Practice notes Jan 4

[indes]

I still want to see:

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

That top 9 looks very dangerous to me

[Hockey-and_stuff]

It would be nice for once to have all our best scoring threats on a single line, just to see it, or even to build a little chemistry.

During the Blackhawks period they would often keep Toews and Kane apart, unless they needed a goal when they were thrust together and it often worked.

[Strange Brew]

Man it's awesome to read people's thoughts on actual hockey about to be played. Looking forward to the season.

I tend to not get too into line combinations. They change so much. And if the club insists on keeping Monagan and Gaudreau together, there are really only so many directions you can go.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

It would be nice for once to have all our best scoring threats on a single line, just to see it, or even to build a little chemistry.

During the Blackhawks period they would often keep Toews and Kane apart, unless they needed a goal when they were thrust together and it often worked.

The biggest issue is I don’t think Tkachuk likes RW much, and neither does Johnny.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by indes

I still want to see:

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

That top 9 looks very dangerous to me

Gaudreau/Lindholm/Monahan
Tkachuk/Backlund/Leivo
Dube/Bennett/Mangi
Lucic/Ryan/Simon

I like keeping the first three together but switching Mony and Lindholm. I think Lindy is the better C while Mony can get off faster wristers and one timers on RW. That 3rd line would be amazing.

[Flames1217]

I don't really like Simon in the top 6(like most posters).

The media keep on bringing up the Crosby linemate connection but are forgetting something very important, Crosby plays well with grinders. Players like Kunitz, Dupuis, Rust, Simon, Sheary etc have all been elevated by a significant margin. Crosby just plays well with this type of player.

The comparison also being brought up with Simon and Ferland but then again I don't think this is a good comparison. One of the reasons why Ferland was so effective with Johnny and Monny was that he was very skilled. Ferland had a wicked wrister and had good hands in tight. Simon is more comparable to Curtis Lazar or Blake Comeau. Simon has very good north south speed and has stone hands. Gaudreau cannot hang onto the puck like Crosby and Simon will not have enough time to plant himself in front of the net. Johnny and Monny are off the rush scorers, they score in transition. Simon will not nearly be as effective with them than he was in the past. I understand that he could help in retrieving pucks in the corners but once again this didn't stop Lindholm from being very effective will the duo in the past.

Obviously Lindholm is very effective with them but I also believe that Dube, Leivo or Mangiapane would be far better options than Simon.

If it were up to me I would run with this:

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

I went back and forth alot of which of Bennett, Dube and Mangiapane would be better for the first line. I think having Bennett simply protects the others a bit better.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Well I know what you're hoping for!

The Calgary Flames to ice the best team possible and win as many games as possible?

It's certainly possible, but given the fact that he's lining up to start the season with Backlund to start camp clearly the Flames and Ward don't agree with you.

He certainly complimented Lucic and Dube in the playoffs last year, and had a solid start to his career with Backlund when he was a rookie.

Did he, or did Dube drive that line? I think Dube stirred the drink, which is also why I think he ends up playing up the lineup. Dare I say he plays with Monahan and Gaudreau and makes that a tough line for the opposition to deal with? Would be a damn good line. Then Tkachuk, Lindholm, and Leivo. Then Mangipane, Backlund, and Simon. Then you fill in the 4th line with the left-overs.

So lets see right? Clearly the team sees him in the top nine to start the season which speaks volumes in my mind.

Says they are going to give him a chance to see which Sam Bennett shows up? If "Playoff Sam" doesn't show, then there are all sorts of options to fill in the slots. But you have to give him a chance to prove that the playoffs were not a fluke and that regular season after regular season is not the norm. Sadly, the larger body of work indicates the most likely outcome. I would think a "counting guy" would see that?

If not ... I'll be happy Calgary has more depth options to fill in the top three lines.

Me too. I just hope they don't #### around and waste time to see the obvious. In a 56 game schedule, they can't afford to piss away a number of opportunities to see if a guy has finally figured out if he can play during the regular season. If a guy isn't cutting it, make appropriate changes.

[TheChief]

I talked to a friend who is a hardcore Pens fan. He said simon will be useless on the fourth line.


Its top 6 or bust in his opinion. Sounds like a guy that could come up and fit in and produce in the top 6 ala Jamie Lundmark.


He is fairly in tune with the flames and said he would out perform bennett for a 10 game sample size.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

I don't really like Simon in the top 6(like most posters).

The media keep on bringing up the Crosby linemate connection but are forgetting something very important, Crosby plays well with grinders. Players like Kunitz, Dupuis, Rust, Simon, Sheary etc have all been elevated by a significant margin. Crosby just plays well with this type of player.

The comparison also being brought up with Simon and Ferland but then again I don't think this is a good comparison. One of the reasons why Ferland was so effective with Johnny and Monny was that he was very skilled. Ferland had a wicked wrister and had good hands in tight. Simon is more comparable to Curtis Lazar or Blake Comeau. Simon has very good north south speed and has stone hands. Gaudreau cannot hang onto the puck like Crosby and Simon will not have enough time to plant himself in front of the net. Johnny and Monny are off the rush scorers, they score in transition. Simon will not nearly be as effective with them than he was in the past. I understand that he could help in retrieving pucks in the corners but once again this didn't stop Lindholm from being very effective will the duo in the past.

Obviously Lindholm is very effective with them but I also believe that Dube, Leivo or Mangiapane would be far better options than Simon.

If it were up to me I would run with this:

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

I went back and forth alot of which of Bennett, Dube and Mangiapane would be better for the first line. I think having Bennett simply protects the others a bit better.

While Simon definitely doesn't have the greatest shot and won't be counted on much to put the puck in the back of the net, he is one of the better passers in the NHL, ranking in the 93rd percentile last season and the 86th percentile over the last 3 seasons since he's been in the league when it comes to shot-assists.

He's also proven to be very effective at controlled entries and exits, while not being a liability defensively.

I definitely wouldn't mind seeing other players (Mangiapane, Dube, or Bennett) with Gaudreau and Monahan, but Simon is someone that can be trusted with the puck on his stick and find his teammates for great looks.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Ward mentioned that the camp groups were deliberate. It seems one group has more of what last year would be considered top guys or skill guys.

The other group is skilled as well but I see more gritty hard nosed guys too. I wonder if the scrimmages are intended to put those skill guys under some heat. To get them exposed to more heavy opponents to make them have to play more simple.

Could be wrong but it interested me.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

While Simon definitely doesn't have the greatest shot and won't be counted on much to put the puck in the back of the net, he is one of the better passers in the NHL, ranking in the 93rd percentile last season and the 86th percentile over the last 3 seasons since he's been in the league when it comes to shot-assists.

He's also proven to be very effective at controlled entries and exits, while not being a liability defensively.

I definitely wouldn't mind seeing other players (Mangiapane, Dube, or Bennett) with Gaudreau and Monahan, but Simon is someone that can be trusted with the puck on his stick and find his teammates for great looks.

He’s also a puck-hound. Second on the Pens in takeaways after Malkin.

[FranksandBean]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

When do the Flames plan to get the NHL team on the ice at the same time and the same unit?

The Canucks and Oilers like the Flames have divided the players into two equal groups like a regular training camp to give the fringe players a chance to be on the ice with some of the top 22 roster players.

The Leafs, Canadiens and the Jets have come out on day one with an AHL group and an NHL group.

I could not find how Ottawa was running their training camps.

What is the best way to get ready?

In a normal season the NHL team gets together for the last 2 exhibition games which is about a week before the regular season starts.

9 days until the puck drops for real for the Flames in Winnipeg. In a regular year they would have sent most of the training camp roster down to Stockton by this Wednesday and the NHL team would be extremely close to regular season lines, pairings and practices.

Seems like this is split down the lines of where the AHL squad plays, Canada or the USA.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

New Era making an anti-Bennett post and keenan87 thanking it.

2021, you sly dog, you're just 2020 in clever disguise.

You have to love the fans that bring out the pitchforks for players before the first puck has even dropped on the season. I will never, ever understand this mindset. Any fan that truly wants the Flames to succeed this season would not be rooting against Bennett.

[Iceman57]

If Monahan & Gaudreau start the season on the same line i will be thoroughly disappointed, my only ask is Monny gets at least ten games to start the season on his own to truly find his game again and start acting like the #1 center I personally feel he can be


M.Tkachuk ~ S.Monahan ~ D.Simon
J.Gaudreau ~ E.Lindholm ~ D.Dube
S.Bennett ~ M.Backlund ~ A.Mangiapane
M.Lucic ~ D.Ryan ~ J.Leivo

ex.Joakim Nordstrom
ex.Zac Rinaldo


M.Giordano ~ C.Tanev
N.Hanifin ~ R.Andersson
J.Valimaki ~ N.Nesterov

ex.Oliver Kylington

Jacob Markstrom
David Rittich

[Robbob]

I wouldn't go that far. If Monahan and Gaudreau start the season and are effective (2018 version) then ride the wave. Otherwise, tinker away.

[Iceman57]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I wouldn't go that far. If Monahan and Gaudreau start the season and are effective (2018 version) then ride the wave. Otherwise, tinker away.

Why hope for past results when we've already seen it not work during the season or in the playoffs the previous two seasons? I personally don't see the need for Monahan to start with JG and begin the season with those bad habits, pair him with Tkachuk who should pull him into the fire during a game and have him heat up that way. If it doesn't work then one can argue they could go back to that tired formula, at least that's how i see it.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Bingo

None of them get to 20 minutes five on five which was the point.

If you have three skilled duos they likely get 12 12 and 12, leaving about 10 for the fourth line.

The other 14 minutes give 7 minutes to the powerplay guys and 7 to the PK, which gets some players closer to 20.

Come on, Bingo. That’s frankly kind of lazy. Flames ES TOI last year ranged from almost 16 min for Gaudreau to 8 minutes for 4th liners. It’s not generally that for the top 9

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/team...nhl-stats.html

[Weitz]

Stars cancel practice today due to COVID. First issue with the nhl coming back. (Sorry didn’t know where else to post).

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Come on, Bingo. That’s frankly kind of lazy. Flames ES TOI last year ranged from almost 16 min for Gaudreau to 8 minutes for 4th liners. It’s not generally that for the top 9

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/team...nhl-stats.html

Lazy? That's somewhat harsh and misguided.

I wasn't looking at last year's ice time, I was suggesting how it would look if you roughly rolled the lines and then had key players getting the rest of their time in special teams.

You basically did the research for me though ... Gaudreau wasn't getting 20 minutes of five on five, he was topped up with PP time which is exactly what I said.

If you have a weak bottom six you roll out the top two lines more at five on five. If you have depth you certainly have the option of building three very strong lines, or balance out four.