Flint Firebirds 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 3)

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Lycanthrope

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IF they pull it off...IF...they'll need to learn how to finish games.
4-2 L vs London-down by 1 London scores an EN with 1:06 left
5-3 L vs North Bay-down by 1 Flint penalty and NB scores on PP with :41 left
6-5 OT L vs Sarnia
5-4 L vs Missy-tied up Flint penalty and Missy scores on PP with :45 left
5-2 L vs OS-down by 1 OS scores 2 EN's, one SH
8-5 L vs Sarnia-Flint blows early lead and Sarnia finishes with EN
6-5 OT L vs Erie-Otters score in dying seconds and W in OT
5-3 L vs Soo-Greyhounds take lead late and score EN PP with :06 left
4-1 L vs Erie-Otters score EN SH with 2:06 left
4-2 L vs Hamilton-Dogs take late lead and score the EN with :20 left

That's 10 games and 18 more points that were right there in the dying minutes within their grasp. I didn't even look at blown leads, some of which were earlier in the 3rd period. I believe Wellwood was in place for that first Sarnia game, so 8 of those are under his watch. If they finish even half of those, this group is roughly .500 under Wellwood. Hell, if they pick up W's in 5-6 of those instead of 10 L's and we're here wishfully posting about playoffs.
Very typical results of a struggling team. They’re often in the game but need to learn how to win them and gain confidence that they can do so. Case in point the Wolves last year must have set a record or close for most one goal loses in a season.
 

house hockey 98

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Flint does not need another top or more picks. Flint needs a quick rebuild with high caliber players not more picks. Flint actually needs to trade away picks for players and invest to get players here who can get them into the playoffs next year and put fans in the seats. There are really strong players out there who with investment can play in the OHL and do well. Look at London they add players all the time and can get a college player to report i.e Paul Cotter who played US juniors in the USHL/NAHL. The Soo for example was able to sign Howdeshell after he played in the USHL, and this does not even touch kids developing in the OJHL who are a bit older now.
 

dirty12

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It will happen very shortly after drafting franchise player. Flint will be loaded with 18-19 yr old high picks to start next season
 

Savard18

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Flint does not need another top or more picks. Flint needs a quick rebuild with high caliber players not more picks. Flint actually needs to trade away picks for players and invest to get players here who can get them into the playoffs next year and put fans in the seats. There are really strong players out there who with investment can play in the OHL and do well. Look at London they add players all the time and can get a college player to report i.e Paul Cotter who played US juniors in the USHL/NAHL. The Soo for example was able to sign Howdeshell after he played in the USHL, and this does not even touch kids developing in the OJHL who are a bit older now.
Well, first of all to think Flint can do things the London way right now is a bit ridiculous. That's like saying Eastern Michigan just needs to do things like Alabama football and bam! National Football championship. It's not realistic. Trading picks away for players now just isn't how OHL hockey works and is a sure fire way to doom the program. In order to ice a winning club now or next year, they'd need 3-4 impact players. Teams rarely trade away impact 17-18yo players. You can't just acquire them and when you can, each one usually costs 5-6 2nd and 3rd round picks. Flint trades for 3 of those and it'll cost 14-18 2nd and 3rd round picks. So now Flint is an upper level team but probably not dominant next year. They won't have any picks to add anything else and after next year is over they have no youth and no draft picks for 5 years. So they're guaranteed basement dwellers for 5-7 years. It doesn't work. They have to hit the reset and start from scratch with youth. They can eventually build a program that will draw American kids away from the NCAA but it's not going to happen overnight.
 
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FirebirdsFan21

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Well, first of all to think Flint can do things the London way right now is a bit ridiculous. That's like saying Eastern Michigan just needs to do things like Alabama football and bam! National Football championship. It's not realistic. Trading picks away for players now just isn't how OHL hockey works and is a sure fire way to doom the program. In order to ice a winning club now or next year, they'd need 3-4 impact players. Teams rarely trade away impact 17-18yo players. You can't just acquire them and when you can, each one usually costs 5-6 2nd and 3rd round picks. Flint trades for 3 of those and it'll cost 14-18 2nd and 3rd round picks. So now Flint is an upper level team but probably not dominant next year. They won't have any picks to add anything else and after next year is over they have no youth and no draft picks for 5 years. So they're guaranteed basement dwellers for 5-7 years. It doesn't work. They have to hit the reset and start from scratch with youth. They can eventually build a program that will draw American kids away from the NCAA but it's not going to happen overnight.

Savard, I agree. The first 4 years have been not what was expected. However, the last two years in Plymouth were in the same category as well. I think the biggest thing currently is convincing draft picks to come to Flint. Playing short-handed all season due to injuries is not what was expected this year. I mean if we can't even get a full roster of players to even dress the maximum number of players, why would we think we could magically trade for them and get them to come. I think once management gets things settled and we have a system in place things will improve but only if they make rules and stick to them. We cannot have the same things happen that went on the first year again. We do need to start over and re-start the program. Start rebuilding our name and reputation.
 

Firebrd828

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It will happen very shortly after drafting franchise player. Flint will be loaded with 18-19 yr old high picks to start next season
As the roster stands right now, Flint should begin next season with 11 players taken 29th overall or higher. That includes 9 on the current roster, Flint's own 2019 1st rounder, and Hamilton's 2019 2nd rounder. Over half the roster taken no later than the top half of round 2, and 4 players taken #5 overall or higher (Roberts, Vierling, Dellandrea, and their 2019 #1).
 

dirty12

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As the roster stands right now, Flint should begin next season with 11 players taken 29th overall or higher. That includes 9 on the current roster, Flint's own 2019 1st rounder, and Hamilton's 2019 2nd rounder. Over half the roster taken no later than the top half of round 2, and 4 players taken #5 overall or higher (Roberts, Vierling, Dellandrea, and their 2019 #1).


Plus Koly; plus, extra picks and whatever value is attached to *Kaleb Pearson & Power. I think it’s just a matter of a very short period of time before Flint is a very good team.
Then, Flint might attract the top Michigan players.
 
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HockeyPops

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There should be no rush to make big changes in Flint's roster. Dellandrea should be back for his D+1 next year, and all the '99s are probably back unless Gordeev signs his ELC. The only two graduates aren't really impact players (Nilsen & Vella). Flint will likely want to deal a '99 at some point (they will have 4 otherwise) but other than that they should be focused on working with this group with their sights firmly set on next season. Wellwood got a late start this year but has shown he is capable; so treat the rest of this season as an early start to next year and see what you can build in a year and a half with what you have.

This team is still a good enough team to be above .500 for the second half this year. Give them all an extra year to mature and you have a contender next season. Don't blow it all up now.
 

Firebrd828

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There should be no rush to make big changes in Flint's roster. Dellandrea should be back for his D+1 next year, and all the '99s are probably back unless Gordeev signs his ELC. The only two graduates aren't really impact players (Nilsen & Vella). Flint will likely want to deal a '99 at some point (they will have 4 otherwise) but other than that they should be focused on working with this group with their sights firmly set on next season. Wellwood got a late start this year but has shown he is capable; so treat the rest of this season as an early start to next year and see what you can build in a year and a half with what you have.

This team is still a good enough team to be above .500 for the second half this year. Give them all an extra year to mature and you have a contender next season. Don't blow it all up now.
This all sounds great to me, although I would say that I still see Gordeev as a trade piece at this year's deadline, especially if Busby is finally back in uniform.
 
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Savard18

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I agree with 828. Look, I thought this group was ready to be a 5-6-7 seed and then really take a run next year. Injuries, suspensions, and Jenik failing to show up have really hurt but this group has done little to show me they can really challenge for anything serious next year. There's half a season left. If they wanna prove me wrong and be .500 team or close the rest of this year, I'm all for it. Fool me once and all that though. They lose Nilsen and Vella, but I think everybody else is in the OHL next year. Go with Cavallin in net and give Morrison and the kid they drafted this year a shot to prove they can be a capable backup. If not, go find another OA goalie on the cheap. Cavallin will be in place for two seasons. I'd move Gordeev to a contender for some variation of picks/16-17yo forward. That leaves Busby, McCourt, Kolyachonok, Gretz, Bangs and Bianconi. Pull all the stops to try and get Owen Powers to report. Decent shot all D will be around for two seasons with some risk attached to Busby, Koly and McCourt. You're only going to get one more season out of Dellandrea, Durham and Clarke. There's some risk attached to Dellandrea being back next year, but I'd chance it and keep him this year. The rest of the forwards will be around for 2+ seasons. Draft two forwards with next year's top 2 picks and the Import pick. DO NOT F UP THOSE PICKS NEXT YEAR. Does the OHL draft 1st or 2nd in next year's Import draft? Either way, they'll be picking 1-5. Then it's just wait and see how they perform and how much to bank on next year or set up for the following year.
 
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house hockey 98

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I don't think you are going to get Power to report however heard from a scout in Whitby SS in November that London wants the rights to a few Flint picks that are 2020 and 2021 draft eligible. Power BTW is 2021 so he is one. London has the $ to spend to sway and Flint can get picks
 

Savard18

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I don't think you are going to get Power to report however heard from a scout in Whitby SS in November that London wants the rights to a few Flint picks that are 2020 and 2021 draft eligible. Power BTW is 2021 so he is one. London has the $ to spend to sway and Flint can get picks
Well, I don't want Barclay Branch even close to the Hunters while GM of the Firebirds but if that's how it works out, then they can use those picks to draft players for future seasons or spend them to acquire talent for sooner. Like you said, Powers still has two full seasons before he's NHL draft eligible AND he was taken #22? #23? overall AND projected to go in the 1st round. I'd hope they could get a 2nd and another high pick for the rights to him.
 
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TheCoach

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Well, I don't want Barclay Branch even close to the Hunters while GM of the Firebirds but if that's how it works out, then they can use those picks to draft players for future seasons or spend them to acquire talent for sooner. Like you said, Powers still has two full seasons before he's NHL draft eligible AND he was taken #22? #23? overall AND projected to go in the 1st round. I'd hope they could get a 2nd and another high pick for the rights to him.
If the knights went after Power in the off season and he says he will report to london basically have a mete type deal. Flint could pull in Alot of high end picks
 
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AnotherDimwit

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I agree with trades and ideas mentioned about, but yeah lets keep Branch away from London. We'll end up with something like a 2019 10th and a pair of 2041 and 2042 2nd rounders for Power.

Hunter: "I just have a feeling that the '25 class is going to be strong."

Branch: "Oh my god, I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING!"
 
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HockeyPops

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Why do you guys want to trade Gordeev? Isn't he an integral part of a 2019-2020 Flint team that makes a run?

Here is a question, do you guys keep your 3 third round picks for this year's draft, or do you make a move even if it's just to push out a few of those picks a few more years?
 

MJ5

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Why do you guys want to trade Gordeev? Isn't he an integral part of a 2019-2020 Flint team that makes a run?

Here is a question, do you guys keep your 3 third round picks for this year's draft, or do you make a move even if it's just to push out a few of those picks a few more years?

I think Gordeev has more value being traded if we have a healthy Busby return anytime soon.

We would have a solid 6 without him for next year, hopefully he could bring some assets to help this team.

Koly, Busby (if healthy), McCourt, Gretz, Bangs and Bianconi are a very solid bunch. As good as Gordeev is at times, he lacks it mentally and makes a tons of mistakes and takes a lot of dumb penalties.
 
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Firebrd828

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Why do you guys want to trade Gordeev? Isn't he an integral part of a 2019-2020 Flint team that makes a run?
When healthy, we have solid D core that runs 7 deep going into next year. Makes sense to move one, and I'm of the opinion that Gordeev is the guy who brings us the most favorable return.
 
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