Training Camp 2022

[tmac70]

Another one that stinks. The second goal was on Markstrom bad positioning. Tonight I found there was to much time and space for the Peg. Gaps were not closed no intensity till after the whistle blew. This club reminded me of the Ward days were they just backed off, two guys losing a puck battle to one is simply not good enough. There were so high points though. The move by Hubuerdeau was very impressive, the guy has some skills. Attempt to try Mang on the top line, Thought Kadri Dube and Kadri looked good. What stood out at the end of the game was Coleman Backs and Lewis, seemed to have pressure in the O zone at the end. Ruzicka and Zoh they struggled to my eyes. Mackey was not bad but I can safely say Tanev and Weeger together are not good.  The best Weegar has looked was with Zadorov. There is lots to clean up and I think these guys need to come together quick. With COL than the Coilers this is not an easy start to the season. 

 

Three Stars

1) Toffoli

2) Kadri

3) Hubie

[cross16]

Box score was misleading. Flames actually played a decent game and where the better team for most of it. Their intensity was that of a pre season game while I think the Jets looked like a team playing a regular season game. 
attention to detail needs to improve. Thought the defense was actually good the issue was backtracking in the neutral zone. Guys weren’t finding their man so Jets not only had easy entires but they had a wide open middle of the ice to drop it back too. 2 goals resulted off of this. Very correctable. Markstrom defiantly wasn’t sharp either. All in all not nearly as bad as it looked imo. I don’t really expect a good start for the flames but the kinks are slowing being ironed out. 
 

The positives:

while Pp didn’t score the top unit has some great puck movement. Puck was flying around. 
Top line is gaining chemistry. Had several nice plays and of course the goal was something else. What a play by Huberdeau 

Toffoli looked pretty good. 
Kadri is going to add some much needed speed in the middle. 
Dube was the hardest working playing on the ice and getting under the skin of the jets. 
 

not so positives:

Zohorna doesn’t like like an NHLer to me. 
I thought Mackey struggled. No one is really jumping up to grap that spot. 
same can be said for Ruzicka. Would have liked to see a lot more intensity from the young players. 
 

I think this team is going to be fun to watch. Looking forward to it. 

[cross16]

It would expect Treliving is going to be working the phones hard this week. I don’t really care about preseason results or yhr veterans necessarily, but I think if your the flames brass your not thrilled with camp. There was an open wing spot in the top 9 and I don’t think anyone really claimed it. On top of that I here was a great opportunity on D and neither Mackey nor Valimaki laid claim to it either. Sutter alluded to this in his presser last night. 

Won’t surprise me if they work the phones hard and see what they can do. Varying levels of concern there but they should be concerns imo. 

[conundrumed]

18 hours ago, rocketdoctor said:

 

Which pool the Pacific division placings one?

Yup!😃

[cross16]

Would suspect you will see Valimaki on waivers today 

 

 

[JTech780]

8 minutes ago, cross16 said:

Would suspect you will see Valimaki on waivers today 

 

 

 

But I agree he is probably is on waivers.

[cross16]

“Maintenance” is an interesting word for a guy who hasn’t played games in over a week 

[cross16]

I think you will see Zohorna reclaimed by Pittsburgh so his flames career likely to be short lived  

im not expecting Valimaki to get claimed   Won’t be shocked if he does but I think he clears. Don’t think teams are going to want his contract 

 

[JTech780]

Martin Kaut is an interesting name on waivers today. Alex True, Austin Czarnik and Joey Anderson are also on waivers not sure any of them fit here.

 

I do wonder if a team like Arizona or Chicago would take a chance on Valimaki. They have the cap space and the upside if he regain his form or confidence is there.

[tmac70]

I can see Valimaki claimed. He could be a player that just needs to have an oppurtunity to play. One thing is certain the only way we find a player for the top 9 is a trade. We never seem to be able to find that stroke of luck with a players on  PTO's or waiver pick ups. Who's next, we still have to move some guys down. 

[Thebrewcrew]

Kaut could be worth a claim. Flames would be lower on the waiver wire though so it may not be an option.

[travel_dude]

4 hours ago, cross16 said:

I think you will see Zohorna reclaimed by Pittsburgh so his flames career likely to be short lived  

im not expecting Valimaki to get claimed   Won’t be shocked if he does but I think he clears. Don’t think teams are going to want his contract 

 

 

I am surprised with Gilbert, since I didn't realize he was still on the roster.

I read where Valimaki was claimed by the Leafs.

Zohorna is a low risk move for PITTS; they can assign him to the AHL.

 

EDIT - The Valimaki part is just a rumor, not substanciated.

[bosn111]

They Flames will easily get under the cap and roster with little left to move. CapFriendly currently has the Flames at 28. 16 F, 10 D, 2 G. Subtract Zohorna, Valimaki and Gilbert who were waived and you are left cutting 2 more. Pettersen and Pospisil are still on the roster but listed as injured. Once they get sent down, the Flames are roster and cap compliant even with Kylington.

 

Pospisil won’t get taken with injury history, Pettersen is exempt. 
 

If they sign Stone then they waive either Meloche or Mackey..

[The_People1]

Will PIT bother to get Zohorna back?  He didn't make the team for PIT and got put on waivers to be sent down... Now claim him and play him on the starting roster?

[cross16]

7 hours ago, The_People1 said:

Will PIT bother to get Zohorna back?  He didn't make the team for PIT and got put on waivers to be sent down... Now claim him and play him on the starting roster?

when you lose a player on waivers you get first rights to claim him back if he goes back on waivers. Once they do they would be able to send him down to the A. 

[travel_dude]

10 hours ago, The_People1 said:

Will PIT bother to get Zohorna back?  He didn't make the team for PIT and got put on waivers to be sent down... Now claim him and play him on the starting roster?

 

It's a no brainer for PITTS.

Maybe they moved on, but I think they still like the player.

Getting him back and in the AHL gives them recall abilities.

Pretty much zeero risk for them.

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, cross16 said:

when you lose a player on waivers you get first rights to claim him back if he goes back on waivers. Once they do they would be able to send him down to the A. 

 

Ah okay.  Makes sense then.

[sak22]

 

Hope for the best for him.  Now we can sit back and do what we do best and criticizing scouting for not predicting him to injure himself in training, or seeing world events that would keep him from playing North American pro hockey for almost 2 years.  

[rickross]

15 minutes ago, sak22 said:

 

Hope for the best for him.  Now we can sit back and do what we do best and criticizing scouting for not predicting him to injure himself in training, or seeing world events that would keep him from playing North American pro hockey for almost 2 years.  

Smart pickup by ARZ especially if their still shopping Chychrun. Sadly a wasted investment by the Flames. 

[Thebrewcrew]

17 minutes ago, sak22 said:

 

Hope for the best for him.  Now we can sit back and do what we do best and criticizing scouting for not predicting him to injure himself in training, or seeing world events that would keep him from playing North American pro hockey for almost 2 years.  

Yup. The reaction to this claim will be very rational, I imagine

[travel_dude]

36 minutes ago, rickross said:

Smart pickup by ARZ especially if their still shopping Chychrun. Sadly a wasted investment by the Flames. 

 

35 minutes ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Yup. The reaction to this claim will be very rational, I imagine

 

Well, I won't make excuses.  Hard to justify keeping him on the roster when we have 8 guys that have played better.  Should have kept him up last year, when there may have been a chance of actually evaluating him.  We had stretches when Kylington played sub par.

[JTech780]

42 minutes ago, rickross said:

Smart pickup by ARZ especially if their still shopping Chychrun. Sadly a wasted investment by the Flames. 

Hard to scout and predict injuries like Valimaki had that derailed his career. He was on track to being a steal from the draft till a couple of injuries in key development years set him off course.

[flames-fan-in-jets-land]

2 minutes ago, JTech780 said:

Hard to scout and predict injuries like Valimaki had that derailed his career. He was on track to being a steal from the draft till a couple of injuries in key development years set him off course.

Even looking at some of his work back in Finland during lockdown still showed alot of promise. Hard to say where it went south for him but anyway best of luck to him. Maybe playing home games in front of 1500 fans will be good for him.

[The_People1]

2 hours ago, sak22 said:

 

Hope for the best for him.  Now we can sit back and do what we do best and criticizing scouting for not predicting him to injure himself in training, or seeing world events that would keep him from playing North American pro hockey for almost 2 years.  

 

That ends the chapter on Valimaki.  

 

Really the only way to develop him was similar to Sam Bennett.  That is, play Bennett at 2nd line Center win or lose.  No matter what, play him there all season and let him figure it out with consistent linemates.

[sak22]

10 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

That ends the chapter on Valimaki.  

 

Really the only way to develop him was similar to Sam Bennett.  That is, play Bennett at 2nd line Center win or lose.  No matter what, play him there all season and let him figure it out with consistent linemates.

I don't really believe in the thought of development by playing above your head.  These are guys who've dominated every level they were at as kids and teenagers, and naturally are extremely competitive, so if they are losing, and playing a role in losing their confidence shrinks, so that's what you build up and you do that by trying to to put them in position to do so.  Its like the NFL why do a lot of high picked QB's fail these days, because they are put in that position because a last place team usually has several weaknesses.  Valimaki was a lot of bad luck and Bennett was an overrated prospect, it happens and while people may say it doesn't to the good teams look at Chicago's 2 top 10 picks before Toews and Kane, or LA and Pittsburgh's first top 5's in their rebuild, or Tampa's last top 5.  It just is what it is, no need to overanalyze it.