Speculation: Armchair GM Thread - 2019/20 Season

[crackdown44]

Does that mean Risto has to go to Anaheim? They’re the only team without an advanced stats person/team

 

[DCDM]

Does that mean Risto has to go to Anaheim? They’re the only team without an advanced stats person/team

I thought that was Dallas Eakins' whole shtick.

 

[Mobiandi]

Risto is overhated. He's not a 25 min a night 1st pairing Dman like he's played in Buffalo but he'd be a fine addition to the backend given how starved for offense we tend to be most years. The question, of course, is what would be going back to Buffalo but he seems like one of those players that would excel when played properly on a team with depth

 

[crackdown44]

I thought that was Dallas Eakins' whole shtick.

I can’t remember which game I was watching but sometime this week Burke and Friedman got on the topic during a panel discussion during the intermission and I’m pretty sure that they said Anaheim is the only team without an analytics department. Maybe Eakins does some stuff on his own?

This was pretty recent though

 

[Rubi]

I was hoping for some kind of announcement this week of a big trade to shake up the Flames roster and improve scoring...

But no... nothing... nada... zip.

Sheesh. You would think any half competent GM should be able to multi-task. Well its Friday now so I guess I'll just hope for something to be announced next week.

 

[Nanuuk]

I think it would be prudent to see how the team responds to the new Head Coach and Conroy/Gelinas on the bench. I wouldn't be surprised to see a systems tweak as well. If Tre does make a trade this close to Christmas I'd pick a single guy rather than a family man.

 

[super6646]

I think it would be prudent to see how the team responds to the new Head Coach and Conroy/Gelinas on the bench. I wouldn't be surprised to see a systems tweak as well. If Tre does make a trade this close to Christmas I'd pick a single guy rather than a family man.

I think @Rubi was being sarcastic.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Burke: Flames halted trade talks on Ristolainen based on analytics

“We were thinking about making a trade for him in Calgary,” Brian Burke, the former president of hockey operations for the Flames, said last week during a panel discussion in Toronto. “And we actually got several phone calls into this trade, and our analytics guy said, ‘You guys are out of your minds.'”

 

[super6646]

Burke: Flames halted trade talks on Ristolainen based on analytics

Hope he said the same thing about the bad deal James Neal.

 

[Nanuuk]

Hope he said the same thing about the bad deal James Neal.

On the contrary. I suspect that analytics played a part in giving the ok to the deal.

Lucic's possession stats are way ahead of Neals. Right now Neal is -15 with Corsi For % of 48.1 at even strength with over 60% of his starts in the OZone. He averages 16:26 of ice time. Neal has 17 points

Looch is -7 with a Corsi For % of 53.5 at even strength with 51.5 % of his starts in the DZone. He averages 12:32 of ice time. Lucic has 4 points.

Edmonton is retaining salary on Looch (750k) and Calgary will get a 2020 3rd round pick.

So, for a 13 point gap, I'll take the cap relief and pick any day.

 

[Kranix]

Looch has been good. As long as you're not expecting Looch from 2005, he'll pleasantly surprise.

 

[Khrox]

Looch has been good. As long as you're not expecting Looch from 2005, he'll pleasantly surprise.

I'm okay with Looch. The contract kind of sucks but given that it was 3rd line Neal (which we saw how good that was last year) or 3rd/4th line Looch (who actually plays a game that works in that role), I'll take the player who at least fills that role.

Looch was a disappointment in Edmonton, because they were expecting (and he got paid) to be a top 6 power forward who should have gotten 20+ goals 50+ points a year. We acquired him to be a physical presence, who gives a crap, doesn't *cost* us games we should be winning, and if he chips in 10 goals 20 points, cool.

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

I actually liked Dube-Ryan-Lucic

That's the first good thing I have to say about Lucic since he signed in Edmonton.

 

[Kranix]

Dube already on pace to crush Bennett in goals this season.

 

[DCDM]

I hope Dube gets a shot with Backlund and Tkachuk soon. He's got that goal scorer's look about him. Needs to be playing with some better linemates. Not that I think they should take Mangi off that line, they've been good as a unit too.

 

[Nanuuk]

I hope Dube gets a shot with Backlund and Tkachuk soon. He's got that goal scorer's look about him. Needs to be playing with some better linemates. Not that I think they should take Mangi off that line, they've been good as a unit too.

And there's the pickle. Too many LW's, not enough spots. Using a player at RW because he can't own the LW spot is a short term solution unless he takes to it like a fish out of water.

Mangiapane has been better than Bennett as a RW and now owns the 2 line job as far as I'm concerned.

Dube has been great (so far) as the RW and is benefitting from playing on the same line as Looch who affords him some protection. Still trying him out in Mangi's place could be a plan. Just keep your head up kid.

Bennett hasn't shown much as a top nine RW. Top nine LW either as far as that goes. When he comes back I'd slot him in as 4LW even if I think he is a much better player than that. I'd hate to break up the 2 and 3 lines right now. and the 4 line is getting 10 or more minutes a game. I'd love to break up the 1 line because they've been useless for a while now, but that would mean breaking up 2 and 3.

Bottom line is that we have too many players playing out of position. And that will continue until the log jam at LW is broken and a RW is acquired.

Assuming the 1 line stays the same and Bennett and Czarnik return.

Gaudreau/Monhan/Lindholm
Tkachuk/Backlund/Mangiapane
Lucic/Ryan/Dube
Bennett/Jankowski/Frolik

Reider/Czarnik

 

[DFF]

And there's the pickle. Too many LW's, not enough spots. Using a player at RW because he can't own the LW spot is a short term solution unless he takes to it like a fish out of water.

Mangiapane has been better than Bennett as a RW and now owns the 2 line job as far as I'm concerned.

Dube has been great (so far) as the RW and is benefitting from playing on the same line as Looch who affords him some protection. Still trying him out in Mangi's place could be a plan. Just keep your head up kid.

Bennett hasn't shown much as a top nine RW. Top nine LW either as far as that goes. When he comes back I'd slot him in as 4LW even if I think he is a much better player than that. I'd hate to break up the 2 and 3 lines right now. and the 4 line is getting 10 or more minutes a game. I'd love to break up the 1 line because they've been useless for a while now, but that would mean breaking up 2 and 3.

Bottom line is that we have too many players playing out of position. And that will continue until the log jam at LW is broken and a RW is acquired.

Assuming the 1 line stays the same and Bennett and Czarnik return.

Gaudreau/Monhan/Lindholm
Tkachuk/Backlund/Mangiapane
Lucic/Ryan/Dube
Bennett/Jankowski/Frolik

Reider/Czarnik

That Bennett guy can do everything. I have seen him anywhere from 1st line center to 4th line LW....

Can we put him on defense next?

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Until this team re-watches some of the World Championships highlights where it was proven that Gaudreau was more than capable at RW, we're doomed.

 

[Kranix]

Until this team re-watches some of the World Championships highlights where it was proven that Gaudreau was more than capable at RW, we're doomed.

NHL coaches are too smart to play a player on his off wing.
Ovechkin plays LW and it's been a disaster for 15 years.

 

[Mazatt]

I don't think it's a big issue to split up the 2nd and 3rd lines if it means trying something new for the betterment of the team. Especially if we keep the makeup of the lines somewhat similar to what they are now (moreso in regards to the 3rd line).

Gaudreau - Monahan - Dube
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Lucic - Ryan - Mangiapane
Bennett - Jankowski - Frolik

Mangiapane and Dube are interchangeable in this lineup, but the one issue I have with this is that Bennett plays with Jankowski. They are not good together. On the other hand, is anyone good with Jankowski? Maybe we should try Bennett - Quine - Frolik as a 4th line one of these times.

 

[Dack]

We need this dude back, Idk where the hell he's been this season. I know people like to say "He's been figured out" but he clearly hasn't, playing him tight didn't use to be an option because he would just burn you. For whatever reason he hasn't had any confidence this season and has made himself easy to defend.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Just f*** me up

Dube-Ryan-Gaudreau
Lucic-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Monahan-Czarnik
Rieder-Jankowski-Frolik

 

[JPeeper]

On the contrary. I suspect that analytics played a part in giving the ok to the deal.

Lucic's possession stats are way ahead of Neals. Right now Neal is -15 with Corsi For % of 48.1 at even strength with over 60% of his starts in the OZone. He averages 16:26 of ice time. Neal has 17 points

Looch is -7 with a Corsi For % of 53.5 at even strength with 51.5 % of his starts in the DZone. He averages 12:32 of ice time. Lucic has 4 points.

Edmonton is retaining salary on Looch (750k) and Calgary will get a 2020 3rd round pick.

So, for a 13 point gap, I'll take the cap relief and pick any day.

LOL, just went to oilers.com and saw Neal is in fact a -14. Outside of Klefbom and Sheahy no one else is even close to being that bad in +/-. Guy is a complete bum. 10 of his 14 goals are on the powerplay. Sure I'd take those powerplay goals, but they wouldn't come if he here on the Flames anyway so it's all hypothetical.


Also, as great as a tear as McDrai are on. How the hell do you have 51 and 50 points in 29 games and are only a whopping +5 and +3. If they (the Oilers) somehow sustain this for the entire regular season they'll get slaughtered in the playoffs when teams actually clamp down on star players.

 

[super6646]

LOL, just went to oilers.com and saw Neal is in fact a -14. Outside of Klefbom and Sheahy no one else is even close to being that bad in +/-. Guy is a complete bum. 10 of his 14 goals are on the powerplay. Sure I'd take those powerplay goals, but they wouldn't come if he here on the Flames anyway so it's all hypothetical.


Also, as great as a tear as McDrai are on. How the hell do you have 51 and 50 points in 29 games and are only a whopping +5 and +3. If they (the Oilers) somehow sustain this for the entire regular season they'll get slaughtered in the playoffs when teams actually clamp down on star players.

At least their top players are fun to watch. Gaudreau Monahan is a total joke this season.

 

[super6646]

We need this dude back, Idk where the hell he's been this season. I know people like to say "He's been figured out" but he clearly hasn't, playing him tight didn't use to be an option because he would just burn you. For whatever reason he hasn't had any confidence this season and has made himself easy to defend.

My take - his diet is catching up with him. He looks lethargic on the ice compared to previous years, and his puck skills look off. He’s easily pacing for the worst year in his career and frankly is a liability.