Colin Dambrauskas: A Truculent Recipe for Success?

Good argument on the last thread. I think I put too much on Giordano being the only thing that set the Flames and Oilers defense apart. He's a huuuuuge part of it, but the overall depth and experience give the Flames a big edge there......for now anyway, you angry little men.

Colin Dambrauskas: A Truculent Recipe for Success?
- Colin Dambrauskas

Thanks for the blog Colin. I am always a fan of multi dimensional lines. Have a power forward combined with a sniper and playermaker are always the most dynamic lineups and are usually the most consistent.

However, a good combination of agitators, skaters, finesse, and grinders make good lineups as well. I think that you can have a "Truculent" type player regardless of your skill sets.

Feaster assembled players based on skill and hired Hartley / Ward to work on the "Truculence". We now have an awesome set of prospects with a variety of skillsets but very few look like they lack work ethic.

Right now we have a good mix of all types of players. The only thing we may be missing is defensive prospects with high offensive ceilings.

Good argument on the last thread. I think I put too much on Giordano being the only thing that set the Flames and Oilers defense apart. He's a huuuuuge part of it, but the overall depth and experience give the Flames a big edge there......for now anyway, you angry little men.
- Jeropotato

GFY!!!!!!!!

Oh, wait.....

Good argument on the last thread. I think I put too much on Giordano being the only thing that set the Flames and Oilers defense apart. He's a huuuuuge part of it, but the overall depth and experience give the Flames a big edge there......for now anyway, you angry little men.
- Jeropotato

I think overall the Flames have better defence (even without Gio) but the oilers have better offence. This is shown by the similar records between the flames and oilers but flames better defence allowed us to keep the games closer. A loss is a loss so in the end it doesn't matter. Oilers would be a winning team if the traded for Weber. If I were the oiler I would trade Yak, and the next two years firsts for weber. All problems would be solved cept for goaltending but I feel with those recent changes they have at least some potential.

PS I got new years eve tickets for the oilers/flames game this year. It should be a hoot.

Colin Dambrauskas: A Truculent Recipe for Success?
- Colin Dambrauskas

Great blog Colin.

Honestly, I'm pretty happy with the way things are going right now. There's a lot of talent kicking around these day's and to be honest its exciting.

Bollig was the PERFECT player for the Flames to get. He can play solid 3rd line minutes and provide exactly what they need. I love McGratton, but Bollig just has that extra step in terms of playing ability that the Flames really needed. Such an improvement over a guy like Westgarth (god love em). As BT said, I think Bollig might have some room to grow as well, so maybe he can add a little offense here and there too if he gets the opportunity.

The same could be said for Engellend. People can rip the signing all they want but they might have needed a guy like Engellend more than they needed Bollig. As our good "pal" Jero just said, we had a real good debate about the Flames d-core vs. the Oilers in the last thread. I think the Flames are real solid and have a good mix back there, but the one thing they were missing was that big mean bastard that would keep people honest back there. Wideman can throw the odd big hip but with Engellend the back end becomes a lot more vicious. A few weeks ago I was hoping maybe Wideman would be on his way out. But with the addition of Engellend I think holding onto Wideman makes our back end really strong.

I think overall the Flames have better defence (even without Gio) but the oilers have better offence. This is shown by the similar records between the flames and oilers but flames better defence allowed us to keep the games closer. A loss is a loss so in the end it doesn't matter. Oilers would be a winning team if the traded for Weber. If I were the oiler I would trade Yak, and the next two years firsts for weber. All problems would be solved cept for goaltending but I feel with those recent changes they have at least some potential.

PS I got new years eve tickets for the oilers/flames game this year. It should be a hoot.
- tmurph

Problem with trading for Weber is that Nashville has to show a stitch of interest in doing so. Also....after the Radulov adventure, the 17 Predators fans would have Poille's balls for bookends if he made that trade.

I think overall the Flames have better defence (even without Gio) but the oilers have better offence. This is shown by the similar records between the flames and oilers but flames better defence allowed us to keep the games closer. A loss is a loss so in the end it doesn't matter. Oilers would be a winning team if the traded for Weber. If I were the oiler I would trade Yak, and the next two years firsts for weber. All problems would be solved cept for goaltending but I feel with those recent changes they have at least some potential.

PS I got new years eve tickets for the oilers/flames game this year. It should be a hoot.
- tmurph

Nashville isn't going to trade Weber though. Certainly not for Yak and 2 firsts either. They would need a more guaranteed return.

Anyway, that's just not a realistic solution for the Oilers. They need to draft and grow their D and hopefully steal 1 or 2 guys via trade (kind of like how the Flames got Russell).

Nashville isn't going to trade Weber though. Certainly not for Yak and 2 firsts either. They would need a more guaranteed return.

Anyway, that's just not a realistic solution for the Oilers. They need to draft and grow their D and hopefully steal 1 or 2 guys via trade (kind of like how the Flames got Russell).
- The-O-G

We think we have most of them drafted (not that won't draft more year after year), we just need them to develop. Unless a legit top pair D with youth and term become available to the Oilers we will go with what we had along with the solid veteran adds in Nikitin and Fayne.

Nashville isn't going to trade Weber though. Certainly not for Yak and 2 firsts either. They would need a more guaranteed return.

Anyway, that's just not a realistic solution for the Oilers. They need to draft and grow their D and hopefully steal 1 or 2 guys via trade (kind of like how the Flames got Russell).
- The-O-G

The flames are going to be in that situation soon. They will have two many players not on entry level deals and wont have enough room on the roster. They will be forced to trade them with the risk of losing them on waivers. The other option is to trade roster players.

Flames have benefited with this by getting Russel and Knight.

My vote is that unless you are competing for a cup then trade the roster players to make room for the young players.

Problem with trading for Weber is that Nashville has to show a stitch of interest in doing so. Also....after the Radulov adventure, the 17 Predators fans would have Poille's balls for bookends if he made that trade.
- Jeropotato

Same deal but for phanoof

Same deal but for phanoof
- Bigern4MVP

Yak and two 1sts for Phanoof? That trade proposal inspires me to go to the john and drop a BigErn in the toilet.

Yak and two 1sts for Phanoof? That trade proposal inspires me to go to the john and drop a BigErn in the toilet.
- Jeropotato

I bet you of you go on the leafs board and offer that they would say no because they're delusional

Good argument on the last thread. I think I put too much on Giordano being the only thing that set the Flames and Oilers defense apart. He's a huuuuuge part of it, but the overall depth and experience give the Flames a big edge there......for now anyway, you angry little men.
- Jeropotato

I tend to agree. Between the two teams I see Giodano and then a pile of who cares. But for the moment, Wideman and Russell are nice vet pieces to have.

I bet you of you go on the leafs board and offer that they would say no because they're delusional
- Bigern4MVP

100% bubba. I can't wait for next year to end so we can put some rest to the Yakupov is a bust bullsh!t. I don't think he is, but if he doesn't score 20+ next year then I suppose we need to listen to offers, or make other plans.

I bet you of you go on the leafs board and offer that they would say no because they're delusional
- Bigern4MVP

No, many Leafs fans dislike him, and as one of the fans who likes him, I'd do that deal in a split second.

No, many Leafs fans dislike him, and as one of the fans who likes him, I'd do that deal in a split second.
- Feeling Glucky?

I think the Oilers need to live with the pick and ride it out. Obviously we want Yak to be the 40 goal scorer we projected him to be on draft day, but giving up early in a sell-low situation is less acceptable than hanging on until he proves that he isn't what we hoped. I still have faith in the player.

100% bubba. I can't wait for next year to end so we can put some rest to the Yakupov is a bust bullsh!t. I don't think he is, but if he doesn't score 20+ next year then I suppose we need to listen to offers, or make other plans.
- Jeropotato

If Yak doesn't score twenty this year, he's the next Daigle.

If Yak doesn't score twenty this year, he's the next Daigle.
- YzermanIsTheMan

I think that's fair....but I'm not too worried.

I think the Oilers need to live with the pick and ride it out. Obviously we want Yak to be the 40 goal scorer we projected him to be on draft day, but giving up early in a sell-low situation is less acceptable than hanging on until he proves that he isn't what we hoped. I still have faith in the player.
- Jeropotato

For sure. You don't want to be Philly, trading JVR for Schenn.

I don't think Yak should have gone first overall... and if Galchenyuk and Rielly had been healthy, I think there might have been more of a discussion about it, but I don't think he's going to be a bust.

And for the people saying Eakins hates him because of his style... keep in mind that the guy worked with Kadri.

I think that's fair....but I'm not too worried.
- Jeropotato

Me either really. Its not like he's lacking in the playmaker line mates department. And he's got a knack to shoot really well.

So truculence pretty much means more slash and hack hockey from the Flames this season.

For sure. You don't want to be Philly, trading JVR for Schenn.

I don't think Yak should have gone first overall... and if Galchenyuk and Rielly had been healthy, I think there might have been more of a discussion about it, but I don't think he's going to be a bust.

And for the people saying Eakins hates him because of his style... keep in mind that the guy worked with Kadri.
- Feeling Glucky?

No one from that draft has had two good pro years yet. I think it's way too early to tell who should have gone where. But based on what the Oil need, the player we could have used from that draft the most is Trouba, as of right now.

So truculence pretty much means more slash and hack hockey from the Flames this season.
- MnGump

Right up the Stars alley with the collection of d bags on your fourth line. I

Colin Dambrauskas: A Truculent Recipe for Success?
- Colin Dambrauskas

The skating is honestly what worried me with Wolf, Smith and Kanzig, all three of these guys have a ways to go before their "truculence" means anything.

One of the most improved guys I saw last year in this regard was McGratton, he seemed to take his game to a new level. He was still a force physically, but showed he could play 5-8 minutes a night and be a positive, responsible player on the ice, so that's what I want to see out of these other big guys as well. Forget just scrapping, or running around like a Ville Niemenen, or getting suspended like Cooke, be a positive player on the ice, be there to stick up for your team when they need it, and contribute towards a win, not just your PIM totals.