I figured Kressler would come back and have a ton of rust, but man is he flying. He's also been very good at the dot, a place this team really struggled early.
Flint Firebirds 2022-23 Off-Season Thread
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He’s been their best face off man since he was 16. Kinda helps starting the play with possession. His only issue really has been staying healthy. If he’s dressed for Game 6 vs Windsor last year, that series is over. It doesn’t go to OT. It was pretty impressive to watch Ethan Hay be tasked with shutting down the best player in the OHL last year and he performed incredible for a 16yo but he was just 16. If Braeden stays healthy he’s one of the top two-way Centers in the league this year.
Bellof
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After seeing last two games, no question this is a markedly better team with Kressler in the lineup. Pitre bros. starting to assert themselves as well. As for last night’s matchup in Saginaw, suffice it to say came away feeling a whole lot better about Flint’s goaltending status..
I’m not fully sold on Cranley yet but I think he’s played very well over the last 4 games. Two that were outstanding performances. Even when he was pulled, there was only one goal I had an issue with and even that one wasn’t exactly soft. Much better than Lennox last night. He was just getting shots blazed past him. It always seems if you can put pucks on net early and get one past Lennox, it’s night over for him. It’s only when he sees low rubber or has a strong first 10 minutes when he’s good. Plus Saginaw’s like 10 games into the season now, so this is like the longest in his career he’s gone without injury.
Really curious to see which version of the Firebirds show up this weekend. The Gens won’t be a pushover and Missy should straight up be a difficult test. They need to win games like tonight. Niagara has 3 wins this year. Two of them against Flint. That can’t happen with this team this year. The ‘Birds gotta show up for cross-Conference games too, not just vs. West opponents.
Bellof
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You didn’t notice Dent had him out there in the dying seconds of a tie game? Or that he put him out there as the only D with two forwards in OT? Clearly Dent has a little faith in him. I isolated my focus on him for a few shifts last night. Will do the same today. He is a good skater. Positionally sound most of the night. Played it safe mostly but jumped into the play a couple times too. He had one little bobble behind the net that wasn’t fabulous but he quickly recovered. I can’t remember who it was but someone left it behind the net for him to carry out of the zone. So, there’s some belief in him. I imagine it’s his first game back on NA ice in awhile, so he’s probably got at least a LITTLE of readjusting to do. I asked a couple NHL scouts if they had any info on his back story. Why he didn’t sign with the Pete’s, how he ended up in Sweden or how Dent knew about him and that he’d sign but they said they had no idea. Day had a couple I didn’t care for but man, the boys gotta tighten up a bit too. Most of those were D breakdowns that shouldn’t still be happening 12 games into the year with this group fully healthy. It was nice to see Petrou get the opener too. I actually didn’t mind that one. Glad he landed with a solid organization in Oshawa that has some good years ahead of them soon.
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I saw a shift in OT, and maybe 1 or 2 more. Too much going on in the house last night to keep a good eye on the game. Will be easier this afternoon in person.
Yeah, I was surprised as many people showed up as they did. It’s been nice to have cross-conference play resume and I’m trying to see all the Eastern Conf teams this year. I’m kinda bummed I’m gonna miss the Petes in a couple weeks but someone got me tickets to watch the US NTDP U-18 squad play Sweden that night. Kinda expect a tough matchup vs Missy today. Looking forward to it though.
Yeah, it looked like a decent crowd last night. Thought they might get a Missy crowd of 900 people.
Ok. It’s been 13 games and they’re currently a 6 seed with London in a position to pass them and make them a 7 seed. They’ve had a few really strong games, a bunch that were decent and a few that were just dissapointing. It’s past time to start finding solutions. Day has been up and down, Cranley has been trending in the right direction but even yesterday vs Missy….he only allowed 2 and played well but he let one sneak through him he should have had that was the difference in the game. Enough. Of. The. Drop. Pass. They gotta play better D. Period. That’s the biggest issue. They’ve got depth up front as good as any in the league but when one line is producing it seems like the rest are off. Othmann will look like the best forward in the league but Pitre and Giroux will be non-existent. Kressler will make the case that he’s the best all-around forward in the team but it’ll be zero’s and minus 2 for Lombardi and Piercey. Let’s go. It’s gonna take a couple weeks at best to start challenging for a top 3 seed and by that point we’re almost a third of the way into the season. I’m not panicking yet because it was similar last year where they started slow, but it’s time to start putting W’s up and find some consistency. They’ve been mostly injury free. There’s really no-excuses. They’ve been underperforming and if they’re gonna be a 5 seed they might as well sell the farm and have the most picks and stud 16 and 17yo’s in the league.
Garbage. Again. For all the hype about this team, this weekend should have been an easy 3-0 but once again, they dissapoint, underperform and go 1-1-1. They get beat by a rebuilding Kingston squad playing their back-up goaltender who is 5ft 9 and playing his 5th game. Let a last place Guelph team missing multiple key players crawl back into a game that was a blowout and chase Day out of the net. Then fail to capitalize on a late 5 minute power play to lose to a Sarnia team missing like 15 defenseman. Othmann might be the player of October but at this rate the only thing he’ll win is turnover machine or mouth of the month in November. Goaltending sucks. Day has been terrible despite flashes of potential and Cranley…no matter what his stats say, let’s in 1-2 backbreaking routine stops every night. I’m neervous for every shot when the opposition has the puck in the Firebirds’ zone. They need a solid, responsible D with some size and I don’t know there’s one out there to even be had, then they need to find at least one goaltender. It’s not Cranley. We’re 1/4 of the way through the season and he’s still letting team demoralizing goals past him. The floater off his glove rebound vs Kingston? Even the OT winner vs Sarnia…the Sting player (MacDonnel? I was listening from the other room) said during the intermission “Get in his eyes and keep the pucks on the ice”. What gets past him in OT? A puck on the ice because he doesn’t have his pads down. He’s a five-hole sieve too. I don’t know. It looks to me like there’s no leaders on this team to right the ship. It surely can’t be Othmann who’s more interested in yapping, putting blind, no look passes on the oppositions stick to create odd-man rushes the other way and not finishing his opportunities when they NEED them. Sure. He can get 3 assists in an 8 goal game vs rebuilding Oshawa but when has he ever scored late in a tie-game? This has been the most disappointing Firebirds team yet. At least when they sucked before they were in a full rebuild. This is a fully healthy squad failing to close out games EVERY weekend. Dent may have done well in all the little trades (Panwar, Stojkov, Petrou, Michelone) but he blew the big one (replacing Cavallin) and none of those little ones will matter for shit if they end up a 5 seed and get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round. Go. Get. A. Goaltender. And a D or sell. Because this group as is isn’t going to get it done.
StingUpdates
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Your guys team is still littered with talent, especially up front but they definitely came apart a bit today. Othmann, Piercey were going at it with everyone haha. Players, refs, fans.
Can't say we've had legit bitterness with a team in sometime like these teams have. Hopefully everybody keeps it clean & we get more good hockey in future matchups.
Best of luck until the next meeting!
Also, not sure if this has been posted, or is common knowledge but saw Deline at the game walking around with a cast on his hand.
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N Da No
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WOW, why so negative? Even the "devoted" are now speaking out. You forgot to also mention that they are now only outdrawing Missy in attendance, truth be known.
I'm with you, make a big move to shake this team up a bit, the softies by Cranley are back breakers.
Othmann suspended for the next two. I assume the league deemed him firing the puck into the Sting bench was intentional. I think it’s possible one major difference between this team and last year’s is the lack of quality leadership this year.
Yeah for sure... I think Cavallin and Keppen were great leaders on and off the ice. Othmann has a TON of talent but needs to get his attitude in check for sure. someone needs to step up in the net and start seeing some solid goal play. On paper we are a GREAT team but yet we have not shown any consistency anywhere.
N Da No
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One thing however, the game is not played on paper. If it were this team would be in the top ten of the CHL.
Everyone knew that the goaltending had a major impact on the success of last years team. That thus far this season has not happen.
You are all in person witness as to why a 16th overall NHL pick is still playing junior hockey and are reaping the consequences of it.
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