Weekend Open Thread: Two Weeks Out

Well, as the expected date of the beginning of rookie camp – September 11 – inches closer and closer, the Calgary Flames have continued to add older bodies, inviting defenseman Sheldon Brookbank to training camp.

Looking at the past few months ’round these parts, adding Brookbank isn’t an unexpected addition. I mean, the club has added a lot of veterans: Jonas Hiller, Deryk Engelland, Mason Raymond, Brandon Bollig and Devin Setoguchi all fit that mold. None of them are small men. All of them are experienced. Heck, Bollig and Brookbank have Stanley Cup rings.

But at the same time, these guys are taking spots that could be filled by, say, (off the top of my head) Joni Ortio, Tyler Wotherspoon, Mark Cundari, Markus Granlund, Max Reinhart or someone else of that ilk.

So what’s your take on the veteran-ing of the 2014-15 Flames? Are you apprehensive about young’uns being “buried”? Would you rather Calgary’s young core spend some time in Adriondack, giving the Baby Flames a potential murderer’s row of strong forward prospects? Is the argument somewhat moot because the inevitable slew of injuries will give these youngsters a chance to play in the NHL anyhow?