[GDT] WCQF-G5: (W2) Colorado -3 @ (P1) Calgary –1 ~ 8:00pm (CBC, SN, NBCSN, TVAS)

[sa226]

Really like the look of those line.

Make no mistake Frolik is on assignment. He hasn't been demoted. That third line has been a tire fire. He is there to baby sit the two kids.

If it comes down to it. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Backlund and Monahan switch for a shift or two.

[Flash Walken]

For me with Bennett it's the same thing as with Backlund.

There is a certain amount of minutes per game where they are effective, and their effectiveness really drops off quickly when elevated out of that window. In my opinion that window for backlund is 14-16 minutes and for Bennett it's 10-14.

I hope it works out for him in the top line but it would not surprise me at all if Bennett isn't a permanent fixture on that line but instead is rotated up to that line periodically to get him more, but not necessarily top line, minutes than what he has played so far.

For backlund I think putting Lindholm on his line is explicitly to help him with some of the heavy lifting expected from that line. Frolik was super underwhelming last game. Tkachuk just can't skate well enough with the avs to be much help out there defensively, whereas Lindholm can skate and hit and maintain possession.

No holding back now. Go for broke.

Neal bring scratched is as much an on ice storyline as it is an organizational one. Whether they win the game or lose, there is great storyline potential from this lineup change.

If the flames win it may be hard for Neal to get back in a game for the rest of the playoffs.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Disagree. Quine is a guy who can't even win a regular spot in the regular season. With our forward lineup healthy he just really isn't a realistic option at all.

Dube I see some merit in. But I think it was always Dube or Czarnik coming in, not both at the same time. I probably would've rather had Dube-Janko-Frolik than what Peters went with but Czarnik was starting to look a lot better at the end of the season.

As far as Janko goes he hasn't been great but hasn't been terrible IMO. Gaudreau and Neal were and are much bigger problems. Janko is not being expected to carry the offence. He was one of our best penalty killers this season. Dube's NHL experience is mostly at wing. It really doesn't make sense to take one of our regular centres out unless they are terrible because we don't really have a great replacement who is experienced playing centre in the NHL. It's really not a realistic move to make IMO.

I like the changeup by Peters a lot. I probably would've done it sooner but I know why they stick with vets sometimes (see Smith as a great example.) Neal has really run himself out of chances with his play though, he just looks done as an NHLer, no longer has NHL skating and pace. You'd have to think we trade him if there's a sucker GM out there this summer or buy him out, I really don't see him back next year.

Bennett needed to get elevated. Neal needed to come out. I think exchanging Frolik for Lindholm gives that 2nd line so much more of a dangerous look. Very positive changes IMO. And of course the 3rd line is automatically better when you trade Neal out for anyone else. I like the look of that line better, more speed. Great moves.

Go Flames Go! Don't go meekly into the night Johnny, we need you this game. If we're gonna go anywhere in the playoffs we need our stars to shine. Or heroic performances from solid players (see Gelinas circa 03-04). Or both. Need to see more urgency tonight, more grit, more speed, more desperation. That's been lacking too much this series, we seemed too complacent so far. Time to amp it up a notch please.

Go Flames Go!

I know it may not mean much, but Quine at least has some NHL playoff experience and was apparently really really good in that showing for the Islanders. That's one other reason why I'd like to see him in. Some players just have a knack of showing up in the playoffs, it might be just luck, but it just seems to happen.

Quine was actually really good when he came up the first time. I think he felt he really had a good chance to stick and played with confidence. Then when he got sent down, his confidence probably took a hit and his current stint with the Flames just looked a lot like his Islanders stint and he realized that he is an NHL/AHL tweener.

The thing with Janko that really bothers me is his lack of competitiveness. With his size and shot, I just don't understand how he isn't getting scoring chances. It just doesn't make any sense why he isn't an impact player. He just doesn't seem to want it or he's just complacent being a 3rd line centre.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by kermitology

You could see it in their play. They didn’t believe they could hold the lead in the last 10 minutes of the third, and the definitely didn’t believe in overtime. If they did, that would have had more push on the power play. They were waiting for the eventual goal against in both cases.

Amazing how you have the ability to channel the mindsets of 20 players. How do I get that?

They were holding on for dear life in the final 10mins not because they didn’t believe they could hold onto the lead but because the Avs were riding a big momentum wave and were pushing extremely hard to tie it and the flames didn’t find the extra gear to push back.

Also garbage to say they didn’t believe in overtime. They were an inch away from winning it thru the Backlund chance. If they didn’t believe like you say, they don’t create that chance.

An inch over that pad and this is a 2-2 series. I just don’t get this notion that the flames have lost some belief in themselves. From a results standpoint, two of these games have gone into OT and were there for the taking for the flames. They’ve been within inches both times of winning. Sometimes #### happens. It’s not an overwhelming state of disbelief from the players.

What a bad take.

[Travis Munroe]

Bennet has been one of the only guys I have enjoyed watching this series from the flames offensive group. The one knock is that he can sometimes try to do it all on his own on the rush but putting him with Johny and Mony who have shown that they aren't able to do anything on their own could really pay off. You also get some serious sandpaper to go with 2 guys that seem hesitant to retrieve a puck in the corner and best of all, it is almost a sure thing that there will be some post whistle scrums on any line with Bennet. Forcing Johny and Mony to engage in the game a bit more is something I also see helping elevate their game.

My biggest fear is that Smith is unable to continue playing Vezina goalie like and the flames on their "a" game with an average smith is like a 65% chance win. Playoff Smith and the flames on their "a" game should be a 95% win against a team like the avs!!

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by FBI

Neal just needs some speed. He has to be the slowest player I've seen in a really long time. You can't score when you are always seconds behind the play.
Spend the entire summer with speed skating trainers, that's your only hope man. The game is becoming a speed/young mans game.

Honestly, Jagr had better wheels.

[agulati]

I hope Neal works on his skating in the off-season. If he comes back to Calgary and doesn't get traded, he needs to be faster.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Honestly, Jagr had better wheels.

Jagr was slower but skated harder.

[Harry Lime]

Jagr has an unbelievable compete level.
Wheels are secondary.

As for this being a young man's game...
Anyone remember Mike Gartner? The guy was 104 years old when he retired, but was still the fastest in the league, skating on a jetstream of pure will.

[CaptainYooh]

All I can say at this time is Go Flames. Admittedly, I don't have much faith left and I can bitch about quite a few things that went awfully wrong in the past three games, but there's no point. This team owes us all a win tonight. They better win, or every bad prediction about hiring inexperienced/unlucky coach, small/weak roster, lame lack of action at the trade deadline by Tre - all of them would become true and I'd hate that.

My beard came out almost all grey and it makes me look ten years older but I am not shaving until the bitter end. GO FLAMES!

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Goddamn, Yul Brynner was the man.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Jagr was slower but skated harder.

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Jagr has an unbelievable compete level.
Wheels are secondary.

the Jagr we got had declined due to injury... however it was amazing how good on the puck he was... he used his body and frame to shield the puck and still had flashes of that when he wasn't hurt.

very strong on his skates and was able to protect the puck... he adjusted to losing a step by having such strong base

i don't think i've seen Neal do that once...and i was a believer that he could turn it up during the playoffs

[Scroopy Noopers]

Yeah to clarify I by no means meant any slight at Jagr with my comment.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by 868904

I know it may not mean much, but Quine at least has some NHL playoff experience and was apparently really really good in that showing for the Islanders. That's one other reason why I'd like to see him in. Some players just have a knack of showing up in the playoffs, it might be just luck, but it just seems to happen.

Quine was actually really good when he came up the first time. I think he felt he really had a good chance to stick and played with confidence. Then when he got sent down, his confidence probably took a hit and his current stint with the Flames just looked a lot like his Islanders stint and he realized that he is an NHL/AHL tweener.

The thing with Janko that really bothers me is his lack of competitiveness. With his size and shot, I just don't understand how he isn't getting scoring chances. It just doesn't make any sense why he isn't an impact player. He just doesn't seem to want it or he's just complacent being a 3rd line centre.

Good call, Quine's playoff experience had temporarily slipped my mind. I still don't think he was a realistic option to bump one of our centres out.

Jankowski definitely plays more of a finesse style as opposed to a power forward style and that is going to bother a percentage of the fanbase. Some fans want all big, tall guys to be trying to exert themselves physically at every opportunity. Jankowski definitely plays kind of more of that Joe Colborne style, big guy playing a bit of a finesse game. He's a very smart player that uses his long reach very effectively defensively and on the PK to disrupt the puckcarrier. I still think Jankowski has room to grow. I think he can become even stronger and more physical down the line potentially. If he can then his puck protection will become quite impressive and he may be able to leverage that into better playmaking opportunities.

I wouldn't say he has a lack of competitiveness, I would argue that it's his playing style and his skating style that make him look like he's not really trying 100%. I think he still has a chance to grow into that impact NHLer you're looking for. Still a young guy still growing at the NHL level.

[Coach]

JT Compher makes his mom do his laundry.

[red sky]

What is the definition of an impact player?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by red sky

What is the definition of an impact player?

A player who somewhat consistently makes an impact. Janko's not there yet but I can see him developing into that.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

A player who somewhat consistently makes an impact. Janko's not there yet but I can see him developing into that.

Using the same word in your definition doesn't really help

[Angelino]

Very happy to hear James Neal is a healthy scratch!!

[Buff]

Good news everybody! I was BBQing some farmers sausage for lunch and it cause a big flare up in the BBQ. I opened the lid and Flames shot out, so I turned off the propane but the Flames went higher. I think that's a good sign for tonight!