[MissTeeks]

We haven't had one of these in a while. A couple good articles floating around today:

Flames shocking hockey world by sitting near top of NHL standings

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...061/story.html

A year ago, Bob Hartley urged his charges to ignore the noise of rebuilding and, instead, to focus on “shocking” the hockey world. With nightly diligence, they did manage to impress.
But shock? Not exactly.
This time around? Yes, so far. Not that the skipper is crowing.
“Hockey is a simple game,” says Hartley. “It’s all about execution — knowing your roles, knowing where you’re supposed to be — and executing at a high level. We’re getting there. There’s big parts of our game that are really improved.
“I like how the players are loose. They’re not comfortable, they’re loose.
“They’re on the job. That’s what I want.”

Before the Flames packed up for their latest junket, Hartley explained that his role is to simply support his players, to spur them on — to keep them relevant on the Western Conference table.
“Well, we’re there — and the marathon has just started,” he said. “I know everyone in the hockey world is waiting for us to trip, but I have faith in our guys. We’re going to succeed because we’re hard workers, we’re good people. I’m very fortunate . . . we count on players with a big heart.”

The Calgarians, reeling at times Tuesday, survived an oddball display at the Verizon Center — with fluke goals, with emotional tributes to the hosts’ superstar, with spectacular (and less than spectacular) netminding, with comebacks (from both sides) — so a day’s reboot had been in order.
“Our guys never quit,” says Hartley. “The third period, I felt that was our best period. The first and second — I don’t know — we were not skating our game. That’s not the team that I know. We turned (over) way too many pucks.
“Hey, we found a way and that’s the most important thing. We stuck with it. A huge two points for us.”

“I’m a big believer in speed — I love speed,” says Hartley. “This league is getting faster and faster. The more we can help those kids gain confidence, giving them responsibilities . . . the way that they’re responding to it, it’s great.
“I have absolutely no fear to play our young players.”

“It’s all about common sense,” Hartley says. “Our system is nothing complicated. It’s all about making smart decisions — understanding the score, understanding who you’re playing against. If you feel the door is open, take it. Everyone has a green light on this team. There’s no one we’re tying up at the back and saying, ‘You can’t cross the red-line.’ Whenever you’re trying to implement changes, for me, you’re destroying your chemistry.”
Post-game, in the aftermath of the latest head-shaking victory, Hartley had peered at reporters and, smiling, made one last comment about his boys.
“I’ve said it many times, this is a fun group to coach.”

Hudler playing mentor for Flames’ bevy of young talent

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...063/story.html

At home or on the road, if he spies a baby-faced newbie, in a Calgary Flames sweater, sitting in the dressing room? He’ll offer a smiling nod, maybe even a spot on his line.
Because when Jiri Hudler isn’t accommodating fans, the wise winger is working alongside the organization’s greenest of forwards.
“He’s had a huge impact on how we’ve come into this league,” says Joe Colborne. “He’s been thrown in with a tonne of young guys, all with different styles. But he’s so smart, he thinks the game so well, that he makes the other guys successful by putting them in situations that are good.
“He makes a lot of guys look really good.”

Already this season, his playmates are every bit as raw as the predecessors — Michael Ferland, Johnny Gaudreau, Markus Granlund.
No complaints from the 30-year-old.
“Oh, he loves it,” says coach Bob Hartley, laughing, before recounting the scene in his office before last week’s match against the visiting Nashville Predators — the setting of Granlund’s first appearance of the season and Ferland’s first game in the NHL.
Hartley: “Who do you think you’re going to play with?”
Hudler: “Ferly? I love it!”
Hartley: “Yeah, but you need a centreman.”
Hudler: “Granny?”
Hartley: “Yes.”
Hudler: “I love it!”
The Czech winger capped the conversation with a big grin.
“That’s Jiri,” says Hartley. “He’s takes a lot of pride playing with those young players . . . and that’s great because I can count on him.”

“A few times last year, the coaches would be on me,” he says. “Huds is the quiet voice coming in behind after they’ve left, saying, ‘Hey, trust your instincts. Go make plays.’ That’s so key for someone who’s trying to . . . just to stay in the lineup. Because you can really seize up and lose that confidence. And he comes through. It’s pretty impressive the way that he has taken so many of us under his wing.
“He’s got a tough outside, but on the inside, he’s a little softie.”

Hudler, for this story, did not participate. Nothing new — he generally shuns the press.
“Maybe it’s your personalities,” wonders Ladislav Smid, cackling. “I don’t know. You’ve got to ask him.”
Adds Colborne: “He’s not a guy that likes the attention. He’s not into any of that.”

Ask any of the rookies about Hudler. They rave.
Or, better yet, simply monitor their progress.
“You see how Johnny’s coming around,” says Colborne. “A lot of that has to do with Huds showing him the ropes. And Monny last year — that’s probably the best example.
“If Huds isn’t here, if Huds isn’t playing the way he plays, I don’t think any of us young guys would have had the same amount of success.”

Flames young gun Monahan matches Ovechkin

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/11/05...tches-ovechkin

In just his second NHL season and just three weeks removed from his 20th birthday, Calgary Flames centre Sean Monahan was matched up Tuesday against Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin and his skilled sidekick, Nicklas Backstrom, seemingly cast in a shutdown role against one of the most dangerous duos in hockey.
Or so we thought.
“He’s not in a shutdown role. It’s a toe-to-toe role,” corrected Flames head coach Bob Hartley after Tuesday’s morning twirl in Washington. “In Colorado, I played the best players against Joe Sakic. In Atlanta, I played the best players against Marc Savard and Ilya Kovalchuk. I want my best players to be able to compete against the other teams’ best players, and we go toe-to-toe.”

Best-on-best, eh?
Sounds like the sort of coach-speak that could be quite a confidence boost for a youngster such as Monahan to hear.
“Oh, I already told him,” Hartley beamed. “Last year, we played him a lot against third lines. This year, we have to increase his role. That’s part of the growing process, not only for him but for our entire organization.
“He is still at a learning stage. He’s a baby. But I think it’s a good, positive challenge for him.”

He’ll continue to work as Calgary’s first-line centre for as long as Mikael Backlund is shelved by an abdominal injury ... and maybe longer.
“I have to step up,” said Monahan, who has been flanked by veteran wingmen​ Curtis Glencross and David Jones. “And, as a hockey player, that’s what you want to do.”

Monahan, meanwhile, finished with a goal, a plus-2 rating, three hits and a 54% success rate at the faceoff dot, a key part of keeping the puck off the stick of the Capitals stars.
“I enjoy playing more minutes and, I guess, more responsible minutes. It’s a challenge, but it’s something that makes me push myself to be a better player,” Monahan said. “You have to be good every shift. You’re going to be a guy who is going to be counted on and play more minutes than usual, so you have to step up and you have to produce because you’re getting those offensive minutes, too. You’re out there to help the team win hockey games.”

Left-winger Johnny Gaudreau was limited Tuesday due to the flu, but it’s no secret the 21-year-old whiz-kid has already emerged as one of the Flames’ go-to guys.
“Last year, we committed to playing kids. Well ... here we go,” Hartley said. “I’m not going to gain anything and we’re not going to bring this organization further if we don’t trust those kids in key situations.”

Flames prospect Poirier back at it after shoulder surgery

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/11/05...oulder-surgery

Watching the first month of game action from the stands at Glens Falls Civic Center as he recovered from off-season shoulder surgery?
Or watching several of his teammates with the AHL’s Adirondack Flames score a summons from the injury-riddled big club and wondering what might have been if he was healthy enough to make his case for a call to Calgary?
“I knew it’s because I had this surgery and I knew there would be some frustration sometimes, but I think I just let those things go,” Poirier said. “I just think about playing, about my comeback and just playing every game hard. I’m happy for those guys that were called up.”

After a couple of weeks of contact practices, the 19-year-old right-winger — the youngest guy on the Baby Flames roster — returned for Saturday’s 5-4 setback to the Utica Comets and made an immediate impact, scoring twice.
“To get that first goal, that really helped me a lot with my confidence,” Poirier said. “I was like, ‘Oh, alright, I’m back. I want to play my game. I don’t want to change nothing from what I played like before.’ And that’s what I did.
“I was ready for it,” he added. “It was clear when I started playing that I don’t have to think about my shoulder when I play. We waited until that moment and now I have no worry about my shoulder. I just try to play my game. Same thing. I don’t change nothing.”

“He’s a really good young player, and now he just needs to get some games under his belt,” said Flames GM Brad Treliving, who was in the house for Poirier’s two-goal performance against the Comets.
“He scored those goals, but the other part is that he’s an explosive skater, he’s involved, he was physically involved and he’s got a dynamic element. I’m glad he’s back playing.”

Not to mention, anxious to build a case for his own shot at the Saddledome.
“To be consistent and to play my game, night after night — I think that’s the important thing to play in the NHL for me,” Poirier said. “I feel comfortable here, so when I’ll get my chance (in Calgary), I’ll for sure look forward to it, but I don’t have this in my head.
“I just want to play my game, don’t think too much about it. And when I do get the chance maybe, I’ll go for it.”