From Bountiful to Ponoka

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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Strangelove »

Reefer2 wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:19 am Like many teams. goaltending is the biggest question. Other than a few goalies, they change from season to season, 1 year they are superman the next year Clark Kent, the guy that never gets the girl.
:::spoiler alert:::

Superman is Clark Kent. :wow:
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Strangelove »

BCExpat wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 7:52 am I'm a bit concerned about the goal tending - will Mike Smith get injured again? Will his game regress in the upcoming season?
Yeah Mike Smith is old and sucky, definitely a weak spot.

Is there a goaltender plan for the future for Calgary?
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by BCExpat »

The flames have three decent goalie prospects Gillies and Ritich (one of which will be the backup in the upcoming season) and Parsons who is pegged to be the future goalie for the flames but he's a few years away. So, Smith is a stop gap goalie, but the Flames need at least one more good season out of him, until Ritich or Gillies are ready to take over the number one spot. They have both shown signs that they can play, but neither is ready to be the No. 1 goalie yet.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Strangelove »

BCExpat wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 2:14 pm The flames have three decent goalie prospects Gillies and Ritich (one of which will be the backup in the upcoming season) and Parsons who is pegged to be the future goalie for the flames but he's a few years away. So, Smith is a stop gap goalie, but the Flames need at least one more good season out of him, until Ritich or Gillies are ready to take over the number one spot. They have both shown signs that they can play, but neither is ready to be the No. 1 goalie yet.
I dunooooo, their numbers aren't greaaaat...

BTW did you feel Hamilton was cancerous?
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

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Ritich played fairly well when he was called up. I think he just needs another season or two and he'll be fine. The guy that should be great is Parsons - but then again........... Just look a Hellibuck (or however you spell it), in Winnipeg - he really improved drastically last season over the previous season. I'm hoping that at least one of the three prospects turns out for Calgary.

I think there is something to the Hamilton rumors. Apparently he didn't hang out with his team mates and was into other things (like going to museums), rather than going out for a beer with the guys. I don't think that was the issue that lead to the trade. Hamilton seemed to be satisfied with his play and wasn't too worried about whether the team was winning or losing. His attitude seemed to be "well I scored a goal and got an assist tonight, so even though we lost, I did my bit". His "complete" level didn't seem to be there. Anyway, there must be something going on there, as he has been traded twice now at such a young age. He does have all the tools, just not the right attitude.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Strangelove »

The Flames can't afford to sit around and wait on those not-blue-chip goalies IMO.

They did well in unloading problem child Hamilton... a good trade for them.

Still, they seem like a bubble team to me for the foreseeable future.

Not being an asshole, just an honest opinion from an outsider.

Hey, if everything goes perfect one of those seasons they could get to the playoffs and win a couple of rounds.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

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Strangelove wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:41 pm The Flames can't afford to sit around and wait on those not-blue-chip goalies IMO.

They did well in unloading problem child Hamilton... a good trade for them.

Still, they seem like a bubble team to me for the foreseeable future.

Not being an asshole, just an honest opinion from an outsider.

Hey, if everything goes perfect one of those seasons they could get to the playoffs and win a couple of rounds.
That's about how I feel. If you look at the Flames lineup compared to the Capitals, they have a looooong way to go.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Hockey Widow »

Hey BCExpat

Can I just say how nice it is to have a fan of another team, an especially hated rival at that, come here for reasoned, amicable discussion! Thanks for that.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Strangelove »

Hockey Widow wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:39 pm Hey BCExpat

Can I just say how nice it is to have a fan of another team, an especially hated rival at that, come here for reasoned, amicable discussion! Thanks for that.
Seconded.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Meds »

With the additions of Hanifin and Lindholm, as well as the signing of Neal, Calgary is a better team on paper than they were last week.

They still need a goaltender, and probably an upgrade at the 2C position before they are ready to do anything more than make a 1st round appearance.

I will say that Mike Smith can get red hot at times which could make them a threat to exceed expectations, but his teams have always imploded when he does that and suddenly goes cold.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by nuckster »

What a solid signing! I was hopeful that the Canucks would sign him and put him on a line with Petterson and maybe Gaudette as the centerman (wishful thinking i guess). He will get the Flames into the playoffs. Shit.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Meds »

nuckster wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:54 pm What a solid signing! I was hopeful that the Canucks would sign him and put him on a line with Petterson and maybe Gaudette as the centerman (wishful thinking i guess). He will get the Flames into the playoffs. Shit.
With his 44 points in 82 games?

Neal is a bonus for them for sure, but who does he play with that puts him into the 55+ point club?

Gaudreau (72) - Monahan (62) - Neal (45)
Tkachuk (49) - Backlund (43) - Lindholm (42)

That's the top-6 in Calgary next season with their average point production over the past 4 seasons. Neal, Backlund, and Lindholm, are all old enough where improving more than 5 points over their average would be a very good thing. Neal is the only one who scores more goals than assists. Monahan and Tkachuk are close to a 1:1 G:A but still below. The other guys are assist kings. I could possibly see an improvement of 10+ points for Neal if he skates with Gaudreau and Monahan all season, but 55 points is not 1st line production on a team that projects to do any kind of damage in the playoffs.

On defense Giordano will be 35 years old to start next season and is coming off of 2 full seasons where his ppg production has taken a massive dive.

Calgary needed to find a way to do damage last season. Treliving gambled on Hamilton and Hamonic and lost, and based on their current prospect cupboard he may have gone all-in with too weak of a hand.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by nuckster »

Mëds, your assertions are well thought out; I can't really argue with what you have posted here re: Neal's stats and value/productively. My view regarding his value is more based on intangibles and a perception that I have about the presence/leadership he tends to bring to a team. He's a big fellah who seems to rise to the occasion with clutch goals and provides physicality. I think his presence could do wonders for the Flames first or second line. Five years is a little long, but it seems like a lot of UFAs are getting longer than usual contracts this year. Ultimately the Flames should be a better team with him in their line-up, and im a little envious cause i really believe he would have had a positive impact on some of the younger players in the Canucks line-up.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by BCExpat »

Even with Neal, I still think they still need at least 1 more top 6 forward. As for Gio - I think he'll be fine next season (he's a fitness freak), but his best years are behind him. Good thing the Flames are deep in defensive prospects. I can see Andersen making the team next season, and Valimaki the season after that - so they have adequate replacements for Gio.

As I posted previously, goal tending is what I'm concerned with. I'm worried about Smith staying healthy for the whole season. If he does go down for any length of time, I wonder if Ritich or Gillies are ready to step into the No. 1 goalie position.
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Re: From Bountiful to Ponoka

Post by Blob Mckenzie »

Jarome Iginla retires today.

Hell of a career!

Hate the Flames but like Jarome. Pure class all the way
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