Thoughts about Jankowski?

Volica

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May 15, 2012
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I love this Bennett to the wing stuff.
Because he played there for an entire 11 games, he clearly is the right choice.

You don't toss a 6'1'', and likely 205lbs (when all said and done) high caliber offensive catalyst with high IQ on the wing. Not unless he's forced to play there by someone who surpasses him in IQ and skill; which at this stage, is no one in our prospect pool or roster have the capability to.

Bennett will likely start the season as the third line centre; like Bob Hartley has suggested; much like Monahan did in his first season. He'll likely be the 2PP unit's LW along with Backs and Frolik.

We are all aware we're not out of the woods yet right? Like, we don't have the luxury to be tossing natural centres on the wing like San Jose or Chicago have been doing for years; maybe some day, but I think Bennett will be our 1A/B Centre before too long.

As for Janko, let him keep stewing; and we might get a good NHL'er out of him in a couple more years.
 
May 27, 2012
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Because we're talking about two twenty year-olds and a just-turned 19 year old here, all of whom are centers and all of whom look best when playing center. But it's a foregone conclusion that Monahan will be a 1C because he spent half a year playing as one. Don't forget, even Eric Staal plays wing despite being an elite natural center.


He has done nothing of the sort. You can't "prove" yourself to be something in the future and both those guys were much better at things like faceoffs and defense at the same age.

Sure, Staal does play wing but he hasn't become a winger like you suggested with Monahan.

I love this Bennett to the wing stuff.
Because he played there for an entire 11 games, he clearly is the right choice.

You don't toss a 6'1'', and likely 205lbs (when all said and done) high caliber offensive catalyst with high IQ on the wing. Not unless he's forced to play there by someone who surpasses him in IQ and skill; which at this stage, is no one in our prospect pool or roster have the capability to.

Bennett will likely start the season as the third line centre; like Bob Hartley has suggested; much like Monahan did in his first season. He'll likely be the 2PP unit's LW along with Backs and Frolik.

We are all aware we're not out of the woods yet right? Like, we don't have the luxury to be tossing natural centres on the wing like San Jose or Chicago have been doing for years; maybe some day, but I think Bennett will be our 1A/B Centre before too long.

As for Janko, let him keep stewing; and we might get a good NHL'er out of him in a couple more years.

No one is suggesting he moves to the wing. I just named someone out of the wcenters who would likely play on the wing. A bit ridiculous to suggest Monahan becomes a winger after his last two seasons. I also think Monahan and Bennett will be our 1-2 punch.
 

OvermanKingGainer

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I love this Bennett to the wing stuff.
Because he played there for an entire 11 games, he clearly is the right choice.

You don't toss a 6'1'', and likely 205lbs (when all said and done) high caliber offensive catalyst with high IQ on the wing. Not unless he's forced to play there by someone who surpasses him in IQ and skill; which at this stage, is no one in our prospect pool or roster have the capability to.

I agree with this. Just because it was easier for Hartley to put him on Backlund's wing during the playoffs doesn't mean they're grooming him to be a wing. It was just the best course of action at the time because it was literally his second game as a professional hockey player in the most important games of Calgary's season.

We are all aware we're not out of the woods yet right? Like, we don't have the luxury to be tossing natural centres on the wing like San Jose or Chicago have been doing for years; maybe some day, but I think Bennett will be our 1A/B Centre before too long.

As for Janko, let him keep stewing; and we might get a good NHL'er out of him in a couple more years.

I don't agree with this. Jankowski's gonna be in the NHL come April. I don't know what position he'll play this year, but by 2016-17 we're gonna be too unfairly stacked at center to just keep them at center. Backlund, Jankowski, Bennett, Monahan, maybe even Shore and Granlund... that's at least four guys who deserve to be Top 6 forwards in the NHL IMO.
 

Tkachuk Norris

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Jun 22, 2012
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I agree Volica. Moving Bennett to wing would be awful. He showed in the pre-season and playoffs (for two shifts) that he is a dominant centre ice man. He just has a little more time and space and it allows him to use his creativity and skating ability.

Centre is the most important position on the ice. Having depth at centre and D is how you win a championship.

I don't know why everyone is obsessed with Janko as #2C. A) He hasn't produced enough consistently to prove he's a legit second line centre yet and B) Janko could switch to wing. He played wing a lot in his freshman year. Maybe he can become a great winger A la Kevin Hayes.
 

OvermanKingGainer

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Sure, Staal does play wing but he hasn't become a winger like you suggested with Monahan.

Staal played wing, is my point. It's not unprecidented for good centers to play wing due to team makeup/

No one is saying Monahan is bad at center. But if two players emerge that are better purely at center duties than him, then that's that. There's a reason Kesler / Sedin etc had a field day with him in the playoffs. He's young and has upside - absolutely - but so do Bennett and Jankowski, who are the same age or younger.

If All three can play in our top 6 and play well, then that also means Backlund can be our 3rd line shutdown guy for a long time. And I consider Backlund to be top 6 forward calibre as well. He's another guy who could become a winger.

Just pidgeonholing guys into positions is pointless. Whether that's Bennett, Monahan, Jankowski, they're all versatile players.

A bit ridiculous to suggest Monahan becomes a winger after his last two seasons.

Why is it ridiculous? Putting a good center at wing is something great teams can afford to do. Stamkos, Backes, Zetterberg, Pavelski, Sharp, Carter, All of Team Canada. It's a way of best taking advantage of players' chemistry and strengths without diluting the talent in your top 6. If Tampa didn't move Stamkos to RW last playoffs they probably would not have made the SCF. It doesn't mean Filppula's a better player than him, it's just how things played out.

Also, he wasn't a very good center his rookie season. At all.

I don't know why everyone is obsessed with Janko as #2C. A) He hasn't produced enough consistently to prove he's a legit second line centre yet and B) Janko could switch to wing. He played wing a lot in his freshman year. Maybe he can become a great winger A la Kevin Hayes.

There's no obsession. Jankowski could absolutely be a winger too. Ron Sutter has mentioned that he thinks Jankowski's natural position is center, not wing though. If he ends up being the best defensive center and the best faceoff guy on the team as a 6'4" / 220lb guy, then he's IMO got more value as a C though. I also think he's the most pass-first out of our three young centers, whereas the other two are monster goal scorers, so having them in one-timer position out of offensive faceoffs has its advantages.
 
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May 27, 2012
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Staal played wing when he won a championship.

No one is saying Monahan is bad at center. But if two players emerge that are better purely at center duties than him, then that's that. There's a reason Kesler / Sedin etc had a field day with him in the playoffs. He's young and has upside - absolutely - but so do Bennett and Jankowski, who are the same age or younger.

If All three can play in our top 6 and play well, then that also means Backlund can be our 3rd line shutdown guy for a long time. And I consider Backlund to be top 6 forward calibre as well. He's another guy who could become a winger.

Just pidgeonholing guys into positions is pointless. Whether that's Bennett, Monahan, Jankowski, they're all versatile players.



Why is it ridiculous? Putting a good center at wing is something great teams can afford to do. Stamkos, Backes, Zetterberg, Pavelski, Sharp, Carter, All of Team Canada. It's a way of best taking advantage of players' chemistry and strengths without diluting the talent in your top 6. If Tampa didn't move Stamkos to RW last playoffs they probably would not have made the SCF. It doesn't mean Filppula's a better player than him, it's just how things played out.



There's no obsession. Jankowski could absolutely be a winger too. Ron Sutter has mentioned that he thinks Jankowski's natural position is center, not wing though. If he ends up being the best defensive center and the best faceoff guy on the team as a 6'4" / 220lb guy, then he's IMO got more value as a C though. I also think he's the most pass-first out of our three young centers, whereas the other two are monster goal scorers, so having them in one-timer position out of offensive faceoffs has its advantages.

That's the thing. He is an emerging #1C. Those guys have been in the league 10+ tears. You don't expect Monahan to outplay them on nightly basis right away. Sure all of them have the potential and talent, but I don't Jankowski would be an over the top player where he forces one of Monahan or Backlund to the wing.

Those teams have that luxury, we don't. Bringing Team Canada into this is also ridiculous. What team in the NHL has that much talent? Until Bennett proves he is better than Monahan or on par then, sure we can move one of them to wing need.

Filppula is the better center. He plays in all situations for the team, great faceoff, good defensively. And then you have Tyler Johnson who is the #1 C in Tampa now. Unlike Tampa, we can't do that.

Out of the 3, I would prefer Jankowski on the wing if it ever comes to that. But who's to say we won't have established players by then or Jankowski is gone? we can't predict what is to happen, we can only hope.
 

Calculon

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Unless Jankowski develops at an exponential rate this season, it's pretty much a guarantee he'll spend the bulk of 2016/2017 in the AHL, and very likely, a lot of 2017/2018. It's horribly premature to suggest Jankowski is going to force actual NHL'ers to the wing anytime soon.
 

OvermanKingGainer

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That's the thing. He is an emerging #1C. Those guys have been in the league 10+ tears. You don't expect Monahan to outplay them on nightly basis right away. Sure all of them have the potential and talent, but I don't Jankowski would be an over the top player where he forces one of Monahan or Backlund to the wing.

Jankowski doesn't have to be a better player than Monahan, only a better center. And I think that's his potential.

Those teams have that luxury, we don't. Bringing Team Canada into this is also ridiculous. What team in the NHL has that much talent? Until Bennett proves he is better than Monahan or on par then, sure we can move one of them to wing need.

Talent isn't the point. Position is. Right now just like team Canada most of our best forward and forward prospects are natural centers - it's just a fact. Bennett, Jankowski, Monahan, Jooris, Backlund, Stajan, Arnold, Shore, Granlund. Some guys will find a home on the wing, some guys will be traded (hopefully out of that group it's only Stajan), and only four guys will be centers full time. If Jankowski is the top 6 forward we drafted, it's a total waste to put him in the bottom 6. That leaves 5 spots for him, because Gaudreau has LW locked up. Why would you restrict it to just three spots without wanting to know what the best fit for him is for the sake of the team?

Filppula is the better center. He plays in all situations for the team, great faceoff, good defensively. And then you have Tyler Johnson who is the #1 C in Tampa now. Unlike Tampa, we can't do that.

Jankowski is a 20 year old turning 21 in September. He's trending to be at worst a 3rd line NHL center and still shows all the potential he showed when we drafted him, which was a top 6 center.

I'm not making an guarantees here about him, nor am I making them about Bennett or Monahan. Like I said in my other post, we're talking about two twenty year olds and a 19 year old.

Being rigid with what they end up as in three years is what's ridiculous, all three are still developing and all have high ceilings.

Just on paper, if you had

Poor man's Stamkos
Poor man's Toews
Poor man's Kopitar

on the same team, why would you totally REJECT poor man's stamkos on the wing? I'm not saying any of our guys are even poor man's versions of any of those three, I'm only asking a question. It's just a thought experiment here.

Out of the 3, I would prefer Jankowski on the wing if it ever comes to that.

Based on what, though? I'm just asking an honest question here. If Jankowski proves to be a top 6 forward of any sort, who's also a defensively elite center that's bigger and stronger than our other two centers, and proves to be our best faceoff center, you would still prefer him on the wing? Doesn't that seem counterproductive considering he just shutdown-centered a team to an NCAA championship?

I love Monahan. I'm not denying that he has true championship caliber #1C potential. But right now it's still potential and that's the same for Bennett and even Jankowski, who are simply at different points in their development curves. Monahan is ahead right now but he's so young, that he's three years younger than Bill Arnold, who's a pretty good prospect. We can't just predict where Monahan's development will go in the next three years, maybe he levels off from last year and that's just who he is, or maybe he takes another massive step.

It wouldn't be a bad thing if Monahan became the Hossa to Bennett's Toews. It would be a sign that we're a really deep and talented team. It sounds too good to be true, and maybe it is. But just outright rejecting the idea as soon as you hear it?
 

Ace Rimmer

Stoke me a clipper.
In two or three years, assuming everything comes up roses:

#1C - Bennett/Monahan
#2C - Monahan/Bennett
#3C - Backlund / Jankowski
#4C - Jankowski/Arnold/Someone else.

I like the idea of Monahan remaining at centre for his regular shift, but someone will have to move to the wing. Assuming Backlund remains with the organization he could also be shifted to the wing, no?

Don't get me wrong, I'm high on Jankowski but I can't honestly say that I would expect him to be a top six centre with this team as of right now. That said, I've been wrong before.
 

Johnny Hoxville

The Return of a Legend
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I think Jankowski is on par to his expectations for when he was drafted. He is not ahead of expectations, he is exactly where he was expected to be at this point and that is going for all 4 years of college to really round out his game. There is no guarantees that Janko makes the NHL, but I do think that his bust factor has lowered considerably since being drafted. I also think Janko is a natural center. He's a smooth skater, has good 2 way play, he's an excellent playmaker and he's good on the dot. Assuming he makes the NHL and plays to his potential that's someone you definitely want playing down the middle. Now again, (and this is obviously assuming everything with his development goes perfectly right) he develops to his potential and forces his way in the top 6, well that means that someone else needs to play on the wing. I don't think anything is set in stone, but I think you can look at the probability and make an accurate guess. I would say it's probable that the Flames want Monahan to remain at center. I think Bennett has an excellent skillset to be a great center, but I also think he has many assets in his game that could make him a fantastic winger.

If you think Backlund has locked down the 3C spot, then you have Monahan, Bennett and Janko all good enough to play in your top 6, well something has to give. I think Janko at this point is more of a natural center than Bennett and that has nothing to do with him playing in the playoffs, it's more about the traits in his game that I see. I think he could be every bit as prolific if not more than Gaudreau playing on the wing.

But of course this is all assuming that Janko gets to that point which as of now is far from a guarantee. And everyone can relax, this is half the fun about talking about this stuff and playing around with where guys can slot in your lineup down the road.
 

Monahan For Mayor*

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Depending on how Backlund trends for the next season or two. He could have more value in a trade for a legit big/goal scoring winger. He just hasn't proven he has the offensive ability to be a top 6 winger. IMO. This also is barring one of Arnold/Shore/Jankowski can take in at 3c and Bennet/Monahan top 2.
 

OvermanKingGainer

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I think Jankowski is on par to his expectations for when he was drafted. He is not ahead of expectations, he is exactly where he was expected to be at this point and that is going for all 4 years of college to really round out his game. There is no guarantees that Janko makes the NHL, but I do think that his bust factor has lowered considerably since being drafted. I also think Janko is a natural center. He's a smooth skater, has good 2 way play, he's an excellent playmaker and he's good on the dot. Assuming he makes the NHL and plays to his potential that's someone you definitely want playing down the middle. Now again, (and this is obviously assuming everything with his development goes perfectly right) he develops to his potential and forces his way in the top 6, well that means that someone else needs to play on the wing.

I agree with all of this.

I don't think anything is set in stone, but I think you can look at the probability and make an accurate guess. I would say it's probable that the Flames want Monahan to remain at center. I think Bennett has an excellent skillset to be a great center, but I also think he has many assets in his game that could make him a fantastic winger.

My opinion is that the Flames don't want anything specific - they just want to let the cards fall into place themselves. I think Bennett at wing will also work, but I also think people underestimate Monahan's skillset on the wing because we simply haven't tried it yet (which is good - develop the player as a center first, then worry about the rest later). I just remember that sequence against the Kings in January where he stripped the puck up high, took it up the ice and tied up the game in transition, and I saw the potential of a big elite two-way forward that would drive other teams totally nuts. Can you imagine a Klimchuk-Bennett-Monahan line? All three two-way snipers with 30 goal potential (well, Monahan's got 30 goal history), Bennett in between finding the open man. Gaudreau can be sheltered like Chicago shelters Kane giving him easier competition and more production. Janko winning faceoffs to Johnny. Don't ask me where Poirier/Shore/Granlund fit into all of this.

The best part is, these are just 5 on 5 lines. You can stack Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett as a power play unit and still have Backlund, Poirier, Jankowski, etc on the 2nd unit.

Love having skill on the team and in the system. Soon the days of Mason Raymond on our power play will be a distant memory.
 
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OvermanKingGainer

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Made a little chart. I know and forewarn that there's nothing scientific about the player selection process but who doesn't like charts?

('NHL' column is NHL career high)

NCAA PPG By Age
SCsghcY.png
 
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joescores

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Depending on how Backlund trends for the next season or two. He could have more value in a trade for a legit big/goal scoring winger. He just hasn't proven he has the offensive ability to be a top 6 winger. IMO. This also is barring one of Arnold/Shore/Jankowski can take in at 3c and Bennet/Monahan top 2.


My thoughts!
 

Tkachuk Norris

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Jun 22, 2012
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If he neared any of the guys in that table (thanks, Signature) that'd be pretty damn acceptable.

To be honest Jankowski kinda reminds me of Mike McLeod from the Steelheads. Does everything well and looks like a pro, he just doesn't have great finish from what I've seen.

Those are some very god players. If he's as good as any of those guys in really happy. Still think there's a good chance he plays wing in our top nine so we can keep Backlund.
 

BigRangy

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To be honest Jankowski kinda reminds me of Mike McLeod from the Steelheads. Does everything well and looks like a pro, he just doesn't have great finish from what I've seen.

Those are some very god players. If he's as good as any of those guys in really happy. Still think there's a good chance he plays wing in our top nine so we can keep Backlund.

I don't think the Flames will be able to afford Backlund once Tkachuk and Bennett (and a goalie) are getting paid what they (hopefully will) deserve. Which is a darn shame. Hopefully Brouwer or Frolik can be moved out if it comes down to a decision between them or Backlund.

Here's what I have as a long term cap outlook for the Flames:

Hx50JjZ.png


I think my position estimates are fairly reasonable. I suppose Stajan and Bouma's contracts come off the books when Backlund is a UFA, but I figure he'll be able to get 5 mil+ if he keeps playing like he does. Tkachuk will be another 5 mil most likely, and you can't have 7+ forwards making 4 million, especially when all your d-men are on expensive contracts as well. Something will have to give, hopefully it's not Backlund.
 

Lunatik

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Oct 12, 2012
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Comparing Jankowski and pigeonholing him into having the same production at the same age is simply unethical. First we force him into being drafted *gasp*, then make him play in Stockton which has to be a human rights violation and now this?
 

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
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Backlund will 100% be a cap causality. We need Janko to replace him, I hope it happens he reaches that level.

Need to definitely replace it internally if we can't come to an agreement. Backs reminds me of Flipper a few years back, great middle 6 centre that plays both ends well; simple gets let go because stars need protection.

If Bennett continues to improve; Tkachuk develops into what I believe he can be... And one of the developmental C's pans out (Pollock, Jankowski) I think we will be alright. Backlund for the grief he got in the early parts of his career is an excellent NHLer; the way he plays will be absolutely difficult to replace when another team will offer him north of 5.5x5 easily.
 

SmellOfVictory

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Jun 3, 2011
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I don't think the Flames will be able to afford Backlund once Tkachuk and Bennett (and a goalie) are getting paid what they (hopefully will) deserve. Which is a darn shame. Hopefully Brouwer or Frolik can be moved out if it comes down to a decision between them or Backlund.

Here's what I have as a long term cap outlook for the Flames:

Hx50JjZ.png


I think my position estimates are fairly reasonable. I suppose Stajan and Bouma's contracts come off the books when Backlund is a UFA, but I figure he'll be able to get 5 mil+ if he keeps playing like he does. Tkachuk will be another 5 mil most likely, and you can't have 7+ forwards making 4 million, especially when all your d-men are on expensive contracts as well. Something will have to give, hopefully it's not Backlund.

I want Backs to re-sign for 3.5-4 mil again so we can keep him foreverrrrrrrrrrrrr
 

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