Connect with us

Calgary Flames

Training camp cuts: seven gone, 33 remaining at camp, 10 to go

We're just a week away from the regular season.

Published

5 years ago

on

SB Nation 2014 NHL Preview

Another preseason game, another day off, another round of cuts. The season begins just one week from today, and the Flames‘ preseason games will come to an end this Saturday. Despite a slew of day-to-day injuries, the Flames’ opening day roster is beginning to take form.

Today's cuts are:

Okay, now we’re starting to get into the better prospects who may be called up throughout the season. Like fellow college kids Kenny Agostino and Bryce Van Brabant, this is Arnold’s first pro season, so some time in the AHL is probably necessary. Still, he lasted longer than everyone not named Johnny Gaudreau, so a very good showing for the rookie pro.

Reinhart is still on the bubble to really break out and become an NHL regular. I don’t think he’s too far off; in the limited preseason opportunities he had, he had really good showings. He also has the misfortune of playing centre, a position where the team already has so many players, particularly with Joe Colborne seeming to have shifted back there. Knight doesn’t appear to be quite as good as Reinhart yet, so if Reinhart didn’t make it, he wasn’t likely to, either.

Kulak had a fantastic showing. He was calm and poised throughout his preseason games, and should be getting big minutes in Adirondack. Acolatse, meanwhile, showed some promise, and should add to what will be an interesting defence group down in Glens Falls.

Then there are the two hulking goons who have been released from their professional tryouts. Yonkman is a career AHLer; if he’d made the team, you’d have known something was going pretty badly. As for Brookbank, well, if it was between him and Diaz, then Raphael Diaz very clearly won out. Literally the only thing Brookbank would have been able to add was additional size and toughness, and that’s not something the Flames should exactly be desperate for.

Speaking of Diaz, he's still around. And is almost certainly going to be given a contract. WHEN that actually happens, we don't know, but if he doesn't get one… After Bob Hartley's gushing and Diaz's general excellent performance… He's getting a contract before the season starts. He's the only camp invite remaining.

Then there are a handful of prospects still remaining:

Klimchuk, Potter, and Wotherspoon likely won’t last much longer: once they’re healthy, they’ll probably be gone. With the addition of Diaz, the Flames have seven veterans to call upon, which pushes Potter out. Meanwhile, it’s better for Wotherspoon and Sieloff to play top minutes in Adirondack, rather than ride the pine in Calgary.

Were it not for Granlund’s injury, he would be in competition for a spot as well. He performed exceptionally well prior to the Canucks being the Canucks and trying to take someone’s head off in a preseason game, so, depending on how his healing process goes, he may yet have a chance.

Bennett continues to suffer minor injuries, but he's still skating. The lineup is really filling up, though. At this stage he may get a couple of NHL games, but eventually be sent down.

With veterans injured, that leaves just a handful of spots left. Ortio is almost certainly going to be sent down, it's just a matter of when. That leaves four wingers, two who are not so surprising (Gaudreau and Baertschi), one you wouldn't have predicted before the preseason, but now seems obvious (Ferland), and one shocker that shows just how far he's come (Jooris).

Gaudreau, Baertschi, and Ferland are all LWers, so there's tight competition there, and a lot depends on how the roster and veteran situations shake out. Jooris, who is definitely a step below the first two, and not quite on Ferland's level yet, however, naturally plays on the RW. It isn't just position that's kept him up, as he's definitely performed well, but to see him still in main camp is impressive, and pretty intriguing.

by Ari Yanover

Related Topics: