Speculation: Armchair GM Thread II: What did the goalie say to the puck?

[Volica]

The thing is though, Neal will always have that shot, like Iginla. That usually doesn’t fade and he’s still a decent skater. Ryan bugs me a lot more because to this point he’s been pretty irrelevant. Neal has as well, but I have way more confidence that Neal will get going whereas I don’t feel that way about Ryan.

Ryan heard you. He asked me to say 'Eat those words'

 

[Volica]

Am I the only one that thinks that this team needs another offensive game changer (besides a starting goalie)?

We have 4 guys who have the ability to put up over 70 points. It always helps, but I won't lose sleep anymore. Turns out Lindholm was the offensive hired gun we needed on this team.

Honestly, we need Neal to wake up (which I think is coming, he's getting good looks, eventually it's going to start going in), Bennett to start putting pen to paper, and one other member of the bottom 6 to start producing regularly, whether that be Jankowski, Ryan, Czarnik or Frolik (there's some nice names down there)... This team is going to be a handful for teams if we get Rittich level goaltending.

 

[Volica]

I am starting to wonder if maybe Hanifin will be expendable soon. Kylington is looking incredible in the A and is a superior skater and with more offensive skill and creativity, while Valimaki had fit like a glove in the same kind of sheltered minutes Hanifin played a season ago while showing more defensive upside. I'm not saying Hanifin is expendable right now, and I actually really like the Hanifin-Hamonic pair, but Hanifin must have some serious trade value on the market after he's had a full season of top four minutes under his belt. I just can't help but see him as a stopgap given the quality pushing from behind him and the fact that Giordano ain't goin' nowhere.

[mod]

Our #3D, who is a great possession player, who plays PK2, coin flip PP2, who gets absolutely hammered on zone starts; while also taking on heavy assignments. All while being on a team friendly longterm contract. Yes. We should move him. We should move him to make space for Oliver Kylington ASAP. I'll drive him to the airport. Clearly Oliver is an upgrade on that, as he's demonstrated... for a dozen games.

I like Oliver, I was at that draft and was high fiving anyone I could reach when we traded to pick him, but this is Jankowski from two years ago alllllllll over again. Remember? He was winning Selke's? He was out 1C? At least according to you. Turns out he'll be an okay bottom 6 centre, and I don't think he'll sniff the top 6 unless we're injury ravaged.

Let's give Oliver some time before we crown the next king. Hanifin is top end pedigree and is improving it seems every game. Wait until they give him more PP time and a bit more of an offensive role. The guy will be a 40-50 point D while also providing shutdown ability.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I'd like to see how Kylington does even in the #7 role before we make big moves based around him.

 

[Rubi]

I'd like to see how Kylington does even in the #7 role before we make big moves based around him.

First world, in the game of hockey, problems. Amazing to even be having a conversation about Kylington as a #7 defenseman. Stone will definitely be traded by the end of the year but that still doesn't open up a spot in the top 6.

 

[The Gnome]

Not that I don't love our depth with Stone as a #7, but we could use the cap space and another middling pick as our cupboards are getting bare. I'm open to moving him for sure.

 

[Calculon]

 

[Flameshomer]

lol we are so lucky to have Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm locked up for a few more years on great contracts. Tkachuk is going to be expensive as F but we're in a way better situation than Edmonton or Toronto and all three of the aforementioned guys have close to the same bargaining power a guy like panarin has.

also, and maybe I'm being a bit of a dinosaur myself, but does it seem like a disproportionate amount of Euro players come in asking for the moon? Drai, Nylander, Panarin, Bobrovsky...

 

[crackdown44]

lol we are so lucky to have Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm locked up for a few more years on great contracts. Tkachuk is going to be expensive as F but we're in a way better situation than Edmonton or Toronto and all three of the aforementioned guys have close to the same bargaining power a guy like panarin has.

also, and maybe I'm being a bit of a dinosaur myself, but does it seem like a disproportionate amount of Euro players come in asking for the moon? Drai, Nylander, Panarin, Bobrovsky...

I mean Sweden and Russia aren’t even in Europe so yeah kind of a dinosaurish statement. Still it’s the Draisitl contract that is driving up all these asks

 

[BigRangy]

Sweden isn't in Europe?

wut

 

[Kahvi]

And part of Russia is considered Europe as well. Ural mountains are the geographic "border" of Europe in the east IIRC

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

And part of Russia is considered Europe as well. Ural mountains are the geographic "border" of Europe in the east IIRC

This is correct

 

[Flameshomer]

The European part of Russia being the portion where 77% of russians live for the record*... that comment was very odd.

Regardless, it seems to me as though European players have been more likely to come in with high asking prices in recent years. Just a trend I've noticed. It might also be a bias- either my own or media driven- where they are perceived as less valuable as a NA counterpart would be.

*European Russia - Wikipedia

 

[Rubi]

This Europe stuff is all very educational. Thanks. So, if the part of Russia that's east of the Urals isn't part of Europe what is it part of? Asia? If it is... thats weird sounding.

 

[Rubi]

So now the question is: What should the Flames do about Mike Smith if Rittich continues to play outstanding hockey? I know this question is somewhat premature as Rittich still hasn't proven himself to be the Flames #1 goalie... but if he does???

Can Smith really get back to form by just practicing while Rittich plays? I'm assuming that Rittich will get the bulk of the workload if he continues to play great hockey. Would it not be best for Smith and the Flames to waive him to Stockton and I assume with a .876 sv% and a 3.48 GAA and a $5.67m cap hit, he would clear. In Stockton Smith would get a ton of playing time to fix his problems and Stockton could send Gillies up to be backup to Rittich and Gillies would get another chance to prove that he belongs in the NHL.

I for one, would love to see Smith return to the Smith that we saw before he got injured last year but I don't think that will happen with him playing backup to Rittich. Think of Smith's assignment to Stockton as a conditioning stint. No shame in that. If we are to go deep into the playoffs this year the team will need a solid and dependable Smith in net. The Flames should be giving Smith the best opportunity to get his game back on track. Lots of starts in Stockton could very well do that.

 

[Volica]

So now the question is: What should the Flames do about Mike Smith if Rittich continues to play outstanding hockey? I know this question is somewhat premature as Rittich still hasn't proven himself to be the Flames #1 goalie... but if he does???

Can Smith really get back to form by just practicing while Rittich plays? I'm assuming that Rittich will get the bulk of the workload if he continues to play great hockey. Would it not be best for Smith and the Flames to waive him to Stockton and I assume with a .876 sv% and a 3.48 GAA and a $5.67m cap hit, he would clear. In Stockton Smith would get a ton of playing time to fix his problems and Stockton could send Gillies up to be backup to Rittich and Gillies would get another chance to prove that he belongs in the NHL.

I for one, would love to see Smith return to the Smith that we saw before he got injured last year but I don't think that will happen with him playing backup to Rittich. Think of Smith's assignment to Stockton as a conditioning stint. No shame in that. If we are to go deep into the playoffs this year the team will need a solid and dependable Smith in net. The Flames should be giving Smith the best opportunity to get his game back on track. Lots of starts in Stockton could very well do that.

Essentially you ride David Rittich while he's hot. If Mike Smith gets a spot start and does really well, you give him another look shortly after; then build on that.

Calgary, regardless, needs Mike Smith to rebound here. While I love me some Ritter, I'm not confident with him as Calgary's 1G moving forward fully.

 

[crackdown44]

Sweden isn't in Europe?

wut

Are we speaking continentally or EU? Because Scandinavia is only partly in the EU and Russia isn’t obviously. But from a continental standpoint Scandinavia is in and as someone said eastern Russia where the majority of the population is is in Europe but in terms of landmass more of it is in Asia

 

[crackdown44]

Also forgive me I am a polisci major geographic definitely makes more sense in hindsight lol

 

[Rubi]

FUTURE WATCH UPDATE - 20.11.18

A look at how Flames prospects are doing in their respective leagues

by TORIE PETERSON @ToriePeterson / CalgaryFlames.com
9:21 AM

WHL

Milos Roman - Center - Vancouver Giants
10 goals, 10 assists, 20 points in 22 games

OHL

Adam Ruzicka - Centre - Sarnia Sting
3 goals, 16 assists, 19 points in 21 games

QMJHL

D'Artagnan Joly - Right Wing - Baie-Comeau Drakkar
11 goals, 10 assists, 21 points in 23 games

Dmitry Zavgorodniy - Left Wing - Rimouski Oceanic
12 goals, 18 assists, 30 points in 23 games

*Zavgorodniy played for Russia in the Canada-Russia Super Series, posting 2 goals and 3 points in 2 games

USHL

Martin Pospisil - Centre - Sioux City Musketeers
10 goals, 20 assists, 30 points in 16 games

NCAA

Demetrios Koumontzis - Left Wing - Arizona State
1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points in 14 games

Mathias Emilio Pettersen - Centre - Denver
4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points in 10 games

Mitchell Mattsson - Centre - Michigan State
0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points in 4 games

EUROPE

Linus Lindstrom - Centre - Skelleftea (SHL)
1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point in 15 games

Eetu Tuulola - Right Wing - HPK (Liiga)
6 goals, 9 assists, 15 points in 23 games

Filip Sveningsson - Left Wing - IK Oskarshamn (Allsvenskan)
8 goals, 9 assists, 17 points in 18 games

ECHL - KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS

Mason McDonald - Goaltender
6-0-0 with a 2.26 GAA and a .920 save percentage

 

[Mr Snrub]

Popsicle is really tearing up the USHL. Not the best league, but really impressive totals.

 

[BigRangy]

Pospisil, Sveningsson, Zavgorodniy and MEP all having impressive years so far.

Also, Mason McDonald has a .920? That's not bad...

 

[Mr Snrub]

Pospisil, Sveningsson, Zavgorodniy and MEP all having impressive years so far.

Also, Mason McDonald has a .920? That's not bad...

McDonald is a guy I had 100% written off, nice to suddenly see him play well.

 

[Rubi]

McDonald is a guy I had 100% written off, nice to suddenly see him play well.

Ya. Same here. Goalies are funny creatures to try and get a handle on.

 

[Khrox]

This Europe stuff is all very educational. Thanks. So, if the part of Russia that's east of the Urals isn't part of Europe what is it part of? Asia? If it is... thats weird sounding.

Yeah, something like 25% of Russia's landmass is in Europe, but 77% of population is there. The rest of Russia is in fact Asia, it shares borders with North Korea, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan for land borders, and a sea border with Japan (as well as disputed territory with them). Also: fun fact, when the Mongolian Empire broke up, Poland and Lithuania were successor states (and during that time a large amount of East and Central Asian peoples migrated into Europe).


As for the goalie situation: I say we still roll with Rittich. He hasn't established himself as a true #1, but he's at least pushing towards it, and is playing well. Smith needs to focus on his fundamentals in practice, and do what Rittich did. Play well enough in his starts to push for the position back.


It's nice to see McDonald is doing well, but he's had stretches of that before, but has never sustained it. So I'd rather see if he can sustain this for a longer period, but it's at least looking more promising.

 

[Flameshomer]

Also forgive me I am a polisci major geographic definitely makes more sense in hindsight lol

I too was a poli sci major. Still unsure why you would confuse a "european" i.e. person from the continent of europe with a member state of the European Union. Are swiss not european in your mind? What about the balkan states or Norway?!

It would be great if Mason Macdonald could turn things around, but even during preseason at the NHL level he has been absolutely putrid. It would take a few years of solid numbers for my opinions to change