Adam French: The Calgary Flames Top-5 Prospects

Good job frenchy

I actually meant that

I actually meant that
- Lahey

With the age of smith, do the flames have a prospect or younger goalie hoping to step up? Is there a chance Rittich could be that guy

With the age of smith, do the flames have a prospect or younger goalie hoping to step up? Is there a chance Rittich could be that guy
- david22

The great question in C-Town. Gillies and Rittich both had playing time last year with Rittich playing (slightly) better. By no means enough to keep the Flames competitive should Smith go down.
Gillies was the guy mentioned since he was drafted but Tyler Parsons seems to have the most upside but is a few years away...
I suspect the Flames will make a trade at some point and bring in a "proven" back up, should one actually exist.

With the age of smith, do the flames have a prospect or younger goalie hoping to step up? Is there a chance Rittich could be that guy
- david22

As the poster below mentioned. Parsons might be their best bet, but he isn't even in the top-15 for goalie prospects to be honest. Gillies was really highly touted, but hasn't translated the hype into on ice success. One of the major issues for Calgary now and going forward.

The great question in C-Town. Gillies and Rittich both had playing time last year with Rittich playing (slightly) better. By no means enough to keep the Flames competitive should Smith go down.
Gillies was the guy mentioned since he was drafted but Tyler Parsons seems to have the most upside but is a few years away...
I suspect the Flames will make a trade at some point and bring in a "proven" back up, should one actually exist.
- geta02it

Goalies are so weird. Oilers thought they had some decent guys in Brossoit and Ellis, one retired other one we let walk as a UFA. Last year Wells was ranked 9th and Skinnner 18th by posters at HF. Now Skinner is 8th and Wells is unranked

You can look at STL who had Halak/Elliott and thought Elliot was the guy, who then was suppose to be the guy in CGY. STL was fine with letting Elliott go as they had Allen. Now Allen struggled and Hutton is going to start in Buffalo. All of these guys were guys that actually showed well in the NHL at some point and now have question marks.

Now try to project prospects that haven't even played well in the NHL or played in the NHL at all, good luck

As the poster below mentioned. Parsons might be their best bet, but he isn't even in the top-15 for goalie prospects to be honest. Gillies was really highly touted, but hasn't translated the hype into on ice success. One of the major issues for Calgary now and going forward.
- AdamFrench

Above frenchy, above

Adam French: The Calgary Flames Top-5 Prospects
- AdamFrench

Congrats on getting 5 prospects together!

Congrats on getting 5 prospects together!
- VeryModernMan

Huh?????

Congrats on getting 5 prospects together!
- VeryModernMan

Is that supposed to be a dig? Pretty lame if it was.

prospect pool so weak they don't have a prospect at 3rd?

Congrats on getting 5 prospects together!
- VeryModernMan

Congrats on putting one sentence together.

prospect pool so weak they don't have a prospect at 3rd?
- MikeBabcock

Whoopsies

Goalies are so weird. Oilers thought they had some decent guys in Brossoit and Ellis, one retired other one we let walk as a UFA. Last year Wells was ranked 9th and Skinnner 18th by posters at HF. Now Skinner is 8th and Wells is unranked

You can look at STL who had Halak/Elliott and thought Elliot was the guy, who then was suppose to be the guy in CGY. STL was fine with letting Elliott go as they had Allen. Now Allen struggled and Hutton is going to start in Buffalo. All of these guys were guys that actually showed well in the NHL at some point and now have question marks.

Now try to project prospects that haven't even played well in the NHL or played in the NHL at all, good luck
- Lahey

My kids a goalie...100% yep!

Yet you look at a guy like Kipper 4th on the depth chart on SJ and was arguably the best tendie the Flames ever had.

prospect pool so weak they don't have a prospect at 3rd?
- MikeBabcock

A and C prospects only, no B's

A and C prospects only, no B's
- Beergu

Well when you consider:
Tkachuk 20
Hanifin 21
Bennett 22
Lindholm 23
Monahan 23
Jankowski 23
Kulak 24
Gaudreau 25

I would expect the prospect pool is already playing in the NHL & if unless the peak career of NHL players is now 28, I would think the prospect pool would be thin & we obviously have lots of time to restock. A good prospect pool just means the team has sucked for awhile. At some point these 10 bell prospects need to be in the NHL, preferably before they turn 25.

My kids a goalie...100% yep!

Yet you look at a guy like Kipper 4th on the depth chart on SJ and was arguably the best tendie the Flames ever had.
- geta02it

Don't even this one is an argument Best goalie the Flames ever dressed.

Hometown boy Mike Vernon was a pretty good tender. Reggie Lemelin or as we called him Letemin. Not arguing Kipper was a beast, most nights. We drafted big Trevor Kidd instead of lil Martin Brodeur. More recently Mason McDonald over Demko.
Goalie are a funny thing, hard to predict.

Is that supposed to be a dig? Pretty lame if it was.
- Misterbator

Not at all, those prospect-lists are often a very difficult thing, as the "real prospects" are normally already on the NHL-roster and beyond that its hard to find 5 NHL-ready. Some franchises lead the prospects-list now for several years, but just some selected really can make it.

My kids a goalie...100% yep!

Yet you look at a guy like Kipper 4th on the depth chart on SJ and was arguably the best tendie the Flames ever had.
- geta02it

Adoption or one of you have that artificial sperm thing done

Kipprusoff's numbers were quite similar to Gillies' when he first started. Now before you all jump all over me about it I'm not saying Gillies is the next Kipper, it just shows that goalies are crapshoots.

Goaltenders are so damn hard to predict. Gillies could be lights out and steal the starting job or he could be bad enough that he's backing up Parsons in Stockton. Smith is a proven guy but you might as well roll the dice on everyone else.

Kipprusoff's numbers were quite similar to Gillies' when he first started. Now before you all jump all over me about it I'm not saying Gillies is the next Kipper, it just shows that goalies are crapshoots.

Goaltenders are so damn hard to predict. Gillies could be lights out and steal the starting job or he could be bad enough that he's backing up Parsons in Stockton. Smith is a proven guy but you might as well roll the dice on everyone else.
- Helios

Correct me if I'm wrong but Kipper didn't become an NHL regular until he was 27? Goalies are a real tough one for sure. Not often they are able to make the jump quickly, especially since the game has become so much faster.

Adam French: The Calgary Flames Top-5 Prospects
- AdamFrench

like trying to pick the prettiest pigs