Speculation: Armchair GM 2023-24 Season. If we can't say "Rebuild" what do we call it?

[Lunatik]

Hopefully Conroy can draft and Honzek was just a one time f*** up

The draft is what going to define him,
not the mess that he inherited

Calling Honzek a f*** up after his D+1 season where he's suffered 3 different injuries is extremely stupid and short sighted.

 

[DFF]

Calling Honzek a f*** up after his D+1 season where he's suffered 3 different injuries is extremely stupid and short sighted.

Maybe but it’s a second year in a row he has been injured. Besides he is a winger when they desperate need center and dman.
For whatever reason, he is not looking good right now

 

[Kranix]

Maybe but it’s a second year in a row he has been injured. Besides he is a winger when they desperate need center and dman.
For whatever reason, he is not looking good right now

Do you really want to bake injuries into a player's potential and value, in a full-contact sport where the elite to the 4th line plugs miss significant man-games every season?

 

[FLAMESFAN]

I don't know why some have to get so defensive when Honzek is brought up.
Any fan has a right to question his development so far. Not sure how anyone could be happy with how the year has unfolded for him.
Hopefully he's able to be an impactful player over the playoffs and trains hard this offseason.
Personally I'd still like to see him back for an overaged season so he can gain confidence and put up his best season so far.

 

[DFF]

Do you really want to bake injuries into a player's potential and value, in a full-contact sport where the elite to the 4th line plugs miss significant man-games every season?

If he keeps getting injured and the injuries are impacting him that much then yes

It’s been over 30 games and his production is actually getting worse

 

[Mobiandi]

Personally I'd still like to see him back for an overaged season so he can gain confidence and put up his best season so far.

I agree. I don’t know why anyone would want him over on the Wranglers next year. He hasn’t shown he’s too good for junior yet and would be totally lost in the pro game

 

[Fig]

If he keeps getting injured and the injuries are impacting him that much then yes

It’s been over 30 games and his production is actually getting worse

Similar things were said about Zary vs Lapierre.

I get why some complain, I get why some are fed up with the complaints. I personally think it makes sense to just sit back and wait it out. What's done is done. Honzek could languish for a little bit then surprise like Zary has been this season.

 

[Volica]

I agree. I don’t know why anyone would want him over on the Wranglers next year. He hasn’t shown he’s too good for junior yet and would be totally lost in the pro game

I think it'd be to get him under the supervision of the Flames staff.
Have him work on things at the pro level, keep putting on weight with the Flames nutrition team, getting stronger working out with the Wranglers/Flames trainers, being around guys like Brett Sutter (assuming he stays here); due to the injuries, be around the Flames medical staff versus a WHL one.

There's no wrong answer here. He can go back as an overager next year; hope he stays healthy during the summer, train hard and try and dominate... This dude is like 3 years away from making the show anyway; if he ever makes it.

 

[Yepthatsme]

I think it'd be to get him under the supervision of the Flames staff.
Have him work on things at the pro level, keep putting on weight with the Flames nutrition team, getting stronger working out with the Wranglers/Flames trainers, being around guys like Brett Sutter (assuming he stays here); due to the injuries, be around the Flames medical staff versus a WHL one.

There's no wrong answer here. He can go back as an overager next year; hope he stays healthy during the summer, train hard and try and dominate... This dude is like 3 years away from making the show anyway; if he ever makes it.

This right here, guy is still skinny as a rail. Get him working with the pros on a day to day basis, on an eating plan and workout regimen. Best thing for him right now is to finish growing and add strength and power finally. Will help plenty with the injury problem too.

Another benefit would be to get him further access to the flames power skating coach. He is fast but janky, dedicated work with a top tier power skating coach could be a game changer for him as well. Neither Zary or Pospisil were known for their skating at all before coming through our system, let Honzek have access to that.

Side note, we get to watch posters lining up to say takes that have a good enough chance to age poorly as his numbers in the AHL don’t leap off the page at all.

 

[crackdown44]

You can tell him to eat and workout more without having him be the worst player on the AHL team

 

[Mobiandi]

You can tell him to eat and workout more without having him be the worst player on the AHL team

This is pretty much what the prospect camp in the summer is for. He can take those lessons back with him and work on it. If he busts, it won't be because of the Vancouver Giants. Right now he's struggling against 18 year olds, his head will be spinning if he has to play vs grown men in the minors next year

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Do people actually think that CHL clubs don't have access to strength & conditioning staff?
Or nutrition advice?

While these staff may not have the expertise of the NHL teams staff, CHL teams play mostly weekends, giving the kids more time to actually train.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Do people actually think that CHL clubs don't have access to strength & conditioning staff?
Or nutrition advice?

While these staff may not have the expertise of the NHL teams staff, CHL teams play mostly weekends, giving the kids more time to actually train.

Do you think they have anything in comparison to any NHL team? The most valuable CHL team is worth 68 million. It’s not that they don’t have access to it, it’s that NHL resources are better, and will 100% be dedicated to their investment (Honzek). Not to mention AHL teams make decisions almost entirely based off developmental reasons, where as WHL teams make decisions for their team.

It’s the difference between Calgary telling him good foods suggestions for his billet family to make and giving him workout plans, to dedicated time with our trainers, skating coaches, and nutritionists; all while putting him in the best position to succeed.

This is pretty much what the prospect camp in the summer is for. He can take those lessons back with him and work on it. If he busts, it won't be because of the Vancouver Giants. Right now he's struggling against 18 year olds, his head will be spinning if he has to play vs grown men in the minors next year

This is wildly sensationalist, roughly point per game CHLers make the jump to the AHL on every team in the league every year. Just like Lipinski and Bell, other Flames prospects, will be doing as well after this very season.

 

[DFF]

Similar things were said about Zary vs Lapierre.

I get why some complain, I get why some are fed up with the complaints. I personally think it makes sense to just sit back and wait it out. What's done is done. Honzek could languish for a little bit then surprise like Zary has been this season.

Zary never struggled against 17 yrs olds in junior after he was drafted. He struggled against men in the AHL his first year

 

[Fig]

Zary never struggled against 17 yrs olds in junior after he was drafted. He struggled against men in the AHL his first year

Honzek is trying a new position and returning from injury. He also was adjusting to life in north America. Zary did well but struggled for a while in the AHL after injuries.

I'm personally hoping to wait for Honzek to fully recover before being more disappointed in him. I get why some of you are disappointed. I'm just saying I'm optimistic. Plus we have other shiny toys to focus on. Forget Honzek and give him a chance to surprise.

 

[Lunatik]

Honzek is trying a new position and returning from injury. He also was adjusting to life in north America. Zary did well but struggled for a while in the AHL after injuries.

I'm personally hoping to wait for Honzek to fully recover before being more disappointed in him. I get why some of you are disappointed. I'm just saying I'm optimistic. Plus we have other shiny toys to focus on. Forget Honzek and give him a chance to surprise.

Sorry facts aren't allowed, just shitty extreme opinions

 

[Felidae]

Wrong thread.

 

[Fig]

Sorry facts aren't allowed, just shitty extreme opinions

We need more Sam Sam's but different, but still Sam's.

(Morton, Honzek and Bennett)

 

[Bounces R Way]

I think there's pros and cons to leaving him in the WHL or bringing him up to the Wranglers. I'd say they'll probably leave it up to him, whatever his preference would be. He's the Captain of that team and might feel there's some unfinished business in Vancouver for him considering he missed most of the year and wasn't great once he came back. Or if a bunch of his buddies are gone anyway maybe he wants to move forward and turn pro.

Ideally I'd want him playing C wherever he is.

 

[crackdown44]

Random thought but Zary at the world championships would be pretty cool. They seem to like taking young guys to that tournament

 

[super6646]

I think there's pros and cons to leaving him in the WHL or bringing him up to the Wranglers. I'd say they'll probably leave it up to him, whatever his preference would be. He's the Captain of that team and might feel there's some unfinished business in Vancouver for him considering he missed most of the year and wasn't great once he came back. Or if a bunch of his buddies are gone anyway maybe he wants to move forward and turn pro.

Ideally I'd want him playing C wherever he is.

Don’t think it’s on the cards. Can’t think of many guys who played wing in juniors and moved to centre at pro.

 

[Volica]

This is pretty much what the prospect camp in the summer is for. He can take those lessons back with him and work on it. If he busts, it won't be because of the Vancouver Giants. Right now he's struggling against 18 year olds, his head will be spinning if he has to play vs grown men in the minors next year

There's a long history of big lanky first rounder 18/19 year olds being very average in the CHL.
And when you boil it down, it's a mixed bag of guys who went right into the show, into the AHL once it was available, overaged; it's also a mixed bag of what the results are for those players, from top 6 forwards to playing in the DEL.

I always enjoy this forum where everyone has the exact answer. The Flames brass will make the decision here, he'll either go as an overager back to the giants and hopefully dominate, or he'll go pro. If I were a betting man, I'd assume that a 20 year old next year would want to start making an income playing pro.

 

[Lunatik]

I agree. I don’t know why anyone would want him over on the Wranglers next year. He hasn’t shown he’s too good for junior yet and would be totally lost in the pro game

These "too good for ______" arguments need to stop, they are complete and utter horse shit. They are only relevant to an extremely small group of players, and we sure as f*** don't have any of them.

Unless you are talking about a potential generational player, that argument makes no sense because no one is ever "too good", there is always something to learn.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

So in other news, how do you guys feel about Chandler Stephenson as an off season acquisition if he makes it to UFA? Obviously contract matters immensely, but more so in terms of fit.

 

[DFF]

So in other news, how do you guys feel about Chandler Stephenson as an off season acquisition if he makes it to UFA? Obviously contract matters immensely, but more so in terms of fit.

why do they need another overpaid underperforming vet?

Objective next year is prospect development and top 5 pick