Jan 21 Practice Notes

[FlamesAreOne]

@Fan960Steinberg

#Flames at practice today. No Dube once again (day-to-day, lower body).

Mangiapane-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Gaudreau-Monahan-Simon
Bennett-Backlund-Leivo
Lucic-Ryan-Nordstrom

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov
Mackey-Kylington


@Fan960Steinberg

#Flames practice underway at the Saddledome. Matthew Tkachuk back out there after missing yesterday for maintenance.

No Dillon Dube (day-to-day, lower body). Jacob Markstrom also opted to skate on his own this morning.


@NHLFlames

#Flames Practice Update: Jacob Markstrom participated in a goaltender session with Jason LaBarberra this morning - David Rittich and Louis Domingue will skate in the main practice.

[CroFlames]

This five day break feels as long as the nine months of isolation, dang.

[TheIronMaiden]

Bennett-Backlund-Leivo
really interested to watch this. That is a lot of speed in one line.

That fourth line is a mess though. Somethings wrong when your grinders are aging vets.

[scobel]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Bennett-Backlund-Leivo
really interested to watch this. That is a lot of speed in one line.

That fourth line is a mess though. Somethings wrong when your grinders are aging vets.

I wonder if they would replace Nordstrom with Dube when he returns, I think Dube, would add speed and seemed to click with lucic in the past.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I am interested to see how Leivo does on the Backlund line IF Dube isn't back by the next game (or if Leivo is just going to be a mainstay there regardless).


I have seen good flashes of him offensively (but without much luck), but just as interestingly I have seen both really savvy defensive abilities, and outright horrendous defensive zone awareness. I haven't said much either way since he hasn't played much in a year and is probably still working on his timing, adjusting to new teammates, and getting his 'legs' under him still.


Backlund has a knack for working well with almost anyone and making them look great, and being able to shut-down opposing lines regardless of who the wingers are (it seems anyway - not sure the analytics would necessarily support that).


I bet Leivo on Backlund's line would probably work out.


I also didn't think that Lindholm as a 2-way centre would work out. Last year when Ward forced Backlund to the wing and replaced him with Lindholm, I thought that not only was that line not as strong defensively, but a lot of Lindholm's offence dried-up. Now he is playing a very strong and reliable 2-way game. It leaves Backlund's line more flexible for shut-down match-ups, to also continue providing reliable depth scoring, but now also making it easier to be a safe landing-pad for rookies breaking into the NHL as well as a guy like Leivo who is trying to work his way back.


This is going to be a special season.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by scobel

I wonder if they would replace Nordstrom with Dube when he returns, I think Dube, would add speed and seemed to click with lucic in the past.

Why would they do that when Dube has looked so good on the top line?

Most likely Nordstrom will come out and everyone is shifted down a slot: Mangiapane goes back on Backlund's line, and Leivo or Simon moves back down to the fourth with the other remaining on Monahan's wing.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by scobel

I wonder if they would replace Nordstrom with Dube when he returns, I think Dube, would add speed and seemed to click with lucic in the past.

So, you are suggesting that Dube, a player with a ton of potential.. who is young and doesn't look out of place on the top line... be moved to the fourth line to add speed?

How about instead, we continue to develop him to become a top six player?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

...I also didn't think that Lindholm as a 2-way centre would work out. Last year when Ward forced Backlund to the wing and replaced him with Lindholm, I thought that not only was that line not as strong defensively, but a lot of Lindholm's offence dried-up. Now he is playing a very strong and reliable 2-way game. It leaves Backlund's line more flexible for shut-down match-ups, to also continue providing reliable depth scoring, but now also making it easier to be a safe landing-pad for rookies breaking into the NHL as well as a guy like Leivo who is trying to work his way back...

Lindholm looks like he is just oozing confidence right now. He is making smart, determined and aggressive plays at high speed; I think that is the big difference between now and December 2019.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Lindholm looks like he is just oozing confidence right now. He is making smart, determined and aggressive plays at high speed; I think that is the big difference between now and December 2019.

Totally agreed. I also think it just might be another step he took since he has never really played centre in the NHL for any significant length of time until last season. I think the increased confidence plus a bit more comfort in playing the position is doing wonders.


If things continue positively for him, and with the addition of Markstrom in net, this is going to be one heck of a special season I think.

[Enoch Root]

With Dube back...

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Dube
Gaudreau-Monahan-Simon
Bennett-Backlund-Mangiapane
Lucic-Ryan-Leivo
Nordstrom

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov
Mackey-Kylington

Markstrom
Rittich

This is the best lineup in a long time, IMO

I would like to see Nordstrom in for Lucic, but whatever.

[scobel]

Originally Posted by keenan87

So, you are suggesting that Dube, a player with a ton of potential.. who is young and doesn't look out of place on the top line... be moved to the fourth line to add speed?

How about instead, we continue to develop him to become a top six player?

Lol just a thought!! I don’t think Dube is going to be 4th line permanently, but more of an opportunity to see what Simon can do and to see if there is a formula to have the ability to roll 4 lines vs 3. Big fan of Dube, just a thought.

[Kickazzflames]

Originally Posted by keenan87

So, you are suggesting that Dube, a player with a ton of potential.. who is young and doesn't look out of place on the top line... be moved to the fourth line to add speed?

How about instead, we continue to develop him to become a top six player?

Of course not, I suggest Lucic moves to the top line!

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Backlund has a knack for working well with almost anyone and making them look great, and being able to shut-down opposing lines regardless of who the wingers are (it seems anyway - not sure the analytics would necessarily support that).

It leaves Backlund's line more flexible for shut-down match-ups, to also continue providing reliable depth scoring, but now also making it easier to be a safe landing-pad for rookies breaking into the NHL as well as a guy like Leivo who is trying to work his way back.

Precisely, Calgary could probably play two rookies alongside Backlund and his line would still be one of the Flames best.

Tkachuk - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Gaudreau - Monahan - Dubé
Gawdin - Backlund - Ruzicka

[foofighter15]

Wouldn't be opposed to seeing
88-28-29
Meaning line 2 could be
13-23-19
That way line one is pure speed and skill and you put our top scorer from last year (Chucky) with the two slumping stars. That would be a great way to have two first lines with Backlunds line still focusing on the shut down role

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by scobel

Lol just a thought!! I don’t think Dube is going to be 4th line permanently, but more of an opportunity to see what Simon can do and to see if there is a formula to have the ability to roll 4 lines vs 3. Big fan of Dube, just a thought.

The problem with this idea is always ice time. In a perfect world in which each team on the ice played perfect, blemish-free hockey with no penalties called, then yes, a team can roll four lines, and everyone gets enough ice-time to establish a rhythm. However, that never happens. Powerplays and penalty-kills always disrupt the rotation, and it can be difficult to get things reset.

Most of the time a team can at best keep three lines in a regular rotation, and even then players in the top-nine will log pretty varied differences in ice time. If you keep a player like Dube on the fourth line in hopes on increasing overall speed, what is most likely to happen is that he will rather only get to see the ice for 5- or 7-mins a game, which is precisely what you don't want happening. Given the personnel that the Flames have, it is much better to try to more evenly distribute ice time among the top-nine forwards, leaving the fourth-line to pick up occasional shifts and give the other players a break.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by foofighter15

Wouldn't be opposed to seeing
88-28-29
Meaning line 2 could be
13-23-19
That way line one is pure speed and skill and you put our top scorer from last year (Chucky) with the two slumping stars. That would be a great way to have two first lines with Backlunds line still focusing on the shut down role

With how well Monahan has played, and with how much better Gaudreau looked in Game #3, I still much prefer seeing the three-deep set of lines. The thing about Backlund is that while he is extremely good in his own zone and at driving possession, he is also an excellent scoring forward—I think he needs a skilled linemate on his wing because this is a big part of what helps him drive possession.

[Off the Wall]

I love reading CP. I never comment, however it’s a long break until we play again.
Gaskal is great read after we win games. Some of those remarks are priceless!

Anyway, our special teams are doing amazing! Our 5vs5 play needs a tuneup. I was looking at some analytics and Markstrom’s SV% is .951 Even Strength. Crazy
Our xGF is 1.4 per game, xGA is 1.9. Not great.

Guess who’s leading the pack even strength? In order of best, its Dube, Simon, Lindholm and Tkachuk. None of these players have surrendered a goal against even strength. Yet Simon gets less time on ice than Loooch?

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Off the Wall

Our xGF is 1.4 per game, xGA is 1.9. Not great.

This is not quite accurate. At 5v5, to this point, the Flames have accumulated 4.43 expected goals' worth of chances for but have only surrendered 3.89 expected goals' worth against.

They're averaging 2.03 xGF/60 (17th in the NHL) and 1.78 xGA/60 (6th). Which, I think, matches the eye test pretty well.

[Off the Wall]

Thanks Scorpion. It was from Hockey-reference.
The numbers you show, seem more accurate.

Are you our writer over at FN?
Love your work!

[TheScorpion]

Thank you! I appreciate you reading my stuff!

I think the numbers from Hockey-Reference might be referring to all situations? I'm not sure, I'll have to check them out. I get most of my data from Natural Stat Trick. The below link should show team stats from the 2020-21 season — you can adjust the filters at the top of the page to show different situations, change between counts and rates, and go back to past seasons.

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/teamtable.php