“Saw a lot of references yesterday, describing Kevin Bahl as a third-pairing D. While accurate, that was at age 23 in his first full NHL season. Let’s not forget that Rasmus Andersson, also a late second-round pick, didn’t cement himself as a top-4 D until his age 24 season.
Nobody knows for certain what Bahl will evolve into and my intention is not to compare him to Andersson as we’re talking about two very different players, who are built differently, play the game differently, and bring different attributes.
But to presume Bahl, who is a giant at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, will always be what he is as a player today, now that’s just being foolish.
Since taking over as GM, Craig Conroy has inserted a bunch of young D prospects into the Flames organization like Hunter Brzustewicz and Artem Grushnikov. He’s added a handful of guys like Daniel Miromanov, Brayden Pachal, and Bahl, who are just breaking into the NHL. Add in last year’s draft (second-rounder Etienne Morin, seventh-rounder Axel Hurtig — who could rep Sweden at the next World Juniors) to earlier picks who are tracking nicely like Jeremie Poirier and Ilya Solovyov and what once was a barren-looking cupboard on the blueline is now stocked with a ton of future possibility.
They won’t all work out, that never happens, but in building in front of what’s a now a young tandem in goal headlined by 23-year-old Dustin Wolf, prioritizing the blueline is a great way to start a rebuild. Yep, I said it. They may be hesitant to use that word, but I’m not. You just have to use your eyes. Everyone can see what’s going on here — and three years away from when the new arena will most likely be ready, this is the time to do it.”
Theflamesfan
As usual Haynes is right on the money.
Honestly what is not to like about a big mobile defender who now has the ability to grow at his pace without fear of losing his job.
Conroy obviously has a strategy to identify and target these defenders knowing their abilities to grow here will far exceed playoff bound teams. The cost to acquire is way cheaper than trying to get already established guys
cig-nature
I’m looking forward to seeing how well this kid protects Wolf.
Straight-Plate-5256
I said pretty much that in different words yesterday, conroy has done an excellent job of building up a defensive prospect pool in a short time, for relatively cheap. Although likely the only one with the ceiling of being elite/ gamebreaking is hunter brrrrrr, even if he doesn’t pan out we have what should become a reasonably solid young core (if developed properly) that should very well only need a higher D pick with an elite ceiling to be the true #1 D.
And the best part is he did it fairly cheap while still adding picks.
I wouldn’t write off a quicker turn around if he does a savvy job of drafting/ trading to acquire some young top offensive talent. Which isn’t necessarily a problem *as long as* we don’t rush it and leverage our future bringing in guys like frolik… if they start playing better and succeeding a bit with the kids, let them grow into it and lead the charge like Wyatt Johnston in Dallas rather than plugging in vets
Armchair-Gm-Podcast
He may be a 3rd pair guy now, but he very well could be a 2nd pair d in the next year or two. Young defenseman tend to break out between 23 and 25.
No_Heat_7327
It’s a flyer. Why not.
Makes me think they’re aiming for forwards in the draft, which is good because we are desperate for some 1st line talent. We don’t have a single game breaker, besides maybe Kadri who is 35.
6 Comments
“Saw a lot of references yesterday, describing Kevin Bahl as a third-pairing D. While accurate, that was at age 23 in his first full NHL season. Let’s not forget that Rasmus Andersson, also a late second-round pick, didn’t cement himself as a top-4 D until his age 24 season.
Nobody knows for certain what Bahl will evolve into and my intention is not to compare him to Andersson as we’re talking about two very different players, who are built differently, play the game differently, and bring different attributes.
But to presume Bahl, who is a giant at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, will always be what he is as a player today, now that’s just being foolish.
Since taking over as GM, Craig Conroy has inserted a bunch of young D prospects into the Flames organization like Hunter Brzustewicz and Artem Grushnikov. He’s added a handful of guys like Daniel Miromanov, Brayden Pachal, and Bahl, who are just breaking into the NHL. Add in last year’s draft (second-rounder Etienne Morin, seventh-rounder Axel Hurtig — who could rep Sweden at the next World Juniors) to earlier picks who are tracking nicely like Jeremie Poirier and Ilya Solovyov and what once was a barren-looking cupboard on the blueline is now stocked with a ton of future possibility.
They won’t all work out, that never happens, but in building in front of what’s a now a young tandem in goal headlined by 23-year-old Dustin Wolf, prioritizing the blueline is a great way to start a rebuild. Yep, I said it. They may be hesitant to use that word, but I’m not. You just have to use your eyes. Everyone can see what’s going on here — and three years away from when the new arena will most likely be ready, this is the time to do it.”
As usual Haynes is right on the money.
Honestly what is not to like about a big mobile defender who now has the ability to grow at his pace without fear of losing his job.
Conroy obviously has a strategy to identify and target these defenders knowing their abilities to grow here will far exceed playoff bound teams. The cost to acquire is way cheaper than trying to get already established guys
I’m looking forward to seeing how well this kid protects Wolf.
I said pretty much that in different words yesterday, conroy has done an excellent job of building up a defensive prospect pool in a short time, for relatively cheap. Although likely the only one with the ceiling of being elite/ gamebreaking is hunter brrrrrr, even if he doesn’t pan out we have what should become a reasonably solid young core (if developed properly) that should very well only need a higher D pick with an elite ceiling to be the true #1 D.
And the best part is he did it fairly cheap while still adding picks.
I wouldn’t write off a quicker turn around if he does a savvy job of drafting/ trading to acquire some young top offensive talent. Which isn’t necessarily a problem *as long as* we don’t rush it and leverage our future bringing in guys like frolik… if they start playing better and succeeding a bit with the kids, let them grow into it and lead the charge like Wyatt Johnston in Dallas rather than plugging in vets
He may be a 3rd pair guy now, but he very well could be a 2nd pair d in the next year or two. Young defenseman tend to break out between 23 and 25.
It’s a flyer. Why not.
Makes me think they’re aiming for forwards in the draft, which is good because we are desperate for some 1st line talent. We don’t have a single game breaker, besides maybe Kadri who is 35.