Flint Firebirds 2019 Offseason Thread

[FireBird71]

 

[bcspragu]

Great pickup for Flint. If he is anything like his brother here in Saginaw you got yourself a hell of a worker and an all around good kid.

 

[Savard18]

Great pickup for Flint. If he is anything like his brother here in Saginaw you got yourself a hell of a worker and an all around good kid.

For real. Giroux is one of a small group of Spirit players I actually like.

 

[RedRover]

Hoping he has some growth and weight put on in the next couple of years.

 

[Hockey61fan]

Aside from all the injuries, I have been sitting here trying to figure out why the Flint team was so bad this past season with all the first and second round picks they have on their roster. But even with all the injured players back, the second half was very inconsistent. They increased their goals for but the goals against were still very high

Before Christmas
31 Losses 4 Wins (94 GF / 189 GA)

After Christmas
21 Losses 12 Wins (125 GF/ 161 GA)

First Round Drafts
Morgan
Roberts (injured)
Vierling
Dellandrea
Keppan

Second Round Drafts
Wismer
Holmes
Busby (injured)
Kolyachonok
Gretz


I really hope next year will be different. Or I may have to jump shipped and start cheering for Saginaw..

 

[Toldyaso]

Aside from all the injuries, I have been sitting here trying to figure out why the Flint team was so bad this past season with all the first and second round picks they have on their roster. But even with all the injured players back, the second half was very inconsistent. They increased their goals for but the goals against were still very high

Before Christmas
31 Losses 4 Wins (94 GF / 189 GA)

After Christmas
21 Losses 12 Wins (125 GF/ 161 GA)

First Round Drafts
Morgan
Roberts (injured)
Vierling
Dellandrea
Keppan

Second Round Drafts
Wismer
Holmes
Busby (injured)
Kolyachonok
Gretz


I really hope next year will be different. Or I may have to jump shipped and start cheering for Saginaw..

Ok I went to every single home game first and second half and I know for a fact they never had all the injured players back in the second half. They had just as many players out injured in the second half as the first half. They were dressing 4 Dmen almost every game and regularly had a forward taking Shifts on D. Hell they even listed Ty Dellandrea in their defensive pairings one game. They had significant players injured all season long.

 

[RedRover]

My concern is many of our D seem to be injury prone not just one season, but two as well some of the D have the same recurring injury.

 

[MJ5]

Ok I went to every single home game first and second half and I know for a fact they never had all the injured players back in the second half. They had just as many players out injured in the second half as the first half. They were dressing 4 Dmen almost every game and regularly had a forward taking Shifts on D. Hell they even listed Ty Dellandrea in their defensive pairings one game. They had significant players injured all season long.

Injuries hurt obviously, it's a big part.

But something had to have happened with Ouahlen early in the year. They weren't competing for him at all.

After the change it took a month to see the demeanor of the team change and to finally see some progress.

 

[MJ5]

My concern is many of our D seem to be injury prone not just one season, but two as well some of the D have the same recurring injury.

Who had a recurring injury?

 

[Toldyaso]

My concern is many of our D seem to be injury prone not just one season, but two as well some of the D have the same recurring injury.

Please expand on that thought. Maybe some example of the many injury prone 2 season D men and who has the same recurring injury. Also why exactly is that a concern again? Bad luck? yes! A concern as if bad luck is something that is fixable? I don't see it.

 

[Toldyaso]

Injuries hurt obviously, it's a big part.

But something had to have happened with Ouahlen early in the year. They weren't competing for him at all.

After the change it took a month to see the demeanor of the team change and to finally see some progress.

don't disagree at all with that but I was speaking to the poster I quoted concerning the misinformation he posted about the teams second half injury situation.

 

[Hockey61fan]

Injuries hurt obviously, it's a big part.

But something had to have happened with Ouahlen early in the year. They weren't competing for him at all.

After the change it took a month to see the demeanor of the team change and to finally see some progress.

None of us are in the dressing room so we can only speculate. I agree they were not competing for him at all. It was for the better of the team and for him that he stepped away.
Yes, the team did change a bit afterwards but I still have my reservations.
Let's hope Wellwood, Findlay and Rutledge can get the team started in the right direction for 2019/2020 season

 

[RedRover]

Flints D seem to be injury prone and not just one season, but two seasons now for some players. Has it been confirmed that the associate and assistant coaches are returning?

 

[Hockey61fan]

Flints D seem to be injury prone and not just one season, but two seasons now for some players. Has it been confirmed that the associate and assistant coaches are returning?

Haven't heard about the associate and assistant. I hope so as they seemed to have worked well together. And worked well with the boys. But then again we have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.
Picture on twitter during the draft I saw Rutledge but not Findlay. But that doesn't mean anything as he my just have not been in the room when the picture was taken

 

[Savard18]

Aside from all the injuries, I have been sitting here trying to figure out why the Flint team was so bad this past season with all the first and second round picks they have on their roster. But even with all the injured players back, the second half was very inconsistent. They increased their goals for but the goals against were still very high

Before Christmas
31 Losses 4 Wins (94 GF / 189 GA)

After Christmas
21 Losses 12 Wins (125 GF/ 161 GA)

First Round Drafts
Morgan
Roberts (injured)
Vierling
Dellandrea
Keppan

Second Round Drafts
Wismer
Holmes
Busby (injured)
Kolyachonok
Gretz


I really hope next year will be different. Or I may have to jump shipped and start cheering for Saginaw..

17, 18, 16,18,17,18,18,18,17,17. No real OA on the team other than a split time goalie. The only 19yo post deadline was Durham. There's your answer. Roberts and Gretz missed the entire second half of the season. That's a top line winger and what should have been a top 4 D. The only D that's really had frequent injury issues is Busby and he played every game once he returned this year. Flint returns EVERYbody except Vella and Nilsen. Pick a team. ANY playoff team in the league and subtract their OA's and 19yo's and see how they look. Some teams are going graduate close to the entire top half of their roster.

 

[RedRover]

I thought Gretz had issues with his shoulder twice, regardless (1st season 45 GP, 2nd season 22 GP shoulder surgery). McCourt shoulder twice 1st time in a sling no surgery, 2nd injury at the end of this season he was out and now hearing he is having shoulder surgery as well (47 GP this season), Busby we all know his "bad luck" shoulder/foot (1st season 2 GP surgery/2nd 27 GP), Bangs concussion (42 GP this season), Bianconi heard concussed as well, don't quote me (50 GP this season).

For the past two seasons Flint has run lean with their D so much that they have had forwards filling in (Collins/Phibbs). One season I'd chalk it up to bad luck, but two with that many D missing games? Seeing these stats on actual GP from our 5 D above should be a bit of a concern. Gretz basically has played one season with his combined GP and Busby I'll give him a 1/2 a season. When a team plays that lean, other players are bound to get burnt out and prone to have more injuries. Hoping Wellwood has a better plan moving this year than having forwards fill in as D.

 

[Toldyaso]

I thought Gretz had issues with his shoulder twice, regardless (1st season 45 GP, 2nd season 22 GP shoulder surgery). McCourt shoulder twice 1st time in a sling no surgery, 2nd injury at the end of this season he was out and now hearing he is having shoulder surgery as well (47 GP this season), Busby we all know his "bad luck" shoulder/foot (1st season 2 GP surgery/2nd 27 GP), Bangs concussion (42 GP this season), Bianconi heard concussed as well, don't quote me (50 GP this season).

For the past two seasons Flint has run lean with their D so much that they have had forwards filling in (Collins/Phibbs). One season I'd chalk it up to bad luck, but two with that many D missing games? Seeing these stats on actual GP from our 5 D above should be a bit of a concern. Gretz basically has played one season with his combined GP and Busby I'll give him a 1/2 a season. When a team plays that lean, other players are bound to get burnt out and prone to have more injuries. Hoping Wellwood has a better plan moving this year than having forwards fill in as D.

oh for crying out loud Busby has been here 3 seasons. played his full rookie season. can't imagine how he pulled that off being so injury prone and all.

 

[RedRover]

I believe my original post was regarding stated he past TWO seasons, just saying.

 

[Toldyaso]

I believe my original post was regarding stated he past TWO seasons, just saying.

Nope you clearly wrote 1st season and 2nd.

 

[Firebrd828]

...Pick a team. ANY playoff team in the league and subtract their OA's and 19yo's and see how they look. Some teams are going graduate close to the entire top half of their roster.

I was checking out Niagara's playoff roster the other day. They have 16 players (3-98's, 13-99's) out of which they can only return a max of 3 next year.

 

[Firebrd828]

Nope you clearly wrote 1st season and 2nd.

Semantics. His point is still valid...Busby has only played 29 games in the last two seasons. Flint will need him to be there. He's going to be very important to any success they hope to have.

 

[Toldyaso]

I was checking out Niagara's playoff roster the other day. They have 16 players (3-98's, 13-99's) out of which they can only return a max of 3 next year.

Ouch!

 

[TcNorth]

I was checking out Niagara's playoff roster the other day. They have 16 players (3-98's, 13-99's) out of which they can only return a max of 3 next year.

We need a couple. Niagara has no 2nd round picks the next six seasons and also no 3rd next year. Not sure what a OA is worth, but we might be able to get one of them as a free agent.

 

[Savard18]

I thought Gretz had issues with his shoulder twice, regardless (1st season 45 GP, 2nd season 22 GP shoulder surgery). McCourt shoulder twice 1st time in a sling no surgery, 2nd injury at the end of this season he was out and now hearing he is having shoulder surgery as well (47 GP this season), Busby we all know his "bad luck" shoulder/foot (1st season 2 GP surgery/2nd 27 GP), Bangs concussion (42 GP this season), Bianconi heard concussed as well, don't quote me (50 GP this season).

For the past two seasons Flint has run lean with their D so much that they have had forwards filling in (Collins/Phibbs). One season I'd chalk it up to bad luck, but two with that many D missing games? Seeing these stats on actual GP from our 5 D above should be a bit of a concern. Gretz basically has played one season with his combined GP and Busby I'll give him a 1/2 a season. When a team plays that lean, other players are bound to get burnt out and prone to have more injuries. Hoping Wellwood has a better plan moving this year than having forwards fill in as D.

Mmmmm, I can't pull up game by game stats on the OHL site anymore but McCourt was missing again at the end wasn't he? I had to miss a few of the final games so I can't recall who was in the lineup each and every night. I'm not too concerned with the D core AS A WHOLE. Does Busby still concern me a bit? Yup. Do possible concussions to Bangs and Bianconi give me pause? Yup. I just don't see 3-4-5 of the D going down for extended periods next year. Kids get hurt but even missing two for long stretches is unlikely. It's not exactly a rough and tumble league anymore. Busby's collarbone two years ago should probably have just been one injury. In retrospect, he probably shouldn't returned from the first one as early as he did. Taking a shot to the foot this year? It just happens and is unlucky. After returning though, he didn't miss a game. You do bring up a good point about running short on D, having to play the healthy D more than is probably optimal and increasing the odds of even more injuries. I hope they roster 8 D again this year and I don't see them missing even 3 for any stretches, let alone 4 like they did last year for long periods. My biggest injury concern on the team is probably Ty. He just has a habit of not protecting himself when he's got the puck and already missed some games with a concussion. That's just not one you can risk.

 

[Hockey61fan]

Mmmmm, I can't pull up game by game stats on the OHL site anymore but McCourt was missing again at the end wasn't he? I had to miss a few of the final games so I can't recall who was in the lineup each and every night. I'm not too concerned with the D core AS A WHOLE. Does Busby still concern me a bit? Yup. Do possible concussions to Bangs and Bianconi give me pause? Yup. I just don't see 3-4-5 of the D going down for extended periods next year. Kids get hurt but even missing two for long stretches is unlikely. It's not exactly a rough and tumble league anymore. Busby's collarbone two years ago should probably have just been one injury. In retrospect, he probably shouldn't returned from the first one as early as he did. Taking a shot to the foot this year? It just happens and is unlucky. After returning though, he didn't miss a game. You do bring up a good point about running short on D, having to play the healthy D more than is probably optimal and increasing the odds of even more injuries. I hope they roster 8 D again this year and I don't see them missing even 3 for any stretches, let alone 4 like they did last year for long periods. My biggest injury concern on the team is probably Ty. He just has a habit of not protecting himself when he's got the puck and already missed some games with a concussion. That's just not one you can risk.

I don't see Ty returning. I think he will stay in Texas.