2008 Flames Development Camp

[torij]

Ahoy hoy, that was a most fun day haha

Took plenty of pictures

to any of you who were there on the 24th, Dionlover003 and I were part of that group of three girls who were sitting at the far end :0

[hemw5]

78 Ryan Wilson

I like Ryan a lot I think he has been a good pick up by the flames. I really like his ability to be thinking on the go. I see a lot of upside in Wilson, I think he can be a offensive defenseman with some nastiness.

Been hearing sum nice postives about Wilson...good to hear . I think you have described him perfectly he is an awesome "offensive d-man who most definitely is one of the BEST open ice hitters coming out of the OHL this past season !

[Jens-1]

It's nice to hear that Kyle Greentree had worked hard and had a good consistent camp perfomance because I don't know much about him before Sutter signs him.

[walkinvisible]

AY 5 PROSPECTS CAMP

62 Kris Chucko

Chucko made a few nice plays today. The thing that I find interesting is Chucko has to get more consistent. If he uses a bit of nastiness in his game he becomes more effective. He has the tool just needs to start using them.

48 Greg Nemisz

Greg is a very good prospect who is only going to get better. He has a great shot and good vision on the ice. The only concern I have is the fighting the puck issue. If he can work on his puck control I am sure he will be a keeper.

61 John Negrin

John made a nice come back today in his skating, He is a solid defensemen who needs to work on his upper strength. I think he will be a solid defensemen but needs some seasoning.

54 Keith Aulie

Keith was solid today he was more consistent with his play. Had a better skating day he did better with the drills. Won’t be a scoring defensemen Keith is a stay home guy.

uhhhhh...... aulie and niemesz were absent on day 5 (they left for the national team camp in ottawa), as was negrin (who was doing the fitness tests he missed on monday due to illness).

oh, and chucko's "nastiness" will probably be "effective" in taking a number of unnecessary penalties, IMO.

again, refer to my blog at http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com''>http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com' target="_blank">http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com[/post] for a different take on day 5.

[Fuel_the_Flames]

One quick, also late question about the prospects camp-Where is Aki Seitsonen? Is he on his 2nd contract? I know he was drafted in 2004 but forgot what year he signed.

[flamesfan121]

Here are my thoughts after attending Friday and Saturday. Dissapointed Saturday was cut short. Did takes some pictures, but not as many as I wanted. You can check them out here. http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb147/f...ospects%20Camp/

Team A

Armstrong- Decent size, good hands and decent speed. Didn't notice him a whole lot. Hope he can have a good rookie year in Quad Cities.

Baldwin- Big kid. Decent speed for his size.

Boyd- We all know what he brings. Definetly the best forward.

Brodie- Definetly could tell it was his first camp. Didn't standout in any way.

Carpentier- Looked pretty good. Nice hands, average speed.

Chucko- Thought he looked very good. Saw him last year and wasn't really impressed. This year though compeletely different. Skating seems improved. Threw a couple hits in a couple drills. I really liked what I saw from him. He needs to have a big year this year.

Cole- Very solid. Never really thought much of this guy, but I liked him.

Grantham-Big and slow. Ddidn't notice him much at all.

Larson- Great shot. Average skater. For the project he is I think he has promise.

Negrin- Extremely smooth skater. Nothing really flashy, but the skill is there. Missed the first part of Friday. (anyone know why)

Severyn- Excellent speed. Other then that didn't really really notice him.

Wahl- Great with the puck. Great shot. Good skater. I really like Wahl.

Keetley/Lalande- Both looked good.

Team B

Backlund- Impressive debut. First time seeing him live and he lived up to the hype. Does everything at full speed and makes it look easy. Great skill with the puck. It'll be interesting to see how he does playing against bigger guys. If he can have a good camp in September though I think he may just force Sutter and Keenan to keep him.

Bouma- Didn't notice him at all.

Bruton- Small. Did have some good speed and skill. Looked pretty good both days. I'd like to see him given a contract.

Deilert- Showed some great offensive skill in some of the drills. For a 7th round guy he looked good.

Fulton- Didn't really notice him.

Greentree- Didn't standout like I had thought he would. Has a good shot.

Marvin- Has some size, but I didn't notice him good or bad.

Pelech- Big and tough. Great mobility and speed for someone his size. Definetly the best I have seen him. Another year in the minors and I think he'll be ready. Really happy with his development.

Ryder- Seemed small. Definetly has the skill set. Hope he has a good year in Quad Cities.

Sutter- Great skater. Always moving. Pretty decent shot as well.

Watt- Big guy. Not a great skater, more skill then I thought he had.

Wilson- Liked what I saw. Skating isn't that bad. I'd say he is an average skater. Definetly could improve on it.

Irving- Best goalie of the four.

Spratt- Quite a bit better then when I saw him last year. Still the weakest of the four, but has definetly shown improvement. Made some great saves during the shootout drills.

Nemisz and Aulie both were absent due to Team Canada camp. Would have liked to have seen both of them.

[The_People1]

Here are my thoughts after attending Friday and Saturday. Dissapointed Saturday was cut short.

Any reason why Saturday was cut short?

Nemisz and Aulie both were absent due to Team Canada camp. Would have liked to have seen both of them.

Why did the Flames have development camp overlapping the Team Canada camp?

I recall the Vancouver Canucks having development camp 1 week after draft day. I definitely think the Flames should move this camp up a few days next season.

[LOOSER]

uhhhhh...... aulie and niemesz were absent on day 5 (they left for the national team camp in ottawa), as was negrin (who was doing the fitness tests he missed on monday due to illness).

oh, and chucko's "nastiness" will probably be "effective" in taking a number of unnecessary penalties, IMO.

again, refer to my blog at http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com''>http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com' target="_blank">http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com[/post] for a different take on day 5.

I know I don't know who I saw on friday lol that was a mistake on friday

I know I don't know who I saw on friday lol that was a mistake on friday

I was there on friday I was busy doing interviews sorry for the mistake

[flamesfan121]

Any reason why Saturday was cut short?

Why did the Flames have development camp overlapping the Team Canada camp?

I recall the Vancouver Canucks having development camp 1 week after draft day. I definitely think the Flames should move this camp up a few days next season.

No idea why today was cut short. Really dissapointed.

The flames in the past have usually had it earlier in the month. Not sure why so late this year.

[walkinvisible]

Any reason why Saturday was cut short?

the coaches apparently thought the boys had worked hard enough all week, so they gave'em the afternoon off.

I recall the Vancouver Canucks having development camp 1 week after draft day. I definitely think the Flames should move this camp up a few days next season.

the camp used to start the monday after stampede, but anyone who lives in calgary would know that is a TOUGH schedule to keep year-to-year ---y'know, when you think about booking pretty much anything in the city (like hotel rooms, for example). i think the schedule change also allowed for camp to take place at the 'home base' of the 'dome this year, which would presumeably be preferrable for any number of reasons....

[LOOSER]

uhhhhh...... aulie and niemesz were absent on day 5 (they left for the national team camp in ottawa), as was negrin (who was doing the fitness tests he missed on monday due to illness).

oh, and chucko's "nastiness" will probably be "effective" in taking a number of unnecessary penalties, IMO.

again, refer to my blog at http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com''>http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com' target="_blank">http://www.hitthepost.blogspot.com[/post] for a different take on day 5.

When I did my report I did over the old report and forgot to delete the players who wern't there sorry for the confusion. there is away you can get nasty without taking penalties. I like the writing that you do you did a good job. I am really not in competition with you sorry if I offended you.

[walkinvisible]

there is away you can get nasty without taking penalties.

i absolutely agree, but i think chucko is more like steve downie than robyn regehr (from the very limited action i saw this week). i'm not sure he's got the smarts to use his body to hit legally ---the action i saw this week in a practice situation leads me to believe he'll be the guy taking ridiculous penalties.... we'll see, i guess. his numbers don't necessarily reflect my opinion....

I like the writing that you do you did a good job. I am really not in competition with you sorry if I offended you.

i'm totally not offended, dude.

don't sweat it.

[LOOSER]

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF THE FLAMES PROSPECTS CAMP

I was quite pleased when I went to this camp. It was really interesting to see the progress of the players. I love the talent; I had no idea of the ability of the prospects. The Flames will have a solid future for many years to come. Especially in the net, where they have plenty of depth.

What made it more fun is watching these families, watching their son or brother playing in the camp. The families must go through a emotional rollercoaster with the players. The prospects have very good family support. I had the privilege of meeting quite a few families of the players. They were there in droves, supporting their players. It was really nice to see.

What is also interesting is the drills they make the players go through. At the camp for the five days I was there, I sat and watched the different drills. I wished I knew why they pick the drills they do. More to the point, I wondered if I came to the same conclusions the coaches did?

The only day I missed the camp was Saturday; I had a family birthday celebration. So it came down to wife or the Flames (oh tough choice . . .) But I digress -- on with the blog. So I decided I would play coach and tell you who I thought was the most impressive.

BEST DEFENSEMEN

BRAD COLE

This was a hard decision, because there are so many I could have chosen. Why did I chose Cole? I really like his skating and his defensive skills. More important than his skating skills, I love his leadership skills. He also has great strength. He does not get taken off his feet very easily. He has a good shot and to me is a great looking prospect.

BEST FORWARD

Mikael Backlund

Well DUUUUUUUUH! Okay, this one I am not going to sugar coat. Mikael is in a league all by himself. He has been fantastic. All camp his puck skills have been out of this world. His passing skills are out of the universe. I think Backlund should challenge for a spot on the roster this fall. The only fault I can find is that he does not shoot enough, and he shoots to fine, always trying to hit the corners. To me, he is the best prospect the Flames have, bar none.

BEST GOALIE

Matt Keetley

Matt is a terrific goalie. He consistently does everything well. I love his manner, he never seems to get too high or too low. I am surprised that they did not look more seriously at giving Matt a shot. What make this more impressive it is that the goalies are the deepest crop among the prospects in the Flames.

SURPRISE PICK

Nick Larson

Nick has been outstanding all week. I knew nothing about him before he came in to the camp. What do I know about him now? I know he has a terrific shot, a very fast skater, and he is surprisingly strong on his feet. He is amazing spark plug who can lift a team's spirits just by his hustle and enthusiasm.

HONORABLE MENTION

Kyle Greentree

Kyle has a terrificly fast release on his wrist shot. It's not the hardness of the shot, as much as the accuracy. I really think the Flames got a steal from Philly in this off season trade.

CONCLUSION

I was told at an early age that you can not have success without trying. To me, these young prospects are successful, because they are already making the major step towards coming men. Judging by the way their families are, I can tell you that these are fine young men the Flames have drafted.

Everyone judges how they play, but that is not all there is to becoming a Flame. I learned more this camp than I have learned at any of the others. The most important lesson I learned at camp - or should I say was reminded of - is how to be an outstanding human being. The prospects and this organization are first class from head to toe.

[terence_fong]

Awesome, thanks for the writeup:D

[Conroy24Regehr28]

I already forgot from last year but did Backlund play in any pre-season games or did he go back to Sweden before the pre-season games took place?

[Fotiu666]

I already forgot from last year but did Backlund play in any pre-season games or did he go back to Sweden before the pre-season games took place?

I may be wrong, but I don't even think he was at main camp, just rookie camp.

He definitely didn't play any preseason games. I'm sure he will this year, I hope he lights it up and cracks the lineup.

[Conroy24Regehr28]

I may be wrong, but I don't even think he was at main camp, just rookie camp.

He definitely didn't play any preseason games. I'm sure he will this year, I hope he lights it up and cracks the lineup.

that sounds right. I'm just pumped to see what he can do in a game situation versus other NHL players.

[LOOSER]

I may be wrong, but I don't even think he was at main camp, just rookie camp.

He definitely didn't play any preseason games. I'm sure he will this year, I hope he lights it up and cracks the lineup.

no he wasn't he went right straight back to Sweden after the Rookie Camp

[beergirl 1 deleted]

good good!

[beergirl 1 deleted]

good good!

[The_People1]

I may be wrong, but I don't even think he was at main camp, just rookie camp.

He definitely didn't play any preseason games. I'm sure he will this year, I hope he lights it up and cracks the lineup.

Well, I remember Chuck Kobasew scored 4-goals in that one pre-season game and was subsequently sent back to the minors.

The Flames just don't like to give kids a chance.

Having said that however, we need to look at the math. Is Backlund 19?

I ask because players can become UFAs in the NHL after 7-seasons of service or when they turn 27-years-old. This means there might be a one year age overlapping difference there that could allow Backlund to become a UFA at 26 rather than 27 if he makes the team THIS season. So, do we as Flames fans want one year of Backlund as a 19-year-old or one year of Backlund as a 26-year-old?

[cross16]

Having said that however, we need to look at the math. Is Backlund 19?

I ask because players can become UFAs in the NHL after 7-seasons of service or when they turn 27-years-old. This means there might be a one year age overlapping difference there that could allow Backlund to become a UFA at 26 rather than 27 if he makes the team THIS season. So, do we as Flames fans want one year of Backlund as a 19-year-old or one year of Backlund as a 26-year-old?

Yeah he is 19.

I think thats something you deal with later and if you believe he is the best player to play in your top 6 center spot, that shouldn't matter. He's deal would expire at age 22, and then you still ikely have a good 2 or more negotiations before he would hit UFA status, and that is plenyt of time to get him locked up, providing he turns out to be what they believe. Especially considering that Iginla, Regher, and Kipper's contacts, and likely start status, will be nearing their end by that time.

[flamesfan121]

Well, I remember Chuck Kobasew scored 4-goals in that one pre-season game and was subsequently sent back to the minors.

The Flames just don't like to give kids a chance.

Wasn't that the same year that he held out and wouldn't sign a contract?

[net-mnder]

Well, I remember Chuck Kobasew scored 4-goals in that one pre-season game and was subsequently sent back to the minors.

The Flames just don't like to give kids a chance.

Having said that however, we need to look at the math. Is Backlund 19?

I ask because players can become UFAs in the NHL after 7-seasons of service or when they turn 27-years-old. This means there might be a one year age overlapping difference there that could allow Backlund to become a UFA at 26 rather than 27 if he makes the team THIS season. So, do we as Flames fans want one year of Backlund as a 19-year-old or one year of Backlund as a 26-year-old?

I would at least try him at 19,what harm can it do?

[The_People1]

Yeah he is 19.

I think thats something you deal with later and if you believe he is the best player to play in your top 6 center spot, that shouldn't matter. He's deal would expire at age 22, and then you still ikely have a good 2 or more negotiations before he would hit UFA status, and that is plenyt of time to get him locked up, providing he turns out to be what they believe. Especially considering that Iginla, Regher, and Kipper's contacts, and likely start status, will be nearing their end by that time.

True enough. Sutter could possibly work out a contract to keep him in Calgary past his 26th and 27th birthdays. If Backlund is as impressive as he sounds, then I wouldn't mind Sutter bringing him up to the Flames starting roster this season.

If Backlund plays Center then Cammalleri will move to the wing.

Maybe play Boyd in QC to begin the season.

Wasn't that the same year that he held out and wouldn't sign a contract?

I can't remember... I don't think so though.

I would at least try him at 19,what harm can it do?

The Flames could potentially lose him to UFA one season earlier than usual. That's all.