Many professional tryouts (PTOs) don't amount to anything but I can't help but think the Calgary Flames would have been better served looking in a different direction with theirs.
As is the case in drafts, targeting skill players who could actually make a meaningful impact is the way to go.
I get that the Flames like grit, but they brought in a 10-point winger, a 33-year-old winger who spent the majority of the season struggling in the AHL, and a defenseman who played six hockey games last season.
Realistically, Joseph Cramarossa, Tanner Glass, and Dylan Olsen would make the team as rotational forwards and a No. 7 defenseman in the *best* case scenario and, at least in the cases of Cramarossa and Glass, would do more harm than good if in the lineup. What is the point of giving them opportunities when much better options are out there?
Dan Winnik tallied 12 goals, 25 points, last season and is a strong defensive forward. Teddy Purcell was a 32 point player in 2015-16. Jimmy Hayes scored 32 goals from 2014-16. P.A. Parenteau has averaged 34.5 points over the last two seasons. Cody Franson produced at a 23 point pace while posting impressive underlying numbers. What do these guys have in common? They all signed PTOs.
Some will make teams out of camp and some won't. They all seem like much better options than the guys the Flames invited, though.
Simply put, if the Flames are serious about contending they should be giving good players (like Winnik and Parenteau) opportunities to make the team rather than players who consistently get poor results (like Glass, Cramarossa, and Luke Gazdic, who was actually given a contract)
Who gets 4th line spots may not seem like a big deal now but in the playoffs, every team has several stars and often times, games, and series, are decided by which depth players step up. That's why it's important to have good ones and make every roster spot count.
Recent posts: Flames sign Dylan Olsen to PTO