GDT: Panthers at Flames: Why do they hate us?

[Gentle Man]

What do you mean

I thought Harper was coming up meaning we had a roster spot open meaning no Bolland......

i took 10 leaps

 

[batting1k]

I thought Harper was coming up meaning we had a roster spot open meaning no Bolland......

i took 10 leaps

Oh haha, no. Haven't heard anything recently regarding Bolland...he's still being scratched every game. I'm implying that if the decision is made is send Shaw or Knight back, that opens a spot for Harper if he is in fact going to be called up. I'm told he's on the list...not sure if that means he's at the top, 2nd, or 3rd, but he's gotta be near the top considering the season he's having (and the ones he's had in the past).

 

[Brokin]

Oh haha, no. Haven't heard anything recently regarding Bolland...he's still being scratched every game. I'm implying that if the decision is made is send Shaw or Knight back, that opens a spot for Harper if he is in fact going to be called up. I'm told he's on the list...not sure if that means he's at the top, 2nd, or 3rd, but he's gotta be near the top considering the season he's having (and the ones he's had in the past).

In what I've seen of Harper he is definitely a pass first guy. I'm surprised that he doesn't shoot more after last season's career goal year, but he definitely has the skills to be a fine distributor in the NHL and I'd buy into the fact that you see he's called up next. He's much faster than JJ, and would add a dimension of playmaking from the wing to Bjugs line.

 

[batting1k]

In what I've seen of Harper he is definitely a pass first guy. I'm surprised that he doesn't shoot more after last season's career goal year, but he definitely has the skills to be a fine distributor in the NHL and I'd buy into the fact that you see he's called up next. He's much faster than JJ, and would add a dimension of playmaking from the wing to Bjugs line.

Agreed. He's currently playing with Grimaldi and Rau who both have no issue shooting the puck, so that may be why he's got more assists already this season than all of last season. I wouldn't say his 32 goals were a fluke though because I think he has the ability to score goals fairly regularly if you put him with the right guys...I'm not sure who he was with when he played for the Wolves last season. I honestly see him as a perfect fit for the 3rd line and way more than Shaw. In my opinion, shaw should be on the 4th line wing and Knight can take over for MacKenzie when he's gone. Bjugstad needs a playmaker and he doesn't have that right now.

 

[Brokin]

Agreed. He's currently playing with Grimaldi and Rau who both have no issue shooting the puck, so that may be why he's got more assists already this season than all of last season. I wouldn't say his 32 goals were a fluke though because I think he has the ability to score goals fairly regularly if you put him with the right guys...I'm not sure who he was with when he played for the Wolves last season. I honestly see him as a perfect fit for the 3rd line and way more than Shaw. In my opinion, shaw should be on the 4th line wing and Knight can take over for MacKenzie when he's gone. Bjugstad needs a playmaker and he doesn't have that right now.

I see Shaw headed back to the AHL, as I see Knight being kept as the rotating player with Thornton. That 4th line needs Howden/Mac on a consistent basis, and if Harper is brought up he will work with Bjugs/Pirri. If that doesn't pan out then I could see Bjugs moving to wing after the ASG with either Pirri or Knight centering the 3rd line. As I said earlier, I see Bjugs continuing to struggle to get his form back. It's extremely difficult for him to focus until he gets his mind settled as to what to expect from the timing of these migraines going forward.

A guy to keep an eye on is McFarland who has caught fire the last 4 or 5 games and is quietly have his best season. He's got all the tools and speed, it's just a matter of him putting it all together.

ps: I'm not a big fan of putting Rocco and Rau together except in OT. This may sound petty, but these guys didn't exactly like each other in college and I think it's probably carried over to the pro game. Since they have been paired, Rau has been getting very few opportunities from Grimaldi who chooses to shoot or dish to Harper.

 

[batting1k]

I see Shaw headed back to the AHL, as I see Knight being kept as the rotating player with Thornton. That 4th line needs Howden/Mac on a consistent basis, and if Harper is brought up he will work with Bjugs/Pirri. If that doesn't pan out then I could see Bjugs moving to wing after the ASG with either Pirri or Knight centering the 3rd line. As I said earlier, I see Bjugs continuing to struggle to get his form back. It's extremely difficult for him to focus until he gets his mind settled as to what to expect from the timing of these migraines going forward.

A guy to keep an eye on is McFarland who has caught fire the last 4 or 5 games and is quietly have his best season. He's got all the tools and speed, it's just a matter of him putting it all together.

I've been impressed with McFarland...already reached a career high in goals this season and is nearing a career high in points.

From people I've talked to, I don't see Bjugstad moving to the wing, although I'd personally love to see it happen. Supposedly Bjugstad isn't a big fan of playing on the wing, but I don't know if that's true or not so I can't say for sure.

 

[Brokin]

I've been impressed with McFarland...already reached a career high in goals this season and is nearing a career high in points.

From people I've talked to, I don't see Bjugstad moving to the wing, although I'd personally love to see it happen. Supposedly Bjugstad isn't a big fan of playing on the wing, but I don't know if that's true or not so I can't say for sure.

Nick got his way as in college with Rau, he was the center. It's going to be tough for Nick to get the #2 centering job back from Vince unless there is an injury or Trocheck's game falls off a cliff.

At some point he will have to accept the fact that his best assets are served on the wing in the pro game. To keep a centering job at the pro level he's going to have get back to the previous success in the FO circle prior to the migraines. The other weakness' in his game can be overlooked if he can score and win FO's. If neither of those happen and Nick is going to be a malcontent at wing, then he will probably request a trade. The dynamics of an NHL roster change very quickly as opportunistic prospects seize the moment.

Tallon being the hard head that he is will not let Nick go to the wing without a fight. One thing is very clear about Dale's stubborn streak is that he is loyal to a fault to players he has drafted based on his blueprint for success.

 

[Ghoste]

I've been impressed with McFarland...already reached a career high in goals this season and is nearing a career high in points.

From people I've talked to, I don't see Bjugstad moving to the wing, although I'd personally love to see it happen. Supposedly Bjugstad isn't a big fan of playing on the wing, but I don't know if that's true or not so I can't say for sure.

Yeah, some of McFarland goals have been beauties. He's absolutely flying. Pulling for the kid.

-ghoste

 

[vendetta]

Let's not kid ourselves... nick>trocheck... nick is the 2nd line center... and will be going forward... when nick gets his game back in a few more games I'm guessing tro gets put back to wimg... he really hasn't been that great lately anyway and certainly hasn't been soooooooooo amazing that he has cemented himself as a centre... 2nd line will probably look like tro-bjugs-smith when everyone's going and 100%

 

[Brokin]

Let's not kid ourselves... nick>trocheck... nick is the 2nd line center... and will be going forward... when nick gets his game back in a few more games I'm guessing tro gets put back to wimg... he really hasn't been that great lately anyway and certainly hasn't been soooooooooo amazing that he has cemented himself as a centre... 2nd line will probably look like tro-bjugs-smith when everyone's going and 100%

I can't help it, I'm going to continue to kid myself.

Nick can't even come close to providing the synergy to Smith and Jokinen that Vince does. Gallant would have to be a moron to change things at this point. But then again, I've called Gallant a dunce in the past.

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

I will never forget my first live Panthers game. Was like 1-2 sections away from the Jagrs. That was cool I guess.

My entire family consisted of Flames fans. RIP me.

Why your first ?

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

What we will see though as the stakes start to get higher for this team, is that some players will get more heat than before. Players won't be able to get away with floating around the perimeter for 4 games, and then have one good game and everyone is thinking he is a net positive for the team. When players have repeated ghasly turnovers (I'm looking at you Jokinen!), they will get much more heat about their overall play than before.

 

[BeezKnees]

What we will see though as the stakes start to get higher for this team, is that some players will get more heat than before. Players won't be able to get away with floating around the perimeter for 4 games, and then have one good game and everyone is thinking he is a net positive for the team. When players have repeated ghasly turnovers (I'm looking at you Jokinen!), they will get much more heat about their overall play than before.

From who?

 

[BeezKnees]

Let's not kid ourselves... nick>trocheck... nick is the 2nd line center... and will be going forward... when nick gets his game back in a few more games I'm guessing tro gets put back to wimg... he really hasn't been that great lately anyway and certainly hasn't been soooooooooo amazing that he has cemented himself as a centre... 2nd line will probably look like tro-bjugs-smith when everyone's going and 100%

I agree ^
I love how Bjugstad shakes some rust in a very limited role (after missing a month?+) and now people are crying for him to be traded/ demoted/ change positions. Just have some patience. He'll be one of our best players again when he returns to form.

 

[Gentle Man]

The problem with going Trocheck-Bjugstad-Smith is you then alienate Jokinen.

Jokinen isnt effective without decent linemates and he and Pirri dont work.

Jokinen Knight Pirri will not work.

Jokinen and Trocheck has had chemistry together all year, even before Bjugstad's injury.

And Pirri-Bjugstad-Smith has never worked..

Moving Trocheck to the wing honestly creates more problems than it solves.

The simplest, yet hardest thing to do is to get a new winger for Bjugstad.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

From who?

From fans/posters on this board.

 

[BeezKnees]

The problem with going Trocheck-Bjugstad-Smith is you then alienate Jokinen.

Jokinen isnt effective without decent linemates and he and Pirri dont work.

Jokinen Knight Pirri will not work.

Jokinen and Trocheck has had chemistry together all year, even before Bjugstad's injury.

And Pirri-Bjugstad-Smith has never worked..

Moving Trocheck to the wing honestly creates more problems than it solves.

The simplest, yet hardest thing to do is to get a new winger for Bjugstad.

I think just swap Bjugstad and Tro.

Jokinen-Bjug-Smith
Pirri-Tro-Knight/Shaw

 

[VerhaegheAintAverage]

Yeah, some of McFarland goals have been beauties. He's absolutely flying. Pulling for the kid.

-ghoste

I'm really glad to hear this. I've been hoping he'll start reaching his potential for ages!

 

[I am not exposed]

The problem with going Trocheck-Bjugstad-Smith is you then alienate Jokinen.

Jokinen isnt effective without decent linemates and he and Pirri dont work.

Jokinen Knight Pirri will not work.

Jokinen and Trocheck has had chemistry together all year, even before Bjugstad's injury.

And Pirri-Bjugstad-Smith has never worked..

Moving Trocheck to the wing honestly creates more problems than it solves.

The simplest, yet hardest thing to do is to get a new winger for Bjugstad.

Rau.

 

[I am not exposed]

I agree ^
I love how Bjugstad shakes some rust in a very limited role (after missing a month?+) and now people are crying for him to be traded/ demoted/ change positions. Just have some patience. He'll be one of our best players again when he returns to form.

Agreed!

A few so-so games after coming back from injury, and a bunch of people want him traded!

If it was down to people on this board, every player on this team would have already been traded!

 

[I am not exposed]

From fans/posters on this board.

There has been plenty of that when we have been bad!

 

[Beezeral]

While this loss was predicted and people are pissed. It's not just this loss. We've been bad the whole road trip and last couple games at home. We've just been getting really great goaltending and lucky goals. Now it's time to show up and show were not frauds

A standard definition of a lucky goal really needs to be created.

Converting on your great chances during a bad team game isn't 'luck'. just because a team converted on a high percentage of great chances, doesn't mean the team is lucky, it means good players are finding the back of the net.

A luck goal is a goal that requires an unintended bounce/redirection/etc to eventually end up in the back of the net. Goals like Trocheck's goal against the NYR where a rebound bounces off his skate and goes into the net, or Saad's goal from behind the goal line, or Calgary's 2nd goal are 'luck'.

Yes the team was playing poorly in the 4 games leading up to the loss against VAN, but the goals they were scoring were pretty much all "good" goals.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

I wouldn't be against swapping Vinny and Bjugstad. I think Vinny has chemistry with more players than Bjugstad does. Trocheck and Pirri have been put together before and maybe with Shaw oh that line there will hopefully be more of a defensive aspect added to that line.

If we get throttled by Tampa Bay with the same forward lines as it was in Calgary, then I expect Gallant to mix around all lines except the Barkov line.

 

[Gentle Man]

I wouldn't be against swapping Vinny and Bjugstad. I think Vinny has chemistry with more players than Bjugstad does. Trocheck and Pirri have been put together before and maybe with Shaw oh that line there will hopefully be more of a defensive aspect added to that line.

If we get throttled by Tampa Bay with the same forward lines as it was in Calgary, then I expect Gallant to mix around all lines except the Barkov line.

If the lines get juggled, Trocheck needs to be with jokinen.

So maybe Jokinen Trocheck Pirri

so then x-bjugstad- smith is a line

X right now would be a shaw or Howden, which wont work.

X needs to be upgraded

 

[Mogo]

We need to get Smith-Bjugstad together. Pirri needs to sit. I'd rather see Thornton out there. He might even be faster

Call up Harper or Rau

Harper/Rau-Bjugstad-Smith
Jokinen-Trocheck-Shaw
Howden-MacK-Knight

Tallon needs to work some magic and trade Pirri + pick/prospect for even a rental for top 6