Around the Dome II: Flames hockey-related news and notes

[Lunatik]

https://www.nhl.com/flames/team/staff-directory

Both Conroy and Pascall are listed as AGMs here and a Herald article on their re-signings mentions that Conroy is one.

I ****ing love those. Beautiful

That was my point, it seems like an AGM job with just a different title

 

[Calculon]

Q&A: Flames coach Glen Gulutzan excited by solid defence, maturing forwards

WG: On the flip side, what is the greatest challenge for the 2017-18 campaign?

GG: "The challenge, for sure, is managing expectations. We weren't a 5-10-1 team to start last year, and we weren't a 16-5 team to end. We finished with 94 points. I think, realistically, we can do better than that. But to make a jump from 77 to 94 to 118 isn't realistic. So we have to manage that expectation. Our goal is we think we could be a 100-point club. That's kind of what I think a lot about in the summer - trying to manage that expectation but also have something in mind that we think we could be."

WG: Let's stick with Hamonic for a second ...¦ How do you expect him to complement his likely defence partner T.J. Brodie?

GG: "I think No. 1 is he can certainly play the same up-style game that Brods can. If you look at Travis, he's a really good skater. He's not void of offence, however, I think he's going to be more of an anchor there that can really let Brods skate and move and play his game. I think there's going to be a lot of predictability for T.J. and I think that's going to open him up to play a real in-the-play, tight-gap, in-your-face, big-time skating game. And T.J. also has another year of playing on the left side under his belt, which gives him 82 games of an adjustment, and he's got another right-handed partner. I think that stability is going to help T.J. tremendously."

WG: Does Micheal Ferland open training camp as your first-line right-winger and, if so, how does he keep that slot?

GG: "Yeah, the way I look at things the way they are right now, that's where I would put Ferly. But it also depends on how he comes to camp. The one thing that every coach hopes for and I think especially every GM hopes for is that there's a surprise at camp - some young guy who has put in the work in the summer and who has come in and has made you take a look at him. Every NHL team I've been on, whether it was Bo Horvat (in Vancouver) or Jamie Benn six years ago in Dallas, there has always been somebody who has come in and surprised you. Matthew Tkachuk, obviously, was our guy last year. You're always hoping for one of those guys every year, because they make your team that much better and they inject some enthusiasm into your group."

WG: We didn't see a lot of Curtis Lazar after he arrived at the trade deadline, but we saw snippets of him at both wing and centre. Where does he fit this fall?

GG: "I think, in the beginning, I would play him in a little bit of either position. He prefers the centre position. He may have to play wing. But give him some reps, especially early on, at both positions ...¦ We want to make sure that we put him on a path to succeed and get his confidence back and have the season that he wants to have. We're going to be very mindful of what we do with Curtis, but it's not going to be like it was last year where he didn't play for long stretches. We're going to get him going. We know that he's done a heck of a lot of work this summer, so we're excited to see him."

WG: Which Calgary Flame do we need to need to pick in our hockey pool this year?

GG: "Sam Bennett. You look at the maturation of these players, and he's had a good summer. I've talked to him a couple of times. So I think that's the young guy that if I want a big leap, I'd pick him."

In summary, Gulutzan still likes his left shot-right shot split on defence, Lazar will be an everyday player and watch out for Bennett.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Nothing too surprising there. Lazar preferring to play C I don't think was unknown, but I am excited at the idea of having him be capable of playing both C and RW when needed.

 

[1989]

Like the fact Tkachuk got in with Gary Roberts' training camp, especially if he's expected to play that pest/power forward-type of role.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Bennett is gonna be a monster.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Bennett is gonna be a monster.

Pick one:

6'1, 200+lb Tyler Johnson
or
A Mike Richards that can skate with anyone
or
A Nazem Kadri with a Captain's attitude

 

[JPeeper]

Bennett is gonna be a monster.

Tkachuk as well. If people hated Tkachuk last year, wait until this guy is in his mid 20's, dear God.

Hoping the two of them (Sam and Matt) play together this year, like all year. Build some chemistry between our 2* most skilled players so they can wreck teams for the next decade. I am hoping we see Tkachuk-Bennett-Versteeg as our 2nd line this year, with Backlund-Frolik taking on a rookie and playing the 3rd line. Give Bennett the easier match ups and o-zone starts, but 2nd line ice-time (rather than 10 minutes a game). I can't see Bennett not breaking out playing with Tkachuk, he's never had anyone close to Tkachuk's skill level or vision on his line. Tkachuk also would be beneficial to Bennett's defensive game as he is already a really good defensive forward.


Alas, I know Gulutzan too well and know I won't get this. The 3M line won't be broken up (honestly, even though they were one of the best possession lines in hockey, they still will be with a good enough rookie like Janko) and Bennett will be stuck with Brouwer for another 80 God damn games.


*Gaudreau is more skilled, but I excluded him.

 

[haulinbass]

Any news on Bennetts contract? When is his arbitration date

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Any news on Bennetts contract? When is his arbitration date

There's no arbitration as he is not yet eligible. His contract will probably get hashed out the day before training camp, which is when Ferland's first bridge happened.

 

[djpatm]

Bennett is gonna be a monster.

We really need him to be to be contenders.

Can't have 4th overalls bust.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

We really need him to be to be contenders.

Can't have 4th overalls bust.

well, I mean, the Oilers have shown that you can have plenty of top 10 picks bust as long as you keep at it:

McDavid 1st Overall
Hall 1st Overall
RNH 1st Overall
Yakupov 1st Overall
Puljujarvi 3rd Overall
Draisaitl 3rd Overall
Larsson 4th Overall
Reinhart 4th Overall
Pouliot 4th Overall
Strome 5th Overall
Gagner 6th Overall
Nurse 7th Overall
MPS - 10th Overall

vs

Bennett 4th Overall
Tkachuk 6th Overall
Monahan 6th Overall
Hamilton 9th Overall
Frolik 10th Overall

 

[Kahvi]

There was a short interview with Karri Rämö who has signed with Jokerit in today's Helsingin Sanomat

Quick translation of some selected parts, hopefully not much is lost in tranlation.

"In the beginning [of my Flames career] there were comparisons to Kipper every day, and he was missed, but slowly it started fading", Rämö says after a Jokerit practice session.

It must have been difficult to be seen as a Kipper replacement, when one of the best goalies of the world had spent nine years with the club

"It didn't bother me, but it had an effect on the management", Rämö says and implies that the Calgary Flames went crazy over Kipper [to me this sounds like its said in a positive way, like they really liked him]
"It was fun to listen to those stories where they were remembering him".

"Anyone who tries to step into Kippers boots has a tough job to do. They'll need to search for a long time if they want a guy that's his caliber", Rämö says.

He also says he doesn't blame Donskoi for his injury as those things happen, and gives (or actually the reporter gives) a lot of credit for Leafs for his rehabilitation.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Good guy Ramp. He wasn't always great in net but he did win us a lot of games (relative to some of our other goalies since Kipper).

 

[Anglesmith]

Best goalie we've had since Kipper. Too bad he could never stay healthy.

I'll never forget that game in New Jersey where Jagr suggested afterwards that they should have tried killing him, because that was the only way they were going to score that night.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Ramp, is golden.

 

[DFF]

well, I mean, the Oilers have shown that you can have plenty of top 10 picks bust as long as you keep at it:

When is the next McDavid?

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

Praise Ramp

 

[Yung Rotini]

Will always have a soft spot for Karri.

Praise Ramp.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Ramo is no Hiller though. Hiller is no Berra. Berra is no Henrik "Calgary Tower" Karlsson.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

This amusing tidbit popped up on my facebook feed today.

 

[InfinityIggy]

^Would love to see what the NHL rejected designs looked like. The one that is similar to the Flyers logo sounds like it would be interesting.

 

[Dertell]

me too

wild guess: the left side probably had flame-like tails instead of the flyer's wings. With a C in the circle on right side.

 

[Mobiandi]

I remember reading on CP a while back that the person who designed the Flames logo took the 'C' from a font and added flames to it

 

[Anglesmith]

I remember reading on CP a while back that the person who desgned the Flames logo took the 'C' from a font and added flames to it

As opposed to what?

 

[Yung Rotini]

I think it’s one of the best logos in the league today.

Too bad our jerseys don’t live up to it.