One of the bigger pieces of news from a recent season tickets holder’s event was that the Flames were preparing to announce a European signing.
Some reports from Germany indicate that it’s likely to be Nurnberg Ice Tigers player and Olympic silver medalist Yasin Ehliz, a 25-year-old left-handed winger who can play both sides.
As reported by Bild and Welt, the Flames are, at the very least, heavily interested in Ehliz. It’s translated via Google, but Ehliz appears to have confirmed that the Flames are working on a contract with him.
“I can confirm that they have contacted me and that my advisor and I are currently in talks,” said the newspaper’s 25-year-old striker. “I’ve always said that it would be a dream for me to play in the NHL at some point.”
Ehliz has been one of Germany’s most promising homegrown talents. He’s been a consistent scorer for the Ice Tigers in the DEL (playing alongside former Flame Steven Reinprecht) and a regular in Germany’s World Championship lineups. He made his Olympic debut earlier this year, picking up three assists in seven games during Germany’s shock run to the silver medal. The reports say that he was recently awarded with the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf) with the rest of the German Olympic squad, the highest athletic award in the country.
Ehliz isn’t a big guy, clocking in at 5’10” and 185 pounds. He picked up 10 goals and 21 assists in 46 DEL games this season and added five goals and an assist in 12 playoff games. He appears to be more of a playmaking winger than a goalscorer, having usually picked up more assists than goals throughout his career.
The major connection is through new Flames associate coach Geoff Ward, who was a coach in the DEL for many years and an assistant for Germany’s international team, including at the most recent World Championships. Ward has coached Ehliz at three different World Championships, so there’s some familiarity there.
However, Ward is probably not going to be coaching Ehliz again right off the bat. If the team signs him, Ehliz would likely be headed to Stockton to start the new season and acclimatize to North American hockey, as they usually do with European imports.
The Flames’ most recent foray into the German market was winger David Wolf, a player with a similar yet less decorated resume. He picked up 38 points in 59 AHL games and saw four games of NHL action (one in the playoffs).
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A playmaker, perfect.
Not familiar with him, but welcome Ehliz!
Yes it’s fine. But we really need a pure sniper.
I have a feeling the rangers are about to trade Jimmy Vessy to the Oilers as they just acquired his brother
I heard a while ago (quite a while now) that the Flames were interested in Gaetan Haas (swiss forward who posted nearly 1.0PPG last season).
I can’t for the life of me remember where I heard that, though. So you know… probably bunk.
Similar numbers to Wolf?? That doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence. I hope I’m wrong or that BT is clearing out all the 4th liners on this team to make room for what on the surface seems like another at best. At the same time, it’s a free asset so I’ll stay cautiously optimistic.
Exactly, It’s a “free” asset. Absolutely nothing wrong with this. As of now the team has 8 forwards under AHL contracts and it’s likely that at least one makes the NHL next year, but perhaps as many as 3. I am surprised it has taken the team this long to dip into the European UFA pool, dozens of these guys have been signed over the last couple months and Calgary is left sifting through the leftovers.
It doesn’t matter if his numbers inspire much confidence, it would be an AHL depth signing. This is not Artemi Panarin we’re talking about here.
I’m fine if it’s just an AHL depth signing but Wolf was given time in the NHL, and the Geoff Ward connection might indicate a spell on the NHL team too.
I’m also bored at work, so when I see news of the Flames being interested in a player I’m automatically hoping for bigger news.
Assets that take lineup sots from other assets are not ‘free’.
What other assets? Even if the Flames sign every RFA they have (including Carroll and H. Smith, which, why?) and don’t promote anyone they will not have enough bodies for Stockton. This guy is not going to start in the NHL. Wouldn’t you rather this guy than a Gazdic or a Prout?
“Wolf was similar but less decorated than Ehliz”
I looked up his numbers on elite prospects and compared them to Wolf.
He has more potential then wolf. He does have a very good plus minus but that is not a heavily weighted stat
I think David Wolf was an alright player and probably could’ve been better had he not tried to murder everything he saw on the ice.
Steven Reinprecht is still an active player?
Just what we need – another small 4th liner. Good job.
“he hasn’t show it yet but he’ll be great for us”. Treliving being Treliving. Every move he’s made has a element of “I’m smarter than those other guys”. Hope he does well. Doubt that he will.
This offseason is make or break for Brad.
As for this signing, it might be minor, but I’m just glad they’ve started doing stuff.
Stockton needs players too.
We always sign a dude from Europe. It is a pretty much a set expectation. This year it seems it is Ehliz. It is normal course of business. Hope one day one of them is a regular NHLer. Odds are against Ehliz it but let’s see.
I miss Daniel Pribyl
Yeah it’s too bad things didn’t work out with him. I kind of wish he decided to stick around for one more year. He was injured the entire time!
AHL depth tweener is likely the outcome; if he is anything more great but not holding my breath.
If he’s signed for Stockton, perhaps some of Shinkaruk/Poirier… Might be let go…
He is older than both of them and has no NA hockey experience so I would have him behind them but that does not mean that the Flames would let one of them go.
Pribyl – Part 2
Or should I say TAKE 2
I think that if he is the dude the Flames sign he will replace Mangiapane (also 5’8″but only 22 but more productive) who will make the Flames roster this year!
I guess we have all learned recently that speed is paramount in today’s NHL. Did the article reference in any manner his ‘blinding’ speed?
I mean, it’s not exactly a risky acquisition. All he would be taking up is entry level money (which, in today’s salary cap, is pocket change) and a reserve spot. All the best to him
I searched Yasin Ehliz and Gaeten Haas on Elite Prospects. Ehliz is 25 yrs old and under contract until the end of the 20/21 season (3 yrs before he becomes available). Haas is 26 years old and under contract until the end of the 19/20 season. Another 2 years before he is available. Do we really get excited about 2 European players who will be 28 years old before we can bring them in when their current contracts expire? Watching my wine ferment makes me more excited than these 2 prospects.
All of that is irrelevant. Europeans can be brought in at any time, the NHL team just has to send monetary compensation to the European club.
In that case why not just send some cash to Sweden and Finland and bring over Svengingsson and Tuulola. A year or 2 with Stockton these guys might be ready for a shot with the Flames and they will still be under 25 years old. The DEL is probably about on a par with the ECHL. Maybe slightly better. Nobody on this site is hot to trot about Hunter Smith these days.
And Lindstrom too.
Sweeten the pot on a Lucic trade you say?
-The Oilers retain 50% of the contract for the remainder.
-Brouwer goes to the Oilers.
-Puljujujarvi goes to the Flames.
I think that’s fair….
WW
Drinking tonight Walt?
It’s the weekend dum dum….
WW
We don’t want lucic dum dum
You reading Oilers Nation again WW?
So you want Lucic at $3M (50% retained) until 2023, just so we can offload Brouwer (4.5M) for 2 more years ? And we get Jesse Puljujarvi as a consolation prize..
How’s that fair?
Shouldn’t we just buyout Brouwer?
Do you have a better offer?
WW
Of course Walt, I think I just said it though?
B-U-Y O-U-T.
I don’t want the Oilers junk thanks. It’s tainted with Chia paint that never wears off!
Think paintball, you know how much it hurts when you get one of those zingers to your unprotected parts?
I’m surprised I’m actually explaining this to you. You’re the self proclaimed biggest Flames fan. No business with those coconuts up north!!!
Lucic and smith can take turns punching oilers players in the face for an entire year…..sign me up lol
How ironic that a flames fan constantly bashes the players he actually desires lol the truth comes out when one drinks. Lucic is a frickin beast and yes the flames would be lucky to have him Walt. I don’t blame you for wanting him and pulju. Rumour has it smith and glass are still having nightmares about there last meeting lol but you can keep your 9 million dollar plug Brouwer. He’s scared of his own shadow
The NHL needs to change yet another rule….because of the Oilers; a team should be able to retain more than 50% of a contract that they need to trade away.
It’s the only way to get out of these Chiarelli contracts….
WW
Another here today gone tomorrow Flame Out (pun intended)
Be still my beating heart. First off, the DEL is a bloody ridiculous league where most of the talent falls below what we see when we watch the Drumheller Dragons play the Ft. Saskatchewan Traders.
He has been playing alongside Steven Reinprecht! If Reinprecht is still earning money playing pro hockey that should tell you all you need to know about the level of competition of the DEL.
Just like many overrate Billy Peters because of his ties to Babs, whose clubs have either not made the playoffs or were bounced in the first round for the last six seasons, I suspect members of the German silver-winning team are getting a closer look by NHL/ KHL teams simply because the club finished second. What should be remembered is that virtually all of the elite hockey talent was not in Korea for the Olympics, so the surprising finish by the Germans must be tempered by the fact that they were the second best of a bad lot.
I wish the kid all the best if he signs with the Flames, but my expectations for him are not high. At best he gets a regular gig in the AHL which is nothing to sneeze at as it would mean he is probably one of the best 1000 pro hockey players in the world.
Ehliz it’s news.
Surely our scouting staff have Norh American Junior players they wish they would have seen the Flames pick up over the last two to three years. Then there are North Americans who have gone to Europe to work and thus will be developing their skill sets. Then there are under-utilized gems on a few NHL team or are developing in the AHL. I think that is a better route to pursue..