Prospect Info: Prospect Tournament

[InfinityIggy]

No we actually do. Our guys are just extremely underrated. Kulak and Culkin play fairly similar styles, they are both steady in their own and are both more than competent moving the puck up the ice and play a smart game. We don't have any high profile, sexy defensive prospects, but that doesn't mean our guys cannot get the job done. I really think after this season that we will see our guys continue to grow and develop, then our depth in that area is going to look much, much better. I also think Kulak, Culkin, and Roy's games will see significant jumps in production.

I would say we have a very average group of defensive prospects. Wotherspoon and Sieloff are nice to have but they look more like 2nd pair guys. Kulak and Culkin, bottom pair with the possibility to improve to a 2nd pairing type of projection, if their very different games improve.

Outside of that we have Breen, a bit of a wildcard but probably a #5, #6 guy. Cundari, who, while interesting also don't really project to top pairing. Ramage again unlikely to ever be more than a middle pairing guy, and I say that liking him quite a lot.

Some guys further out are Kanzig and Roy.

In short, we are missing a top-level D prospect. If we had one, we would be looking at a really well rounded group.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

Make up your mind man, they're either good or bad.

You don't think Kulak's growth was decent as an offensive dman? He almost doubled his point total from last year, on an atrocious team at that. The same with Culkin, not sure why he is so underrated around here, but he also had a pretty solid season, nice jump from his draft season to post draft.

You can argue all you want, but Culkin, Kulak, Wotherspoon all have a very good transition game, you don't need six-seven good puck movers, you need the steady guys like Sieloff and Ramage aswell.

Lastly, what team is missing more key players then us? Gaudreau, Jankowski, Agostino, that's essentially another top six line, Gillies, who would probably be starting.

Oh, San Jose is definitely bad. I just hadn't seen the roster before taking a shot at how they'd do, but nearly all their best players are gone. San Jose is going to have an ugly team.

I just haven't seen anything great from Culkin and Kulak that would make me consider them high end defensive prospects. Maybe they are solid in their own right, or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough, but the impression I always got was that they were mediocre defenders with slight offensive upsides. Seems like we just have a lot of the "steady" Sieloff and Ramage types.

As far as teams missing more key players than us, Calgary is actually not doing too poorly - Edmonton and San Jose are both missing lots of important guys (Edmonton will probably be far and away the worst team at the tournament, even factoring in their defense), and Vancouver and Winnipeg seem to be in the same boat as us.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

I would say we have a very average group of defensive prospects. Wotherspoon and Sieloff are nice to have but they look more like 2nd pair guys. Kulak and Culkin, bottom pair with the possibility to improve to a 2nd pairing type of projection, if their very different games improve.

Outside of that we have Breen, a bit of a wildcard but probably a #5, #6 guy. Cundari, who, while interesting also don't really project to top pairing. Ramage again unlikely to ever be more than a middle pairing guy, and I say that liking him quite a lot.

Some guys further out are Kanzig and Roy.

In short, we are missing a top-level D prospect. If we had one, we would be looking at a really well rounded group.

This. We just don't have high-end defensive talent like other teams do.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

I think thats what people are missing here. Culkin is a decent puck mover. I think he is similar to Wotherspoon in that respect. He plays more of a defensive game, but can skate well.

Kulak on the other hand is very offensively oriented. Reminds me a ton of Brodie actually. Brodie has the skating advantage, but Kulak has the shot imo. Poor defensive game in Jr aswell, however Brodie played on the Barrie Colts(In his final season), with Alex Pietrangelo. Kulak played on one of the worst teams in the CHL.

I hope you're right - I haven't spent a lot of time watching their development but I'd always gotten the impression that they were so-so players. If Kulak and Culkin are ready to step up and take big shots, you won't find a happier person. That being said, I just haven't gotten that impression from the two of them.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

That's probably fair, Kulak plays a more offensive game similar to Brodie and Culkin does play a fairly similar game to Wotherspoon. Culkin is the larger of the two as well. What I was referring to is, they both play a smart game, they're fairly solid in their own end, skate well and move the puck well. On paper Kulak may seem like he's quite a bit worse defensively, but I think that's a large part to do with the team he played on. I still view both these guys as having top 4 upside if they hit it. They got 44, and 45 points last year so their production was fairly close, obviously Kulak's numbers are more impressive given his situation.

 

[InfinityIggy]

That's probably fair, Kulak plays a more offensive game similar to Brodie and Culkin does play a fairly similar game to Wotherspoon. Culkin is the larger of the two as well. What I was referring to is, they both play a smart game, they're fairly solid in their own end, skate well and move the puck well. On paper Kulak may seem like he's quite a bit worse defensively, but I think that's a large part to do with the team he played on. I still view both these guys as having top 4 upside if they hit it. They got 44, and 45 points last year so their production was fairly close, obviously Kulak's numbers are more impressive given his situation.

Its funny how Kulak and Culkin always seem to get lumped together I wonder if its just because of the phonetics of their names.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Its funny how Kulak and Culkin always seem to get lumped together I wonder if its just because of the phonetics of their names.

It is! They will probably be playing on the same pairing.

I also view them as very similar in regards to what kind of caliber prospect they are, very similar upside, likely both a decent #4 if they reach their potential.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

It would be greatly satisfying to me if Kulak/Culkin ended up as a long-term pairing for the Flames, for the names alone.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

It would be greatly satisfying to me if Kulak/Culkin ended up as a long-term pairing for the Flames, for the names alone.

Those poor play-by-play announcers...

 

[Ace Rimmer]

It would be greatly satisfying to me if Kulak/Culkin ended up as a long-term pairing for the Flames, for the names alone.

And Kanzig

 

[MarkGio]

Nobody had Brodie pegged as an elite prospect when drafted. Defensemen and Goalies are probably the biggest role of the dice unknowns. If our guys keep getting better, who knows what their ceiling is.

Their only job is to shut this tourny down, old school. Yolo!

 

[Anglesmith]

Nobody had Brodie pegged as an elite prospect when drafted. Defensemen and Goalies are probably the biggest role of the dice unknowns. If our guys keep getting better, who knows what their ceiling is.

Their only job is to shut this tourny down, old school. Yolo!

Vomit.

I agree. No point trying to figure out where these guys are going to top out or when.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

The tournament starts in four days, I'm stoked! Will the Flames website stream this?

Hopefully Kanzig and Sieloff put the Oilers in their place.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

As per the Flames website, Granlund has gained 20lbs over the last 2 years and really improved his skating. They feel he already has a pro level shot and like his playmaking skills. I'm really interested to see how he does. They also view Culkin as having a good shot to turn pro.

TFG, I'm almost positive all games will be streamed.

 

[MarkGio]

Yeah it should be on the Flames official website

 

[tmurfin]

Sorry if I'm late to the party or something, but what's the news on the saddledome and training camp? Haven't kept up too much lately

 

[InfinityIggy]

Nobody had Brodie pegged as an elite prospect when drafted. Defensemen and Goalies are probably the biggest role of the dice unknowns. If our guys keep getting better, who knows what their ceiling is.

Their only job is to shut this tourny down, old school. Yolo!

Brodie is an exception to the rule.

 

[MarkGio]

Brodie is an exception to the rule.

What rule?

I always thought the draft was a numbers game and you never know how a player turns out.

 

[HighLifeMan]

By the looks of things we have added two more free agents to the tournament roster

Dylan Smoskowitz
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=62587

Andy Taranto
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=37901

 

[MarkGio]

Both guys shoot right, which could really improve our depth down the right wing. Taranto obviously had a better career and is more developed, but at 25 yrs old, he's either close to being a legit pro or not at all. I'm excited at both coming in to this tourney and earning a contract.

 

[Trae]

Klimchuk injured (2-4 weeks) and Ryan Howse suspended for not showing up, whaaaaaat?!

 

[MarkGio]

Well the Klimchuck injury is a shame. The Howse thing isn't a big loss

 

[TylerSVT*]

Looking forward to Knight, Sven, Monahan and Poirier.

Would have loved to see Gaudreau there (dont care about Jankowski)

 

[HighLifeMan]

That is too bad about Klimchuk.
I was really looking forward to seeing what he could do. Hopefully he has a speedy recovery and makes it back for the Pats before the season opener on the 19th

 

[488fitter]

Can anyone take a decent stab at what your lines will look like now? Much appreciated.