Quoting: WranglerWranglin
Agreeing is far from what I am doing here, this is wildly inaccurate and pie in the sky.
How many times have you watched Nikolayev?
Kuzmenko was 25 going over a point per game in the second best league in the world on a top team, that had played in Russia his whole career, Yelesin had a shot, couldn't crack a line up that had Eric Gutafsson, Brandon Davidson and Derek Forbort on the roster.. he'll will be 27 by the time next season rolls around, unheard of that a middle six D man in the KHL comes back to the NHL after not being able to hack it. Is there a previous precedent set that is making you think that's feasible?
Nothing at all points to Pospisil being an NHL'er or better than I am giving him credit for, stats, scouts, reports, there isn't really a shred of anything saying he should be projected in the NHL. The Flames went out and got Klapka, Duehr in the last two off seasons, clearly players that do Pospisil's job at a higher level are not hard to come by here and there. Rooney should be on a league min contract and a FA at the end of this year, he's a zero value trade chip, Mackey has been bad in his most recent showings, on contract for next season, hopefully remains a 7th D man and sees little to no ice time. If Mackey is in your starting 6 at this point you have significant problems.
You can only go with the reports that have come out regarding Kylington, personal matter, not substance related, speculating anything beyond that is disingenuous.
Hoffman then next year would sit on the Flames wing behind Huberdeau, Toffoli, Mangiapane, Dube, Pelletier, Coleman, hopefully Coronato on the depth chart. Hoffman shouldn't be replacing any of those guys or blocking a Zary, Duehr, Schwindt. Hoffman screams James Neal on the Flames roster at this point.
Agree to Disagree as always I guess. Yes, I've seen Nikolayev & Pospisil (the previous season) play in Flames Training Camp and they looked good. Of course not as good as Pelletier or Zary, but good for Bottom-6 Role Players. I like Klapka, but Pospisil is currently still better and Pospisil & Duehr were equal until this season, where Duehr has elevated his game and Pospisil is rebounding from an injury and missed training camp, so like Zary last season, isn't have have the greatest season this year. I'd rather have Pospisil at 4LW than Lucic, I can tell you that much, but yes, now that we have Bigger & More Reliable guys, Pospisil has become expendable.
You seem to insinuate Erik Gustaffson and Derek Forbort aren't decent players, when they are. Gustaffson can run the PP and helped MTL get to the Stanley Cup Finals. He contributed 60PTS/79GP for the Blackhawks and has put up 29PTS/52GP for WAS this season, he's Decent Player on a Bargain Contract. I'd prefer to have signed him as opposed to Kylington, who's situation and the lack of clarity & transparency on the subject is disingenuous AFAIC. Forbort is a Big Shut Down D-Man having a Career Season with BOS this year. Davidson yes, but Yelesin wasn't playing over Gustaffson or Forbort. He didn't make the Flames, which doesn't mean he can't/wouldn't make another Team and now at 26 & just entering the prime age for defensemen, he probably has a much better chance of making the NHL as a Bottom or Mid-Pairing RD.
Let's not forget Mackey beat out Valimaki, so although yes, he hasn't done himself any favors defensively this season, he's just entering his prime years now and could become an NHL Regular yet. Not on the Flames obviously, but if you're going to sum up his future potential by a handful of bad games this season, when the Flames as whole haven't been consistent or played a full 60, I would say that is being pretty disingenuous as well.
I get your comparison to James Neal, as both players are a bit one dimensional, but it's not a fair or appropriate comparison, since Hoffman would probably actually contribute offensively, would be coming at $2.25mil/yr x 2 years (as opposed to $5.75mil x 5yrs), already has familiarity with previous success with Huberdeau and offers some grit and sand paper in his play. We're not breaking up the Mang-Backlund-Coleman line, so it's up to Dube, Pelletier, Zary, Duehr, Schwindt and/or Coronato to unseat Hoffman from the Top-6. Dube has the best chance to do so, but you should know as well as I do, the others haven't exactly stepped in and lit it up and under Sutter are probably another couple years away from being given Regular Top-6 Minutes. Ruzicka should be given an opportunity, but Sutter seems to refuse to play him at RW.
Anyways, I know there's an under lying dislike for one another based on previous interactions, but it's a New Year and I'm trying to move on and forward from that. You're obviously very knowledgeable when it comes to the game of hockey, but that doesn't mean you know everything and have to continue hating on my thoughts or opinions. That said, it's a still a free world, so do as you please!