Confirmed Signing with Link: [CGY] Zac Rinaldo signs with the Flames (1 year, $700K, 2-way)

1989

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Aug 3, 2010
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Why do NHL teams continue employing this guy? Do they think he's the soccer player?
Why are you judging a face-puncher by point production/chance creation? Do you ask Lundqvist to do your taxes, or Ovechkin to blow glass?
 

1989

Registered User
Aug 3, 2010
10,361
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Because face-punchers who can't play hockey at all don't belong in a pro hockey league.
That might be true, but the people who are paid to make those decisions (and pay said face-punchers) disagree and have continued to disagree with that viewpoint time and time again.
 
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KingsHockey24

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Aug 1, 2013
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I like Rinaldo.

I don't like that he plays for Calgary though; ship him off to an Eastern Conf team like Pittsburgh.
 

Mazatt

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Apr 30, 2019
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The amount of people here assuming that Rinaldo and MacDonald are being given any substantial role on the Flames is astounding. These guys are coming in as AHL depth signings, or to be a 6/7 defenceman on a team that can play their top 2 pairings a whole lotta minutes. Even more astounding that anyone is thinking that the Flames are gonna lose out after recent moves. Never knew 4th liners killed a teams playoff hopes.
 
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mrdonkey

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May 17, 2010
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Because flames think they need to get tougher after being embarrassed in the PO. Bad orgs think “tougher” means to grab a 4th line headhunter.

Hot takes up in here. How’s he gonna help the flames from Stockton, bud?
 

HugoLalumiere

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May 20, 2013
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Montreal, Quebec
This guy keeps getting signed! Some teams must be looking for some secret face-off weapon... Really... Is he really the best of the available grinders out there? Is he so good that no other goon can supplant him? Even for the AHL, what is his purpose? Let a younger, potentially more talented grinder play instead of him. Oh well... Maybe he gives good massages...
 

Reinhart

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Jun 13, 2011
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Call me crazy, but I thought he had a good camp/preseason.

It wasn't the loss against Colorado that prompted this. Flames have been getting pushed around for I don't know how many seasons now. The Flames were always a notable 'tough team' to play against, but they have been soft as butter. A guy like Rinaldo HELPS to bridge that gap. Nobody is going to be scared of Rinaldo, but at least he plays with an edge and in those games where it gets physical, at least the Flames have another player that can play that game as well.

Either way, nothing to get too excited over. He will start in Stockton, and probably won't be recalled unless there are a string of injuries (he is definitely not first on the recall list). I think he gets recalled when the Flames play a stretch of games against bigger teams like Anaheim, St. Louis, etc. Again, he isn't a deterrent at all (if your team doesn't have a guy that can put the fear of God into Rinaldo, then I don't know what to say). He is simply a physical player with great wheels and is hard on the forecheck. That's all the Flames need of him whenever he gets recalled the handful of times this season. I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid in his time up here - you won't catch me saying I like having him in the organization given his history. He just fit what the Flames were looking for - physical, fast and not totally terrible at the game of hockey to be used sparingly when warranted.
 
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JustinCase

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Dec 1, 2018
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Bringing in Lucic and Rinaldo. Are we sure Brian Burke isn't still working for the Flames ?
This has Truculence written all over it.
 

Lunatik

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Oct 12, 2012
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This guy keeps getting signed! Some teams must be looking for some secret face-off weapon... Really... Is he really the best of the available grinders out there? Is he so good that no other goon can supplant him? Even for the AHL, what is his purpose? Let a younger, potentially more talented grinder play instead of him. Oh well... Maybe he gives good massages...
If you don't understand the need for toughness in the AHL, I am going to assume you have never watched an AHL game. The AHL is a more of a grinding/physical league than the NHL because many of the high skilled prospects don't spend much time in the AHL and those that do often have size deficiencies. As such, AHL teams often have 2-4 guys that can protect these smaller skilled players. Also, many so called goons, are leaders and very strong in the locker room, as such having that leadership around your prospects is beneficial to their development.
 
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Rubi

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Jan 9, 2009
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Effective Oct 1 Zac Rinaldo has been assigned to the AHL Stockton Heat.
Good place for him.
 

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