Waived: [CGY] Ilya Solovyov waived by the Flames (cleared)

[Lunatik]

This thread being two pages deep is just "Canadian Hockey team" syndrome. Lefthanded defenseman with only 10 NHL games prior to running out of waiver-exempt status. Teams around the League generally don't have much of a desire to take someone's soon to be aging out prospect to be a maybe 6th/7th defenseman coming into the year when they have their own guys like that in camp. Hopefully for Solovyov he plays well in the AHL and gets an opportunity if injuries hit.

Pardon me for being passionate about a young payer I'm high on. Call it want you want but there is no reason for the first part of your post.

 

[Some Other Flame]

It's not a surprise he cleared.

It's disappointment that in a rebuild, this antiquated organization is still prioritizing mercenary vets. At some point you need to actually promote prospects to further their growth and development versus endless stagnation in lower leagues.

It's literally a rebuild and they might seriously graduate zero prospects onto the big club. That's just embarrassing.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Conroy gambled and he messed up because he upset some of the loyal fans.

I love that Solo cleared. He will be a great defensive defenseman in the NHL some day and I believe he could eventually top out as a second pairing guy. That said, Gru, Bru, Parekh, and a couple of veterans will make that very unlikely for the Flames.

Brzustewicz and Parekh aren’t his competition. Different sides, different styles.
Grushnikov, Kuznetsov, and Bahl are all his competion, and are all the same age or younger. Grushnikov is meaner with higher potential while being 3 years younger, Kuznetsov moves a lot better and is 2 years younger, and Bahl is a giant who has proven a lot higher level of play being the same age as Solovyov.

 

[Haatley]

It's not a surprise he cleared.

It's disappointment that in a rebuild, this antiquated organization is still prioritizing mercenary vets. At some point you need to actually promote prospects to further their growth and development versus endless stagnation in lower leagues.

It's literally a rebuild and they might seriously graduate zero prospects onto the big club. That's just embarrassing.

It's embarrassing that you would prefer to purposely lose than play a roster that has a better chance of winning games.

 

[VeteranPresence]

It's embarrassing that you would prefer to purposely lose than play a roster that has a better chance of winning games.

That... is exactly what a rebuild is.

 

[Some Other Flame]

It's embarrassing that you would prefer to purposely lose than play a roster that has a better chance of winning games.

It's hilarious that you think tired old vets on their last legs only playing for paycheck give the team a better chance of winning. Like seriously it's not 1997 anymore Darryl.

The only thing Barrie, Tinordi, and Hanley are good for is tanking.

 

[Lunatik]

That... is exactly what a rebuild is.

No it isn't. Rebuilding and tanking aren't synonymous

 

[Figgy44]

This thread being two pages deep is just "Canadian Hockey team" syndrome. Lefthanded defenseman with only 10 NHL games prior to running out of waiver-exempt status. Teams around the League generally don't have much of a desire to take someone's soon to be aging out prospect to be a maybe 6th/7th defenseman coming into the year when they have their own guys like that in camp. Hopefully for Solovyov he plays well in the AHL and gets an opportunity if injuries hit.

What's the point of this post? Would you make such a comment in a prospect form thread and call it Canadian Hockey Syndrome?

A few of us had a discussion about him because we felt he might be borderline for claimed and discussed whether we might lose him on waivers. A few of us are also interested in his development due to so few players from Belarus.

Belarussian NHL Players ‑ All-Time Stats

All-time Belarussian NHL players scoring leaders | NHL statistics for all Belarussian players.

www.quanthockey.com

Solovyov is 13th all time for NHL GP for someone from Belarus. 37 more games and he's 10th all time. Sharangovich 6th all time and may likely become 5th all time by the end of the season.

It's not a surprise he cleared.

It's disappointment that in a rebuild, this antiquated organization is still prioritizing mercenary vets. At some point you need to actually promote prospects to further their growth and development versus endless stagnation in lower leagues.

It's literally a rebuild and they might seriously graduate zero prospects onto the big club. That's just embarrassing.

Solo doesn't develop well as our 6/7 dman IMO. He needs top pairing on the Wranglers or 2nd pairing to make that leap IMO. Second pairing doesn't make sense, so Wranglers it is.

The only merc would be Barrie. Pachal and Hanley aren't technically mercs, Hanley maybe I'd give that to you, but he's expected to be mostly in the pressbox. I know it was far worse in the past for not playing prospects, but with how our roster is shaping up and the total GP on the back end for players not named Weegar/Andersson or Barrie... I don't think management is wrong for their current approach.

I assume Tinordi gets sent down. Bean is perhaps more appropriate age, calibre of player on the 3rd pairing plus maybe some nepotism, but again, not a true merc.

There's 456 NHL GP between Bahl, Bean, Pachal and Miromanov. Bahl and Bean account for 345 of those NHL GP. 111 games between Miromanov and Pachal on the right side, Barrie (RD) as a merc isn't the worst idea, but this doesn't affect Solo.

If he keeps it up, I think Solo can be permanently NHL next season once Hanley's contract expires. Then it's up to him whether he steals an LD spot from Bean/Bahl or stays as the press box guy. Based on a bunch of the contracts for the Flames, I think there is a potential plan for a mass graduation from the Wranglers to start the 2025-2026 season and another mass graduation for 2026-2027. I kinda view Solo's situation as one where management might be aiming to make his ceiling higher as second pairing vs put him in a situation where he maxes out as 3rd pairing.

 

[Yepthatsme]

It's not a surprise he cleared.

It's disappointment that in a rebuild, this antiquated organization is still prioritizing mercenary vets. At some point you need to actually promote prospects to further their growth and development versus endless stagnation in lower leagues.

It's literally a rebuild and they might seriously graduate zero prospects onto the big club. That's just embarrassing.

I mean next year is the wave where the real prospects will be ready. Brzustewicz and Honzek will be ready, Parekh has a good chance for the sole reason that he probably will have outgrown the CHL, and some other guys may be ready to step up like Stromgren or Gridin etc. We are getting up in arms about a 6/7 guy who’s 24, only 2 years younger than one of those mercenary vets we will actually be playing this year (Bean).

Coronato, Pospisil, Zary, and Pelletier are all trying to earn spots and will all probably get increased roles as the season progresses, with likely a couple huge seasons of youth movements the next couple years as the actual young guys become ready. A 24 year old 7th round pick not making the team isn’t a sign of anything.

 

[VeteranPresence]

No it isn't. Rebuilding and tanking aren't synonymous

I can't wait to see Calgary try to "rebuild" without planning to finish in the lottery. Nice to know the Oilers won't have to worry about them for a good decade or so.

 

[DJJones]

I can't wait to see Calgary try to "rebuild" without planning to finish in the lottery. Nice to know the Oilers won't have to worry about them for a good decade or so.

I mean you're already seeing it. They aren't going to be a bottom 3 team, they likely never will be. The amount of roster losses it would take and the stalled development ain't worth getting a RNH/Larkin/Kakko type player. There's like one player worth tanking for every year and even if you blow up your entire team there's a slim chance of getting that pick.

The idea of hoping that all of our current young guys suck, all our players regress, Wolf sucks, all of our defense sucks is mindblowing to me. Congratulations, your team is now a cancer, all your previous prospects suck and you pick 4th in a draft where #3 to #9 are borderline interchangable.

 

[Bond]

I mean you're already seeing it. They aren't going to be a bottom 3 team, they likely never will be. The amount of roster losses it would take and the stalled development ain't worth getting a RNH/Larkin/Kakko type player. There's like one player worth tanking for every year and even if you blow up your entire team there's a slim chance of getting that pick.

The idea of hoping that all of our current young guys suck, all our players regress, Wolf sucks, all of our defense sucks is mindblowing to me. Congratulations, your team is now a cancer, all your previous prospects suck and you pick 4th in a draft where #3 to #9 are borderline interchangable.

I disagree, the Flames have a legit shot at being bottom three bad this season. Bottom ten forwards, bottom five defense, and bottom five goaltending tandem. There is a reason the Flames went from a middle of the pack team to a bottom three team after the trade deadline.

Replacing Hanifin, Tanev, and Zadorov is a tall order and there is a lot of hope thinking the guys they have brought in will. Markstrom was playing vezina worthy and was dragging the team towards the bubble, Wolf won't be playing at that level.

 

[DJJones]

I disagree, the Flames have a legit shot at being bottom three bad this season. Bottom ten forwards, bottom five defense, and bottom five goaltending tandem. There is a reason the Flames went from a middle of the pack team to a bottom three team after the trade deadline.

Replacing Hanifin, Tanev, and Zadorov is a tall order and there is a lot of hope thinking the guys they have brought in will. Markstrom was playing vezina worthy and was dragging the team towards the bubble, Wolf won't be playing at that level.

Yes they will be bottom 3 if Zary and Pospisil regress. Pelletier flops, Coronato flops, Wolf flops. Kuzmenko and Sharagovich both look terrible. Mantha can't score.

Trade vets for zero help while somehow staying over the cap floor.

Bahl and Miromanov both can't handle it. None of our defensive prospects can move to bottom pairing roles.

It's possible all that happens but Flames management is wishing desperately for it not to happen. They want all of those players to be good. That's the difference between tanking and rebuilding. The Edmonton, Buffalo, San Jose tanking teams were actively trying to be bad. They'd fire a coach if they were getting to much out of a team. Flames want to be good they are just being very conservative with their asset management.

 

[VeteranPresence]

I mean you're already seeing it. They aren't going to be a bottom 3 team, they likely never will be. The amount of roster losses it would take and the stalled development ain't worth getting a RNH/Larkin/Kakko type player. There's like one player worth tanking for every year and even if you blow up your entire team there's a slim chance of getting that pick.

The idea of hoping that all of our current young guys suck, all our players regress, Wolf sucks, all of our defense sucks is mindblowing to me. Congratulations, your team is now a cancer, all your previous prospects suck and you pick 4th in a draft where #3 to #9 are borderline interchangable.

Then Calgary's rebuild has already failed.

Cup winners by year/# of homegrown top-5 picks:

FLA- 2 (Barkov, Ekblad)
VGK- None
COL- 3 (MacKinnon, Landeskog, Makar)
TB- 2 (Stamkos and Hedman + traded a #3 pick, Drouin, to get Sergachev)
STL- 1 (Pietrangelo)
PIT- 3 (Crosby, Malkin, MAF)
CHI- 2 (Toews, Kane)

The only hope the Flames have to buck the trend of tanking teams eventually winning the Cup is to follow the Vegas model. However, unless they intend to fold and then re-enter the league with the same favorable expansion rules, that isn't going to happen so... better start sucking soon.

 

[Bank Shot]

Yes they will be bottom 3 if Zary and Pospisil regress. Pelletier flops, Coronato flops, Wolf flops. Kuzmenko and Sharagovich both look terrible. Mantha can't score.

Trade vets for zero help while somehow staying over the cap floor.

Bahl and Miromanov both can't handle it. None of our defensive prospects can move to bottom pairing roles.

It's possible all that happens but Flames management is wishing desperately for it not to happen. They want all of those players to be good. That's the difference between tanking and rebuilding. The Edmonton, Buffalo, San Jose tanking teams were actively trying to be bad. They'd fire a coach if they were getting to much out of a team. Flames want to be good they are just being very conservative with their asset management.

Flames are tanking despite what you want to call it. In the last year they have traded their starting goalie and two top 4 D-men. Their first line center and another top six forward.

They lost like 80% of their games after the deadline last season. They didn't sign any decent experienced D-men this offseason. They have 2 NHL defence currently signed.

They are a mess and bottom 3 is pretty possible.

 

[Bond]

Yes they will be bottom 3 if Zary and Pospisil regress. Pelletier flops, Coronato flops, Wolf flops. Kuzmenko and Sharagovich both look terrible. Mantha can't score.

Trade vets for zero help while somehow staying over the cap floor.

Bahl and Miromanov both can't handle it. None of our defensive prospects can move to bottom pairing roles.

It's possible all that happens but Flames management is wishing desperately for it not to happen. They want all of those players to be good. That's the difference between tanking and rebuilding. The Edmonton, Buffalo, San Jose tanking teams were actively trying to be bad. They'd fire a coach if they were getting to much out of a team. Flames want to be good they are just being very conservative with their asset management.

Conroy clearly signalled a rebuild when he traded Markstrom. If the Flames finish outside of the bottom five then they outperformed expectations.

It doesn't take all those players to flop for the Flames to be a bottom three team. Zary, Coronato, Pospisil, and Wolf can all progress and the Flames can still be a bottom three team. The FLames finished 9th last and had a much better team for the most part. They are missing an actual #1C, two top four dmen (arguably a #1 dman as well), and are missing at least a couple of top 6 players. A bad dcore leaves the forwards in a bad spot when they can't get the puck up the ice and will leave goaltenders out to dry.

Also, Edmonton actually wasn't even trying to be bad, they were just bad, which is even funnier.

 

[DJJones]

Then Calgary's rebuild has already failed.

Cup winners by year/# of homegrown top-5 picks:

FLA- 2 (Barkov, Ekblad)
VGK- None
COL- 3 (MacKinnon, Landeskog, Makar)
TB- 2 (Stamkos and Hedman + traded a #3 pick, Drouin, to get Sergachev)
STL- 1 (Pietrangelo)
PIT- 3 (Crosby, Malkin, MAF)
CHI- 2 (Toews, Kane)

The only hope the Flames have to buck the trend of tanking teams eventually winning the Cup is to follow the Vegas model. However, unless they intend to fold and then re-enter the league with the same favorable expansion rules, that isn't going to happen so... better start sucking soon.

I mean almost every team in the league has a top 5 pick on their team. Of course the stats will say that.

And yes we need to pull a 1C out of our ass before Calgary has any hope of competing. Draft/Trade/whatever.

 

[DJJones]

Conroy clearly signalled a rebuild when he traded Markstrom. If the Flames finish outside of the bottom five then they outperformed expectations.

It doesn't take all those players to flop for the Flames to be a bottom three team. Zary, Coronato, Pospisil, and Wolf can all progress and the Flames can still be a bottom three team. The FLames finished 9th last and had a much better team for the most part. They are missing an actual #1C, two top four dmen (arguably a #1 dman as well), and are missing at least a couple of top 6 players. A bad dcore leaves the forwards in a bad spot when they can't get the puck up the ice and will leave goaltenders out to dry.

Also, Edmonton actually wasn't even trying to be bad, they were just bad, which is even funnier.

Yes no one is claiming this isn't a rebuild. They gutted the team and didn't spend any money to replace them. Of course it's a rebuild, they could be way better this year if they wanted to be.

Pospisil/Zary/Coronato all progress thats a f***ing 2nd line I would love for a decade. That's better than moving up a couple spots in the draft.

 

[Bond]

Yes no one is claiming this isn't a rebuild. They gutted the team and didn't spend any money to replace them. Of course it's a rebuild, they could be way better this year if they wanted to be.

Pospisil/Zary/Coronato all progress thats a f***ing 2nd line I would love for a decade. That's better than moving up a couple spots in the draft.

That doesn’t have to happen this season though and likely won’t

 

[DJJones]

That doesn’t have to happen this season though and likely won’t

Ya I'd expect at least one of them to stall or fall off. Just the way she goes. Gotta trade someone before Coronato can get in the top 9 anyway.

Luckily we have like 8 guys in that same position. If 3 or 4 even hit this year we're laughing.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Yes no one is claiming this isn't a rebuild. They gutted the team and didn't spend any money to replace them. Of course it's a rebuild, they could be way better this year if they wanted to be.

Pospisil/Zary/Coronato all progress thats a f***ing 2nd line I would love for a decade. That's better than moving up a couple spots in the draft.

I think you're vastly undervaluing how much parity is in the league. Whether those guys take the next step or not isn't going to make a big difference on our standing. Even if Zary has a 60 point season, every team that sat around us in the standings has players like that that could take that same next step (Pinto, Slafkovsky, Guenther and Cooley, Peterka and Quinn). The point is those types of things generally cancel each other out. The things that will make the biggest differences are what teams did to improve their roster. Chicago surrounded Bedard with actual top 6 forwards and a much deeper blue line, Ottawa got a new coach and starting goalie, Utah added an entire 1st pairing, Montreal added Laine and Dach to their top 6 and probably Huston to their blue line (yes Laine will miss 2-3 months), Buffalo got new coaching and will have Byram for the full season, Seattle added a 1st pair defenseman and a top 6 forwards (they are also healthy). Calgary (and maybe Columbus though out of their control) are the only teams from last years bottom 10 that activity got worse.

 

[DJJones]

I think you're vastly undervaluing how much parity is in the league. Whether those guys take the next step or not isn't going to make a big difference on our standing. Even if Zary has a 60 point season, every team that sat around us in the standings has players like that that could take that same next step (Pinto, Slafkovsky, Guenther and Cooley, Peterka and Quinn). The point is those types of things generally cancel each other out. The things that will make the biggest differences are what teams did to improve their roster. Chicago surrounded Bedard with actual top 6 forwards and a much deeper blue line, Ottawa got a new coach and starting goalie, Utah added an entire 1st pairing, Montreal added Laine and Dach to their top 6 and probably Huston to their blue line (yes Laine will miss 2-3 months), Buffalo got new coaching and will have Byram for the full season, Seattle added a 1st pair defenseman and a top 6 forwards (they are also healthy). Calgary (and maybe Columbus though out of their control) are the only teams from last years bottom 10 that activity got worse.

Three young guys progressing doesn't do anything but adding Bertuzzi does? Adding Hudson does? Segarchev and Marino going to drag them into the playoffs?

Meh, either their young guys progress or they keep failing. That's exactly how we're going to get better, young guys filling in spots they couldn't handle the year before. Like ya, if the other bottom 10 teams young guys improve more than ours we'll slide down. That's what I've been saying the whole time.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Three young guys progressing doesn't do anything but adding Bertuzzi does? Adding Hudson does? Segarchev and Marino going to drag them into the playoffs?

Meh, either their young guys progress or they keep failing. That's exactly how we're going to get better, young guys filling in spots they couldn't handle the year before. Like ya, if the other bottom 10 teams young guys improve more than ours we'll slide down. That's what I've been saying the whole time.

That's not what I said at all. All those other teams will have improvement from their young guns on top of adding those supporting pieces. The Flames actively lost a lot of supporting pieces since the start of last season so all we have is the young guys improving. Anaheim is also only relying on improvement from within but they have far more guys with higher ceilings who can take that next step