Boyd is the biggest surprise. What can you say? He is a force when he plants himself in front of the net. He is dangerous and creative there.
Lombardi looks like he means business this year. Again, going to the net looks good on him.
Bertuzzi looks like he still has some of his old moves left in him. If he is a gamer and can keep it up, it will be one hell of a good deal.
This team looks like it may be able to score. All of these concerns over the scoring the Flames gave up, may have been wasted rantings. I never thought the Flames could be more of an offensive threat minus Tanguay and Huselius, but I feel this team has the potential to be much better offensively.
Speed kills. Man, this team looks fast. Faster than they were last year. The groans when we picked up Bertuzzi because of his speed still echo. I am not saying he is fast, but he will have to skate a lot harder just to keep up. Glencross and Bourque are real speedsters from the bottom lines who arent afraid to crash the net either.
I expected the addition of one or two players who were willing to get to the net, but I never anticipated all of them doing so. As long as they keep this up, they will be a handfull every night, no matter who the competition is.
QC has an international airport and are only 2 1/2 hours away from chicago and 4 hours from st louis. So I would seem to think that it would be better for Pardy and Pelech be sent down to play everygame instead of sitting in the press box. They could make it to any nhl city within 8 hours.
Speed kills. Man, this team looks fast. Faster than they were last year. The groans when we picked up Bertuzzi because of his speed still echo. I am not saying he is fast, but he will have to skate a lot harder just to keep up. Glencross and Bourque are real speedsters from the bottom lines who arent afraid to crash the net either.
This is one part of the game I have really noticed this preseason. The team as a whole has great speed and that will make them very dangerous to play against. Really like the way the team is shaping up right now.
What I've noticed is the improved depth. There's talent on every line, and it seems like Calgary might be proving alot of people wrong that they lack secondary scoring.
This team is deep. Really deep now. The rookies are all fighting for spots, and are all playing really well. The new acquisitions have also looked outstanding.
Overall, this is looking like one of the most complete teams in years.
I've had the privilage to watch 1 pres season game live, and i gotta tell I'm very excited for the season to start. All the players look strong, fast and determined to put the puck in the net.
A little time focused on 'geling' (sp?) and getting to know where the new players like to go and they look unstoppable.
Iggy and Bert (who is slim and fast) can be paired with either Langs, Lombo, or Cammy. The flexibility seems within the lines seems like it can fit to Iron Mike's consistant game changes.
I can't remember the last time I was actually excited about our team this much during September. We've had rosters that were probably better 'on paper' but were not even close to showing the same kind of drive this early. The prospects were nowhere near good enough to challenge the status quo and the veterans knew this and coasted as a result.
This year, 2 goalies look capable of being backups, at least 3 forwards are capable of being the 13th guy, and the veterans are looking a helluva lot better because they know they have to make the team. Notice how everyone is in shape and slimmer or stronger where need be: Kipper, Bertuzzi, Primeau, Boyd. I think this is the first year post-lockout Sutter has finally got it right with off-season acquisitions, and many of our prospects are finally close enough in their development to make the main club. The right mix of elite talent, rookies good enough to challenge for roster spots, young guys looking to have break out years, and veterans having to fight for their roster spot is making for an exciting team that has developed amazing chemistry for only playing 4 games with different line mates.
This is one part of the game I have really noticed this preseason. The team as a whole has great speed and that will make them very dangerous to play against. Really like the way the team is shaping up right now.
It is extremely noticeable, especially in that 8-2 game. I'm pleasently suprised at how well the team has molded together. With Boyd's emergence, I don't see why he doesn't start the year with Iggy and Langkow...The Mafia line should enable this team to have two really solid scoring lines...And the depth and quality of our bottom two lines is drastically improved. Throw in the return of Giordano, who looked great in the game I watched, and things are looking really good for the season....
__________________
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2011-12: The start of a new making the playoffs streak!
Well Dustin Boyd has been looking great but I do not know if he is a rookie in the purest sense. Pardy looks pretty good so far and plays with a pretty mean edge. Also some of our Vet's such as Warrener have found their game again which has given us some surprising depth of NHL caliber players. Backlund has look good at points but is inconsistent due to perhaps his age and experience, although it seems the Flames are giving him very chance to make the team.
So far a pretty good camp from the Flames I am very pleased.
Last edited by Ticonderoga: 09-29-2008 at 12:25 PM.
Hopefulyl at least one D, Pardy and maybe Pelech but then we would have to dump Eriksson (anyone have some scrap paper to trade for Eriksson?)
Listening to Peter Maher this morning, he was saying that Darryl Sutter did say during a pre-game interview on friday that there will be one new rookie defenceman making the team this year. My guess would be Adam Pardy.
The thing I've liked best so far is the change to the 3rd and 4th lines. Assuming that any combinations of Iginla, Langkow, Cammalleri, Bertuzzi, Boyd and Lombardi make up the top 6, there is a lot of speed and grit and talent on the bottom 2 lines which we've lacked the past couple seasons.
The top 2 lines will definitely produce offense, especially if Bertuzzi can pick it up and Boyd can transfer his preseason form to the regular season. But the production that could come from the bottom lines is what I'm excited about. Moss, Conroy, Glencross and Bourque provide a lot of quality options for offense coming from a place it hasn't come since the 2004 playoffs. And the speed, how I love speed.
I'm still a little skeptical about the defense, but at least with Giordano back there are more options as well as another puck moving defenseman. Pardy has earned a spot on the blueline but I just hope he doesn't get screwed because they're afraid of upsetting a vet on a one-way contract.
Agree completely with above posters. The big difference with this team is the speed on the bottom 6. We haven't seen anything close to this since we made our run to the finals. Back then the speed was a primary weapon for this team. Now that it's finally back and combined with youth, I'm very very excited indeed.
The Flames should be a great team this year. AND an exciting team to watch
Quote:
Originally Posted by stangconv
How has Backlund been? What are your guys projected lineups?
Backlund is who we thought he was! A lot of people spent the summer crowning his a$$. But Backlund has been who I thought he was!
He's not ready yet. Thinking he would be was very unrealistic. Once he is ready, he will be a very special player.
As for a line-up there's a couple of threads in here with possible line-ups.
With Eriksson sent to the AHL. I am not sure if this works out fiscally, as Warrener's contract could be an issue. Seems solid to me, would be an interesting lineup to try, also, the 3rd and 4th lines are just random right now.
With Eriksson sent to the AHL. I am not sure if this works out fiscally, as Warrener's contract could be an issue. Seems solid to me, would be an interesting lineup to try, also, the 3rd and 4th lines are just random right now.
If Boyd can handle first line duties, I'm all for it. Quite frankly, those 6 are ****in deadly. And the first and second line look okay too. Personally, I'd switch Moss and GlenX.
Also, you left out Vandy on our list of defensemen. Just shows how ridiculously deep the Flames are on D. Very happy with our team. We're second best at everything in our division, easily the most complete team in the NorthWest. But I'd like to see this team in action during the regular season before I get really excited.
Listening to Peter Maher this morning, he was saying that Darryl Sutter did say during a pre-game interview on friday that there will be one new rookie defenceman making the team this year. My guess would be Adam Pardy.
Does anyone know for sure if Pardy would need to clear waivers to go down to Quad Cities? Read it somewhere and it doesn't make sense to me. Definetly think he has played his way onto the team though however with Warrener also playing well there might not be room for Pardy.
Boyd is the biggest surprise. What can you say? He is a force when he plants himself in front of the net. He is dangerous and creative there.
Lombardi looks like he means business this year. Again, going to the net looks good on him.
Bertuzzi looks like he still has some of his old moves left in him. If he is a gamer and can keep it up, it will be one hell of a good deal.
This team looks like it may be able to score. All of these concerns over the scoring the Flames gave up, may have been wasted rantings. I never thought the Flames could be more of an offensive threat minus Tanguay and Huselius, but I feel this team has the potential to be much better offensively.
Speed kills. Man, this team looks fast. Faster than they were last year. The groans when we picked up Bertuzzi because of his speed still echo. I am not saying he is fast, but he will have to skate a lot harder just to keep up. Glencross and Bourque are real speedsters from the bottom lines who arent afraid to crash the net either.
I expected the addition of one or two players who were willing to get to the net, but I never anticipated all of them doing so. As long as they keep this up, they will be a handfull every night, no matter who the competition is.
I can hardly wait.
Boyd has been fantastic I was there the whole week last week the security is sick of me, Boyd has got some jump in his game this camp.
Personally, I'd switch Moss and GlenX.
