GDT: Flames at Blues: October 25, 2016 at 6pm MT on SNF

[tmurfin]

Completely disagree. He's providing grit and getting under the skin of players while adding a scoring threat. He's still developing, but I'd like to see him up with the club as he's done nothing to warrant being sent down. Long term development, I'd imagine this helps him more than dominating the O.

I don't know about that. The longer the season goes, the more he slides into a bottom 6 goon/pest role. I'd rather he go down and focus on being offensive, his pest game is there already, let him develop the rest. There is no need to rush him.

 

[Mr Snrub]

In favour of sending Tkachuk down, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if he stayed. I like what he brings to the team as a pest on one hand, but I also think we have other young guys who are overall more ready.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I don't know about that. The longer the season goes, the more he slides into a bottom 6 goon/pest role. I'd rather he go down and focus on being offensive, his pest game is there already, let him develop the rest. There is no need to rush him.

Why do people assume playing bottom six is bad for a player's development? Learning how to score starting 200 feet away from the goal is a rare ability, it's what produced guys like Martin St. Louis and Brad Marchand. He has the best possible linemates in Frolik / Backlund to support him, too, it's not like we're burying him with Granlund and Bouma. He's still getting PP time with Bennett and Hamilton, too.

I am in Pro-NHL for the Tkachuk. He is too good for Junior and he has helped an NHL team a lot more than he has hurt it so far.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Personally I think Tkachuk would be best served by going back to the OHL. I think he can play in this league for sure, but another year to work on his skating and strength, playing 25-30 minutes a night under a great coach Dale Hunter will do only good things.

Plus, I consider this our last year of the rebuild. I still want us to succeed, and expect this team to be in the middle third of the standings. However, we need to see what our young players have to offer. Jankowski, Kulak, Hamilton, Shinkaruk, we need to see what these guys can do on a consistent basis. Tkachuk will be with thus team for sure next year. Those other guys could be important because we will need some cheap players.

 

[The Gnome]

I think everyone has good points, but still think he should stick. He's still being used in offensive situations and playing with some of our best players. He'll develop, and yes, his skating does need work.

I just don't see anyone on our depth charts that can bring the pest role like he does, everyone hates playing against players like him and it's a massive boost to our lineup. I find that role to be very undervalued, especially since Calgary fans have probably forgotten what it's like to have a player like that.

 

[Anglesmith]

Why is everyone reducing his contributions down to simply being a pest? He's making really smart plays and generating chances consistently at the moment. If he plays every game like he did the last one, he should absolutely stay.

 

[Lunatik]

If he plays every game like he did the last one, he should absolutely stay.

I agree. But if he plays more games like he did against Carolina, he should be sent back.

 

[Anglesmith]

I agree. But if he plays more games like he did against Carolina, he should be sent back.

Same can be said about a lot of Flames, though. I would hope that the Chicago game marks a turning point in the season whereby all the games beforehand become irrelevant.

 

[Lunatik]

Same can be said about a lot of Flames, though. I would hope that the Chicago game marks a turning point in the season whereby all the games beforehand become irrelevant.

Not entirely true, he's the only that can go back to juniors

 

[Flames Fanatic]

So on the Tkachuk front, remind me, is it 9 games into our season or 9 games played by him? I'm fairly sure it's the latter, but I just want to confirm.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I agree. But if he plays more games like he did against Carolina, he should be sent back.

If he plays more games like he did against St. Louis, no way should he be sent back. Not perfect, but there were a few times where he made the "right" play that he wasn't making earlier in the season.

@FF, pretty sure games where he's a healthy scratch count against the 10. But if not, perhaps that's part of "the plan"?

 

[Anglesmith]

So on the Tkachuk front, remind me, is it 9 games into our season or 9 games played by him? I'm fairly sure it's the latter, but I just want to confirm.

9 games played by him. Remember how in Bennett's case, that got triggered during the second round of the playoffs, when many (non-Flames fans) were advocating benching him.

 

[Calculon]

Also, you don't burn a year towards UFA unless they play ~40 games. That seems to be the number GM's are more concerned with these days.

If Tkachuk gets an average of roughly 15 minutes a night, he should stay. Significantly less than that (<12) and he should be sent back. Where he plays doesn't really matter since the Flames actually have decent depth through the lineup for the first time in forever.

 

[SKRusty]

Personally I think Tkachuk would be best served by going back to the OHL. I think he can play in this league for sure, but another year to work on his skating and strength, playing 25-30 minutes a night under a great coach Dale Hunter will do only good things.

Plus, I consider this our last year of the rebuild. I still want us to succeed, and expect this team to be in the middle third of the standings. However, we need to see what our young players have to offer. Jankowski, Kulak, Hamilton, Shinkaruk, we need to see what these guys can do on a consistent basis. Tkachuk will be with thus team for sure next year. Those other guys could be important because we will need some cheap players.

Thachuk had a very large impact on last nights game. If he can continue having that level of impact he should stay.

He will only get better.

 

[Lunatik]

Also, you don't burn a year towards UFA unless they play ~40 games. That seems to be the number GM's are more concerned with these days.

If Tkachuk gets an average of roughly 15 minutes a night, he should stay. Significantly less than that (<12) and he should be sent back. Where he plays doesn't really matter since the Flames actually have decent depth through the lineup for the first time in forever.

I was about to post he same about the 40 games

and according to Oiler fans we have no depth

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I was about to post he same about the 40 games

and according to Oiler fans we have no depth

I feel like we are still thin in the top six/top nine. A legit top line winger, or even a 2nd liner to go on the top line would go a long way.

 

[Volica]

Also, you don't burn a year towards UFA unless they play ~40 games. That seems to be the number GM's are more concerned with these days.

If Tkachuk gets an average of roughly 15 minutes a night, he should stay. Significantly less than that (<12) and he should be sent back. Where he plays doesn't really matter since the Flames actually have decent depth through the lineup for the first time in forever.

Yup.
I love his playstyle, he's dangerous at all times; he's creates chances and makes smart plays. He doesn't get knocked over, or lose pucks, he battles hard and makes great little plays you'd miss 9/10 times (little board chips that keep a cycle going, etc).

I like him with Backlund and Frolik. He plays a good 200 foot game, he's hard on people, he'll get points playing with those two. He's been better than Bouma and Ferland in that 3W role this year.

I have a hard time seeing Calgary sending him down at this stage. He impacts games positively.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

His skating and strength will get better in the NHL, so that shouldn't be a concern. It should matter if he can play here or not, IMO he can play.

 

[Volica]

I feel like we are still thin in the top six/top nine. A legit top line winger, or even a 2nd liner to go on the top line would go a long way.

Honestly, I think it's overblown regarding the top line winger on this team. When you look at the major teams in the league, very few have three top liners on their top line. Hell, do any really outside of when Washington or Pittsburgh feel like trying it every so often?

The three pairs:
Johnny - Monny
Bennett - Brouwer
Backlund - Frolik

Are really good. Might be one of the better across the league. You throw in a scoring vet in Versteeg, a guy who can hang with good players in Chiasson and a rookie who will likely be a 50-80 point dangerous winger in the NHL for the next 15 years in Tkachuk... Yeah, I'm happy with how we look.

The teams that go out and try and get the perfect top line, top 6, end up having no depth and weak defence. I like how this team is structured.

 

[Lunatik]

I feel like we are still thin in the top six/top nine. A legit top line winger, or even a 2nd liner to go on the top line would go a long way.

I'm not so sure, I think our need for a top 6 forward is greatly exaggerated. Few teams also have 3 "first liners", so the fact Bennett is transforming into one and Tkachuk has that potential is promising.

I think we have 4-5 second liners (Bennett, Backlund, Frolik, Brouwer and maybe Tkachuk) to help offset having only 2 first liners. But I also think other than F. Hamilton, all of our lower forwards are capable NHL third liners. You may dispute Chiasson since you watched him in Ottawa, but I think with us he has looked like a good third liner for us so far. I also think the same can be said for Stajan, Ferland, Bouma and Versteeg; with the latter playing more like a 2nd liner in the last couple games.

 

[Anglesmith]

On this day: October 26, 2016, Method Man referred to Mikael Backlund as a second-liner.

Remember this day.

 

[Lunatik]

On this day: October 26, 2016, Method Man referred to Mikael Backlund as a second-liner.

Remember this day.

I've said it before

Also if you were going to poke fun, complimenting Versteeg would have been a much better target

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I'm not so sure, I think our need for a top 6 forward is greatly exaggerated. Few teams also have 3 "first liners", so the fact Bennett is transforming into one and Tkachuk has that potential is promising.

I think we have 4-5 second liners (Bennett, Backlund, Frolik, Brouwer and maybe Tkachuk) to help offset having only 2 first liners. But I also think other than F. Hamilton, all of our lower forwards are capable NHL third liners. You may dispute Chiasson since you watched him in Ottawa, but I think with us he has looked like a good third liner for us so far. I also think the same can be said for Stajan, Ferland, Bouma and Versteeg; with the latter playing more like a 2nd liner in the last couple games.

Agreed for the most part. I just want to see that level of play out of Chaisson, Stajan, Bouma and Ferland on a longer term basis before I let go of my reservations.

I'll be the first to admit that I like what Chiasson has brought in the regular season so far. He was piss in the preseason, but I'm slowly warming up to him.

I don't mind not have three top line guys. What bothers me is if we only have a 4th line guy to play with our two best forwards.

 

[Rangediddy]

I've said it before

Also if you were going to poke fun, complimenting Versteeg would have been a much better target

I missed the first 2 periods last night but when I watched highlights, I could have swore it was Johnny dishing to Mony on the Versteeg-Engelland goal! That little pull-up move after he entered the zone was very Gaudreau-like.

When I saw it was Versteeg to Engelland, I was all like:

 

[Anglesmith]

I missed the first 2 periods last night but when I watched highlights, I could have swore it was Johnny dishing to Mony on the Versteeg-Engelland goal! That little pull-up move after he entered the zone was very Gaudreau-like.

When I saw it was Versteeg to Engelland, I was all like:

The difference between Johnny and Versteeg is that opposition teams don't give Johnny that much time and space anymore. If it was Johnny pulling up there, two guys would've slashed him in the wrist and a third would be hooking him by the jockstrap.