- 20 hours ago
- #calgaryflames
- #nhl
- #flamesrebuild
Now that the draft is done and the off-season has settled, where do the Calgary Flames actually stand? Peter Klein gives a full top-to-bottom look at the Flames heading into next season, the forward group as currently constructed, what the blue line looks like with Nemec, Parekh, Weegar, and eventually Carson Carels, and why goaltending might be the least of their worries.
Spoiler: this is not going to be a good hockey team this season. But the direction is right, and Peter breaks down exactly why.
👍 Like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments — what does this Flames team need most heading into next season?
#CalgaryFlames #NHL #FlamesRebuild
🎧 Listen on: Apple https://apple.co/49NGm2L | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3QgazeHcSKSteZbBIubcuM?si=icY7NEBvT7yZadv_JFlT6Q
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Spoiler: this is not going to be a good hockey team this season. But the direction is right, and Peter breaks down exactly why.
👍 Like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments — what does this Flames team need most heading into next season?
#CalgaryFlames #NHL #FlamesRebuild
🎧 Listen on: Apple https://apple.co/49NGm2L | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3QgazeHcSKSteZbBIubcuM?si=icY7NEBvT7yZadv_JFlT6Q
đź’¬ Follow for live breakdowns: X.com/primetimepk | Twitch.tv/primetimepk | Kick.com/primetimepk
đź”— Support the Show:
- Tip Jar: https://streamelements.com/couchpotatodiary/tip (fuels more content!)
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SportsTranscript
00:00It feels like the off-season's kind of settled in now, right?
00:02That the off-season, that they make the Coleman trade, we have the draft.
00:05I don't think they're going to go out and make a real big trade or anything like that.
00:09So where are the Flames right now?
00:11How are things set up going into this season?
00:13Let's take a 200-foot look at where the Calgary Flames are
00:17now that the off-season has started to cool off a little bit.
00:25So it is a rebuilding time for the Calgary Flames.
00:29And while we don't know where their games are going to be broadcast on the radio,
00:33we do have a pretty good idea of where this team is set up right now.
00:37And honestly, I feel like they're in a good spot.
00:39Talked about it a bit after the draft, but I like how this team is kind of trending.
00:47I like the direction that they are going.
00:49And I know that the blue line, it feels like it is obviously the heaviest part
00:53of where the focus has been, and everyone's hoping for that number one center.
00:57I do think that once that comes, though, this team's in a very good position
01:01to take a couple of steps forward.
01:03Like they have, and it's something we've talked about before, it's ironic
01:07because the foundation is set where if you get a center, off you go.
01:11But because that foundation is set, it's a little bit more difficult to completely bottom out
01:16and end up getting that number one center.
01:19So it's a weird spot that the Flames are in.
01:22But I do think that things are going well.
01:24So when you look at the forward group, just going into next season, right now,
01:30I would say probably Gridden, Frost, Coronado, top line.
01:33Huberto, we'll see.
01:34Like he could be barely a factor on this team at all, or he could be someone who like,
01:40okay, the hip surgery helped.
01:41All of that is great.
01:43And away we go.
01:43Sorry, I'm taking another drink of water.
01:46But yeah, like he could, he is a real X factor for this team.
01:50But right now, like him with Backlund is good.
01:52And I think Farabee can just slot into the Blake Coleman role and just keep rolling with it that way.
01:57Zeri, Strom, and Sharon Govich in kind of the, let's see what you guys have line.
02:02I think this is a really important season for Zeri and Sharon Govich coming up
02:07to see where they kind of slot in with this group.
02:09And then the fourth line, Pospisil Hanzik and Klapka with Siplikov as the extra guy right now.
02:15Obviously, there are people who could fly in and take a spot and who could come in and earn another
02:22opportunity like a Stromgren, a Karens, a Hunt, one of those guys, Gross, one of those dudes.
02:28But that's kind of how I see it stacking up right now.
02:31And so, while I am saying things are progressing in a good way, make no mistake about it.
02:37This is a bad team.
02:38This is not, this is not a good team.
02:41This is going to be a team that's going to work hard, that's going to make you work hard.
02:44But this is not a very good hockey team.
02:46When you're looking at Morgan Frost as your top line center, like that's not, that's not ideal.
02:50This is, yeah, like Uncle Crashy is saying, out of all the lineups in the NHL, this is definitely
02:54one of them.
02:55A hundred percent.
02:56Yeah, this is, this is a team in the NHL.
03:00And that's about it.
03:01That's about where we max out with this.
03:03But again, when you look at that, like putting it back up there, I wish I could have my mouse
03:08on here to kind of circle, but like Gridden, when you're looking at guys who could be game
03:11changers, again, we're not looking at many on here.
03:14I do think Gridden has the talent to potentially be one of those guys.
03:18And I think Coronado can be one of those scoring guys that can really get things going.
03:24Again, I think they need a real number one center to maximize it, but I think you do have
03:30that talent there.
03:30I still think there's something with Zeri.
03:32I still think there's something with Sharongovich.
03:34And then a bunch of we'll see.
03:36It's like Klapka is going to have a role in the NHL for the next 10 years, just being
03:39huge and tough to play against and tough to move out of the front of the net.
03:42Hanzik, I think that there is something there.
03:44Pospisil, I think a full offseason where he can really get this.
03:48Same with Zeri.
03:49A full offseason where you're not worried about your health and you're just worried
03:52about improvement and getting better.
03:54I think those guys are going to really benefit from having that and being able to take those
03:58steps forward.
03:59But yeah, in terms of game breakers, it's just, it's not there.
04:02It's not there with this group at this particular time.
04:06So I, I think that they could be a team though, that if you like, if you throw in, if
04:14they
04:14would have got number one pick and McKenna is on that top line, you still need the center,
04:20obviously.
04:21But if it's McKenna, um, McKenna Frost and Coronado or McKenna Gridden and, and Frost
04:27or whatever, you're feeling very good about that.
04:30And then everything else kind of slots into place a little bit better.
04:33Like they are a couple of players away from being in very good shape and the prospect
04:38system.
04:39I think they've built it up very effectively here for this team as well, but for the upcoming
04:43season, goals are going to be difficult to come by.
04:46And I think that there are going to be opportunities for guys to move up again, bringing it up.
04:50Like, I think the flames would love it.
04:53Absolutely love it.
04:54If at some point Huberto has to move down the lineup.
04:56If at some point Therabee has to move down the lineup because either Zeri or Pospisil or
05:02Sharon Govich or Klapka are the ones who can like take over and are the ones who are like,
05:09okay, we are the drivers.
05:11Now we have stepped up.
05:12We are showing our potential.
05:13And here we go.
05:14They would love it.
05:15If they had to move some of those veterans down, they would love it.
05:18If Backlund didn't get the minutes that he did.
05:19If Frost didn't get the minutes that he did.
05:21If Strom ends up as a trade candidate because they need to move someone out because a center
05:25has worked his way up.
05:26I don't know if there is that in the organization.
05:29Like Reshny by the end of the season will probably be playing games with this team.
05:33But this is a year for guys to step up.
05:36I have said before, like last couple of years, process over results.
05:41It's a time to see what you have.
05:42And a time to see, all right, yeah, can Zeri play center?
05:45Hey, can Pospisil play center?
05:48Can Sharon Govich play center?
05:50Unfortunately, the answer to all of those is no.
05:52And that's one thing.
05:53I don't want to see those guys playing down the middle that much this season.
05:58I think we established that that's not where those guys are going to thrive.
06:02And I think it has kind of held them back a little bit in terms of their numbers and
06:06in terms of their development.
06:08I think this is a year to see like, okay, you're back where you're comfortable on the
06:11wing, back where you can kind of focus it.
06:14You're all healthy going into the offseason.
06:16Now it's time to see what kind of an NHL player you are, because there are players
06:19coming, right?
06:20Like Wittenbach's coming, Reshny's coming.
06:22We'll see about some of the other guys.
06:23But there are dudes who are on the way who could potentially be taking your job.
06:28So instead of, all right, we'll see what line combinations work.
06:30We'll see what we have here.
06:31We'll see if this guy can play center.
06:33Now it's, we'll see if you're going to be a Calgary Flame next season.
06:36That's where they're at in terms of kind of figuring out this forward group at this
06:40particular time.
06:41We got Deeds subscribing again on Twitch.
06:44Thank you so much, Deeds.
06:45I really appreciate it.
06:46Talk hockey to me.
06:47Love that we get to do this here again, Deeds.
06:49Thank you so much for that.
06:54Okay, over on YouTube now.
06:55So happy to be talking sports.
06:57I have literally turned off my radio since 960 was pulled.
07:01Appreciate the support and happy that we're able to talk sports here again.
07:04I was getting that itch.
07:06I'm so happy.
07:06Hey, it looks like the stream's working and happy that we're able to do this again
07:09today.
07:10How many of these guys are even scoring 20 this year?
07:12That's a good question.
07:14Looking at that, I think Coronado gets to 20 if he is healthy.
07:18Guys who have potential too, Gritten, Coronado, I still think Zeri and Sharon Govich can.
07:25We just need to see a little bit more from them.
07:28But yeah, that's where the list ends, I think.
07:31Like Huberto, best case scenario maybe, I guess, gets there.
07:34But that's about it.
07:35This is going to be a team that if they're going to win games, which they're not going
07:38to do many times, but if they're going to win games, it is going to be by grinding things
07:42out, working really hard, and playing that Calgary Flames style that we've seen the last
07:47couple of seasons.
07:48So it's not going to be great, that's for sure.
07:52But I still think that there is a little bit of potential there going forward.
07:56The blue line, though, is where you start to get really excited about things.
07:59They acquire Nemec.
08:00I really like the contract that he signed.
08:02Would you like it to be maybe a little bit longer?
08:04Sure, but I think you're able to keep the dollar amount where it is so you can kind
08:08of walk him toward free agency a little bit more with that contract.
08:12And I think the Flames would love to have to overpay him in five years' time.
08:16So I really like the contract that they signed with Nemec as you got him with Ball.
08:20Sounds like they are going to go Parekh on the left side and him with White Cloud.
08:24And then it comes down to like Kuznetsov or Bruce Davich.
08:28Middleton is a left shot, and so maybe they put him there and Bruce Davich on the right
08:36side.
08:37But Bruce Davich, I like him a lot.
08:39I think he's going, like, tons of potential, all the potential in the world.
08:41But I do think that he maybe becomes the odd man out with a couple of the guys that they
08:47have acquired right now.
08:48Let him go back to the Wranglers and let him kind of keep doing his thing.
08:51I think Kuznetsov kind of steadying where he's at as a five, six defenseman there and
08:57working his way there.
08:58But that blue line is where this team is going to shine.
09:01And the big question there is, A, how does Parekh handle things on the left side?
09:06And B, how long is White Cloud on this hockey team?
09:10And I do think that he has a pretty valuable role on that side because you are working with
09:18Parekh right now.
09:18And so I'm seeing a lot of people being like, yeah, you got to trade White Cloud, get something
09:22for him.
09:23If someone comes to you with a godfather offer, then you kind of have to take it and you go
09:27from there.
09:27And then it's Middleton with Parekh and you basically slide him in.
09:31Like, I think they got Middleton at some point with the assumption that White Cloud is going
09:36to be moved on from.
09:37But I do think that having White Cloud there to be that steady force with Parekh to cover
09:44up a few of the mistakes that he is making and allow him to develop and really see what
09:48you have with him on the left side, I think that's a really valuable thing to have.
09:51So that value can be overdone by a big trade, but I do think it's valuable to have that guy
09:57with Parekh and let him roll that way.
10:00So I really like the defense.
10:01And then you factor in a Carl's there in a couple of seasons.
10:06They are very much set on the blue line.
10:08And that is probably going to be when we're talking about bringing in other guys and bringing
10:13in like those difference makers, that's probably going to be where that comes from, is going
10:17to be someone on the point, is going to be someone that they can move from this blue line,
10:26package in a trade, and make the big move to bring that piece in.
10:31I think that's really going to be where the big thing comes from is they've acquired a lot
10:36of assets there and now they have the potential to move them.
10:39And they still have a ton of draft capital, right?
10:40Like, um, looking at this from Puckpedia, they have all their first round picks.
10:44They have extra seconds, uh, extra third.
10:48They have an extra fourth in a couple of years.
10:50They have a lot that they can work with here.
10:52So I'm not saying like trade all of these, go get that big, go get Elias Pedersen now
10:56and away you go.
10:57But I am saying that in, if this draft goes the way that we want it to, and maybe they
11:03don't get the first overall pick because that's DuPont.
11:04But if they get the second overall pick and it's that center, now you have a bunch of
11:09draft capital that you can move to get another one and away you go.
11:13And now you got high level center, pretty good center, Reshni, whatever.
11:17And then you're set.
11:18Or if it is DuPont and then you're trading one of those guys immediately and it's a big
11:21move and all of a sudden you're getting a bunch of stuff back too.
11:23Like there's, there's a lot of options with that.
11:26So I just, I like how it's set up right now for a rebuilding team.
11:29Again, do not, do not have the takeaway of this be, oh, Peter thinks the Flames are going
11:33to be good.
11:34No, this is, it's not going to be a good hockey team.
11:38There are going to be nights where it's going to be a tough watch, but they're going in the
11:44right direction.
11:44Goaltending, we don't need to do it.
11:45It's Wolf and it's Cooley and they're awesome.
11:46Like that's analysis complete.
11:51There are enough young guys that I think you can get excited about watching this team
11:55and watching the progression this season while also hoping that a ping pong ball or two goes
12:00your way in the next couple of seasons and away you go.
12:03So I like the spot that the Flames are in at this time.
12:06And I like the off season that they've had so far.
12:08Back in the chat over on YouTube, Adam Thomas Martin, White Cloud is going to be out before
12:13the season starts.
12:14Even if there is value, he would look good in a Kraken jersey if he helps us land a young
12:19center.
12:19Um, yeah, like I, again, I think there's a world where that happens.
12:23If the young center you're talking about is Shane Wright, I'm out on that one.
12:26Um, I, I have never been a big Shane Wright guy and I feel like, like he's gotten opportunities
12:33in Seattle, maybe not like tippity top opportunities, but he, he's gotten some chances and it just,
12:39he hasn't looked like that game breaker right now.
12:41Like, um, would he be better than some of the young centers in this organization?
12:46Obviously he would be, but I feel like you trade for Shane, right?
12:50You go from an organization that needs a number one center to an organization that needs a
12:54number one center.
12:55Like, I just, I feel like he is, he's going to be where Frost is now in a couple of
13:00seasons.
13:00Like just as that guy, well, yeah, he could be a top six, but you'd really like to improve
13:04on him and he'd be much better as your number three.
13:07So like White Cloud for, for right.
13:09I don't think it's worth it.
13:10I think him being there to help correct develop and to allow him to, to see and allow the
13:16organization to see what they have with him on the left side.
13:18I think that that's a very valuable piece.
13:20And I value that more than I do Shane, right?
13:23If someone wants to throw at you a like fringe NHL young center already who projects to be
13:30something a little bit higher and a high draft pick, then yeah, you're going for it.
13:34And at some point it's going to be irresponsible to not move him.
13:37But I think for now it does make a lot of sense that the team that I'm looking at is,
13:42um,
13:43the Dallas stars and I get, they have, they have their own S to worry about right now with,
13:47uh, the, the Robertson situation.
13:48They already had to move Maverick Bork out to the Nashville predators, but they have felt
13:53like a right shot defenseman away for three years now.
13:55And the fact that they have not addressed that in any way has been, well, not in any way,
14:00but the fact that they haven't addressed it in a way that isn't Tyler Myers is really
14:04surprising to me.
14:04So I, I feel like there is more that you could get out of it than just that.
14:10But I do also feel like there's a market, there's no question there's a market.
14:13And I think this one is one of those ones that's better at the trade deadline than right now.
14:20Um, that's another thing, just kind of a working theory, but like the Coleman trade,
14:25I think they could have got more for him at the deadline.
14:27And I think one of the things that we often hear is, oh, well, you can, you don't have
14:32to make the trade now, he's got the contract and you know what?
14:35Everyone's in it, uh, in the off season, more cap space out there.
14:41I don't know if that's the case now, um, because we're seeing, and I think this is
14:44going to be a trend for a little bit, we're seeing big names being available.
14:48So at the deadline, Blake Coleman was one of the best names not traded, who was presumed
14:51to be available.
14:52This year, Blake Coleman is like the 20th best player who's going to be moved because of
14:57all the big guys who have been out there.
14:59And so that value comes down.
15:00And so with white cloud, I'm not saying his value is down now, but what I am saying is
15:06if Dallas is like fringy with being a contender or like the Leafs need to make a push or the
15:12Red Wings need to make a push again or something like that, that desperation, I think is going
15:16to help in a white cloud trade a whole lot more in February and March than it is right
15:22now in July, where the guys are wanting to get to the cottage and, oh, we want to see
15:25what we have in our guys.
15:27So I think a white cloud trade will probably be better around the deadline time than it
15:30is now.
15:31Again, if you get a big offer for him, I think you take it.
15:33But right now I'm happy with where he's at.
15:36The other one, and I'm kind of bouncing back to the forward group.
15:39The other one that's interesting is Morgan Frost, because his contract is up at the end
15:43of the season.
15:43And he is just in that age group where you're like, uh, I don't know how much of a factor
15:48you're going to be on this team in a couple of seasons.
15:52I, I, again, would prefer to keep him.
15:56Again, if someone comes at you with a big offer, then you take it.
15:59But like, you do still need NHL humans on this team.
16:03And I think having Frost there with his playmaking ability to help a grid and progress to help
16:09a Coronado progress.
16:10I think you do that.
16:11Now, if Frost is looking for a big contract and a big number, then you, you move them to
16:16the highest bidder and just on your way, you go, but I would much rather sign him to
16:20a couple of years.
16:22And if at the end of that time, he's your third line center.
16:25Great.
16:26That's kind of what you're hoping for.
16:27But I don't know if you're getting like major value for him right now.
16:31And I'm sure that there is some form of a middle ground that you can sign with him that
16:36makes it appealing, but also makes it so that he could get passed and it's not going
16:40to be financially irresponsible for you either.
16:42So that, that would be the perfect middle ground for me is a bit of a shorter term contract
16:47with the hope that at some point he's the third line center on your team when you're
16:51off in the playoffs again, because Reshtie and someone else has passed him.
16:54That, that would kind of be my hope for it.
16:56But if he's looking for like eight years and $8 million, then yeah, you trade him immediately,
16:59but hopefully you can get something a little bit more reasonable done with him.
17:03So still some trade candidates out there.
17:05I don't think that there is that one that's going to land like the big haul or anything like
17:10that, um, white cloud, maybe if a team gets really desperate, but I do think that they're
17:16again, they're in a good spot.
17:18Uh, we got toxic in the chat.
17:19All I care about is if they win their games against the Oilers this season, that's it,
17:23right?
17:23Like just whatever games you have against Edmonton, win those and we're on our way, lose the
17:28rest of them.
17:29That's fine.
17:29Be competitive.
17:30Try.
17:30Let's see some, let's see some entertaining games and some really fun four, two regulation
17:35losses.
17:35And let's see grid and Coronado absolutely light it up.
17:38And then at the end of the season, when Wittenbach and Reshny and all of those guys, maybe even
17:44Carl's make their way to the big roster, then we can have a little bit of fun at the end
17:48of the season and get excited about what's going to happen when the flames go into the
17:50new building.
17:51So that's where I'm at on the flames.
17:53Um, where are you guys?
17:55Like we've been kind of bouncing around here a little bit, but as it sits right now, going
17:59into this season, what do you think of the Calgary flames?
18:03Let me know in the chat, or if you're watching this after the fact, leave that in the comments.
18:06Also, while you're here, appreciate, again, appreciate all the support was very nervous
18:10about today.
18:10Um, but you guys have been great so far.
18:12The chat's been a whole lot of fun and everything like that.
18:15Appreciate Adam Martin for the follow over on YouTube.
18:17Appreciate deeds for the subscription over on Twitch.
18:21Uh, if you guys want to hit those follow buttons and subscribe, that would mean the world
18:23to me.
18:24Thank you so much.
18:25Um, also share this with your friends.
18:26Obviously there's a bit of a void out there right now in terms of the, the flames talk, not,
18:31not in the podcast world.
18:32There's a bunch, but, um, yeah, share this with your flames, fans, friends, really trying
18:37to grow this.
18:37The support over the last little bit has been awesome.
18:40I really do appreciate all of it.
18:41Um, so let's get to, I love chatting with you guys.
18:44I would love it if you guys had more people to chat with and, uh, we can keep those conversations
18:47going.
18:48Uh, so hit that share button and, uh, we can get a few more people in here.
18:52Uh, big Sean, uh, sorry, big John in the chat of all the years for the flames to suck a
18:57year when the Raptors bring Kawhi Leonard back makes my viewing life easier, right?
19:01Yeah.
19:02Okay.
19:03Raptors make it.
19:04We'll celebrate.
19:05Hey, Raps get the win.
19:06Kawhi had 35.
19:07Scotty Barnes had eight stocks, steals and blocks, and the Raptors pick up a big victory
19:12and off to first place.
19:13They go in the East and then you flip over to the flames game and, oh, they're trying
19:15hard, but I still feel good about the Raptors.
19:18Yeah.
19:18We could use the blue Jays helping us out in October a little bit too.
19:22Um, hopefully we'll, we'll get to them in a second here, but yeah, when the, um, when
19:26Kawhi is, is a Raptor eventually, that'll make this a whole lot easier to stomach for
19:31sure.
19:32Uh, Adam Thomas Martin, again, perfectly built to land where we want to land in April.
19:36Yes, they are perfectly, perfectly built to be a team where we are watching the draft
19:41lottery in May.
19:42That's, and that's, that's what we want.
19:43Again, you don't want to be good this year.
19:44You don't want to be doing a whole lot this season.
19:48If you are good, it, like if this team does do another thing like they did a couple of
19:53seasons ago, you don't want it to be because Huberto has 35 and Backlund has 28 and, oh,
19:59look at that.
20:00Um, uh, Braden Pahal has come in and is like, although I do still like Pahal, but like Hanley
20:06has come in and he's eating a big minutes for this team and all of that.
20:09You want it to be because, oh my God, Matt Vey Gridden's also an all-star and Matt Coronado
20:13is going to be a lock for the World Cup team for the U.S. the next time they come
20:16around.
20:17You want it to be because the young kids are doing the stuff, but odds are this is going
20:21to be a team we're looking for ping pong balls and we're doing the analysis of, well, at
20:25least they're trying, um, and, and things like that for sure.
20:29And then toxic Blue Jays, LOL.
20:31So that's where it sits right now.
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