Flames Project Players That Didn't Pan Out

Calculon

unholy acting talent
Jan 20, 2006
16,578
4,035
Error 503
Concussions hindered Lombardi throughout his career but he still managed some solid campaigns in both Calgary and Phoenix when healthy. In the case of the latter, he was their top line centre for a while, outscoring Jokinen in 2009-2010. I'd say he had a pretty career.

For actual project players, maybe John Negrin. Lots of potential but again injuries.
 

Tofveve

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
26,837
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The West
Hah! Forgot about some (most) of these guys. Lombardi had serious potential, kid was fast if I remember right. Wonder what went wrong post-Calgary for him...

He had forever to figure it out and just could never develop even mediocre hands, as I see it. So disappointing.
 

Lunatik

Normal is an illusion.
Oct 12, 2012
56,176
8,336
Padded Room
If Matthew Lombardi had the work ethic of Shean Donovan, he would have been a great player. Except he didn't. For a player with Lombardi's assets, he was unnoticeable far too often because when he wasn't on a breakaway he wasn't moving his feet.
 
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Tkachuk Norris

Registered User
Jun 22, 2012
15,600
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Not that many. For about 20 years we couldn’t identify talent even if it hit us on the head within a frying pan.

Ryan Howse. Roman Horak.
 
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Body Checker

Registered User
Aug 11, 2005
3,405
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I think some of these guys would of made it for a few years with some opportunity. Flames through the Sutter years were all about vets and bringing in old Daryl favorites - Marchment, Friesen, etc.

Ramholt and Keenan good example. One bad shift and he was done as a Flame.
 

Flames Fanatic

Mediocre
Aug 14, 2008
13,329
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Cochrane
I liked him too. Forgot about him.

One of my fondest memories of him was while in $20 seats in the nose bleeds in Ottawa after he was traded there, drunk as a skunk. He gets a partial breakaway shorthanded against the Thrashers, and I'm laughing it up, thinking oh man, love you Shean but you've got hands of stone! Then he pulls of this move (30 seconds in)



I was flabbergasted and hollering like an idiot.
 

Tofveve

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
26,837
10,491
The West
One of my fondest memories of him was while in $20 seats in the nose bleeds in Ottawa after he was traded there, drunk as a skunk. He gets a partial breakaway shorthanded against the Thrashers, and I'm laughing it up, thinking oh man, love you Shean but you've got hands of stone! Then he pulls of this move (30 seconds in)



I was flabbergasted and hollering like an idiot.


That was awesome.

I was trying to think who Smith reminded me of, to me he looks like Donavon. I noticed this when he was smoking the pipe the other day in those duds.
 
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CraigsList

In Conroy We Trust
Apr 22, 2014
19,191
6,974
USA
Problem with Bennett is that it seems he keeps getting worse

He maybe the first NHLer that peaked at 18.......

We all remember the 18 yrs old Sam Bennett hype

I've liked what Bennett has done lately though. Ever since he's been paired up with two good players (Jankowski and Jagr), the guy has had a lot of opportunities to score. If we keep him with Jankowski, I think the chemistry will build and we'll eventually see a 50-60 point winger out of him. I don't see him as that 70+ point center like we wanted him to be, but Jankowski has certainly relieved me a bit. He and Monahan will be our dynamic duo centers.

As for this thread, I was really, really hoping that Wotherspoon would lock down a spot, but honestly don't understand why he hasn't been able to. I honestly think he could be a decent bottom pairing guy on a team that needs one.
 
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