Player Discussion Kevin Bahl is Very Tahl
- Thread starter Ace Rimmer
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HighLifeMan
#SnowyStrong
- Feb 26, 2009
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He's already a borderline 2nd pair guy based off his usage last year.
I think he'd actually compliment Andersson quite well at five on five, much more so than a guy like Kylington.
I think he'd actually compliment Andersson quite well at five on five, much more so than a guy like Kylington.
Bounces R Way
Registered User
Don't have super high hopes he'll get markedly better than what he already is but there's nothing wrong with that. Considering how horrible our 3rd pairing was for most of last season I'll gladly take a big stable presence back there. Like the way he protects the net front, keep those big ugly forwards out of Wolf's face.
Figgy44
A toast of purple gato for the memories
- Dec 15, 2014
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If he's basically Gudbranson lite with still some upside, I think it's not unreasonable that a higher ATOI on the 3rd pairing with occasional 2nd pairing deployment is the path forward.
I'm not sure about pairing him with Andersson though if we aren't rolling 3 high ATOI pairings like Sutter did.
I'm not sure about pairing him with Andersson though if we aren't rolling 3 high ATOI pairings like Sutter did.
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Qubax
Registered User
- Oct 25, 2002
- 3,400
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I've seen Gudbranson a few times but I really disagree.
Gudbranson was never smooth with his skating. More lumbering and unagile.
I like Conroys comparison of Zadorov. Could be a Carson Soucy type.
While there won't be almost any offense, I do think he can skate well enough and make enough of an outlet pass to be a defensive #4.
Perhaps he could complement Hunter Brzustewicz down the road a nice Lefty/Righty
I suspect we may not have a traditional 3 pairings.
Based on the assumption that we spend 84% of our time at ES and 8% on each the PP and PK (they were 83.81% ES, 8.28% PP, 7.91% PK last season).
I think Ras, Weegar, and Kylington will each see 20-22 minutes at ES. With Ras and Weegs each seeing another 4-5 minutes on special teams. I suspect Bahl with get 15-17 minutes as ES and 2-3 on the PK. Solovyov and Miromanov will get 10-12 minutes at ES, with Solo getting PK2 time and Miro getting PP1 time.
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Ace Rimmer
Stoke me a clipper.
Mobiandi
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- Jan 17, 2015
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Volica
Papa Shango
- May 15, 2012
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The last time we got a big idiot who skates well, but is prone to some bone headed mistakes, we turned it into a really solid borderline 3/4/5 kind of guy we shipped off to Vancouver.
If we could get that out of Bahl, while also holding onto his rights and having him play for us for the next 5-6 years, that's a big win.
If we could get that out of Bahl, while also holding onto his rights and having him play for us for the next 5-6 years, that's a big win.
InfinityIggy
Zagidulin's Dad
Was never fully whelmed with this guy in NJ, but he's also only 23. He has room to grow his game and I think shut-down second pairing guy could be in the cards.
For now I view him more like a 5-6, with some intriguing tools.
For now I view him more like a 5-6, with some intriguing tools.
Ace Rimmer
Stoke me a clipper.
He's a poor man's Chris Tanev at 23. I'm absolutely thrilled with that. Once he accepts his role and grows into it, he'll be quite valued around here.
Boomstick
Registered User
Ace Rimmer
Stoke me a clipper.
Dammit
www.nhl.com
Practice Notebook - 29.01.25 | Calgary Flames
Bahl week-to-week ... Hanley providing steady option ... Klapka learns from penalty
www.nhl.com
JPeeper
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2015
- 12,510
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Still absolutely livid that that f***stain from Minnesota only got a minor off that bullshit hit. Meanwhile Pospisil has been ejected 3 times this year for hits that weren't even close to as bad, his last one he hit the guy from the side and got 5 and a game.
I know 99% of fans agree the officiating is a problem in this league, but this is beyond just game management, guys are getting injured and there is no consequence. In all three times Pospisil got ejected the player came back that game, meanwhile Bahl is out with a concussion.
There is literally no good officials left, they're all complete dipshits.
On a positive note, I think Bahl has been a pretty good pick up.
I know 99% of fans agree the officiating is a problem in this league, but this is beyond just game management, guys are getting injured and there is no consequence. In all three times Pospisil got ejected the player came back that game, meanwhile Bahl is out with a concussion.
There is literally no good officials left, they're all complete dipshits.
On a positive note, I think Bahl has been a pretty good pick up.
Darth Vladar
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
- Sep 10, 2021
- 1,143
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That’s a fair point to compare Pospy’s ejections to what happened with Bahl. Buddy only serves the two minutes, but the Flames lose arguably their third best dman indefinitely. It just ain’t right.
That said, it’s interesting to look back at what people thought the Flames might have in Bahl when he first came to Calgary versus how well he’s actually played for them. He was imo their best player in that W over the Sabres, fantastic stick work, breaking up passes, blocking shots, clearing the front of the net, and getting nasty when he had to, just doing a bit of everything. It was giving shades of Reggie, and interesting to note that Bahl already had more points at this juncture than Reg had in his entire 24-year old season. So if Bahl’s upside is a more offensively inclined Reggie, I’d say there’s still much to look forward to.
Figgy44
A toast of purple gato for the memories
- Dec 15, 2014
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I still can't get over how his playstyle looks visually. Others are gushing over him and I admit he's definitely a second pairing mainstay. However, I also can't figure out why I don't like how his playstyle is visually. I also occasionally wonder if he played as I envision, would he actually have been borderline 2/3 vs a solid 3/4? IMO it looks like he swings between two tool sets, but doesn't seem to play with both tool sets simultaneously. It's a little hard to explain.
I don't see shades of Reggie though. That's Pachal IMO.
Bahl reminds me more of Hamilton without the offensive acumen. IMO he's tall and a great wingspan but not particularly physical until he suddenly decides he wants to sorta do a little bit of scrumming for a short period of time.
Darth Vladar
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
- Sep 10, 2021
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No, I think I get what you’re saying. He almost didn’t seem like the same player from one game to the next earlier on in the season, but appears to have since found some consistency (and has played more physical) of late. But it’s almost like he doesn’t realize how big he actually is lmao I think once he starts using his size a bit more to his advantage, and being a bit more of a bully, he could develop into a pretty decent shutdown guy for us with some offensive upside. As far as the Reggie comparison, I just meant in the sense that he seems to have all the same tools at his disposal. Pachal definitely looks like he could be Reggie’s kid, but he’s behind the play far too often for me to compare game. Don’t get me wrong, I love Patches and he does a little bit of everything for us too (and at a bargain), but if he really was the Reggie clone, it’d be him in that top four instead of Bahl.
I’d hazard a guess it’s because how good his stick work is makes it look like he’s not doing much/could be doing more. He can do a lot of positive work defensively while it looks like he’s barely moving his feet. It’s not the most visually appealing play style, but it’s been extremely effective. He’s like the anti-Kylington.
The only similarities Hamilton and Bahl have is for some reason nobodies told them how big they are. Bahl doesn’t use physicality enough, Hamilton actively avoids it. Hamilton looked/looks disengaged in his own zone, that has never been a problem for Bahl. Hamilton needed a baby sitter when he played for us, Bahl does a lot of the heavy lifting for his pair defensively. Offensively doesn’t need describing, although I’ve always felt that part of Hamiltons game was hugely over-rated.
I really don’t think we’ve had a Bahl archetype before. By the loosest definition maybe a less good Bouwmeester? Some of the best tools NHL wide, but seemingly refuses to use them all and definitely not for offense.
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I don't think Hamilton's offensive game was overrated, it was just different. A lot of offensive D have an amazing wrister, or a hell of a slapper. Hamilton has neither, and despite that, consistently puts up 10+ goals, 40+ points (his last 5 seasons were: 14g 40 points in 47 games, 10g 42 points in 55 games, 9g 30 points in 62 games, 22g 74 points in 82 games, 5g 16 points in 20 games. And this season is currently at 8g 34 points in 52 games).
That said, I've been very impressed with Bahl this season. I was expecting a guy who was more of a shut down 4/5, instead we're getting a shutdown 3, who could probably step up as a 2 for periods (basically like a Tanev, but younger, and more offensively gifted). Though I do agree he seems to struggle on putting all his tools to use at the same time.
