2021 Offseason Thread

[LouCifer]

At the risk of pissing off some on this board who want our youth to be playing 4th line minutes, I’d really like to circle back to Tobias Rieder. Now a UFA, only 28, great on the PK, threat to score SHGs, and has speed for days. A lot was missing last season for this team, but I’d add that we missed Rieder on our PK last year as well. 

[robrob74]

4 hours ago, lou44291 said:

At the risk of pissing off some on this board who want our youth to be playing 4th line minutes, I’d really like to circle back to Tobias Rieder. Now a UFA, only 28, great on the PK, threat to score SHGs, and has speed for days. A lot was missing last season for this team, but I’d add that we missed Rieder on our PK last year as well. 

i actually felt similarly last year. Not someone you want to play up the lineup but he could do it. But if he’s killing the penalties and the guys like Lindholm  are scoring goals, then the balance is better? 
 

I understand your logic. I get why others wouldn’t though. If we want to get tough they would oppose the idea.

[The_People1]

6 hours ago, lou44291 said:

At the risk of pissing off some on this board who want our youth to be playing 4th line minutes, I’d really like to circle back to Tobias Rieder. Now a UFA, only 28, great on the PK, threat to score SHGs, and has speed for days. A lot was missing last season for this team, but I’d add that we missed Rieder on our PK last year as well. 

 

I'd much rather Rieder than Froese at the same price.  At least Rieder specializes in one aspect of the game (PK) and he has the wheels to be a breakaway threat.  Froese is so vanilla.  Gawdin is also a project at this point.  He's got decent smarts and awareness but his skating is awkward.  He also lacks the high end speed needed to apply pressure on the dump and chase.  I'm not sure if Rieder actually blocks anyone or that the Flames ever care to block their own kids from graduating to the NHL.  Rieder would fit in nicely on 4th line LW.

 

I believe they want Zary and Pelletier to play a full year at Stockton to refine their skills.

 

Guys most ready to graduate are Ruzicka RW, Phillips RW, and Duehr RW, but BT made damn well sure none of them gets the chance to play at the NHL by bringing back Ritchie RW, and then adding Pitlick RW, Lewis RW, and Coleman is RW/LW.  You want to talk about blocking the kids.  No position was targetted more via UFA than RW while we have RW in the farm ready.

[MP5029]

2 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

I'd much rather Rieder than Froese at the same price.  At least Rieder specializes in one aspect of the game (PK) and he has the wheels to be a breakaway threat.  Froese is so vanilla.  Gawdin is also a project at this point.  He's got decent smarts and awareness but his skating is awkward.  He also lacks the high end speed needed to apply pressure on the dump and chase.  I'm not sure if Rieder actually blocks anyone or that the Flames ever care to block their own kids from graduating to the NHL.  Rieder would fit in nicely on 4th line LW.

 

I believe they want Zary and Pelletier to play a full year at Stockton to refine their skills.

 

Guys most ready to graduate are Ruzicka RW, Phillips RW, and Duehr RW, but BT made damn well sure none of them gets the chance to play at the NHL by bringing back Ritchie RW, and then adding Pitlick RW, Lewis RW, and Coleman is RW/LW.  You want to talk about blocking the kids.  No position was targetted more via UFA than RW while we have RW in the farm ready.

I have to agree with this mostly but Ruzicka can also play Ctr and is actually a decent Ctr from what I understand, I think he played Ctr last year in the AHL…which is really good, he’s a bi body, good skating Ctr 

 

as for the rest yes 2nd and 3rd line RW should have had at least one of these open for a rookie, but it’s plugged up with garbage (not Coleman) Lewis, Pitlick, Ritchie are all best to play 4th line or be reserve players.

[pikey7883]

4 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

I'd much rather Rieder than Froese at the same price.  At least Rieder specializes in one aspect of the game (PK) and he has the wheels to be a breakaway threat.  Froese is so vanilla.  Gawdin is also a project at this point.  He's got decent smarts and awareness but his skating is awkward.  He also lacks the high end speed needed to apply pressure on the dump and chase.  I'm not sure if Rieder actually blocks anyone or that the Flames ever care to block their own kids from graduating to the NHL.  Rieder would fit in nicely on 4th line LW.

 

I believe they want Zary and Pelletier to play a full year at Stockton to refine their skills.

 

Guys most ready to graduate are Ruzicka RW, Phillips RW, and Duehr RW, but BT made damn well sure none of them gets the chance to play at the NHL by bringing back Ritchie RW, and then adding Pitlick RW, Lewis RW, and Coleman is RW/LW.  You want to talk about blocking the kids.  No position was targetted more via UFA than RW while we have RW in the farm ready.

Ruzicka is definitely a Center. I have suggested it before but I think it would be great if our 4th line had two entirely different looks.

When we need a heavy line to forecheck and be a force to punish others teams d, then we roll Lucic - Lewis - Ritchie (they should probably get 7-10 minutes a game). 
Then on other nights roll 4 lines with speed, being, Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips those two had great chemistry last year in Stockton, and it’s not a far off look from one of our favourite lines of Looch - Benny - Dube. It gets these guys some games in the NHL to see what they are, and a 4th line that has the potential to put some points on the board more so than the first option.

just my two cents

[travel_dude]

11 hours ago, lou44291 said:

At the risk of pissing off some on this board who want our youth to be playing 4th line minutes, I’d really like to circle back to Tobias Rieder. Now a UFA, only 28, great on the PK, threat to score SHGs, and has speed for days. A lot was missing last season for this team, but I’d add that we missed Rieder on our PK last year as well. 

 

Reider was one of those guys that had positive and negative impacts.

I liked what he did, but at the same time I question whether he was effective on the PK.

Sorry, I can't remember the exact situations, but at times he was a negative impact.

 

I like his wheels and his ability to score shorties.

For the money, a decent fill in.

Does that make us any better?

[travel_dude]

4 minutes ago, pikey7883 said:

Ruzicka is definitely a Center. I have suggested it before but I think it would be great if our 4th line had two entirely different looks.

When we need a heavy line to forecheck and be a force to punish others teams d, then we roll Lucic - Lewis - Ritchie (they should probably get 7-10 minutes a game). 
Then on other nights roll 4 lines with speed, being, Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips those two had great chemistry last year in Stockton, and it’s not a far off look from one of our favourite lines of Looch - Benny - Dube. It gets these guys some games in the NHL to see what they are, and a 4th line that has the potential to put some points on the board more so than the first option.

just my two cents

 

If Ruzicka gets a C spot, then his linemates would be Lucic and Pitlick or Dube.

Frankly, I think he is more of a Sutter player than Gawdin and could add some offense with either of those two RW. 

[pikey7883]

37 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

If Ruzicka gets a C spot, then his linemates would be Lucic and Pitlick or Dube.

Frankly, I think he is more of a Sutter player than Gawdin and could add some offense with either of those two RW. 

I agree on Ruzicka. But I think that pitlick plays with Backlund and Mangiapane on a pretty good third line. 

[travel_dude]

Just now, pikey7883 said:

I agree on Ruzicka. But I think that pitlick plays with Backlund and Mangiapane on a pretty good third line. 

 

Mange is most likely top 6.

He fits with either Tkachuk or Coleman.

We need scoring for sure.

[Horsman1]

9 hours ago, robrob74 said:

i actually felt similarly last year. Not someone you want to play up the lineup but he could do it. But if he’s killing the penalties and the guys like Lindholm  are scoring goals, then the balance is better? 
 

I understand your logic. I get why others wouldn’t though. If we want to get tough they would oppose the idea.

i've always liked the idea of only three forward lines so the players keep in rhythm.. and using players 18/19 and 20 as special teams specialists depending on who we play

[Horsman1]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

Mange is most likely top 6.

He fits with either Tkachuk or Coleman.

We need scoring for sure.

i'd move jonnie to right wing and leave tkachuk on left with monahan centering and use lindholm/Coleman and mangiapane on a line together..

[cross16]

I'm not sure why this blocking theory keeps coming up. Flames are not always perfect but I think once thing they've shown with this management team is that if a young player earns the spot they will demote a veteran to do it. 

 

I also don't see who is being blocked?

Ruzicka is a center not a winger and that spot is open. 

Lewis plays both C and RW but he can also be easily sent down as he is below the minimum. 

I'm sure no one likes Ritchie on the team but he was required to be signed for the expansion draft. His salary is also below the minimum so he can be easily demoted. 

Bringing in Coleman doesn't block anyway as there is no one even close in the system who can play as well as Coleman can. 

Duhler has never played pro, so not sure why he would be looked at as an option. 

 

I can maybe get behind Matthew Phillips but I also see this from the Flames perspective. Philips is skilled and i'd love to give him a shot but the hesitation around size is fair. He'd be the type of asset that should be shopped IMO (but I also could see him not being worth much). He isn't a bottom 6 option. 

[zima]

It seems to me that when the line of JH and Mony plus Lindholm were together they produced way more points than apart I think they should be put back together now that we have Coleman who can be put with a MrT and Mang line I think would be killer then you have backs dube and pitlic or Lewies or any other type of line with Backs there are a few option. I would like to see the kids get a chance at the start of the yr give them some time getting to know what it takes to play with the big boys.

[pikey7883]

32 minutes ago, zima said:

It seems to me that when the line of JH and Mony plus Lindholm were together they produced way more points than apart I think they should be put back together now that we have Coleman who can be put with a MrT and Mang line I think would be killer then you have backs dube and pitlic or Lewies or any other type of line with Backs there are a few option. I would like to see the kids get a chance at the start of the yr give them some time getting to know what it takes to play with the big boys.

I’m with you on this thought process, which is why I have wanted another Center like Dvorak. @cross16 mentions trading Phillips, and I think he could be a piece moving in that trade, similar to a garland replacement. It would also give up that top line with JG-Mony-Lindy, like you said and allow you to put Chucky-Dvorak with either Coleman or Mang.

Giving you a pretty stacked third line of Coleman/Mang - Backs - Dube

[LouCifer]

5 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

Reider was one of those guys that had positive and negative impacts.

I liked what he did, but at the same time I question whether he was effective on the PK.

Sorry, I can't remember the exact situations, but at times he was a negative impact.

 

I like his wheels and his ability to score shorties.

For the money, a decent fill in.

Does that make us any better?

Well, no one is perfect and looking at last year in any capacity is a cautionary exercise, but it’s true that it looked like we couldn’t get out of our zone on the PK last year. Almost full 2 minute power plays in our zone was ridiculous. However, when Rieder was on the PK the year before, there was a threat of a breakaway and that would pull the opposing D off the blue line enough to give us a better chance of getting out of the zone and/or getting it deep. 
 

I think someone commented about his “lack of size”, he should be slotted on the 4th line anyway, so, put him on a line with players that have size (Looch, Ritchie, etc). When we don’t need brawn on the 4th line, he may still slot in well for the speed game too. 

[travel_dude]

5 hours ago, lou44291 said:

Well, no one is perfect and looking at last year in any capacity is a cautionary exercise, but it’s true that it looked like we couldn’t get out of our zone on the PK last year. Almost full 2 minute power plays in our zone was ridiculous. However, when Rieder was on the PK the year before, there was a threat of a breakaway and that would pull the opposing D off the blue line enough to give us a better chance of getting out of the zone and/or getting it deep. 
 

I think someone commented about his “lack of size”, he should be slotted on the 4th line anyway, so, put him on a line with players that have size (Looch, Ritchie, etc). When we don’t need brawn on the 4th line, he may still slot in well for the speed game too. 

 

I sometimes wonder if picking single players makes sense.

Reider would work well with certain players, but what is the point of his speed playing with Lucic?

He's not suited for top 6 here.

I don't think he's a good enough defensive player to play with Backlund and Dube.

Could be worng too.

 

It's like signing Stone.  It makes sense, but really only works if you have the right person to play him with.

[conundrumed]

I'm not really sure why Reider makes any sense. 

JG-Mony-Coleman

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Dube

Mangia-Backlund-Pitlck

Lucic-Ruzicka-Lewis

Froese-Phillips

This is where I see Dvorak would really change things.

JG-Mony-Lindholm

Tkachuk-Dvorak-Coleman/Dube

Mangia-Backlund-Dube/Coleman

Lucic-Lewis/Ruzicka-Pitlick

 

Either way, don't see Reider mattering.

 

[MP5029]

25 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

I'm not really sure why Reider makes any sense. 

JG-Mony-Coleman

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Dube

Mangia-Backlund-Pitlck

Lucic-Ruzicka-Lewis

Froese-Phillips

This is where I see Dvorak would really change things.

JG-Mony-Lindholm

Tkachuk-Dvorak-Coleman/Dube

Mangia-Backlund-Dube/Coleman

Lucic-Lewis/Ruzicka-Pitlick

 

Either way, don't see Reider mattering.

 

100% spot on agree with this! 

[Thebrewcrew]

Right now, this is my Flames lineup

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk

Mangiapane-Monahan-Coleman

Dube-Backlund-Pitlick

Lucic-Gawdin/Ruzicka-Lewis

 

Hanifin-Tanev

Zadorov-Andersson

Valimaki-Kylington

 

Markstrom

Vladar

 

I like having one spot open for a young player to potentially fill, if they earn it. I think this year it's Ruzicka or Gawdin. 

 

I would also explore adding a 3rd pairing RD and a 3rd line RW.

[conundrumed]

4 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Right now, this is my Flames lineup

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk

Mangiapane-Monahan-Coleman

Dube-Backlund-Pitlick

Lucic-Gawdin/Ruzicka-Lewis

 

Hanifin-Tanev

Zadorov-Andersson

Valimaki-Kylington

 

Markstrom

Vladar

 

I like having one spot open for a young player to potentially fill, if they earn it. I think this year it's Ruzicka or Gawdin. 

 

I would also explore adding a 3rd pairing RD and a 3rd line RW.

Dube is a RW. Tkachuk's a left.

[sak22]

45 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Dube is a RW. Tkachuk's a left.

That was the line to finish the season.  Seemed to put up points, although meaningless games, I could see that line starting the season barring any major moves.

[conundrumed]

20 hours ago, sak22 said:

That was the line to finish the season.  Seemed to put up points, although meaningless games, I could see that line starting the season barring any major moves.

I think both Dube and Mangia match well with Tkachuk for passing and high IQ.

[robrob74]

We should do the Canucks a favour and offer sheet Pettersson. Go 9.75 or 10… 

 

I don’t actually want to as we’d give up a lot of draft picks.

 

I just want something interesting to happen. 

[jjgallow]

27 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

We should do the Canucks a favour and offer sheet Pettersson. Go 9.75 or 10… 

 

I don’t actually want to as we’d give up a lot of draft picks.

 

I just want something interesting to happen. 

 

For me it would be Rasmus Dahlin.

 

He's coming off a bad year on a bad team, went from hype to under-rated.    Could win Norris trophy after Norris trophy if he figures his game out again, which he probably would with a fresh team.

 

I don't actually know if we're allowed to do it of it's like Hughes.   But a move like that is one of the few things that would make me change my tune about our rebuild.   

 

All this nonstop hooting about forwards is a bunch of fluff.

[zima]

I would keep Mony on the first line to start I think they can do what they did in 2019 they put up alot of points