Flint Firebirds 2023-24 Season Thread (Part One)

[Hockeypolice]

First of all, nobody wants to come to Flint. That's a fact. On the top of that, you have a coach with next to nothing experience with this league. Let's be honest...your GM was real estate agent, and his understanding of this organization's necessity is very questionable. But coach is his BFF and I have nothing against it, if that relationship brings something better and exciting than before their time. We all know, this is not the case at the moment. Birds aren't good, and they are playing with no consistency and self belief. No leadership with this group, no visible plan, no structure, and thing that concerns me the most- less people at our barn. How do we go out of this misery? Should we change players and get some of them recycled, or we find strong group of hockey people ready to give us the right direction with this team. That's why I'm against critics and nonsense about kids playing for this team. If they were PRO, I would have nothing against. But, They are here, arguably playing the best JR. leauge in the world, and they are still powered by love for the game. Those with better structured (and coached) teams are able to show more of their undoubted potential, and other are trying to stay as competitive as possible. That's why major junior hockey is so unpredictable and great to be around. Enjoy your privilege to have JR. team at your door step while is still here.

 

[Savard18]

First of all, nobody wants to come to Flint. That's a fact. On the top of that, you have a coach with next to nothing experience with this league. Let's be honest...your GM was real estate agent, and his understanding of this organization's necessity is very questionable. But coach is his BFF and I have nothing against it, if that relationship brings something better and exciting than before their time. We all know, this is not the case at the moment. Birds aren't good, and they are playing with no consistency and self belief. No leadership with this group, no visible plan, no structure, and thing that concerns me the most- less people at our barn. How do we go out of this misery? Should we change players and get some of them recycled, or we find strong group of hockey people ready to give us the right direction with this team. That's why I'm against critics and nonsense about kids playing for this team. If they were PRO, I would have nothing against. But, They are here, arguably playing the best JR. leauge in the world, and they are still powered by love for the game. Those with better structured (and coached) teams are able to show more of their undoubted potential, and other are trying to stay as competitive as possible. That's why major junior hockey is so unpredictable and great to be around. Enjoy your privilege to have JR. team at your door step while is still here.

I don’t really disagree with this. I’m not sold on Flache yet but things were a no structure nightmare under Ouhlahen and he’s doing ok in NB just a short time after. Wellwood had virtually no experience either. This is where good HC’s start. Is Flache one of them? I’m not sure. This might be McParlan’s first go as a GM and I seriously question his direction and thought process on some of his moves but he’s been around for awhile and I have full faith in these scouts and his ability to lead the draft. Wasn’t McParlan on staff in Plymouth even? Wasn’t he was head scout when (HOF Dirtbag) Terry Christensen had this draft…?
1. Tristan Bertucci
2. James Petrovski
3. Ethan Hay
3. Nathan Day
4. Owen Pitters
5. Nathan Williams (did NOT pan out)
6. Daks Klinkhammer
7. Matthew Wang
9. Dylan Lariviere (Jr. A kid didn’t sign)
10. Cooper Rautenstrauch (US Goalie)
11. Andrew Strathmann (NHL Drafted US kid)
12. Brandon Svoboda (NHL Drafted US kid)
13. Charlie Kinsman (US kid)
14. Connor Gengle (US kid)
15. William Stewart (Traded for picks)
15. Dylan Bly (Traded for picks)
That’s a really solid draft considering Flint is a bit handicapped having to go after kids that will sign. I know Joe Stefan was around for that and still wish he was here but THAT should have been the core to build around until Dent and McParlan began to dismantle it. I do agree building this team’s reputation would be quicker with big name, experienced personnel but it can be done with guy’s building their careers too. Is that McParlan and Flache? I have serious doubts after this year. The players should never be on this site and I’m sure they’ve been told that and mostly stay away if not completely. They are gonna get criticized on here though. I mean, what’s the point of the forum if it’s all sunshine and high-fives? Do I myself and others get too harsh at times? Yup. I could be a little better. Some kids don’t develop though when others in the exact same situation have taken major strides. Some clearly aren’t cut out for this level or are roster fillers who will never move to the next level. This isn’t AA bantam. It’s OHL hockey with sold out 9,000 seat arenas and $900 season tickets. This is where youth hockey ends and it gets real.

I’m assuming Rylan Fellinger must have some type of injury to not be in the lineup? If they’re gonna call up Mason Taylor, get the kid at least a couple shifts a night too.

 

[N Da No]

It STARTS at the TOP when it comes to being SUCCESSFUL .....

Nilsen, Torrey and McParlan

Garber, Goslin, Osgood, Devellano and Drinkill

Something seems to be MISSING in Flint and YOU know what the PROBLEM has been since Day 1

One's going to the MEMORIAL Cup and the other one will be holding a MEMORIAL

 

[Savard18]

It STARTS at the TOP when it comes to being SUCCESSFUL .....

Nilsen, Torrey and McParlan

Garber, Goslin, Osgood, Devellano and Drinkill

Something seems to be MISSING in Flint and YOU know what the PROBLEM has been since Day 1

One's going to the MEMORIAL Cup and the other one will be holding a MEMORIAL

It took Nilsen and Flint 5 years to go as far into the playoffs as Saginaw has in over 20.

 

[uDunnoNEthing]

It STARTS at the TOP when it comes to being SUCCESSFUL .....

Nilsen, Torrey and McParlan

Garber, Goslin, Osgood, Devellano and Drinkill

Something seems to be MISSING in Flint and YOU know what the PROBLEM has been since Day 1

One's going to the MEMORIAL Cup and the other one will be holding a MEMORIAL

It’s amazing you come back and say the exact same thing over and over, without saying anything new, ever.

Rinse and repeat saying the same thing for 5 years.

Do you just copy and paste everything?

When’s the ECHL coming? I’m waiting for it.

 

[Agent 53]

Cavallin in net for the Marlies on NHL network

 

[N Da No]

It’s amazing you come back and say the exact same thing over and over, without saying anything new, ever.

Rinse and repeat saying the same thing for 5 years.

Do you just copy and paste everything?

When’s the ECHL coming? I’m waiting for it.

It took Nilsen and Flint 5 years to go as far into the playoffs as Saginaw has in over 20.

It’s amazing you come back and say the exact same thing over and over, without saying anything new, ever.

Rinse and repeat saying the same thing for 5 years.

Do you just copy and paste everything?

When’s the ECHL coming? I’m waiting for it.

It took Nilsen and Flint 5 years to go as far into the playoffs as Saginaw has in over 20.

SNAP out of it, are YOU attempting to defend Nilsen? When it comes down to it he is the major reason why players don't want to play in Flint. It is well known, just ask scouts and player agents around the OHL.

 

[Savard18]

SNAP out of it, are YOU attempting to defend Nilsen? When it comes down to it he is the major reason why players don't want to play in Flint. It is well known, just ask scouts and player agents around the OHL.

I love Rolf!!! He’s the entire reason there’s OHL hockey in Flint and not that NAHL on the way to a D3 school hockey. Plus the arena is so much nicer now. All thanks to Mr Nilsen!!!

 

[uDunnoNEthing]

SNAP out of it, are YOU attempting to defend Nilsen? When it comes down to it he is the major reason why players don't want to play in Flint. It is well known, just ask scouts and player agents around the OHL.

You know absolutely nothing.

Pure propaganda machine.

 

[MJ5]

3-0 week without with 2 of your top players, Brown was solid tonight.

 

[Savard18]

Well, another W that wasn’t pretty but I looked it up and those count just as much as the beautiful ones. 5 straight and 2 straight at home. Great to see them finally get a W at home in front of a sold-out crowd. Really happy for all the boys. Another good game from Brown. Biggest goal of J.Lo’s OHL career so far in OT was nice. Kostov is finally looking like the Kostov I was expecting. With any luck he’ll continue progressing into the Kostov I was HOPING for. Anybody notice that Erie has been limping along with goalies the Firebirds have loaned them? Boe Piroski the other night and tonight Ethan Fraser. Did they actually sign Fraser though? I’m not sure if he was or he’s just on the 50 man protected list. Solid results against some struggling teams lately. Let’s see how they do next week vs 3 tops teams and two Division leaders. If they come away with even 2-3 points I’d consider it a successful week.

 

[MJ5]

Well, another W that wasn’t pretty but I looked it up and those count just as much as the beautiful ones. 5 straight and 2 straight at home. Great to see them finally get a W at home in front of a sold-out crowd. Really happy for all the boys. Another good game from Brown. Biggest goal of J.Lo’s OHL career so far in OT was nice. Kostov is finally looking like the Kostov I was expecting. With any luck he’ll continue progressing into the Kostov I was HOPING for. Anybody notice that Erie has been limping along with goalies the Firebirds have loaned them? Boe Piroski the other night and tonight Ethan Fraser. Did they actually sign Fraser though? I’m not sure if he was or he’s just on the 50 man protected list. Solid results against some struggling teams lately. Let’s see how they do next week vs 3 tops teams and two Division leaders. If they come away with even 2-3 points I’d consider it a successful week.

Kostov was better, still makes some terrible decisions with the puck. And the penalty 150 feet from our net to make it a 5 on 3, gotta be smarter there, wasnt even a questionable call, clear as day trip. That was a long 1:40 5 on 3 PK, Brown was huge.

 

[N Da No]

YOU obviously don't REALLY know what is happening .......

Click the Rolf Nilsen link and ask YOURSELF why the OHL is allowing this to happen?

Staff Directory - Flint Firebirds

Staff Directory

chl.ca

TRUST me this is NOT Propaganda.

 

[Gensdef]

Looks like people dont mind the owner. Average attendance is the highest of any season 3085 average. Over 4000 last game.

 

[MJ5]

Looks like people dont mind the owner. Average attendance is the highest of any season 3085 average. Over 4000 last game.

Dont let facts get in the way of their propaganda.

Their narrative doesn't work that way.

Great crowd last night, like Savard said, glad they finally got a W in front of a almost full building.

 

[HockeyPops]

She talks in riddles, and so at the end of the day for all her bluster she says nothing at all. I can't remember her making one concrete statement of fact. And for someone like myself removed from any talk around the rink, I have no idea what these vague accusations are really all about.

 

[uDunnoNEthing]

She talks in riddles, and so at the end of the day for all her bluster she says nothing at all. I can't remember her making one concrete statement of fact. And for someone like myself removed from any talk around the rink, I have no idea what these vague accusations are really all about.

Amazing that outsiders see right through her BS as well.

She’s never been correct about anything. 0 for 28462.

Just tells everyone to go talk to agents, and everything she provides is wrong.

If I was wrong about this much, I’d learn to shut up after awhile.

 

[N Da No]

Don't Go too CRAZY over a win over one of the WORST Teams in the OHL

Flint hasn't won a game at home against a current Top 4 team since October

Of it's 7 wins at home they include Saginaw Missy, Niagara, Peterborough, Owen Sound, Sarnia and Windsor. In the rest of their home games they sport a 0-14-2-1 record.

This team is way BETTER on the road then having to play in front of the GREAT fans in Flint and that is not PROPAGANDA.

 

[Savard18]

Don't Go too CRAZY over a win over one of the WORST Teams in the OHL

Flint hasn't won a game at home against a current Top 4 team since October

Of it's 7 wins at home they include Saginaw Missy, Niagara, Peterborough, Owen Sound, Sarnia and Windsor. In the rest of their home games they sport a 0-14-2-1 record.

This team is way BETTER on the road then having to play in front of the GREAT fans in Flint and that is not PROPAGANDA.

Sold. Out. Arena. Even during those losses all of us fans have had such good times and made great memories in that arena over the last 8 years. So glad I’m not just sitting at home being bitter. P.S. since the Firebirds have been in Flint they have 15 playoff wins. Your beloved Red Wings have 1.

 

[N Da No]

Sold. Out. Arena. Even during those losses all of us fans have had such good times and made great memories in that arena over the last 8 years. So glad I’m not just sitting at home being bitter. P.S. since the Firebirds have been in Flint they have 15 playoff wins. Your beloved Red Wings have 1.

Give credit to the fans as I mentioned the GREAT fans in Flint in my previous post. I am a bit surprised that you failed to mention that the Firebirds are on pace to have their best season attendance wise since landing in Flint despite of the dismal record that they have had this season on home ice. Were you not aware of that?

No one is bitter for I'm sure that you can attest that life is too short to be bitter. The fact is that Flint is at a disadvantage especially in attracting top talent because of the the man who brought the team to Flint.

I don't know where you got the idea that I consider the Red Wings to be "beloved to me." Fact be known, we've had a place in SW Florida since 2002 (right in Rolf's own backyard) and have had season tickets to the Florida Everblades for over 20 years. Are you aware that just over the last two years that they have 32 playoff wins and two Kelly Cups? We're all pretty proud of those back to back championships.......To set the record straight, I guess that you could really call them my "beloved" team.

 

[FireBird71]

Sold. Out. Arena. Even during those losses all of us fans have had such good times and made great memories in that arena over the last 8 years. So glad I’m not just sitting at home being bitter. P.S. since the Firebirds have been in Flint they have 15 playoff wins. Your beloved Red Wings have 1.

Now I know you’re not comparing any era of hockey in Flint to the Red Wings?

 

[MJ5]

 

[Savard18]

Now I know you’re not comparing any era of hockey in Flint to the Red Wings?

Just responding to her attack on the ‘Birds results so far this year. It is fact though. The Firebirds have 15 playoff wins so far. The Wings have won one playoff game in that timeframe and they had two extra years of playoffs that the ‘Birds didn’t. That number would surely be a bit higher if 19-20 wasn’t cut short. As far as the ECHL goes? Meh. We’ve seen more future NHL stars in any one single Firebirds’ season that you’ll see in all those 20 years of ECHL hockey. I have little interest in going to see grown men who make less money than me watch their NHL dreams fade away. It’s decent hockey and I’m sure many of us would take that level of pay to have a career playing a game we love but I wouldn’t be a STH for an ECHL team here. I’d just drive down to Plymouth more often.

 

[AnotherDimwit]

Honestly OHL is the best Flint can hope for. ECHL is ok, but talent wise, jr hockey is the closest to NHL we’ll see. Maybe the old Generals, but in my lifetime with the UHL Generals the Firebirds are far superior.

Extension wise I can live with it. I was happy with McParlan until the deadline, when his moves were confusing.(Prior to the deadline) He got more Picks in deals than ever remember Flint getting. Flache has been fine, they’ve obviously been at least competitive which was more than we can say with Dent’s games. We just need some consistency. Let’s see what they can do with a full cycle from rebuild to hopefully a contender.

 

[Gensdef]

Like the stablilty the extension gives the organization. Just not sure the coach and GM have shown us enough to do it now.