The Cupboard Wasn't Bare
Kent Wilson
June 08 2010 09:39AM
A common refrain around town is that Darryl Sutter had to rebuild the Flames prospect pool from scratch when he took over in 2003-04. The perception, I think, comes from the messainistic glow that infuses Sutter's tenure, specifically when it comes to the early years. The truth of the matter is the Flames prospect pool wasn't totally absent talent and, in fact, has yet to markedly improved.
Prospect Profiles - TJ Brodie
Kent Wilson
June 07 2010 10:37AM
If I was asked to identify a sleeper prospect in the Flames organization, I'd probably choose T.J. Brodie. A fourth round pick in 2008, I knew next to nothing about Brodie before watching him in his first Flames rookie training camp (one that featured a rookie tounament between Oilers, Canucks and Flames kids).To tell the truth, I wasn't even really looking for him on the ice when camp began.
He managed to impress the hell out of me during that limited viewing. Highly mobile, Smart and poised with the puck, Brodie stood out almost every every shift of the exhibition games I saw. He instantly jumped to the head of the line of Flames prospects, at least in my estimation. He justified my admiration the very next season, scoring 12 goals and 50 points in just 63 games for the Saginaw Spirit, a 20 point improvement over his draft season.
Prospect Profiles - Tim Erixon
Kent Wilson
June 04 2010 05:04PM
The Flames more recent first round pick spent the entire season in the Swedish Elite League, playing for Skelleftea HC. It was Erixon's second season playing pro hockey for the club, despite only recent turing 19 in February. He was a depth player for the team as a 17/18 year old, but managed to play a more prominent role in his sophomore season (45 games, 7 goals, 13 points).
Prospect Profiles - MIkael Backlund
Kent Wilson
June 03 2010 10:04AM
While it's almost a certainty that Backlund will make the big team out of training camp this coming October, the young centerman is still technically a rookie and therefore a "prospect", so I felt it would be meaningful to look at his AHL results from last year, given the fact that he spent a majority of the season there.
Prospect Profiles - Bryan Cameron
Kent Wilson
June 02 2010 10:02AM
We've discussed the recent free agent signee previously here and here. What wasn't mentioned in those articles is the fact that Cameron's team - the Barrie Colts - were one of the strongest clubs in the CHL last year. They finished with a record of 57-9-02 (!!) for 116 points and had a goal differential of +141. Even the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires didn't boast results that impressive during the regular season.
