Flames Game Day

Flames host the Coyotes tonight, 8PM MT, RSN West.

This isn't really my wheelhouse, but here are some early season numbers for Flames prospects (Amateur division):

• 2008 Rd1, F Greg Nemisz (OHL, Windsor): 17GP, 8-11-19, +17 (T-4th in team scoring**)
• 2008 Rd2, F Mitch Wahl (WHL, Spokane): 13GP, 9-7-16, +12
• 2008 Rd3, F Lance Bouma (WHL, Vancouver): 15GP, 4-4-8, +7 (T-13th in team scoring)
• 2008 Rd4, D TJ Brodie (OHL, Saginaw):
• 2008 Rd6, F Ryley Grantham (WHL, Moose Jaw): 14GP, 4-3-7, -3
• 2007 Rd1, F Mikael Backlund (SWE-2, Vasteras): anybody here read Swedish?
• 2007 Rd3, D John Negrin (WHL, Kootenay): 18GP, 3-11-14, -4 (T-1st on team in pts/gm)
• 2007 Rd 4, D Keith Aulie (WHL, Brandon): 17GP, 0-8-8, E

**Windsor has a 17-year-old D-man named Ryan Ellis who is 10-23-33, +19 in 18GP. He's tied for 1st in the OHL in scoring, 6 points ahead of the 3rd place guy, some dude named Tavares. He's listed at 5'10" (i.e. probably smaller), and is 21st on the Oct. 15th ISS 2009 Top 30. I know very little about amateur scouting, but I suspect he's working his way up that list.

I'll pass on noting any stats for the Pro prospects, as looking at the numbers for the 3-7-1 Quad City Flames is pretty damn depressing (exception: Matt Keetley).

Tonight: I suspect that Phoenix is probably the worst team in the conference, even though they are no longer the worst-managed, and they are probably headed (eventually) in the right direction. The Flames generally beat them, and in every game I can remember, they have massively outchanced the Coyotes. I fail to see why tonight should be any different, though the bottom D pair(s) need to be a lot more on the ball with Regehr out.

Calgary 5 (Iginla, Phaneuf, Moss x3 -- this kid is going places, I'm tellin ya!)
Phoenix 3 (let's say Doan, Special Ed, and Mueller -- I think he's shooting about 75% career against CGY)

Go Flames.