Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Are BIG Changes Still Coming?? Flames Defence, Morgan Frost & More | BB Clips

Episode Date: July 9, 2026

Boomer, Rhett and Mike Gould dive into the biggest questions surrounding the Calgary Flames as training camp gets closer. With a crowded blue line, the guys discuss whether someone like Jacob Middleton or Zach Whitecloud could become trade bait, and if the logjam could keep top prospect Hunter Brzustewicz off the opening-night roster. They also break down Morgan Frost's future with the Flames before Gould shares his biggest takeaways from development camp and which young players caught his eye. What would you do if you were running the Flames?Video Link: https://youtu.be/jBDISLSwwOY#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #calgaryflames CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're a week removed from the Coleman deal that got in Jacob Middleton, and I was around some people, which is odd for me. Wow. So this is more D, hey? How many D have they got a lot of, because we always bitch and complain about how many wingers they've got. Suddenly there is a lot of D because you start, okay, well, there's these guys. So there's four there and four of there.

Well, shit, I want Prostevich to be on the team. So you got to put him in somewhere. Is this just good. competition for camp. There's a lot of guys on one ways. Is this bad news for Bristewitch? What's your kind of read on what this blue line? It kind of feels like, you know, it's felt for a long time. Like eventually one of those D is going to be at the angle. You're going to look at dealing from a position of strength, right? And the flames, I think very conspicuously made that deal for Simone Nemitz.

And everybody comes out of that saying, well, it's another righte. They have two righties who are not even established as NHL. guys really on an everyday basis who are already in Calgary. You've got Henry Mews, who's in Michigan, who is another righty. It is very interesting to me. And they make a very concerted effort to get Carson Carls at the draft at the expense of other right-handed D who are on the board. I mean, virtually every draft prognosticator had Chase Reed ahead of Carson Carl's.

Now, I like Carls better, but it does to me sort of speak to the idea that maybe Bristevich is as a Dangle candidate. Bobby and I are going to talk about Shane Wright on the show. And, you know, obviously there's lots of talk about him. So I don't know. It's, I think it's sort of the same type of thing, right? You got to adapt to the situation that you're in. If you're a Flames defense prospects, knowing that you've just added Carson,

Carl's and Simone Nemitz this summer, the writing's kind of on the wall. I think more me and you retro than Pinder have been Bristewitch fans, if you want to call it that. I would not like him to be a Dangle candidate. Because you're on the right side. And Joel Hanley, you've got one year left. Those feel like guys, I would. Those guys will be moved off one way or another.

Even if you can't move them, they're probably not bringing back massive amounts of returns. So you might have to just do right by them. Let them find a job. I wonder a bit about White Cloud. Me too. Because they're different players, but you've got Jacob Middleton, who's 30. White Cloud is 29.

he'll be 30 the who gets me more yeah i don't give a shit but i'm keeping my i'm keeping my kids i don't yeah the culture and the wow we need that okay for how long keep the kids yeah i'm with you i'm with you and we've like burs davis more i like him as much not just from the i test yeah don't do the advanced stats, but the people I talk to about the quality of human, that matters. Any names you'd like to drop? No. Mike has no problem. It's got no problem doing that. Yeah, it's it's it's it's cramped, you know, and with with it's Kevin ball.

I just I don't see white cloud as a guy who I'd like to trade. Uh, and I, I, I, Middleton is very, is very interesting. Like it makes, it makes me really wonder that you acquire Jake Middleton in the same deal that you're moving out Olimana when it feels like the purpose of getting Olimata was just a means to an end to make a deal work. Right. And okay, well, now you're flipping him. Is Middleton also a means to an end? I mean, it's, you think so?

Yeah. I do. Do you think that is meaningfully different than White Cloud, though? No, he's not, but it gives you the option of who do you, if I'm calling around, grow, who do you want? Yeah. If someone's shopping in my defense department, well,

you tell me. Yeah, like I'm curious. A couple guys that you can't have. Yeah. Like I get with, so the wild want Coleman. All right,

picks and that. The Middleton Mata going opposite directions is that cap related? Middleton did not play well in the playoffs. No, he did. Shit, to be quite honest with it, it was like, oof, dude.

Pick it up. Yeah, the app series was really, it wasn't good. I don't know. I have not paid attention to the guy's career. but I did notice in that series. I'm like, he's struggling.

It speaks volumes to me that a team like Minnesota that is very much trying to do things right away is trading a guy who's been there for five years in Milton for a defenseman in Olimato, who's now on his seventh time in nine seasons. I don't care about the Oli Mada. I don't disagree with what you're saying, but their D is so set with their stars

that they don't give a shit who else is there. It's just a matter of just getting a different fit. I don't think it has anything to do with it. I don't think he's, I don't think Mata or Middleton had a big enough. So how do you... So then why they do it?

Yeah. So how did that... Was it money? Get to be part of it? It makes like marginally cheaper. I think it's like 700K. Yeah. Middleton, that might matter.

Point three. Like it's easy for us to say it doesn't matter, but that might matter. Yeah. If they're looking to do something. I mean, we had to eat money to get rid of Coleman. Are we not eating half?

Yeah. So clearly the money does matter to Minnesota. Hmm? Yeah. I kind of like Middleton. We'll see. But, as we also watch sorry i was just going to say it happens fast you can like 30's not old

but if you're already a guy who's relying on your smarts and your reach because of average footwork why i forget what i was going to say yeah i do i see i'll get there eventually yeah unbelievable i had a great point he was going to name oh that's what i was great to say with nice it came back jack got it let's go for a drink quick Get it out. White Cloud and Mata, Mata, whatever,

were unbelievable. Are they that good? Because I don't think the teams would have traded them if they were playing as souls they did when they got here. Yeah, if they were lights out.

Could have sold high on Mata if that's... Right? Maybe he wasn't even playing. Again, seven teams in nine years for Roli Mata. Oh, I'm with you. I don't. I think it was a money move. But also what we're,

what's white cloud is more of what I'm getting at. Like Middleton, I think you probably know what he is. You're just going to plug him in if you want to keep him. White Cloud looked like a star for the little bit that he was here. So you got her at it for Christ's sake. Yeah. I don't think anyone's confused. Well, hopefully we're not confused in what we're expecting.

It's weird. You go back to November and we had those shows where we, you know, I'd flip out or it's like, why can't we do this? The flames, they never do things. As I sit here today, it's the summer of 20. I feel like I have confidence in what their, what their vision is, that they're able to,

you know what I mean? It's, I believe in what the right thing to do with, with White Cloud. I trust they'll do the right thing. They'll figure it out. They see it. Yeah.

It's changed fast. Well, and I've seen people sort of posit that the flames are in a weird spot because they have nothing to trade. And it's like they've already done it. Like they've done nothing but trade. They've done nothing but trade. They've traded 10 guys.

Yeah. It's time to build now. You've got, it's not about trading anymore. And I would pause it, and we're going to talk about this on the show, you know, there are five or six guys next year who conceivably profile, this is going to be a big part of what Stevens says, as possible top six centers in the draft. And I would say that if the flames get one of those guys, and I don't know what happens with Shane Wright,

that's going to be a totally different part of the show. But I would say if they get one of those centers, I don't know if there is another team in the league that has a more balanced pool. They've got, the problem is that, yes, great, they're balanced, but who's the star? That's the thing. If they get one of those centers, they'll have a star, I think. You're betting that he'll turn into a star. I get it.

I'm okay giving him the opportunity, but I would be, you just said it about motto, who the F's given up on a kid. If they believe it's not. Right, it's different. I'm talking if they get one of those centers with a top two, top three pick in this coming draft. Yeah, well, okay. Which, which there are, we're going to talk to Stephen. There are, I get it's a finger cross. thing, but there are four, five, six of them in this year's draft, sort of similar to how there

are that many D and we were tracking them throughout the year. And by the time it got to Calgary at six, Seattle at seven, there were still D who were being talked about as number one, number two D. That's how this year's draft projects for centers. I love talking to some fans. They're like, okay, so we're in this rebuild and maybe they'll be bad again this year. Boy, if you win the draft lottery, oh, DuPont. you're going to be another defenseman

well shit I don't want to talk poorly but I'm not I don't want to talk poorly but I'm not convinced DuPont's the number one pick I hear from lots of different people that that kid that big sentiment let's get let's let's get Mickey on the phone Mick's not going to be what

Mickey's shopping for boats does Mickey give a shit you got that and I all money coming in quickly Minnesota he very quick Mickey doesn't get to decide if his kid goes number one Yeah. But it's like if DuPont is the number one, you win the draft lottery. You take worse things than run to the bank. Yeah.

Cash the check. Let's go. Figure it out. Yeah. So I don't want to take away too much with what you're going to be talking about the show coming up. That's, it's a pleasure. You know what? Morgan Frost is another guy. Oh, so much. I don't know. We still kind of don't know what he is. His points went up after the cadre trade.

Can you be a number one center? He has not been to this point in his career. Now is it because he's been stacked back from other guys or are you, is this, we've got to extend them, you got to trade him. That'll be one of the things I know we're going to be talking about going into this next season as to what he is.

If he's trade bait, what, this team is nowhere near a Stanley Cup contender. So there's all kinds of things. Yeah. He better trust the process. The interesting thing with Morgan Frost is that there were three centers who are going to be UFAs in a year.

Only three of them scored more goals than Morgan Frost did this year. And they were Pavel Zaka, who plays with David Posternak, and then Sydney Crosby and Ryan O'Reilly. And those are the only three centers who were going to be free agents next summer who scored more goals than Morgan Frost this past year. I think there's a chance, given what we saw with Nick Waugh and with Nick Dowd and with a whole host of centers who went for crazy returns at last year's deadline. I think if you hold on to Frost to start the season, I think you're going to get a long.

for him. Play it out. Yeah. Have some fish. It's a weird one, right? Because I think it's more one than the other, but we talk about how sometimes you just, you overvalue who you've got. While you get this and I think he's, and White Cloud I think is probably in that territory a little bit. That's a cap hit is one thing,

but I think he's just so good. You could get at first, that sort of thing. I wonder to a certain extent on the flip side. Are you, are we undervaluing a bit what Frost is because he's not elite. It doesn't mean he's not NHL or he is 20. It depends on what he does this fall because he's not driven the bus until the last year.

And he got cleared to take over that rule. Well, and he's a good job of it. So go ahead and do it again this fall. It'll be Matt Vigridden and Matt Coronado. We're probably playing with him out of camp. And it'll be, it'll be very much a sink or swim type thing because they got lots of guys who play up there. Again, what he's trying to establish is, are you elite or are you just a good center? Yeah.

And I don't know that he's certainly not a number one on a, on a. a cup team. But are you good enough to fill the number two hole on a cup team? You've shown glimpses of it. Or are you a centerman that the Philadelphia Flyers said, yeah, good enough. That's

seen enough. Again, it's because you're not elite doesn't mean you're of no value. No. But it feels like that's, he's almost pigeonholed here because the flames so desperately need high end centermen. Well, you're not, you're not the number one we need.

Bye. Get them to hell out of here. Good to have some players that can play the game. Were you at, obviously you were at the middle of my camera. We had that, you know, rubbing shoulders there with the elite. Any takeaways from what you saw there, player-wise? Yeah, we had to call them up over at Flames Nation last week, six standouts. And the standouts, I mean, were largely who you expect.

I mean, Carson Carl's just an incredible skater. I mean, there's not really much. say about it other than, you know, you're watching these kids playing in drills and three-on-three scrimmage. And there have been lots of players who looked good in those scrimmages. I remember the E2-2-lola hat trick on Matthew Kachukh's line that the first scrimmage that I ever went to, and we were all singing his praises. But, but yeah, Carson, Carl's, Cole, Rashne, were just both head and shoulders.

Fantastic. I would say the number one guy who surprised me. and not even as far as I haven't seen this before, but just every time I go to one of these things, whether it's a development camp or it is a prospect scrimmage, like the Flames did their ones against the Oilers last spring, or last fall, Macy O'Phillips is really impressive. And Willie Desjardin was there.

I didn't talk to Willie DeJardam, but he was there. He and Connie were both talking to Macyo after the scrimmage. And, I mean, Medicine Hatts. lost a lot of defensemen. And I think Macyo is going to have a big opportunity to have a really big year with Medicine Hat this year. They got a young Warner kid. They got opportunity to big dude. He's a huge dude. Like I was, I was shocked. Like we are, we're looking at Carson Carls as being this big two-way physical type guy. He looks like a, he's teeny. He's teeny next to Macyo Phillips. But the thing with Macyo Phillips is he can really skate and he can he, I have not seen the,

a defenseman who likes to skate the puck up the ice as soon as he gets it since Nikita Zadour in exactly the same way. So that's, that was that was sort of the biggest takeaway that I had from that, those three days. How that has changed too, right? Not that long ago. You'd go to these things in the summer or when camp rolls around, it's like, they've got nobody. Yeah. Who's knocking on the door here. Yeah, let's go watch. There's no one. Milo Schroaman. Who's going to put a, put a scare into any of the vets or any of these other guys. It's written in pen. These guys are going back to school or junior or the A. Whereas this year, yeah, it's, I still remember it was, it was two years ago when, when Huska said at the end of training

camp to Matt Pay Gridden, he says, next year, I want you to come back here and be competing for a job. And he did? That's nice of you to say. For the kid to hear, I'm sure, but that's not going to have a chance. And sure is shit, it, uh, it came to, it came to be. So,