Flames at the Quarter Mark

Follow me @IanEsplen and you’ll be entered to win a Flames prize pack

 

 

The other night, the Fan 960 took calls about how the Flames were doing this season and the general consensus was this has been about a C+-to-a-B type of team, based on what people expectations were.

I happen to agree with that grade as a team, but there are a few players at the head of the class and a few who are holding this team down.

Today, I’d like to highlight those players.

 

Berra/Ramo- F

Simply put, the Flames goaltending has been by far the worst in the NHL this season. If they got at least average goaltending they would have 6-8 more points. This is the Flames biggest failure this season.

Monahan- A-

I’d like him to play more physical, but the kid is adapting to the riggers of the NHL fairly well. Right now, he’s likely the leading candidate for the Calder and you have to be happy with that.

Backlund- B+

Everyone seems to harp on this guy and I can’t figure out why. Backlund has been a reliable, two-way centre and he does it while playing less than 15 minutes a game. If this guy is on the block, there are a lot of teams that he could help out.

Russell- A+

Quietly having an outstanding season. He leads the Flames defence in points, and is one of the few players on the team with a plus rating. And that plus rating is no easy task given that he plays 23:31 a game.   

 O’Brien- C-

When Calgary dealt for SOB I was happy for them because he is a stay-at-home guy that I’ve always like. Sadly, he has been pretty bad this season and hasn’t really added much to the team.

Baertschi- D

I honestly think he is in over his head in the NHL right now. He isn’t skilled enough to be a top-6 guy and he’s never going to be bottom-6 guy. I think he still has upside, but he needs to be allowed to develop.

Cammalleri- B+

Cammy is what he is. He’s never going to play well in his own end, so I don’t even look for that out of him anyone. He’s leading the Flames in goals and that is  about what my expectations of him are.

Hudler- A+

He’s on pace to shatter his career best of 57 points and has been the team’s best forward. That’s A+ work from me.

Brodie- D

With all the talk about long-term deal and his play at the Worlds last year. I really felt he was ready to move into that “top notch” type of a defenceman. I’d rate his play so far this season as “serviceable”.

 

Those are some of my grades. What are your grades for this team?

 

Ian 

Mythical B.C. Creatures – Add Another To The List

Follow me on Twitter @IanEsplen

Puckrant.com is coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk hard my friends and follow along @puckrant

 Follow the newest Canucks Blogger, TSN 1260 Radio’s Allen @Lowetide_ Mitchell

Big Foot and Ogopogo now have some company on the list of Mythical B.C. Creatures.

The creature known as Animalhunterous-Maxinmus (science geek name) or more commonly known as David Booth, can often be seen watching hockey games from above and occasionally playing in one. While on ice sightings are incredibly rare, Booth has been known to make the odd appearance at Canucks games.  

Okay, now that we got the comedy out of the way, let’s all get down to business: what the hell does Vancouver do with David Booth?

To get an answer to this question, let me start with what I feel the problem is with David Booth. The problem I feel David Booth has is that he has come down with a case of JasonBonsignoreitis. Symptoms of this rare disease include having a ton talent and athletic ability to go along with having no interest in the sport of hockey. The easiest ways to diagnose this disease in to open up a player’s chest and search for a heart, if they have no heart, chances are they have the disease.

Talent only gets you so far in sports. I’m a firm believer that you have to want to succeed bad in order to make it in pro sports. And David Booth just doesn’t want it; the problem really is that simple.  

My solution, send him home.

I don’t want a player like that around my team and I sure as hell wouldn’t want a player like that anywhere near the future of the team in Utica.

Pay David Booth his money and send him home to Michigan or wherever he wants to live to do whatever makes him happy. Then you try and find some poor sucker to work a trade out with.

Even if it means taking on another bad deal, I’d rather take on a bad deal with a player that has heart than one that doesn’t.

 

Maybe a simple change of scenery type deal would be good for everyone

Booth to Washingtion for Laich or Erat

Booth to Boston for Kelly

Booth to Philadelphia for Hartnell – and yes, there would be something else involved, but trust me, the Flyers would be dumb not to try and move out Hartnell.

Booth to Columbus for Gaborik – and yes, Vancouver would give up more in this deal

Booth to Minnesota for Heatley

Booth to Montreal for Desharnais

Booth to Dallas for Horcoff

 

That’s my solution.

What do you

Flames/Oilers Recap – My thoughts on what #Calgary needs

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for WHL, Flames, Canucks and NHL news and fun. Want a WHL player profiled, tweet me and I do my best to get er’ done over at HockeyNow

Follow by December 15^th and you’ll be entered into a draw for an autographed Mikael Backlund hat or a 6 pack of beer (I’m on a limited budget)

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! More than 40 bloggers who will change the way you watch and talk about hockey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the fun

 

Another day, another disappointing, late game collapse by the Calgary Flames as they fall 4-2 to the Edmonton Oilers.

The Flames came out flying and controlled the majority of the play for the first 40 minutes.

Then the Oilers got going in the third period and it was game over thanks to some lack-luster goaltending in the Flames nets.

All in all, about half the Flames team showed up last night and that isn’t enough for this team to beat teams – even the Oilers. For this Flames team to win, you need to notice everyone at both ends of the rink. And as much as I like watching this team, the work ethic wasn’t what it needed to be last night.

Here are a few of my observations form last night:

 

Denis Wideman

He had a few giveaways, but Wideman was his usual beast on the back end. He scored an absolutely beautiful goal and played a strong 26 minutes. I know he continues to fly under a lot of people radars, but Wideman has been one of the NHL’s best defenceman this season.

 

Sean Monahan

Okay, let’s start out with the positives. He scored a gritty goal, was very good on face offs and looked pretty solid on the defensive side of things. All in all, it was a pretty strong game for the rookie.

But there is one thing that has annoyed me about his play throughout the season. I don’t think he uses his size nearly enough to influence the game and because of that, there are nights when you don’t even know he’s playing.

This to me is a slippery slope for a young player. I’m a firm believer that players who have the tools Monahan has should be finishing checks more often. Ten hits in 20 games doesn’t cut it for me and Bob Hartley should be nipping this soft play in the bud before he becomes a floater like oh so many young players do.

Now I’m not saying he needs to become a goon and start running guys, but asking is asking him to hit more isn’t too much to ask of him. I mean, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has almost three times the hits as Monahan. If I was Monahan, I’d find that a tad embarrassing.

Hopefully he can get that hit total up to around 70-to-80 by seasons end.

 

Berra/Ramo

Only in Calgary will you find an NHL team that has better goalies in the AHL than the NHL. Ramo has been a mess and Berra, I’m not really sure what he is doing half the time. On all three goals Berra looked lost last night and that to me shouldn’t be happening at the NHL level.

And to add to the goalie problems, Joey MacDonald and Joni Ortio are playing better in the AHL. Ortio has gone 7-0-0 in seven starts, with a 2.50 GAA and a .920SV%. Playing like that, combined with how bad Ramo and Berra have been deserves a call up.

 

Andrew Ference

All I can say is “DOUCHE BAG”. If a player hits you clean and is clearly wobbled after it, you don’t drop the groves and fight the guy. I know he got an extra two for the fight, but what he really should have gotten was an extra 30 seconds with Brian McGrattan.

 

Until tomorrow Calgary Flames fans

 

Ian

 

Around the NHL in 180 Seconds – Monahan, Eakins and Archibald

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for WHL, Flames, Canucks and NHL news and fun. Want a WHL player profiled, tweet me and I do my best to get er’ done over at HockeyNow

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! More than 40 bloggers who will change the way you watch and talk about hockey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the fun

 

Fantasy Hockey Stud- Sean Monahan

This is a new section where I outline which likely UFA in your hockey pool is going to have a big night. My pick for tonight is Sean Monahan. The Dallas Stars are coming off a game last night against the Edmonton Oilers so expect them to be a bit tired. Add to that, Monahan has struggled as of late and I think he is a good candidate to pick up for the night.

 

Dallas Eakins

Twenty games in and fans want him gone, but I think he realized about a week or so ago that this wasn’t the team for him. From kids picking on his kids at school to working alongside that joke of an owner/front office, I think he has realized pretty quickly that this project isn’t what he signed up for.

I see fans getting their wish shortly, but he won’t be fired; he will quit.

I believe this because I have never in my life seen a coach look so disinterested behind a bench – and I watched AV for years. The sad thing for Oilers fans is that they will be stuck with a shit-ass team until they get new ownership and management. Eakins and goaltending is the least of this team’s problem. The big problem is upstairs with the guys who have created this losing culture.  

But onto the real question: who wants to step into that mess?

 

Darren Archibald

For more than a year, I’ve listened to Canucks fans begging for this kid to be called up. Well, Vancouver made the call about two weeks ago and the kid has been playing like a beast. He logged more than nine minutes in four of the last five games and looked very good along the boards. Add to that, he’s a very reliable +3, with 12 hits and five blocks and I think you have a player that Torts likes a lot.

I can hardly wait to see Archibald and Kassian grinding teams down along the wall in the playoffs.

 

That’s a wrap

 

Around the NHL in 180 Seconds – AHL’s most NHL Ready

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for WHL, Flames, Canucks and NHL news and fun. Want a WHL player profiled, tweet me and I do my best to get er’ done over at HockeyNow

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! More than 40 bloggers who will change the way you watch and talk about hockey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the fun

Everyone knows that the NHL is the best league in the world and it’s full of the top players in the world… Well sort of.

The AHL is the where most NHL players get their start, but there is also a number of players who should be playing in the ‘Big League’.

Here are my top-10 (in no particular order) AHL players who should be in the NHL.

 

Nikita Kucherov  – Syracuse Crunch – Tampa Bay

With Stamkos out for a while, don’t be shocked if Kucherov gets a look soon. The young Russian has been unreal in the offensive zone so far this season and the time is now to give him a look. And with 12 goals and 22 points in 13 games, don’t be shocked if he is on Russia’s radar for Sochi.

Gustav Nyquist – Grand Rapids Griffins – Detroit

I’ve been a huge fan of this guy since his draft year in 2008. He plays well at both ends of the ice and could likely slot in the top-6 of more than a few teams in the NHL. He currently has 17 points in 12 AHL games.

Ryan Strome – Bridgeport Sound Tigers – NY Islanders

After the top-3 on Long Island, it gets pretty lonely on the score sheet. Strome can play centre or wing and would definitely add a spark to the team. With 16 points in 12 games you know it’s only a matter of time until Strome is playing in the show.

Corban Knight – Abbotsford Heat – Calgary Flames

He has been the best player in Abbotsford and he fills a hole that the Calgary Flames have. With 14 points in 16 games you just know he is a better option at centre than Colborne, Backlund and maybe even Monahan. Get the kid up Feaster. 

Vladislav Namestnikov – Syracuse Crunch – Tampa Bay

The other half of the Russian connection in Syracuse is having a great season. He has played fairly well at both ends of the rink and is the type of player who makes the players around him better. With 19 points in 13 games for the Crunch I’m sure it won’t be long before he is slotting into the Bolts lineup.

John Gibson – Norfolk Admirals – Anaheim

He’s No. 4 on the Ducks depth chart, but you can just see that this guy is ready to play at least 40 games a year in the NHL. He was outstanding at last year’s World Championships and his start in the AHL has been ridiculous. 5-3-2, 1.87GAA and a .941SV% so far this season.

Jake Allen – Chicago Wolves – St. Louis

He was very good for the Blues last season in spot duty and he has been outstanding for the Chicago Wolves. Right now he is 6-3-1, with a 2.29GAA and a .928SV%. Those numbers are great, but it was mostly his play last season that convinced me he’s NHL ready.

Dustin Tokarski – Hamilton Bulldogs – Montreal

I have followed this guy’s career since junior and he is a player that deserves a shot to at least be a backup in the NHL. He’s has shown he can win a title at every level and I’d love to see him get a shot in the show. His 2.38GAA and .915SV% aren’t too shabby either.

Tim Erixon – Springfield Falcons – Columbus

In my opinion, he is a top-4 guy in Columbus. I’m not sure why he is down in the AHL, but my guess is he’s questioning why he forced a deal out of Calgary. Currently, he leads the Falcons in scoring with 11 points in eight games.

Simon Despres – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – Pittsburgh

I felt he played very well in his 33 games last season and I also feel that he is better than at least three defencemen that are on the Penguins roster. Currently, he has eight points in 12 games and is +9. 

 

That’s a wrap…now free these prospects!

Ian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around the NHL in 180 Seconds – What Needs to Happen for Calgary to Make the Playoffs

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for WHL, Flames, Canucks and NHL news and fun. Want a WHL player profiled, tweet me and I do my best to get er’ done over at HockeyNow

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! More than 40 bloggers who will change the way you watch and talk about hockey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the fun

 

So, with the season nearing the 1/4 way  mark, I figured why not take a look at what needs to happen for The Calgary Flames to make the playoffs.

 

1- Find a Hot Goalie

Right now, the Flames biggest issue has been getting a consistent effort from their starting goalie. To date they have tried out three different guys and they have combined for a 3.53 goals-against-average and a .879 save percentage. Simply put, numbers like that won’t get you to the playoffs, so unless they can bust the next big thing in NHL goaltending – Jon Gillies – out of college, then they need to get more out of Berra and Ramo. If they get that, then there is a chance they end up in the mix for the eight spot.

 

2- Call up Corban Knight

Knight has been the Heat’s best player in Abbotsford and deserves a shot in the NHL to see what he’s got. He’s a better all around player then Baertschi, so why not switch them? Knight would get to play 15+ minutes in the NHL. Calgary would get a quality, two-way centre in their lineup. And Baertschi will get a chance to develop his game. Seems like a win-win for all.

 

3- Get Gio Back Early

Mark Giordano has been out of the Flames lineup for three weeks now. When he suffered his injury the he was expected to miss eight weeks. Calgary needs him back sooner than that if they hope to make the playoffs. If they can get him back in three weeks, a defence of Wideman, Giordano, Brodie, Smid, O’Brien and Russell is a top 6 that can make a playoff run.  

 

4- Move to the East

Lastly, find a way to move to the East. They have a 4-2-1 record against the East, and let’s face it people, the Oilers would have a shot in the crap conference. The Flames may sit in 13^th spot in the West, but I guarantee they are easily a top eight team out East.

 

 

Got a topic you want blogged about, tweet at me @IanEsplen and I’ll blog on it.

That’s a wrap

Ian

 

Around the NHL in 180 Seconds- Monahan, Rules and Quack Attack

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for WHL, Flames, Canucks and NHL news and fun. Want a WHL player profiled, tweet me and I do my best to get er’ done over at HockeyNow

 

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! More than 40 bloggers who will change the way you watch and talk about hockey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the fun.

 

 

Sean Monahan

No one is going to argue with you if you have Sean Monahan near the top of your list for as an early season Calder favourite. The 19-year-old has been everything that was advertised when the Calgary Flames selected him with the No. 6 pick. He has been one of the team’s best players through the first 17 games and sits second on the Flames in scoring.

All that said, should Calgary loan out Monahan to the National Junior team?

I’m a firm believer that a player can learn a lot by playing in this tournament. Currently, Monahan has struggled a bit over the past five or six games. If those struggles continue, I would loan him to the Canadian Junior team.

This would allow Monahan to get some confidence back, as well as reward Corban Knight with a much deserved lengthy call up. Knight deserves a shot at playing 15-16 minutes a night in the NHL. The Flames would also benefit by getting a better idea as to what they have in Knight. 

 

Kicking Rule

Last night in Los Angeles, there was a pair of similar incidents where a puck was deflected into the net by a skate. Now I’m not going to debate intent because I think that is an argument that is going to be a never-ending one.

My opinion on the matter is more often than not NHL players know when a puck is going to hit their skate and they are smart enough to make it look accidental.

I say take all the guessing out of this “goal off skate” debate. If a puck goes in off a skate it’s no goal…PERIOD. This speeds up the game because there are no stupid 10-minute discussions with Toronto and it also lets fans know exactly what the rules are.

It seems like such an easy, noticeable rule change to speed up these long stoppages and add clarity to the sport.

 

Quack Attack

One of the biggest surprises so far this season has been the Anaheim Ducks. They currently lead the NHL with a 14-3-1 record.

But what has stood out to me is just how much depth they seem to have in goal. Hiller, Fasth, Andersen and Gibson all look more than capable of starting in the NHL and It is almost scary to picture this team adding players at the deadline with a No. 1 or 1A goalie as a bargaining chip.

So far, Ducks goalie have combined for a goals-against-average of 2.39 and a save percentage of  .913. And those numbers don’t include Gibson’s 1.87 GAA and .941 SV% in the AHL

That is some serious depth and I bet we se one of those goalies moved by the end of the season. Kinda makes you wonder why Edmonton didn’t pony up to get one of these four instead of adding a goalie no one wanted.

 

 

Got a topic you want blogged about, tweet at me @IanEsplen and I’ll blog on it.

 

 

That’s a wrap

 

Ian

 

 

 

 

Around the NHL in 180 seconds- Oilers, Flames, Canucks and Panthers

 

Follow me on twitter @IanEsplen for reports on the WHL, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st. Get on the bandwagon now by following on Twitter and Facebook. This site is going to change how you watch hockey, so don’t be the last to know.

 

Oily Mess

You can always tell when someone is in over their head because they seem to make stupider decisions as they go along. First, it was not ponying up what they needed to in order to get Cory Schneider. Then they overpaid for players who didn’t fit their problems – let’s face it, this team needs a No. 1 D, not a No. 4 and a third-line centre. And yesterday they gave away their best defenceman in order to overpay for a goalie that couldn’t even find work in the KHL.

I truly feel for you Oilers fans. And I would not blame you if during the next home game you told the whole ownership and front office group how you felt. Booing isn’t even good enough for the joke show. What I wanna see is all 18,000 of you holding up you middle finger at the same time, or better yet, just walk out halfway through the first period.

You really do deserve better that Bono, Bozo and Krusty.

And as for the trade; the rule generally is that the team who gets the better player wins. Well, the Flames got that player, so I guess they win.

And in that note, what kind of a GM helps out the team that they are trying to catch in the standings? Answer, a dumb one. Looks like another season of looking up to the Calgary Flames

 

Soup in Sochi?

One player that seems to always fly a little under the radar is Brian Campbell. So far this season he is having good season on a terrible team. So far he has seven assists, is a +2 and logs the ninth most ice-time in the NHL. Makes you wonder what he could do with some talent around him. You also have to figure that his skating would be a huge asset for Canada.

 

Santa Comes Early

Mike Santorelli might just be the greatest acquisition that Mike Gillis has ever made. A signing that not many people thought much of in July is turning into a gold mine for the Vancouver Canucks and Santorelli has been one of the NHL best unsung heroes.

To date, Santorelli is third in Blocked shots by a forward, 59 per cent in the faceoff circle, and playing nearly two minutes a night on the penalty kill. That isn’t too bad for a guy making 550K. Makes you wonder if Oilers fans are feeling a little ripped off paying Boyd Gordon 3 million for the same thing.

Around the NHL in 180 seconds

Random Thoughts From Around the NHL

Follow me on Twitter @IanEsplen for WHL and NHL talk as well as Flames and Canucks blogs

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!! Click the link and like the Facebook site see our bloggers in action. The site might not be up yet, but the fun has begun. Talk hard my friends 🙂

Rob Ford to Edmonton?

A lot of people have joked about Rob Ford this week and I to believe it’s time for him to step down as Mayor of Toronto. However, my reasoning for it isn’t because he isn’t fit to run Canada’s largest city. No, I actually think he is still very capable of doing that.

My reason for him stepping down is more to move on in life to a place that needs him a whole lot more.

Enter, the Edmonton Oilers. Kevin Lowe has turned that organization into the joke of the NHL. It does not take a decade to rebuild a team Oilers fans; don’t buy the BS.

And that is way Rob Ford is the perfect guy to step in and lead the Oilers. Here is why:

Lowe	Ford
Makes a bad decision, he tries to tell you it was a good one.	Makes a bad decision,   hey I was drunk
Can’t run an NHL team	Runs the largest city in Canada
Boring	At least he always give you something to talk about
Looks like a washer and dryer salesman	Looks like Chris Farley…and who didn’t like Chris Farley?
Scared of Brian Burke	Would meet Brian Burke in a barn, bar, alley, ghetto, Fort Mac,  etc…Did I mention Bar?

As you can see, there is a better man for the presidency of the Edmonton Oilers and he soon may be free. Get on this one Katz.

West Easy?

Anyone remember all the whining about how it was going to be so hard to make the playoffs in the East because there were two more teams?

I do, but if you look at the standings today, is play .500 hockey to make it in really all that difficult?

The fact is the East is a hell of a lot easier to make the playoffs, regardless of how many teams there are in the conference.

Sixteen points…you’re in folks.

Ryan Stanton

I know most people probably don’t care, but Ryan Stanton continues to shine in Vancouver. The rugged defenceman still sits eighth in rookie scoring and beat the living tar out of Andrew Desjardins last night. I love the way Ryan Stanton plays and hope he keeps this up all season long.

2014 Top 5

Here are my top 5 for the 2014 draft:

1. Sam Reinhart, C, 6’1, 186, Kootenay

2. Michael Dal Colle, LW, 6’2, 172, Oshawa

3. Aaron Ekblad, D, 6’4, 213, Barrie

4. Nicholas Ritchie, LW, 6’3, 235, Peterborough

5. Conner Bleackley, C, 6’1, 197, Red Deer

Dennis “Freakin” Wideman…Norris Candidate?

When he signed his big deal I remember a lot of fans throughout the NHL mocking the signing. So far this season Wideman has been a beast for the Calgary Flames, logging almost 28 minutes of ice-time a game and posting a +3 rating. He’s also currently tied for 10^th in scoring amongst defenceman. That’s a hell of a start to a season for a guy that not many people consider an elite defencman.

That’s a wrap

Ian

What about Lu in Sochi?

 

Follow me @IanEsplen for hockey blogs on the WHL, Flames and Canucks

Puckrant.com is coming Dec. 1^st!!!!!!!!!!!!! Changing how you talk about the world’s best game

 

Being a hockey fans and a Canucks fan the most popular questions I seem to come across rotate around one player: Roberto Luongo.

Can he win in the playoffs?

Can he beat the Blackhawks?

Can he win the big game?

How long will he be a Canuck?

What’s he worth via trade?

Is he happy in Vancouver?

These are all questions I’ve commented on over the years.

Now, I will answer the newest question, Will he be on Canada’s team in Sochi?

 

In my opinion, he is the guy I start the tournament with. Whether he finishes it; that is all dependant on how he plays. After all, this has been Roberto Luongo’s best October ever and given his history, he will play better over the next three months heading into Sochi.  

 

GAA

Luongo- 2.24

Smith- 2.79

Price- 2.16

Crawford- 2.19

Fleury- 1.83

Harding- 1.09

 

SV%

Luongo- .916

Smith- .919

Price- .933

Crawford- .918

Fleury- .929

Harding- .951

 

You could make a case for five of these guys to start in net for Canada – I’m not a Mike Smith fan at all, so he’s out.

If I’m picking today I take the hot hand in Josh Harding, as my top guy. The numbers he is posting are ridiculous and there is no way that I leave him behind if he keeps playing this well.

Secondly, I take the reliability of Carey Price. He is playing very well this season and has shown consistency over the past few seasons.

Lastly, I take the big fella for his experience and leadership. Luongo knows what it takes to win a gold medal and he has worn the jersey a number of times. I’m not saying he’d be the guy, but I want him in the locker room.

Well those are my three. Post yours in the comments section on Facebook.

 

Ian