I never form an opinion on stats. I have seen quite a few of the televised Heat games as well as all the highlites. If I wrote the article on stat then you might want to read a little closer to what I wrote regarding Reinhart. I don't make up the title but I should try to because I don't really agree fully with it.
Calgary Flames have some excellent prospects coming at the junior level and a few at the AHL but it will take time for them to develop fully. Calgary needs to stop using so many veteran AHL's who aren't going to play in the NHL and let their drafted prospects sink or swim at the AHL not in the ECHL. Push Howse to play with Horak and get his offensive game back. Wahl has played well in the ECHL why isn't he in Abbotsford, Doghouse maybe?
Thanks for reading my fluff article. If you have questions about what I think about any players I will try to answer as many readers as I can.
Although I appreciate you watching the televised games and highlites, I think you are off the mark on some of you opinions having watched the vast majority of the games online as well as in person.
Your assessment of Aliu is poor. While you acknowledge his has been injured, you suggest that he has struggled based on his inability to generate scoring chances. Had you watched Aliu you would know that he has been generating numerous chances; crashing the net and out-muscling defenders in the slot. Perhaps it is a poorly worded sentence, however the connotation is that he is playing poorly because he is not putting up numbers. As a fourth line, energy guy it would be foolish to think Aliu would be depended upon to put up points for the Heat.
The Carter Bancks review is similarly worded. "
Bancks has cooled off drastically in the offense department having not cracked the score sheet since November, a stretch of 21 games. Despite his lack of offense, he has stayed in the team's starting line-up due to his solid two-way play and excellent penalty killing." Bancks is a fourth line energy player, yet the assessment begins with his lack of offensive output. "Despite his lack of offense..." He's not paid to put up offensive numbers! You acknowledge that he has remained in the lineup due to his other contributions (the actual reason he is on the team), however the way the paragraph is constructed suggests that he is an offensive player who has struggled to put up points and therefore has been limited to PK and defensive duties.
Breen's write up is also flawed. "His puckhandling, passing, and board play have improved as the year has moved along and
there are glimpses of his offensive potential. Though 40 games, he has picked up three goals along with two assists and an even rating on the AHL's best defensive team." Breen's greatest improvement this year has been his skating, something that you may not notice if you do not watch the Heat consistently. Breen's "offensive potential" is the result of being paired with Brodie and now Carson. Both Brodie and Carson are much more offensively
skilled than Breen and by watching the Heat play, you would know that the majority of Breen's points have been the result of Breen passing to Brodie or Carson and then letting them make a play. It's like the goaltender getting an assist by putting the puck behind the net on the PP. Yes, Breen's numbers have improved, but it is a reflection of his defensive pairing, rather than any improvement in his puck-handling or passing skills.
The paragraph about Lamb doesn't really include any real information other that he hasn't been sent down and was occassionally a healthy scratch in the early part of the season. "Lamb needs to play his game..." How well can you describe his game? Your assessment also ignores the transition from college to pro hockey and his climb up the depth chart to a steady top four dman for the Heat in the last month. He is a strong skater and has sneaky offensive skills (puck-handling, shot accuracy). Your write up was mostly fluff.
"He has struggled to put up points since his return to the Heat's starting line-up, only collecting three assists and a minus-three rating in 26 games." If you have watched Nemisz since his return from injury you would know that he has been on a line with Laing and Howse/Ruegsegger. Hardly linemates to produce points with. The decision has already been made for him as he has been unable to crack the top six of the Heat. Also, if you have watch Nemisz consistently you would see the obvious improvement in his skating which has always been the biggest knock against him.
Reinhart's write up also neglects to acknowledge the transition from the WHL to pro hockey. To ignore this and suggest his recent offensive improvement is based on better linemates is lazy. Had you watched many Heat games you would know that Reinhart had been very unlucky hitting a absurd number of posts.
Your assessment that the Heat need to provide opportunites for prospects like Wahl and reduce the number of veterans is also flawed. If you look at the rosters of all the successful AHL teams, you would see that most rely on veterans to provide the majority of the offensive output. The reason is simple. Young players that light up the AHL are not in the AHL for long. Wahl has been given opportunities and has not taken advantage of it. What other Flames' prospects deserve a spot in the top six? Nemisz? He has been given the opportunity and did not take adavantage. Howse? He has shown he is still adjusting to pro life, let alone top six responsibilities. Byron? Horak? Reinhart? Oh wait, they are in the top six. Baertcshi? Yup, him too when he was in the AHL. Guys like Walter, Kolanos, and Street are necessary to keep the team competitive and show the prospects how to be a pro. As more offensive prospects graduate to the AHL (Granlund, Gaudreau, college free agents) guys like Kolanos will no longer be on the team. The Heat actually have a nice mix of forward vets and prospects. The problem is the lack of prospects on the blueline other than Breen and Lamb. As Wotherspoon, Ramage, Culkin, and others graduate to the AHL, the number of prospects will improve as well.
I appreciate your contribution to the Flames page on HF. While it seems like the majority of your stories are Canadien based, at least someone on HF is writing something about the Flames more than once a year. However, the use of plus/minus in most of your write ups, repeated information (invited to Flames camp) and little true assessment of a player's strengths and weaknesses make the article "a little fluffy."
