Some Calgary Flames news and notes as we get closer and closer to the upcoming season:
- Flames GM Brad Treliving has said he doesn't want Michael Ferland in camp if he hasn't signed a new contract. I've already touched on that and am on board with Treliving's decision.
Camp is now just over a week away and it'd be very beneficial for Ferland to be there so logic suggests a new deal will get done before then. In other words I don't expect this to drag out much longer.
- I've scouted two of the three Barrie Colts preseason games thus far and Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane has been nothing short of dynamite. In three games Mangiapane has recorded six points and has been making things happen almost every time he has touched the ice.
What makes his production most impressive is that he hasn't played nearly as many minutes as he normally would, as head coach Dale Hawerchuk has been giving depth guys a lot of ice to give them time to showcase themselves and see who earns a spot on the team.
Mangiapane, for example, probably only played three or four minutes in the 2nd period last night against Owen Sound. In a normal game he'd play seven or eight.
Mangiapane figures to be one of the OHL's leading scorers this season. He'll certainly have plenty of help as he's expected to skate alongside Anaheim Ducks prospect Julius Nattinen and San Jose Sharks prospect Kevin Labanc on the team's top line.
- Rasmus Andersson has not yet suited up for Barrie in a preseason game thus far. He is undoubtedly the best defenseman on the team and he'll likely log 25 minutes a night on the back end so perhaps they're just keeping him fresh (or he hasn't returned from Sweden yet).
Barrie's season opener is on September 25th.
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