Flint Firebirds 2022-23 Off-Season Thread

[Hockytwn51419]

So, there’s a lot to address here. I’m gonna break it into 3 parts and respond as I get time today. One. I don’t have any personal issues with Cranley and I would have loved to see him reach his potential and lead this team this year. It never happened and he lost the starters role to a 17yo goalie. That does not happen to a 20yo NHL signed OA goalie unless two things happen. The 17yo plays very well and outplays him by a wide margin AND the OA fails to perform to an acceptable level. My issues started with the fact that Dent would bring in an OA that had NEVER had decent numbers and paid a 3rd and a 5th (according to a reputable source). Goalies are the least expensive position to acquire, OA goalies even more so. Cranley’s #’s are bad. An .884 save%? Here’s the thing. He had a save % over .900 early in the year, so how bad are those numbers since Dec 1? Terrible. The thing is though, those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Yes, the team had let him down frequently with defensive lapses and breakdowns until recently but his season can be summed up by “the soft goal at the absolute worst time”. and it’s EVERY single game. Let’s take just the last two games. Go watch the replays. OS up by 1 goal in the 3rd period with Flint going on the PP and a chance to tie the game late. The crowd would have went insane and it would have been huge for the kids. Instead, OS flips the puck from one corner of the ice to the opposite corner. The puck comes out at an angle, the D has Deni Goure mostly tied up and Will actually tracks Goure instead of the puck. Go watch. He slides across positioning himself in front of Goure who doesn’t have the puck. The puck is off to Cranley’s left and he overslides leaving the net open on his glove side so Deni Goure with ONE HAND (because the D has him mostly tied up) can flip the puck past Cranley. So instead of having a chance to tie the game on the PP, they’re down two because Cranley failed to make a routine save. Saginaw. Day gets pulled. The score is 4-1. It’s not good, but it ain’t completely over yet. Dent sends his OA goalie in to settle the boys down and change the momentum. First shot. Goal. Pretty much game over. Now, Cranley was cold and it was a prime scoring chance but watch it. The puck is stretching the twine behind Will and he doesn’t even react to the shot at all until it’s already in the net. Seriously? I mean, it’s not like that was the quick release of Brett Hull that beat him. I know I’m hard on him but it’s been bad. He’s not a kid. He’s 21 years old and has an NHL signing bonus ($85,000?) in his bank. The pressure and scrutiny doesn’t get easier from here if he wants hockey to be his career.

Just gonna leave it alone we won't agree on Will, "arguing" on a forum is not worth it. In the end we are both rooting for the same team.

 

[Hockytwn51419]

I’m a huge Kressler fan. I have been since very early in his 16yo season. He’s often a game changer for this team in all 3 zones. The fact of the matter is though, that he’s missed huge amounts of time and big playoff games and it affects the team. When you’re building a roster you’re expecting some injuries but you’re also counting on players being there to perform. I just went and looked. In 3 seasons he’s missed 22, 40 and 21 regular season games. He’s missed the last 4 Firebirds playoff games. All 4 losses. 0-4. Flint in the playoffs with Kressler on the ice? 11-6. Right now they NEED him and right now, yes a 70% Braeden Kressler is better than 0% Braeden Kressler. There’s still a chance but next game is must win.

I agree 100% they play better when Kress is on the ice. He has been hit with the injury bug (Toronto keeping him out or so I have heard), this past weekend sick and was no where near 60%. Supposed to be back for Game 3 and hopefully feeling better and ready to play.

 

[Hockytwn51419]

Congrats Gavin!!!

 

[Hockytwn51419]

Grrrr, still no Kress and Ammo dropped to 2nd line.

 

[MJ5]

Grrrr, still no Kress and Ammo dropped to 2nd line.

Well, guess those game 6 tickets will just be a credit for next year.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Awesome victory tonight Firebirds fans. Watched online. Building was electric. Boys never gave up. Congrats.

 

[MJ5]

Looked a bit healthier tonight, hopefully that continues Wednesday Lombardi finally looks like he has that second gear again.

 

[Savard18]

I finally got a chance to rewatch the game and see something me and all the boys in my section wanted another look at last night. So, it was another pretty terrible ref’ing job last night. Enough bad calls and non-calls to keep both sides angry. The one I wanted to rewatch though was Parekh’s slew foot at about the 16:15 minute mark of OT. Yeah. I hope Dent’s sending a clip of that in, because that’s the most textbook slewfoot I’ve seen all season and that my friends in an auto two game suspension. How the refs could skip that then call Smith? Mancini? for closing his hand on the puck (in OT no less) or Guryev for interference is beyond me.

 

[Hockytwn51419]

I finally got a chance to rewatch the game and see something me and all the boys in my section wanted another look at last night. So, it was another pretty terrible ref’ing job last night. Enough bad calls and non-calls to keep both sides angry. The one I wanted to rewatch though was Parekh’s slew foot at about the 16:15 minute mark of OT. Yeah. I hope Dent’s sending a clip of that in, because that’s the most textbook slewfoot I’ve seen all season and that my friends in an auto two game suspension. How the refs could skip that then call Smith? Mancini? for closing his hand on the puck (in OT no less) or Guryev for interference is beyond me.

Based on how the refs have called anything in this series (and most others) that no call is awful. I watched it multiple times, Wilson and Hutchison are both out of the frame so you can’t see where they are actually looking. But hey Deline was there to make that call for them. The question is will Dent send it? Live it definitely looked like Smith closed his hand on the puck but after watching the replay it was a hmmmm call. Guryev call another hmmmm call. Also did anyone notice he wasn’t on the ice from about the 15:35 mark of the 3rd? Did he get hurt and I missed it, benched or not feeling well?

 

[MJ5]

Based on how the refs have called anything in this series (and most others) that no call is awful. I watched it multiple times, Wilson and Hutchison are both out of the frame so you can’t see where they are actually looking. But hey Deline was there to make that call for them. The question is will Dent send it? Live it definitely looked like Smith closed his hand on the puck but after watching the replay it was a hmmmm call. Guryev call another hmmmm call. Also did anyone notice he wasn’t on the ice from about the 15:35 mark of the 3rd? Did he get hurt and I missed it, benched or not feeling well?

I did notice Guryev sitting at the end of the bench. I was wondering the same thing if it was a benching.

He took the penalty and I don't know if he saw the ice again the rest of the way.

Also Jenken must have been dressed, because he was in the pile in OT, but never saw him take a shift.

 

[Toldyaso]

I did notice Guryev sitting at the end of the bench. I was wondering the same thing if it was a benching.

He took the penalty and I don't know if he saw the ice again the rest of the way.

Also Jenken must have been dressed, because he was in the pile in OT, but never saw him take a shift.

I saw the same thing with Jenken. I knew Klinkhammer was in street clothes and Jenken was on the ice for warmups but didn't see Jenken on the ice until the pile up after the OT goal.

 

[Hockytwn51419]

I did notice Guryev sitting at the end of the bench. I was wondering the same thing if it was a benching.

He took the penalty and I don't know if he saw the ice again the rest of the way.

Also Jenken must have been dressed, because he was in the pile in OT, but never saw him take a shift.

Jenken was dressed, but didn’t see any ice time that I saw even when Guryev was out. It was weird.

On the projected lineup it showed Klinkhammer in and then looked up where the guys sit and he was up there.

Kaden didn’t see a lot of ice time either. I do wish they did ice times on the scorers sheet.

 

[Savard18]

Jenken was dressed, but didn’t see any ice time that I saw even when Guryev was out. It was weird.

On the projected lineup it showed Klinkhammer in and then looked up where the guys sit and he was up there.

Kaden didn’t see a lot of ice time either. I do wish they did ice times on the scorers sheet.

Yeah, Jenken was on the bench, dressed. I don’t think he saw a shift. Kind of odd seeing as how they dressed him and he’s played pretty well lately. I’d imagine Guryev was a benching for that penalty but I didn’t like that call on him.

 

[donjohnson]

I finally got a chance to rewatch the game and see something me and all the boys in my section wanted another look at last night. So, it was another pretty terrible ref’ing job last night. Enough bad calls and non-calls to keep both sides angry. The one I wanted to rewatch though was Parekh’s slew foot at about the 16:15 minute mark of OT. Yeah. I hope Dent’s sending a clip of that in, because that’s the most textbook slewfoot I’ve seen all season and that my friends in an auto two game suspension. How the refs could skip that then call Smith? Mancini? for closing his hand on the puck (in OT no less) or Guryev for interference is beyond me.

It goes both ways...with 1:25 left in the 2nd period, Giroux has his stick between Haight's legs and throws him backwards. I watched the Parekh play and it's exactly the same thing. Both are dangerous plays and both should be called slewfoots. That's what you get with Hutchinson reffing.

I said it earlier in this thread, Parekh is an extremely talented player but if he continues down this path, he's going to find himself on the Media Notes - Suspension Page at least a handful of times in his OHL career. He definitely has a dirty or cheap shot streak to him.

 

[swoopster]

Love the talented kid but I agree... there will be a point if if continues that he's going to get physically hurt playing his cheap shit game.

 

[AnotherDimwit]

I didn’t see the Piercey hit but it better have been worthy of a 5 minor major and game misconduct to throw one of the top line players out. The officials have refused to call that all season against Flint whenever they’re on the receiving end of a dirty hit.

 

[MJ5]

I didn’t see the Piercey hit but it better have been worthy of a 5 minor major and game misconduct to throw one of the top line players out. The officials have refused to call that all season against Flint whenever they’re on the receiving end of a dirty hit.

It didn't look like anything live, pulled up CHL.tv to see the replays also didn't look like anything there either on replays.

 

[letsgofirebirds1]

The hit was legal. Wasn't called on the ice. Parekh sold it. The refs bought it. And he made them look like fools when he skated back on the ice.
The OHL has an officiating crisis.

 

[Toldyaso]

I didn’t see the Piercey hit but it better have been worthy of a 5 minor major and game misconduct to throw one of the top line players out. The officials have refused to call that all season against Flint whenever they’re on the receiving end of a dirty hit.

It was a nothing hit. Parekh took a dive and the refs bought it hook line and sinker. Faked that he was seriously injured and the minute they called the 5 min major and tossed Piercey came back on the ice right as rain. The Refs got major league played by a 16yr old. Just when I didn't think officials could get any worse they do.

 

[AnotherDimwit]

Yeah I saw him come back. It’s insane that they sat there watching it then and still called it.

I guess it shouldn’t be too shocking. NHL refs are terrible, so of course Jr guys are going to be abhorrent.

 

[Agent 53]

Parekh is dirty (See Slewfoot, game 3) and also a flopper, should hit up a soccer field with that dive.

Karma will come back around for him, it always does.

 

[Savard18]

Giroux sold the interference on Haight too. Parekh should have been suspended for the slew-foot in Game 3 but the refs aren’t why the series is 3-1 or they lost this game. That’s all on Ted Dent. The OT goal was pretty weak short side as was the goal to tie it up in Game 3 but I’m not concerned. Day is clearly the goalie of the future now it’s just up to mgmt to fire Dent and find a guy that knows how to build a roster around the ‘05’s. Even if they get by Saginaw they get smoked next round by Sarnia. I’d rather save my time and money and see Dent out the door after this.

 

[bcspragu]

It didn't look like anything live, pulled up CHL.tv to see the replays also didn't look like anything there either on replays.

Video of hit

 

[dirty12]

Video of hit

So you didn’t really see the brutal, brutal bit either.

 

[MJ5]

Video of hit

Wasn't initially called by either ref on the ice.

They had to have a conference before they made a call and reviewed it.

If he gets up, there is absolutely no call made, but he laid on the ice, got helped to the locker room, waited until they made the call and came right back out.