the Cap ensures that you can't keep everyone, and reserve room to upgrade.

Part of why it's becoming a young man's game, is because no one can afford to conflict with that, due to the Cap.

I actually like our 4th line, but we can't afford it, due to cap hit.

 

11 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

It will always be a balancing act which is why BT has to get precise on who are the keepers and at what cost. The future costs of Bennett and Tkachuk especially have to weigh into the offseason decisions now. This is why I would expect BT to make Brouwer available in the expansion draft and hope LV takes him. He is a luxury this team cannot afford. The decision on Backlund is not immediate, neither is Tkachuk. Bennett and Ferland are both RFA considerations this offseason, neither should get big raises yet. Unlike you I would prefer a whole new 4th line for next season.

 

I like the 4th line. Stajan is signed for next season? It's too bad because he'd be a good one at a cheaper price. Worth keeping on. But after next year, he will be two years older and maybe slower. So, maybe LV could nab him or Brouwer. I don't mind Hamilton, but Stajan has done pretty good this year. Who else would you put in that position?

 

WOuld Jankowski play the way we'd want a 4th liner to play? Would he bring enough energy?

[MAC331]

3 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

 

I like the 4th line. Stajan is signed for next season? It's too bad because he'd be a good one at a cheaper price. Worth keeping on. But after next year, he will be two years older and maybe slower. So, maybe LV could nab him or Brouwer. I don't mind Hamilton, but Stajan has done pretty good this year. Who else would you put in that position?

 

WOuld Jankowski play the way we'd want a 4th liner to play? Would he bring enough energy?

I still like my idea of trading Stajan to ARZ for Schenn if they would do it. Stajan could lend a lot to that team with Doan retiring and Schenn would be a good replacement for Engelland exiting.

I really don't think there is a sterotype for a 4th line player. I actually think GG wants his lines all playing within the system laid out for them. Give him Lomberg and Hathaway as his wingers, plenty enough excitement with those two.