[GDT] Flames vs. Blackhawks, 7 p.m., SNF

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by UKflames

Really excited for tonight as this is going to be my first ever Flames game at the dome in town for work so have chance to go.

I will be the crazy Limey jumping up and down with excitement.

Welcome to Calgary!

You're going to have a blast. Make sure you consume many heroin beers and a large order of plastic nachos. Oh and pocket dogs.

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by RyZ

The lines don't even matter. Chances are that Baertschi gets benched after his first mistake and the lines get shaken up throughout the rest of the game.

Or he gets benched because the other options available to the coach are playing so well and consistently.

[terminator]

Originally Posted by RyZ

The lines don't even matter. Chances are that Baertschi gets benched after his first mistake and the lines get shaken up throughout the rest of the game.

And then fired from the NHL and never get a hockey job again.

He's going to end up on Skid Row

[DJones]

From my count we have 9 forwards that are either rookies or sophomores. Can anyone put that in perspective?

That seems just unbelievable to me.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by saillias

Reinhart gets a raw deal in this org.

He gets about as raw of a deal as Baertschi gets. Both have looked okay since coming up but if you've got a bunch of other options, and those options are playing better, you don't get that ice time.

[terminator]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

He gets about as raw of a deal as Baertschi gets. Both have looked okay since coming up but if you've got a bunch of other options, and those options are playing better, you don't get that ice time.

Quite indeed.

I don't understand the complaints of "rough rides" or "benchings" either; the majority of the team is playing hard so you keep playing those players.

[Scoutski]

Originally Posted by UKflames

Really excited for tonight as this is going to be my first ever Flames game at the dome in town for work so have chance to go.

I will be the crazy Limey jumping up and down with excitement.

Hope they win it for you and bzoo02! Have an awesome time!

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

Aside from his talent, I really like the chemistry that Hudler brings to the team. He is a real jokester and keeps the atmosphere light as well.

Like Gio, he is one of the vets that should be on our no trade list.

I agree. He seems to always be meshing with whatever line he's being paired with.

[thefoss1957]

With Shaw out...I expect Nordstrom to move to #4C and Carbomb to move to #3LW...

that will make the lines Saad/Toews/Hossa, Versteeg/Richards/Kane, Carbomb/Kruger/Smith, Bickell/Nordstrom/Morin

Slide Smith into #1 PP, as the traffic guy, and insert Bickell into the #2 PP in the same role.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

What the bloodclot! That forward lineup looks outstanding!

Ferland-Jooris-Byron... that's some speed.

[djsFlames]

Ferlands gonna be the latest rookie to make a big splash tonight.

Full believer in that kid. Hoping for no more unfortunate setbacks.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Nice to see Ferland playing with Jooris - those two seemed to be doing well during the preseason. I bet Ferland gets a few looks with Granlund as well. Loved his quote at the end of that article that Miss Teeks shared.

I love Reinhart, but I don't see him being mistreated or getting the short-end of the stick. Baertschi plays well, he gets more time. Same should go for Reinhart, or Ferland, or any other prospect out there. It doesn't matter as much if a vet gets his ice-time reduced - guys like Setoguchi are not part of the future, so who cares. You need to make the young players accountable and make sure they play hard in every shift. Heck, Seto has been scratched a lot and so has Wideman - nobody is really safe, especially prospects that need to be developed properly and held accountable from day one.

Looking forward to this game and see how the Flames match-up this time around. Doubtful they will catch the Hawks off-guard as everyone definitely knows the type of game the Flames play, and the Hawks needing points here.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

With Shaw out...I expect Nordstrom to move to #4C and Carbomb to move to #3LW...

that will make the lines Loser/Captain Loser/Embarrassed, -3/Overpaid/Johnny's b#tch, Roadkill/Roadkill/Who?, Meh/Non-factor/Nobody

Slide Who? into #1 PP, as the traffic guy, and insert Meh into the #2 PP in the same role.

And will still equal a loss.

fyp

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Flames getting some love on NHL Live! (NHL network) from EJ Hradek, saying "they have all the elements you would look for in a competitive team that should be in the playoffs. Do they have goaltending? Check. Do they have a good defense group? Check, scoring a lot of points and defending well. Are they well coached? Check. Do they work hard? Check. The only thing I question is their inexperience at forward, especially down the middle, but they have everything else they need to be in the playoffs. They are less of a "surprise at this point and more of a team you have to consider to be the real deal."

[Gaudfather]

Glennie, Hudler and Bollig are the only vets in our front 12 tonight.

At the beginning of the year if someone had said that the Flames would ice a forward group with only those three vets against Chicago - people would have expected a massacre.

The fact that we sit here today with expectations that if the Flames play their game they have a shot at a win tonite speaks volumes as to how quickly this young core is developing. (and obviously supported by veteran defence and netminding)

This development of a young core is an under-appreciated aspect of this organization. Props to the coaches, trainers, etc. who have brought this young talent along so quickly.

[djsFlames]

Lovin the praise. I think the Anaheim victory opened some eyes after many were probably still a bit skeptical.

[greentree]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Did Stajan have surgery? That's pretty quick to come back after only 4 weeks isn't it?

IF he had arthroscopic surgery (i.e. for some torn meniscus) four weeks ago, then that is not too early for a light skating workout, from what I am told.
He will have already been on a stationary bike, likely two weeks after surgery.
But...do we even know what sort of injury Stajan suffered, and what medical procedure he had as a result?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DJones

From my count we have 9 forwards that are either rookies or sophomores. Can anyone put that in perspective?

That seems just unbelievable to me.

age: 26.7
cap hit: $40.5m
10 guys making less than $1m
of the 12 forwards, 6 are rookies, and 9 have less than 200 games
of the 18 skaters, 7 have played less than 100 games, 3 have played less than 200, and Brodie has played 205

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Lovin the praise. I think the Anaheim victory opened some eyes after many were probably still a bit skeptical.

If they can beat the Hawks tonight - and that's a very big IF - I am guessing the bandwagon is going to start to get really crowded

[Anar]

Performance will have to be rock solid for the entire 60 minutes of play. The contribution of every Flame on ice will have to be integral in terms of net minding, offense, shots on goal, blocking shots, winning face-offs and puck control. While the visiting team's penalty killing will be an intimidating factor for the Flames, the home team will have to be much more stronger in their penalty killing efforts than it has been of late.