The Athletic: Flames were worst forchecking team

[Flameshomer]

1. Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal - No brainer in my mind. Could be one of the top producing lines league wide
2A. Bennett-Lindholm-Tkachuk - Lindholm has stated a preference for Centre and has looked great there in the past. Tkachuk has proven that he can carry a line offensively. Also, this should shut people up that Bennett isn't given a chance with good linemates, if he can't produce here we know what we have.
2B. Frolik-Backlund-Ryan - We know Backlund-Frolik is already two thirds of a decent line, let's see if Ryan can repeat his point production.
4. Rychel-Jankowski- Czarnik - this line will be a revolving door based on who's playing better, but essentially it would have been the best line in the AHL last season so it should do ok as a 4th line in the big league.

1. plays 19 minutes a night
2A/2B plays 18 and 16 minutes a night depending on who is hotter.
4. Plays 7-8 minutes a night.

2A and 2B both have LH and RH Centres. 2A would be more heavy hitting in your face while 2B would be more puck control and defensive acumen. We shouldn't be worried about putting any of those lines out on the ice (the same cannot be said about a line with Janko-Bennett, as we were shown time and time again last season). I would be especially interested to see 2A's ability to forecheck. I think they would be a nightmare.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Ryan played on a team short on centers and even with all the TOI with he only put up 38 points playing much of it with Aho and Teravainen or Skinner and Stempniak. The question is with all that talent how did he not do better. He had plenty of PP time. Ryan will be a 4th liner used more than Stajan and will be able to fill in higher up if injuries happen but he is not as talented as others in the Calgary line-up.

You really need to work on your facts before you start your witch hunts.

Ryan was the 8th most used forward on Hurricanes on the PP. 9th overall on the team.

He was 14th overall in ice time on the team. 7th amongst forwards.

You are also just flat out wrong on your frequent linemates.

Derek Ryan - Frozen Tools

He literally barely played with Aho or Teravainen. He did play with Skinner and Stempniak a lot. The same Stempniak who put up 9 points in 37 games and now can't find an NHL job. He did play a fair bit with Justin Williams and Brock McGinn as well. If you look at his overall usage though, he really didn't have very consistent linemates overall.

You also mention that he's a Peters favorite, but the Flames even admitted to interest in him at the deadline as well.

Ryan is not a 4th line center. Literally nothing in his numbers suggest anything other than a 3rd line player. Point me out to 4th liners that put up his points. He would have been 10th in scoring on the Flames in 2016-17, and tied for 7th this past season in team scoring.

Even his advanced stats, which I'm not always the biggest fan of, point to a 3rd line player.

But go on and tell us how Lazar is going to be a 40+ point player again.

 

[Lunatik]

Good post FF, this "Derek Ryan is a Peters favorite" narrative has snowballed out of control. It looks more to me like he was possibly overplayed by a little and trusted more than Canes fans liked, but since Ryan played for him in Spokane, they put that narrative together.

I've even seem claims that he was only signed by the Canes because of Peters, which is such a giant load of horseshit. He chose the Canes because of Peters, but was going to be signed by someone regardless as he completely f***ing dominated the Swedish league.

 

[Volica]

You really need to work on your facts before you start your witch hunts.

Ryan was the 8th most used forward on Hurricanes on the PP. 9th overall on the team.

He was 14th overall in ice time on the team. 7th amongst forwards.

You are also just flat out wrong on your frequent linemates.

Derek Ryan - Frozen Tools

He literally barely played with Aho or Teravainen. He did play with Skinner and Stempniak a lot. The same Stempniak who put up 9 points in 37 games and now can't find an NHL job. He did play a fair bit with Justin Williams and Brock McGinn as well. If you look at his overall usage though, he really didn't have very consistent linemates overall.

You also mention that he's a Peters favorite, but the Flames even admitted to interest in him at the deadline as well.

Ryan is not a 4th line center. Literally nothing in his numbers suggest anything other than a 3rd line player. Point me out to 4th liners that put up his points. He would have been 10th in scoring on the Flames in 2016-17, and tied for 7th this past season in team scoring.

Even his advanced stats, which I'm not always the biggest fan of, point to a 3rd line player.

But go on and tell us how Lazar is going to be a 40+ point player again.

Good post.
It's funny. I found it hilarious when Canes fans were throwing jabs at him too:

"He's Peters lap dog. Golden boy! Enjoy having him play in front of others and be used too much! LOL"
- Icetime matches perfectly with being used as a 3rd line centre. Powerplay time matches up to a 2nd unit type guy.

We, as fans, make unfounded claims a lot. I don't doubt he probably got some shifts that fans weren't happy about... but then again, we're never happy.