GDT: Flames host Blues: 7pm MT on SNF

[Kranix]

I missed the first period. The last 40 minutes was really fun to watch. Looked like Jankowski is gaining confidence which is exciting. It's also exciting to imagine those three lines going like that more often.

 

[Rangediddy]

Kulak has been much better than Bartkowski but calling him a #4 is just as obtuse an opinion as Jankowski being crap and bennett being our best C.

I find our board in particular has a notable proclivity for "seeing what you want to see" rather than seeing anything close to reality.

I get what he's saying though. Of Hamonic, Stone, Bartkowski and Kulak, Kulak has had the most steady performances with no major bad games whereas each of the others have been hot garbage at least one game this year. Obviously he's not our true #4, but any given day he has played at least as well, if not better than at least one of the #4 & #5.

 

[Anglesmith]

I get what he's saying though. Of Hamonic, Stone, Bartkowski and Kulak, Kulak has had the most steady performances with no major bad games whereas each of the others have been hot garbage at least one game this year. Obviously he's not our true #4, but any given day he has played at least as well, if not better than at least one of the #4 & #5.

He plays in a more favourable role, I would say. When the other team's stars hop over the boards, Gulutzan looks to get Kulak off the ice. And he looks to get Hamonic out there.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Kulak is miles better than Bartowski. He should be sent to the farm immediately. All of Kulak, Andersson, Tspoon are upgrades on Bartowski.

 

[Mobiandi]

How has Wotherspoon been doing with the Heat

 

[Calculon]

Wotherspoon would make for a better 7th than Bartkowski.

 

[Anglesmith]

Wotherspoon would make for a better 7th than Bartkowski.

But it would cost his development.

I think by all means if someone goes on IR, you call up Andersson or Tspoon to jump over Bartkowski and play. But as long as we have 7 guys, Bartkowski should be that seventh guy. As in the guy that doesn't play.

 

[Mobiandi]

But it would cost his development.

I get the sense that the Flames aren't all that interested in his development anymore, unless he takes major strides forward with this team. We have too many defensemen in the pipeline. As well, he'll turn 25 in a few months and has bungled what looks like his last chance to play for the big club. Doubt he'll be with the organization after this season

 

[Calgareee]

But it would cost his development.

I think by all means if someone goes on IR, you call up Andersson or Tspoon to jump over Bartkowski and play. But as long as we have 7 guys, Bartkowski should be that seventh guy. As in the guy that doesn't play.

To a point. But he’s earned the big boys paycheque for a bit over BART. Bring him up for a month or so, get him practicing with the team and give him a couple games. Bottom line is he has earned the money if nothing else.

 

[Calculon]

But it would cost his development.

I think by all means if someone goes on IR, you call up Andersson or Tspoon to jump over Bartkowski and play. But as long as we have 7 guys, Bartkowski should be that seventh guy. As in the guy that doesn't play.

As has been said, he's 24 and passed through waivers twice already. There's not exactly a whole lot of development left.

Wotherspoon's a bottom pairing guy at best, but he's still miles better than a pure AHL'er like Bartkowski.

 

[Lunatik]

Kulak isn't our #6. He's our #4 being tasked with carrying whoever is our #6 on a given night

So do you not know how to count or are you that terrible at evaluating players? Not counting makes a ton of sense since you think Monahan is a 3rd liner.

So what, when you count to 6 is it, 3, 2, 1, 6, 5, 4?

 

[Flameshomer]

I get what he's saying though. Of Hamonic, Stone, Bartkowski and Kulak, Kulak has had the most steady performances with no major bad games whereas each of the others have been hot garbage at least one game this year. Obviously he's not our true #4, but any given day he has played at least as well, if not better than at least one of the #4 & #5.

If you're picking out players for having one game of hot garbage then you shouldn't leave out Brodie, Giordano or Hamilton either. All three have had at least one bad game, if not several each. Further to that, Gulu is still sheltering Kulak somewhat, which is leading to him looking better and building his confidence, but he's also being given less opportunity to fail, which changes how we will perceive him.

There's no way that if we were objectively starting a team tomorrow we would take Kulak above any of Gio, Hamilton, Brodie, Hamonic, or Smith. Therefor, he is comfortably our 6 dman until he starts playing more than 15 minutes a night.

 

[Flameshomer]

Also- what can we reasonably expect Wotherspoon to develop into at this point? We're past that TBH. He is what he is- a tweener dman. I would rather see him in the pressbox than Bart.

 

[Rangediddy]

If you're picking out players for having one game of hot garbage then you shouldn't leave out Brodie, Giordano or Hamilton either. All three have had at least one bad game, if not several each. Further to that, Gulu is still sheltering Kulak somewhat, which is leading to him looking better and building his confidence, but he's also being given less opportunity to fail, which changes how we will perceive him.

There's no way that if we were objectively starting a team tomorrow we would take Kulak above any of Gio, Hamilton, Brodie, Hamonic, or Smith. Therefor, he is comfortably our 6 dman until he starts playing more than 15 minutes a night.

I agree with everything you said. I left Brodie, Gio & Hamilton out for obvious reasons. They are cemented in the 1-3 so they're a moot point, but you do get my point that if you counted the number of awful games played by our Dmen, Kulak would be at the bottom, so I understand why OKG would say he's playing like our #4.

All that said, there's no way I'd want Kulak playing any higher than a #6 until he routinely outplays Stone or Hamonic, which I don't believe will be for a long time. He's probably only 1-2 bad games from being sat just to get Bartkowski some game action. His leash is still very short, but he has far more upside than Bart so might as well try to develop that.

 

[BigRangy]

Like others have said, Wotherspoon is 24 and has gone through waivers several times. He has no upside left. He is what he is, which is a better player than Bartkowski. He should be the #7 and Bart should be playing in the Olympics

Wait shit he wouldn't even make that team

 

[Lunatik]

Like others have said, Wotherspoon is 24 and has gone through waivers several times. He has no upside left. He is what he is, which is a better player than Bartkowski. He should be the #7 and Bart should be playing in the Olympics

Wait **** he wouldn't even make that team

Since when is two times the definition of "several times"

 

[DFF]

Kulak is number 4 now. Will probably be at least #2 by the end of year. And Norris candidate next year.

Direct from the guy who said Bennett can contend for the Hart trophy with the right linemates

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Yeah I wasn’t impressed with Brodie last night.

 

[herashak]

By all-star break if Kulak keeps establishing himself it will be best to swap Bartkowski with Wotherspoon. The org. probably won't do it for some reason. I know sometimes Wotherspoon looks really soft/lazy occasionally but he is a quality prospect and he was able to look decent at times whenever he has gotten a shot. It has been a long time since Wotherspoon has been given any rope and the way he has played in the AHL over the last few years should afford him a bit more then what he's gotten. This is his last real year with the organization and the way they've given up on him has been kind of disappointing.

 

[Mobiandi]

Yeah I wasn’t impressed with Brodie last night.

He's been quite suspect defensively for a while now

 

[Anglesmith]

I don't think Brodie has defensive issues. I think he just plays too casual sometimes.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I don't think Brodie has defensive issues. I think he just plays too casual sometimes.

Yeah I’d have to agree. I think it’s all mental with him.

 

[Lunatik]

I don't think Brodie has defensive issues. I think he just plays too casual sometimes.

I think his biggest issue is the same as any puck moving defenseman, he's constantly moving the puck so he gets picked off more and that leads to opportunities against. 99% of my complaints about him stem from giveaways. But it's like Mike Smith playing the puck, the upside is better than the downside. Brodie is top 20 in the NHL in giveaways, but when you look at the guys at the very top (Burns and Shattenkirk) at over 2 giveaways per game, Brodie's 20 in 17 really gets put into perspective.

 

[Anglesmith]

I think his biggest issue is the same as any puck moving defenseman, he's constantly moving the puck so he gets picked off more and that leads to opportunities against. 99% of my complaints about him stem from giveaways. But it's like Mike Smith playing the puck, the upside is better than the downside. Brodie is top 20 in the NHL in giveaways, but when you look at the guys at the very top (Burns and Shattenkirk) at over 2 giveaways per game, Brodie's 20 in 17 really gets put into perspective.

Actually, I don't think Brodie's issue is with his passing. What I notice is him being too casual in puck retrievals and getting caught by the forechecker in instances where he would have made things a lot easier on himself with a bit of hustle. I think what's happening is he's trying to play a relaxed and composed game, but there's a balance.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Actually, I don't think Brodie's issue is with his passing. What I notice is him being too casual in puck retrievals and getting caught by the forechecker in instances where he would have made things a lot easier on himself with a bit of hustle. I think what's happening is he's trying to play a relaxed and composed game, but there's a balance.

When he's off his game, I think it's a combination honestly. I definitely he is far to casual at times in his own end, a little more urgency wouldn't hurt him. I also think at times he makes bad breakout passes causing to many turnovers. He's still a great dman, but sometimes he makes you want to pull your hair out.