Scrivens has been mediocre to a point but having to play behind that EDM defence night in night out has to be dejecting. Scrivens played pretty great in LA filling in for Quick a few seasons back but LA has had strong D for awhile now...what a difference it makes.

EDM's D will be much better next year.
- LordHumungous

- A_SteamingLombardi

Nurse will be their No 1 dman...sad, but true. They will be better (marginally)

We only have the Higgins/Bonino/Vrbata line scoring consistently (and contribution from the defence). Baertschi will hopefully spark the fourth line which has gotten ice cold lately:

Kenins: 0 points in 9 games (1 point in his last 13)
Horvat: 0 points in 7 games
Hansen: 1 point in 10 games

We only have the Higgins/Bonino/Vrbata line scoring consistently (and contribution from the defence). Baertschi will hopefully spark the fourth line which has gotten ice cold lately:

Kenins: 0 points in 9 games (1 point in his last 13)
Horvat: 0 points in 7 games
Hansen: 1 point in 10 games
- EastVan

and the top line as well is cold. Vrbata should be back on the top line and burrows should be on the second line.

Sven with Bo. Keep 2nd line intact. Burrows with the Sedins.

Flames call up Sam Bennett

Thanks for the song... but
1 + 1 = 2

LA beating up teams in the Central is better than in the Pacific and it gives us the chance to do what Chicago did if we do our part and win in the playoffs against Calgary and then the Mild, which is face a depleted LA team to win the WCF and then go to the SCF and play the Rags where we get revenge for 94'... and against AV and his stupid goalchie moves...
- kaptaan

Shouldn't you be at church today?

Flames call up Sam Bennett
- Nucker101

I didn't realize that he was eligible.

1. Defense
2. Centers
3. Overall team depth
- Nucker101

1. ownership
2. management
3. ownership

I didn't realize that he was eligible.
- CubanBuffet

His junior team lost in the playoffs so he's then legible to play in the AHL or NHL as long as he's signed.

1. ownership
2. management
3. ownership
- Marwood

Eakins is also a bad coach, I said it repeatedly but even some of their more level-headed fans didn't see it.

On what grounds do you make that assessment?
- AlexF

Nurse will be up next season and Klefbom is showing signs of breaking out. Schultz aint no bust yet as he would be the leading scoring Dman if he was on the Canucks. They have a few decent prospects and a smart signing in the offseason can get that D back to some respectability. No one is saying it's going to be a Flames D turnaround situation but they can be better with a few smart moves. Plus a goalie signing is most likely imminent.

Most claimed Wideman was a bust in Calgary...Kris Russell was too small, Brodie too soft and Giordano will never be a NO 1 guy...look at them now.

His junior team lost in the playoffs so he's then legible to play in the AHL or NHL as long as he's signed.
- Nucker101

I see.

Eakins is also a bad coach, I said it repeatedly but even some of their more level-headed fans didn't see it.
- Nucker101

Eakins was almost Tortorella level bad, but I'm done predicting that the Oilers will improve. This isn't the first time that they've played better after they are already out of it.

Sven with Bo. Keep 2nd line intact. Burrows with the Sedins.
- Nighthawk

Please no.

The Sedin line is slow enough without Burrows. I honestly wish they would have just left Vrbata there but he has provided some 2nd line support. I understand the need to rekindle the whole Sedin/Burrows thing but honestly we need to move past that. Kassian seems to fit decent there when he is healthy and who knows if Baertchi gets a shot?

Eakins was almost Tortorella level bad, but I'm done predicting that the Oilers will improve. This isn't the first time that they've played better after they are already out of it.
- CubanBuffet

Same here, unless 2 of Draisaitl/Nurse and their 1st rounder this year have a Horvat(or better) like impact I'm not gonna buy them as a team on the rise.

Same here, unless 2 of Draisaitl/Nurse and their 1st rounder this year have a Horvat(or better) like impact I'm not gonna buy them as a team on the rise.
- Nucker101

And their problem is that they absolutely need them to have seasons like that, there is no insulation. I think that if Draisaitl was put into a similar position as Horvat he would probably still be in the NHL, but MacT needed him to step right in to the 2C spot. What was he thinking?

Eakins was almost Tortorella level bad, but I'm done predicting that the Oilers will improve. This isn't the first time that they've played better after they are already out of it.
- CubanBuffet

This is true Eakins was a massive problem. He tried too hard to implement AHL thinking and the things that made him successful down there into the NHL moniker. Especially with the D.

Nielson has had the Oilers showing some signs of more consistent play post Eakins. No they haven't really wowed anyone massively but they have played some real strong games vs some big clubs. Sure they were drubbed by LA last night but regardless there are signs of improvement IMO.

Oilers team defense sux n see no change next year. Poor depth IMO.

Oilers team defense sux n see no change next year. Poor depth IMO.
- Nighthawk

Too much high end young talent up front and at the back with no veteran depth other than Hendricks. Goaltending is also sub par. I don't see it either. Move a few players to add the depth and goaltending.

Scrivens has been mediocre to a point but having to play behind that EDM defence night in night out has to be dejecting. Scrivens played pretty great in LA filling in for Quick a few seasons back but LA has had strong D for awhile now...what a difference it makes.

EDM's D will be much better next year.
- LordHumungous

Exactly, Scrivens is not the problem (yes, he could continually stand on his head and make the losses more respectable but that's all he can do at this point). The defense is atrocious. I watched the game on a live link and I couldn't count how many times the defenseman were just standing around doing nothing. I feel bad for Scrivens - he must be wondering how he ever got in this ugly situation and cursing Dubnyk

Nurse will be up next season and Klefbom is showing signs of breaking out. Schultz aint no bust yet as he would be the leading scoring Dman if he was on the Canucks. They have a few decent prospects and a smart signing in the offseason can get that D back to some respectability. No one is saying it's going to be a Flames D turnaround situation but they can be better with a few smart moves. Plus a goalie signing is most likely imminent.

Most claimed Wideman was a bust in Calgary...Kris Russell was too small, Brodie too soft and Giordano will never be a NO 1 guy...look at them now.
- LordHumungous

P.S. to respond to your comments about Lemiuex and Gretzky yesterday, Gretzky had to put up with the same clutch and grab aspects as Lemieux (especially in the second half of his career). In any event, we could argue about who is better for hours on end. You are either in the Lemieux or Gretzky camp. For me, Lemieux was the better of the two one on one but he didn't have the same overall vision that Gretzky did. I also feel Gretzky made those around him much better than Lemieux (although Lemieux did so as well, just not to the same extent)

My point the other day being, however, had nothing to do with their actual play. It was with respect to a comment about how the better players seem to be adept at whining more. And with that I gave examples that even Gretzky and Lemieux were whiners at times (both equally so).

And your conspiracy theory about Gretzky being protected by the league has no merit. I guess Gary Suter didn't get the memo when he viciously crosschecked Gretzky into the boards three feet away and almost destroyed his career.

Paul Kariya as well

Paul Kariya as well
- Nighthawk

What about him?


Edit: never mind...I assume you're talking about Suter's crosscheck on Kariya.

P.S. to respond to your comments about Lemiuex and Gretzky yesterday, Gretzky had to put up with the same clutch and grab aspects as Lemieux (especially in the second half of his career). In any event, we could argue about who is better for hours on end. You are either in the Lemieux or Gretzky camp. For me, Lemieux was the better of the two one on one but he didn't have the same overall vision that Gretzky did. I also feel Gretzky made those around him much better than Lemieux (although Lemieux did so as well, just not to the same extent)

My point the other day being, however, had nothing to do with their actual play. It was with respect to a comment about how the better players seem to be adept at whining more. And with that I gave examples that even Gretzky and Lemieux were whiners at times (both equally so).

And your conspiracy theory about Gretzky being protected by the league has no merit. I guess Gary Suter didn't get the memo when he viciously crosschecked Gretzky into the boards three feet away and almost destroyed his career.
- Zogg

That was the 1991 Canada Cup - not an NHL event