Post by CalgaryGM on Oct 5, 2008 22:37:28 GMT -5
Quad City Flames 2008-09 season preview
Written by: Scoop Newsworthy on 10/05/2008
With the Calgary Flames training camp in full swing, we take a look at their farm team in Quad City.
It was a disappointing first season (in the playoffs only) in Quad City for the Flames top affiliate. They finished in first place in the Western Conference and saw some players continue their development and saw a few others develop very little or not at all. After moving from Omaha after the 2006-07 season, the 2007-08 Quad City Flames were a top team with some average talent and a few standouts. They finished in first with a 41-23-10-2 record while amassing the fourth most goals for in the league with 221. Like the parent club, Quad City's strength was its goaltending depth and defensive system, which led to only 179 goals against, better than all but 2 other AsHL teams.
The objective is simple this year -- continue developing the young forwards and goaltenders and find a way to get by with no blue chip defenseman on the team.
Goaltenders
Simply put, the Flames are loaded in net. With 2005 first-round pick Carey Price having the #1 job in Calgary, Dany Sabourin will be his back-up, that leaves Curtis McElhinney to lead the Quad City Flames team in goal. Curtis posted average numbers in 11 games last year and will be backed-up by Craig Kowalski, who apprenticed with the ECsHL Las Vegas Wranglers and posted outstanding numbers with a 2.07 GAA and a .922 save percentage, guiding the Wranglers to 2nd place in the Western Conference. Miika Wiikman will be the man in net for Las Vegas this year.
Defensemen
The veteran depth on the Calgary blueline will benefit the Quad City Flames again this season. While there is no doubt Johnny Boychuk has played well enough to crack the big club as a 7th defenseman, the veteran depth almost precludes the former Calgary Hitman/Moose Jaw Warrior from breaking camp with the Flames. But having said that, should there be any trading of Calgary D, Johnny will be the first call up. The rest of the Quad City blueline is an interesting bunch.
There are some question marks on the blueline. Max Kondratiev is at the top of the list. There are rumblings that the enigmatic defender may head back to Russia if he doesn’t make the Calgary line up (he didn't so he's gone). Second year defender, Clay Wilson, is expected to play a large roll with the Quad City squad. Also returning are Ryan Glenn, Mathieu Roy and veteran Nolan Baumgartner has gone on to FA. FA signings that will get a tryout with Quad City team are Patrick Wellar, Steve Wagner, Jean-Claude Sawyer, Brett Festerling, Ryan Wilson and Ben Lovejoy. There are some blue chip prospects expected next year. Swedish defensemen that should arrive next season are Jonas Frogren and Jonas Ahnelov. Some others that may contend for a spot in 2009-10 are Jonas Junland, Jonathan Blum, Bretton Stamler and Pierre-Luc Lessard
Forwards
If evidence is needed of the Calgary's lack of blue chip prospects, it can be found in the Quad City forward ranks. With top prospects Justin Papineau and Jonas Johansson leaving for Europe, that leaves Ryan Bayda 27 to lead the offense, the Quad City forward ranks is devoid of a major scoring threat. They had two 30 goal scorers, Jonas Johansson (gone) and Alexandre Giroux, Alex has yet to figure out how to amke the the next step to the majors.
Second year centre Bobby Hughes will be expected to take a major roll up front and lead this squad into the playoffs. Not cracking the Flames roster is Patrick Thoresen who will help out at centre and winger Tomas Kopecky could be gone if he doesn’t make any improvements this season.
Third line centre David Brine is expected to continue to develop and provide excellent defense and penalty killing.
Another player making his pro debut is center Cal O’Reilly( Cal has since made the big squad in Calgary). After spending three seasons with the Windsor Spitfires, Cal is finally making his way to the NsHL with the Calgary Flames. Also making his pro debut is LW Colton Fretter.
Richard Clune, Mike Iggulden, David Moss, Rich Peverley and Dylan Hunter will also look to make their mark in QC this year in what should be a wide-open competition for top-six minutes. FA signings that will push the regulars are LW Cody Mcleod, LW Rob Klinkhammer, and RW Craig Weller (who went to FA but came back and will move up to the right side from D).
Written by: Scoop Newsworthy on 10/05/2008
With the Calgary Flames training camp in full swing, we take a look at their farm team in Quad City.
It was a disappointing first season (in the playoffs only) in Quad City for the Flames top affiliate. They finished in first place in the Western Conference and saw some players continue their development and saw a few others develop very little or not at all. After moving from Omaha after the 2006-07 season, the 2007-08 Quad City Flames were a top team with some average talent and a few standouts. They finished in first with a 41-23-10-2 record while amassing the fourth most goals for in the league with 221. Like the parent club, Quad City's strength was its goaltending depth and defensive system, which led to only 179 goals against, better than all but 2 other AsHL teams.
The objective is simple this year -- continue developing the young forwards and goaltenders and find a way to get by with no blue chip defenseman on the team.
Goaltenders
Simply put, the Flames are loaded in net. With 2005 first-round pick Carey Price having the #1 job in Calgary, Dany Sabourin will be his back-up, that leaves Curtis McElhinney to lead the Quad City Flames team in goal. Curtis posted average numbers in 11 games last year and will be backed-up by Craig Kowalski, who apprenticed with the ECsHL Las Vegas Wranglers and posted outstanding numbers with a 2.07 GAA and a .922 save percentage, guiding the Wranglers to 2nd place in the Western Conference. Miika Wiikman will be the man in net for Las Vegas this year.
Defensemen
The veteran depth on the Calgary blueline will benefit the Quad City Flames again this season. While there is no doubt Johnny Boychuk has played well enough to crack the big club as a 7th defenseman, the veteran depth almost precludes the former Calgary Hitman/Moose Jaw Warrior from breaking camp with the Flames. But having said that, should there be any trading of Calgary D, Johnny will be the first call up. The rest of the Quad City blueline is an interesting bunch.
There are some question marks on the blueline. Max Kondratiev is at the top of the list. There are rumblings that the enigmatic defender may head back to Russia if he doesn’t make the Calgary line up (he didn't so he's gone). Second year defender, Clay Wilson, is expected to play a large roll with the Quad City squad. Also returning are Ryan Glenn, Mathieu Roy and veteran Nolan Baumgartner has gone on to FA. FA signings that will get a tryout with Quad City team are Patrick Wellar, Steve Wagner, Jean-Claude Sawyer, Brett Festerling, Ryan Wilson and Ben Lovejoy. There are some blue chip prospects expected next year. Swedish defensemen that should arrive next season are Jonas Frogren and Jonas Ahnelov. Some others that may contend for a spot in 2009-10 are Jonas Junland, Jonathan Blum, Bretton Stamler and Pierre-Luc Lessard
Forwards
If evidence is needed of the Calgary's lack of blue chip prospects, it can be found in the Quad City forward ranks. With top prospects Justin Papineau and Jonas Johansson leaving for Europe, that leaves Ryan Bayda 27 to lead the offense, the Quad City forward ranks is devoid of a major scoring threat. They had two 30 goal scorers, Jonas Johansson (gone) and Alexandre Giroux, Alex has yet to figure out how to amke the the next step to the majors.
Second year centre Bobby Hughes will be expected to take a major roll up front and lead this squad into the playoffs. Not cracking the Flames roster is Patrick Thoresen who will help out at centre and winger Tomas Kopecky could be gone if he doesn’t make any improvements this season.
Third line centre David Brine is expected to continue to develop and provide excellent defense and penalty killing.
Another player making his pro debut is center Cal O’Reilly( Cal has since made the big squad in Calgary). After spending three seasons with the Windsor Spitfires, Cal is finally making his way to the NsHL with the Calgary Flames. Also making his pro debut is LW Colton Fretter.
Richard Clune, Mike Iggulden, David Moss, Rich Peverley and Dylan Hunter will also look to make their mark in QC this year in what should be a wide-open competition for top-six minutes. FA signings that will push the regulars are LW Cody Mcleod, LW Rob Klinkhammer, and RW Craig Weller (who went to FA but came back and will move up to the right side from D).
