The Flames are the worst at player development

sonic92

Registered User
Mar 5, 2020
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Peace River, AB
The Calgary Flames are the one team team in the NHL that absolutely refuses to put any young players/prospects in their lineup on a regular basis and it's absolutely infuriating to watch.

Guys like Lucic, Lewis and Zadorov continue to get regular top minutes while guys like Pelletier, Phillips and Zary are playing really good in the AHL but are not getting called up to get a shot in the NHL even though they would really be an upgrade right now.

This team is old and slow while everyone else in the league is young and fast. That's making for some really bad hockey from this team right now.
 

PaulD

71,73,76,77,78,79,86,93
Feb 4, 2016
31,442
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Dundas
The Calgary Flames are the one team team in the NHL that absolutely refuses to put any young players/prospects in their lineup on a regular basis and it's absolutely infuriating to watch.

Guys like Lucic, Lewis and Zadorov continue to get regular top minutes while guys like Pelletier, Phillips and Zary are playing really good in the AHL but are not getting called up to get a shot in the NHL even though they would really be an upgrade right now.

This team is old and slow while everyone else in the league is young and fast. That's making for some really bad hockey from this team right now.
Interesting.
 
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Jacob582

Registered User
Oct 16, 2012
10,164
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The Calgary Flames are the one team team in the NHL that absolutely refuses to put any young players/prospects in their lineup on a regular basis and it's absolutely infuriating to watch.

Guys like Lucic, Lewis and Zadorov continue to get regular top minutes while guys like Pelletier, Phillips and Zary are playing really good in the AHL but are not getting called up to get a shot in the NHL even though they would really be an upgrade right now.

This team is old and slow while everyone else in the league is young and fast. That's making for some really bad hockey from this team right now.
So what is it? Are the Flames the worst at player development or do you want to bring the young players up because the old guys aren't performing?
 

Mrfenn92

Proud to be American
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Nov 27, 2018
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Nothing wrong with letting your prospects play big minutes in the Ahl instead of getting them fourth line minutes and scratch duty.
 

stevo61

Registered User
Jul 5, 2011
11,802
13,351
Canada
Every team has situations they can complain about. Columbus is the opposite. They bring kids in and if they are high picks they let them play in the NHL for better or worse. Sillinger clearly needs development time and shouldnt be in the NHL. Bemstrom was given a spot when he came over and had shown many times AHL time would be good. Chinakhov looked lost at times last year but pretty amazingly turned into a completely different player this year but now doesnt get enough icetime like Johnson
 

23Monahan

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
947
1,252
The Calgary Flames are the one team team in the NHL that absolutely refuses to put any young players/prospects in their lineup on a regular basis and it's absolutely infuriating to watch.

Guys like Lucic, Lewis and Zadorov continue to get regular top minutes while guys like Pelletier, Phillips and Zary are playing really good in the AHL but are not getting called up to get a shot in the NHL even though they would really be an upgrade right now.

This team is old and slow while everyone else in the league is young and fast. That's making for some really bad hockey from this team right now.
Totally agree. Why the f*** is Lucic in our top 6 when we have capable young fast players. Why are we set on never devoloping players and trading away every pick for older players? We have never had a top 3 pick and even if we did I'm sure we would f*** it up. Perpetual mediocrity is what it leads to, and if this current core doesn't figure it out it will be a very shitty 5-8 years with all out overblown contracts.

But thats what a shitty owner that only cares about selling tickets now gets you, sometimes things need to be rebuilt to be better, I really hope the guys prove me wrong but I felt with Tkchuck and Gaudreau both leaving the time was now. Treliving definitely made some decent trades and signings to salvage it, and we could trade those contracts for picks (hopefully huberdeau too if he gets going), but it's just not what the flames do.
 

23Monahan

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
947
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Could also just be bad at drafting. They’ve picked a lot of busts in the first round.
We have had some busts forusre. But hard to always land top players when youre picking 10 or over most years. Our highest pick in franchise histroy is sam bennet, who is currently playing as a solid top 6 center for the panthers.

But the biggest problem is how we utilize players, quite a few of our current draft picks do well in other organizations, as they seem to give them a chance over shitty 4th line grinders, while our prospects rot in the ahl or are traded away for older guys

We are the only nhl team to not graduate a prospect since 2018, 2017 was ruzicka who is a press box seat warmer, and valimaki who is currently playing his best hockey in Arizona.

 

ThankGord

Registered User
Jul 11, 2018
1,920
2,704
GR, MI
Looks like Lucic is averaging 11 minutes and Lewis 13, that isn't "top minutes." They probably don't want young skill guys playing bottom six minutes. They want them in larger roles playing big minutes in all situations in the AHL.
 

SeanMoneyHands

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
15,288
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Sutter has a lovefest for Lucic and Lewis (Toffoli too) from when played under him in LA. Zary and Pelletier showed in pre-season they aren't NHL ready. They were outplayed by the flames vets.
 

Doug Prishpreed

Registered User
May 1, 2013
11,081
7,535
Brooklyn
I'd also look at the team that drafted Laffy and Kakko and question their ability to develop. On the other hand, they have Miller and Buchnevich...
 

super6646

Registered User
Apr 16, 2018
18,281
16,435
Calgary
Sutter has a lovefest for Lucic and Lewis (Toffoli too) from when played under him in LA. Zary and Pelletier showed in pre-season they aren't NHL ready. They were outplayed by the flames vets.

Kinda hard to show you are ready when playing with ahlers.

They didn’t get a fair shake. Same with Matthew Phillips. As a side note, the flames haven’t graduated a prospect from the past 5 drafts yet… only team in the nhl with that accomplishment.
 

SeanMoneyHands

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
15,288
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Kinda hard to show you are ready when playing with ahlers.

They didn’t get a fair shake. Same with Matthew Phillips. As a side note, the flames haven’t graduated a prospect from the past 5 drafts yet… only team in the nhl with that accomplishment.
I do agree with you that there should be at least 2 rookies in the Flames lineup for player development. Having 4 grinders in Lucic, Ritchie, Rooney and Lewis all in the lineup at once is redundant. The rookies should be given at least 20 games to show what they can do in the regular season.
 
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23Monahan

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Jul 2, 2018
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Sutter has a lovefest for Lucic and Lewis (Toffoli too) from when played under him in LA. Zary and Pelletier showed in pre-season they aren't NHL ready. They were outplayed by the flames vets.
Flames vets were given everychance to suceed, even in preseason we were playing rooney in the top 9, while our AHL players played together, they never got a chance to play with the big boys, because the decision was already made by sutter.
 

SeanMoneyHands

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
15,288
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Flames vets were given everychance to suceed, even in preseason we were playing rooney in the top 9, while our AHL players played together, they never got a chance to play with the big boys, because the decision was already made by sutter.

Agreed. What i want to know is why do the Flames need 4 vet grinders in the lineup as full time regulars? Both Pelletier and Phillips should be in the lineup.
 
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Figgy44

A toast of purple gato for the memories
Dec 15, 2014
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Kinda hard to show you are ready when playing with ahlers.

They didn’t get a fair shake. Same with Matthew Phillips. As a side note, the flames haven’t graduated a prospect from the past 5 drafts yet… only team in the nhl with that accomplishment.

What? Really?

Calgary Flames Draft History at hockeydb.com

Oh, you're right.

Hmm... It seems the 17 draft is starting to get their legs under them. 18 the highest draft picks were 4th rounders. 19 is getting closer. Phillips is the only one I think that is languishing, but would you want a guy smaller than Gaudreau in our bottom 6 (most likely 4th line) playing a Sutter system? Probably not.

Pelletier I assume would be playing in Lucic's spot if Lucic's contract expired last season vs the end of this one, but he's got size concerns as well. With the contract structure having so many raises next season I wouldn't be surprised if we graduate 2-3 prospects next year. I think flanking Backlund with Pelletier and Phillips would be a pretty solid and decently sheltered 3rd line.
 

Some Other Flame

Registered User
Dec 4, 2010
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Water is wet, etc.

Super old news and something that is unlikely to change so long as that clown Edwards owns the team and keeps hiring more clowns that think like him.

Flames had a spot open in the nine entering the season. Both Pelletier and Phillips had great years in the AHL last year. Zary was the best forward prospect in camp. The team instead went with 35 year Trevor Lewis and followed up that great decision by putting Lucic in the top six for the past two games.

And then they wonder why the team lacks energy and speed.
 
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Fixed to Ruin

Come wit it now!
Feb 28, 2007
24,706
28,702
Grande Prairie, AB
Calgary Flames prospect development system...

59856911-rotten-banana-still-life.jpg
 
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Breakers

Make Mirrored Visors Legal Again
Aug 5, 2014
22,909
21,585
Denver Colorado
I get that sentiment

You see older players getting games, and being the literal cause of goals against with huge mistakes and they never leave the lineup.


But if a young player ties his skates in a way that bugs the coach, he's healthy scratched for like a frigan month.
 
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