Post-Game Talk: A New Day Has Come - Split Squad - Preseason I+II - Flames at Oilers/Oilers at Flames

[McDNicks17]

Probably one of Stromes biggest detractors on HFOil and I wanted to dislike his game, but honestly I couldnt. He was consistently in the right positions and a good outlet for McDavid. I didnt focus on his skating but I would not say it was an issue. He kept up with that line. He also always gave the puck to McDavid to let him fly, pretty much what you want from a linemate of McDavid

Best thing for me was Stromes willingness to shoot. He had a nice toe drag wrist shot from far out in the 1st that really challenged the goalie. Always good to have a good outside scoring threat

It's pretty funny considering the majority of Isles fans told us he's super slow, won't go to tough areas and would never shoot haha.

I'm seeing a lot of what I loved about him in his draft year.

Hopefully he keeps it up.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

I get the feeling that Maroon wants to stay and won't hit free agency.

Side note, I didn't get to watch either game last night but could someone tell me how Strome looked? Was his foot speed as bad as Isles fans made it out to be? Is he quicker than Eberle?

Big Rig is such a sweet piece of this team. Would be awesome to see a reasonable extension.

Strome was good. Got to the blue paint and other right areas to score, noticed him taking quite a few shots. His foot speed is certainly a weaker part of his game, not terrible, but the acceleration or explosiveness is lower tier. However, he has a decent top speed when he gets there, and his positioning is good.

 

[CupofOil]

Yes I absolutely did have McAvoy #3 on my draft list. I said so in the draft threads at the time as well. He was my #3 pick behind Matthews/Laine who were the cream of the crop and McAvoy I felt was the best of the rest.

Even based on his numbers in the NCAA... McAvoy looked like he was going to be a stud.

Sorry, didn't mean to call you out. Just that it would have been a huge stretch to pick McAvoy at 3. In retrospect (although way early obviously), McAvoy would have been a homerun pick for us. Could have easily had him or Carlo and Erikkson Ek for that matter but Reinhart

 

[backhandsauce]

Thanks for all the Strome answers. I can see him out scoring Eberle this year!

 

[Canovin]

Sorry, didn't mean to call you out. Just that it would have been a huge stretch to pick McAvoy at 3. In retrospect (although way early obviously), McAvoy would have been a homerun pick for us. Could have easily had him or Carlo and Erikkson Ek for that matter but Reinhart

No one would have taken McAvoy at #3

Teams would have gotten a significant package to trade down for McAvoy

 

[McTrashBoat]

Honestly, I'll go "on record" and say the Flames waive Smith before the season starts, making Lack the starter.

now that's a ballsy prediction

that would be hilarious

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

now that's a ballsy prediction

that would be hilarious

going from all-star to passing through waivers....

I dare to dream.

The Anti-john scott

 

[Ragss]

Is there an archive of the @flames game anywhere?

 

[oobga]

Thanks for all the Strome answers. I can see him out scoring Eberle this year!

Eberle has the power of spite on his side. Might be hard for this year

 

[Aceboogie]

Godo to see JJ Khaira have a great game. Been pretty high on this guy for a while. Hes good good hands and great smarts, just the feet were in dire need of improvement. Glad to see hes improved there

Been comparing Khaira to Jankowski since 2012 and funny to see Khaira start to look like a potential important depth piece int he year Jankowski is doing so as well

 

[Aceboogie]

Has anyone made the 5mith joke yet?

 

[nexttothemoon]

No one would have taken McAvoy at #3

Teams would have gotten a significant package to trade down for McAvoy

Obviously they would have traded down to get a player that other teams ranked lower and picked up picks/players to do so.

Point being that everyone has their own draft rankings... and the scouts from various teams all don't have the same consensus rankings either. It was a fairly wide open draft after the obvious Matthews/Laine picks at #1/2.

 

[McTrashBoat]

Has anyone made the 5mith joke yet?

I'm going to give you full credit for being first

though he only gave up 4 i think

 

[McShogun99]

The Smith/Lack tandem is going to make Flames fan miss the Elliot/Johnson tandem. They should have just paid the price to acquire Fleury.

 

[CupofOil]

Obviously they would have traded down to get a player that other teams ranked lower and picked up picks/players to do so.

Point being that everyone has their own draft rankings... and the scouts from various teams all don't have the same consensus rankings either. It was a fairly wide open draft after the obvious Matthews/Laine picks at #1/2.

That's not true. It was a distinct top tier with Matthews and Laine, Pulju was a consensus #3 closer to Laine than Dubios/Tkachuk then it was pretty wide open.

 

[Mr Sakich]

one of my favourite moments of the game last night was a loose puck at the oiler blue line. Kharia and Brody start at the same time in a race to the Flames net. By the time they get to the net, Brodie is 5-6 behind and takes a slashing call on the breakaway.

Either Brodie is not fast or Kharia has picked up a step since last year.

 

[Arpeggio]

I think Puljujarvi looked okay last night. Fluffed a couple shots but he was getting in position and if he starts connecting on those he'll be fine. Defensively he was decent, I think having Jokinen on that line will probably help quite a bit.

Nugent-Hopkins looked good, seemed to be making more aggressive plays. Made a couple of beauty cross ice saucer passes in the offensive zone that he seemed to be passing up last year. It'll be interesting to see how he does on his own (no Eberle or Hall).

I liked Strome's game, he seemed to get the puck to McDavid at the right time. He seems to think the game well, and knows where to go to get open for passes. The PP is going to be dynamite this year.

Nurse looked fine to me, he just doesn't read the offensive end very well.

 

[Red Deer Rebel]

one of my favourite moments of the game last night was a loose puck at the oiler blue line. Kharia and Brody start at the same time in a race to the Flames net. By the time they get to the net, Brodie is 5-6 behind and takes a slashing call on the breakaway.

Either Brodie is not fast or Kharia has picked up a step since last year.

I was shocked by that, but my favourite moment came a little later ...

... when Yamamoto scored a highlight reel goal, and once again exposed Dougie Hamilton as a pylon in the process.

Loved it.

 

[guymez]

one of my favourite moments of the game last night was a loose puck at the oiler blue line. Kharia and Brody start at the same time in a race to the Flames net. By the time they get to the net, Brodie is 5-6 behind and takes a slashing call on the breakaway.

Either Brodie is not fast or Kharia has picked up a step since last year.

I remember that play and although the viewing angle I had wouldn't allow for me to see the angles each player had to that puck I was very surprised that Khaira was able to skate in alone.
He looked much faster to me in last nights game. I was impressed with what I saw.

Way to early to draw conclusions though but as I see in this thread that isnt stopping most posters....lol

 

[blue_n_copper]

I was at the game in Calgary. The first period was half over before I got to my seat because of the awful security lines at the Saddledome so I don't know what happened on the first Calgary goal, but for the rest of the game I liked Auvitu quite a lot. He can skate the puck up the ice very well and seems to have great offensive instincts. Besides the goal he scored which showed great anticipation to pick off the pass, he made a very dangerous pass after skating the puck into the Flames end in the second that no one was in position to tip home and in the third made another rush that really should have drawn a penalty. He didn't look too bad in his own end. Of course this was only a split squad exhibition game but I am pretty optimistic about Auvitu contributing this year.

 

[nightfighter]

My favourite moment was after the game, popping over to the flames GDT and reading about how pre-season doesn't matter (it doesn't) and how it takes 15-20 games for players to "warm up" and get going in a season. Let's hope for the flames to take a quarter of the season to "warm up". I would love that.

 

[Arpeggio]

Yamamoto is going to be given a shot to make the team. I think he'll end up in the same situation as Schremp was in his first camp, and Eberle as well. He'll get one shot on a top line, and if he does okay, he'll get a shot in the last preseason game against a close to NHL lineup, and if he excels he'll be on the team. If he looks overmatched, he'll be sent down like Schremp and Eberle were.

I think if he gets a shot on a line with either McDavid or Draisaitl, he'll have a big game. He thinks the game so well, and is capable of keeping up, which will be exaggerated playing with either of those guys.

Also, Caggiula looks silly in 91.

 

[Da McBomb]

Even the Calgary broadcasters were trying to make up excuses... saying Oilers scrimmaged alot the first few days of training camp while the Flames didn't. I also chuckled a bit when I heard them describing the Flames as an elite team.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Calgary has mediocre forwards beyond a few good ones, below average goaltending and a good (but overrated D).

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they struggled to finish as high as they did last season and instead finish out of a playoff spot in the West.

 

[Da McBomb]

Calgary has mediocre forwards beyond a few good ones, below average goaltending and a good (but overrated D).

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they struggled to finish as high as they did last season and instead finish out of a playoff spot in the West.

and then won the draft lottery!