Comments on Five Hole Fanatics: Projecting the back-end

I don't know why all this trash talk about Vanderm...

2008-07-16T17:20:00.000-06:00

I don't know why all this trash talk about Vandermeer. He's top four in the corners plus he's one of our toughest guys. His out-let passes are desent and his overall consistency is right up there. I'd pretty much put Eriksson as our main reason for sucking...considering he'd play close to 20 minutes a game. What was Keenan thinking?

I guess all I'm getting at is Vandermeer looks ...

2008-07-16T13:46:00.000-06:00
I guess all I'm getting at is Vandermeer looks to be a guy whose ceiling is in the bottom pair.

Can't argue with that.

With an Aucoin/Vandermeer bottom pairing, the Flames will be spending 6.3M defending 3rd and 4th lines.

Sigh.

MG, I hear you re: rookies, but were all those roo...

2008-07-16T13:24:00.000-06:00
MG, I hear you re: rookies, but were all those rookies that played defence for Dallas last year considered to be sure things coming out of camp? I guess all I'm getting at is Vandermeer looks to be a guy whose ceiling is in the bottom pair. I'm not convinced he'd be that hard to surpass except for that silly contract. Giordano was better than him before he left. Only Sutter's bloody-mindedness about him last year drove him away, and I think Sutter pretty much admitted it this off-season. All that said, if Vandermeer and Giordano are in the line-up, and Warrener, Eriksson and Hale aren't, that isn't all bad.

I dont know about a rookie passing Vandermeer this...

2008-07-16T09:09:00.000-06:00
I dont know about a rookie passing Vandermeer this year, but I think Giordano has a good chance to make the leap. That's what Im hoping for.

Also, if Negrin makes the Flames this season I'll eat my shoe, Sutter's bluster notwithstanding. There's no room for a 19 year-old defender with no pro experience on this club...particularly one that can't be sent to the AHL should he sputter out half way through the year.

As for the development camp - I think any player past his entry level deal in excluded. That would make Prust and Pardy ineligible, but not Boyd.

You're headed the right way on the pairings, MG. I...

2008-07-16T08:31:00.000-06:00
You're headed the right way on the pairings, MG. I noted this before, but in the last four years, Regehr's best work came with Leopold and Stuart, i.e. guys that can skate. Phaneuf has the potential to fit that model a lot better than Sarich. Whether they can actually matchup on-ice is another story. I seem to remember them both playing the right side last year, although that may have been driven by necessity.

Sarich is a better candidate for second unit work. It was a bad match with Regehr from the get-go. He needs the same sort of puck moving partner, BTW. Vandermeer isn't likely to be it. I'll stick with what I said when he signed. One of Pardy, Pelech or Negrin has a good chance of passing him on the depth chart this year, and only his new ticket may keep him around. He's a seventh defenceman.

Giordano, OTOH, could be good for Aucoin. Good feet, good passer, good second PP partner. Aucoin on the first PP isn't as good a fit because he and Phaneuf are both more comfortable being the anchor guy on the blueline doing the shooting. Cammalleri moves better, and the Flames PP was often quite stagnant last year. Regehr should only get PP time when protecting a late lead.

ngthagg, I know Pardy is still an unsigned RFA. As for Prust, no clue.

Pardy isn't listed on the Flames development roster. Neither is Prust, but Boyd is. I have no idea what that means, if anything.

Our only hope is a step forward for Giordano. I'd...

2008-07-15T22:25:00.000-06:00
Our only hope is a step forward for Giordano. I'd love to see capable as a top 4 paired with someone who plays a really simple game. I think he's got some speed and his outlet passes are not bad.

Phaneuf needs to be better defensively. Period.