AHL: Flames Finish Strong

In mid-February, the Quad City Flames looked like they were going to be completely extinguished from the playoff race. However, the team went on to finish with a respectable 36-31-6-7 record and 85 points (one point behind fourth-place Rockford) thanks to an 8-1-1-0 record in the final 10 games of the season. This late push was thanks to strong netminding by Leland Irving, offensive contributions from such prospects as Kris Chucko and Kyle Greentree, and the tight forechecking game that has become the trademark of Calgary Flame AHL affiliates. The Quad City Flames look primed to move for the 2009-10 season, possibly to Abbottsford, British Columbia, but the team refused to fold on the ice and gave Calgary reason for optimism wherever their AHL affiliate is next season.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to see the Quad City Flames twice in late March and enters notes following the end of the AHL regular season. Leland Irving, Kris Chucko, Kyle Greentree, and number of other Calgary prospects are featured, in addition to one Columbus prospect – John Vigilante - who impressed while on loan to the QC.

Leland Irving (Cgy), G, Quad City

Established himself as Quad City's number one goaltender over Matt Keetley .. calm, collected netminder with smooth pad slides and other crease movements .. doing a good job of keeping his head up after rebounds and keeping an eye on the puck .. has a compact butterfly that allows few rebounds .. does a good job kicking pad saves in the corners .. has a quick glove and makes crisp glove saves .. puckhandling still needs a little work .. appears NHL-worthy now, but Flames are unlikely to have Irving replace Curtis McElhinney as Miikka Kiprusoff's backup only to ride the pine .. technically sound netminder did no harm to the projection that he's a future starting netminder in the NHL .. finished the AHL regular season with a 24-18-2 record, 2 shutouts, a 2.23 G.AA, and a .912 save percentage in over 47 games.

Kris Chucko (Cgy), RW, Quad City

Improvements in skating helped lead to his best pro season yet .. looks like improved speed bursts and acceleration are here to stay .. now has good top speed to win races for the puck and has good stride extension with or without the puck .. still a bit upright in his crossovers with the puck, using quick steps as opposed to powering out of them .. showing more poise with the puck .. has a hard wristshot .. still puts in a decent effort defensively .. puts in a good effort on the forecheck and finishes his checks .. stepping up for some big hits, too .. makes it difficult for opponents to breakout when on the PK forecheck .. also plays on the powerplay .. Chucko has re-established himself as a viable NHL prospect for the Flames as a potential third-line-caliber-player .. finished AHL regular season with 28 goals and 23 assists in 74 games, fourth in QC scoring .. played two games for Calgary during the NHL regular season and went without a point.

Matt Pelech (Cgy), D, Quad City

Big defenseman (6-3, 220) played some at forward in 2008-09, but was back at "d" to end the season .. stepping up with a physical presence, making big hits at the blueline .. able to thrust into shoulder checks that level opponents .. a bit upright in his pivots, but fairly smooth .. dropped the gloves again in one of these viewings .. hard shot from the point .. makes crisp, accurate passes .. needs to improve his acceleration with the puck .. poor separation with the puck could cost him in the NHL .. clears the puck with authority .. plays on the PK .. hope to see Pelech at defense full-time in future seasons .. likely a future fifth or sixth defenseman for Calgary .. finished AHL regular season with 3 goals and 6 assists in 59 games .. played 5 games for Calgary during the NHL regular season and tallied 3 assists.

Brett Sutter (Cgy), LW/C, Quad City

More than doubled his offensive output from his rookie-pro season (2007-08) .. stood out in these viewings for his typical defensive effort .. good speed and decent stride extension on the forecheck .. active as F1 on the forecheck and makes it difficult for the opponent to break out .. excellent effort on the backcheck and will do it all the way deep into the defensive zone to prevent shots or passes .. creates turnovers playing the body .. plays on the penalty kill and is active in pressuring the points into mistakes .. did a good job of protecting the puck along the boards and drew a penalty once doing so .. has a decent wristshot and a crisp snapshot .. more poised with the puck now and stronger on the puck than earlier in the season, which was the next step for him in his development .. on track to become a fourth-line forward for Calgary .. finished AHL regular season with 10 goals and 15 assists in 71 games .. played 4 games for Calgary during the NHL regular season and scored 1 goal.

Brad Cole (Cgy), D, Quad City

Game is coming along in many facets .. getting more involved offensively, joining the attack more and pinching in on occasion .. a bit upright accelerating backwards, but still shows good speed backwards .. finding more success in his physical game with fewer people fighting through .. laying down some hits with some force .. had one particularly impressive hit in the neutral zone keeping the gap short when an opponent tried turning on the speed .. passing in these viewings was more accurate than earlier in the season .. was a regular on the PK .. 6-foot-3, 200-pound blueliner has the size to work with and is showing the tools to earn NHL recall in 2009-10 with a solid summer of work .. finished AHL regular season with 3 goals and 8 assists in 73 games.

J.D. Watt (Cgy), RW, Quad City

Much, much better than his AHL stats reflect .. effective along the boards offensively and adept at cycling the puck .. uses his 6-foot-2, 196-pound frame to drive the net from the corners or from behind the net .. a fairly smooth skater with decent speed .. puts in a good effort on the forecheck and finishes his checks .. cannot believe Watt had only two points in AHL play with what he showed .. finished AHL regular season with 0 goals and 2 assists in 42 games .. played 18 games for Las Vegas of ECHL and scored 5 goals and 9 assists.

Gord Baldwin (Cgy), D, Quad City

Seeing some improvement, but still a ways to go .. last viewing was definitely the best over the last two years .. made hard, crisp passes and connected from a distance .. just one week earlier, passes were accurate but not very hard and was being pressured into bad passes .. decision-making with the puck is suspect at times, as he can take a while to make his decision, although not in the final viewing .. was not confident with the puck in the first viewing of March .. a bit slow stopping backwards, making it difficult for him to stick with shifty opponents .. showing a little more effectiveness physically down low .. plays on the PK .. still a long shot to become a regular in the NHL someday, but is showing improvement .. finished AHL regular season with 2 goals and 4 assists in 55 games .. played 3 games for Las Vegas and had 1 assist.

John Armstrong (Cgy), C, Quad City

Rookie-pro displayed a decent two-way game .. puts in a good effort on the forecheck and finishes his checks .. also a conscientious backchecker .. has a decent set of hands to lay down some moves to side-step opponents .. also able to use size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and cruising speed to drive wide a beat opponents .. will drop the gloves now and then .. likely to pick up regular icetime in the AHL in 2009-10 as a third-line center .. finished AHL regular season with 5 goals and 15 assists in 68 games.

Adam Cracknell (Cgy), RW, Quad City

Third-year pro a full-time AHLer in 2008-09 .. saw regular shifts on the powerplay .. has a hard wristshot, and shot power may be his strong suit offensively .. finishes his checks on the forecheck .. 6-foot-2, 211-pounder makes some big hits and will step up in the neutral zone for a big open-ice hit .. a bit upright skating the puck .. also a bit upright in his crossovers, taking short steps that do not generate much power or speed .. entry-level contract is up .. probably tops out as an AHL-caliber power forward .. finished AHL regular season with 10 goals and 16 assists in 79 games.

Kyle Greentree (Cgy), LW, Quad City

Big winger that can finish his chances .. a bit lumbering with the puck and only has average speed, but he's "money" when he gets his chances .. able to snipe with a hard wristshot and snapshot .. has a nice snap at the end of his wristshot, but the sweep can be a bit slow .. uses his size to drive the net or for wrap-around chances .. able to use his size to protect the puck while taking punishment along the boards and in the corners .. plays on both the powerplay and the penalty kill .. can be invisible for large portions of the game, but should not be forgotten or ignored .. will need more speed and acceleration to become a second-tier power forward at the NHL level .. finished AHL regular season with 39 goals and 37 assists in 79 games, leading Quad City in scoring .. played 2 games for Calgary during NHL regular season and went without a point.

John Vigilante (CBJ), LW, Quad City

Didn't see him with Syracuse, but he was one of Quad City's most dynamic forwards offensively .. loaned by Columbus to Quad City on Feb. 21 .. has good cruising speed with the puck .. made smooth, crisp passes and was a playmaker in the offensive zone from the half boards .. also did a good job of connecting on passes in the neutral zone on the rush .. utilizes his pointmen .. displayed a decent snapshot .. played on both the powerplay and the penalty kill .. a top-six forward with Quad City and thrived in this role .. finished AHL regular season with 7 goals and 8 assists in 24 games for QC after scoring 7 goals and 8 assists in 52 games for Syracuse.