[GDT] BUFFALO SABRES at CALGARY FLAMES 7:00pm TV: SNW - RADIO SN960

[Flame19,289]

Tonight is the final regular season game against an Eastern Conference opponent.

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by Flaming Homer

Lewis up that high is kinda gross considering the depth we have.

It's pretty balanced to play the game and manage minutes imo.

If you're chasing a goal in the late 3rd, you can rotate Lewis off that line and put Dube back up.

Then you just roll 3 lines from there if needed.

[topfiverecords]

So much improvement to the forward group in one and a half seasons from the musical chairs.

Out: Bennett, Ryan, Nordstrom, Leivo, Simon, Rinaldo, Robinson
In: Toffoli, Coleman, Jarnkrok, Lewis, Richardson

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Is there a little part of you hoping Monahan gets better, finds his touch and helps the team? Or are you so stuck on the I hate Monahan narrative that you're actually hoping against the player?

Lewis ... listening to Sutter I think he feels Lewis is important in the room and on the bench so he has to find him a spot to play. When he's put him on the fourth line they all crater (not Lewis specifically), so up with two dominant two way players he nukes their offence, but gets him a regular shift

Just my opinion.

I mean of course I'd like Monahan to do something, anything to show he deserves to be in this lineup and make the team that much stronger.

Problem is he doesn't. Not only does he not, he drags people down on his line. Crazy how when a winger gets away from him they suddenly look so much better. Lucic, Ritchie, Lewis, Dube, Toffoli, Mangiapaine, Gaudreau.

You would hope your highest paid center and 3rd highest paid player would make a positive impact once in awhile, especially when so sheltered on the 3rd or 4th line with all the offensive zone starts but again, he just doesn't.

It's been 11 games since hes had a point. 25 games since hes scored a goal at even strength. Its pathetic.

Ruzicka has simply outplayed Monahan yet he gets sent down due to cap constraints. You cannot win a Cup with passengers. Monahan has become the ultimate passenger.

[GioforPM]

It’s funny how my “Monahan had a decent night with that line, and is terrible with Lucic and Lewis but I understand why they are putting Jarnkrok there” gets turned into “I think Monahan is awesome”.

[Jore]

Mangiapane should be with Backlund and Coleman, that line was absolutely elite. Dube should be rewarded with one of the better bottom 6 C performances in recent memory. If you absolutely must have Lewis in the lineup, play him on the 4th line.

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Toffoli-Dube-Jarnkrok
Lucic-Monahan-Lewis

[Loudog]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I mean of course I'd like Monahan to do something, anything to show he deserves to be in this lineup and make the team that much stronger.

Problem is he doesn't. Not only does he not, he drags people down on his line. Crazy how when a winger gets away from him they suddenly look so much better. Lucic, Ritchie, Lewis, Dube, Toffoli, Mangiapaine, Gaudreau.

You would hope your highest paid center and 3rd highest paid player would make a positive impact once in awhile, especially when so sheltered on the 3rd or 4th line with all the offensive zone starts but again, he just doesn't.

It's been 11 games since hes had a point. 25 games since hes scored a goal at even strength. Its pathetic.

Ruzicka has simply outplayed Monahan yet he gets sent down due to cap constraints. You cannot win a Cup with passengers. Monahan has become the ultimate passenger.

It's not like he's not trying - I wouldn't call him a passenger. Also it's not like we can waive him.

He's looked much better the last couple weeks - I fully expect him to start chipping in and we may have one of the most deadly 4th lines out there... don't worry, Ruzicka will be back soon enough.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I mean of course I'd like Monahan to do something, anything to show he deserves to be in this lineup and make the team that much stronger.

Problem is he doesn't. Not only does he not, he drags people down on his line. Crazy how when a winger gets away from him they suddenly look so much better. Lucic, Ritchie, Lewis, Dube, Toffoli, Mangiapaine, Gaudreau.

You would hope your highest paid center and 3rd highest paid player would make a positive impact once in awhile, especially when so sheltered on the 3rd or 4th line with all the offensive zone starts but again, he just doesn't.

It's been 11 games since hes had a point. 25 games since hes scored a goal at even strength. Its pathetic.

Ruzicka has simply outplayed Monahan yet he gets sent down due to cap constraints. You cannot win a Cup with passengers. Monahan has become the ultimate passenger.

He didn't draft Mangiapane and Toffoli down at all last night.

I've posted this before but Monahan has played in 7 different line combos for more than 30 minutes this season, and it's clear that there are 4 good combos and 3 bad combos.

Dube-Monahan-Lucic: TOI-107, xGF: 59.9% (Good)
Dube-Monahan-Pitlick: TOI-67, xGF: 59.9% (Good)
Dube-Monahan-Ritchie: TOI-45, xGF: 67.9% (Good)
Mangiapane-Monahan-Coleman: TOI-43, xGF: 56.0% (Good)

Lucic-Monahan-Lewis: TOI-83, xGF: 48.5% (Bad)
Lucic-Monahan-Toffoli: TOI-57, xGF: 37.4% (Bad)
Richardson-Monahan-Lewis: TOI-44, xGF: 31.1% (Bad)

It's very clear that if you play Monahan with two other wingers who are also poor skaters it's going to be ugly. You are playing into his weakness.

Mangiapane-Monahan have actually shown pretty decent chemistry as linemates in limited time but it never seems to last more than a game or two at a time.

TOI: 116
Corsi For: 59.9%
xGF: 56.6%
GF: 61.5% (8 For - 5 Against)

Originally Posted by Jore

Mangiapane should be with Backlund and Coleman, that line was absolutely elite. Dube should be rewarded with one of the better bottom 6 C performances in recent memory. If you absolutely must have Lewis in the lineup, play him on the 4th line.

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Toffoli-Dube-Jarnkrok
Lucic-Monahan-Lewis

Say no to Monahan+Lewis. Hasn't worked, won't ever work.

This linemates spider for Monahan is hilarious. He's above the break even line with pretty much every other combo...except Lewis.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Looks like Jarnkrok will play. Centering Mangi and Toffoli in his Flames debut

https://twitter.com/user/status/1504857720649748480

Sure feels like sutter wants to really lean on backlund's line being the prototypical shutdown 3rd line, and jarnkrok line being the new 2nd line.

I'm intrigued.

[bzoo02]

Originally Posted by Jore

Mangiapane should be with Backlund and Coleman, that line was absolutely elite. Dube should be rewarded with one of the better bottom 6 C performances in recent memory. If you absolutely must have Lewis in the lineup, play him on the 4th line.



Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk

Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman

Toffoli-Dube-Jarnkrok

Lucic-Monahan-Lewis

I feel like Darryl is trying to establish a true shut down line in Coleman-Backlund-Lewis to have them prepped and ready to play tough minutes against top lines come playoffs.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jore

Mangiapane should be with Backlund and Coleman, that line was absolutely elite. Dube should be rewarded with one of the better bottom 6 C performances in recent memory. If you absolutely must have Lewis in the lineup, play him on the 4th line.

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Toffoli-Dube-Jarnkrok
Lucic-Monahan-Lewis

As was said, Monahan and Lewis are just not a good match. But what if you play Monahan between Jarnkrok and Toffoli and if necessary Jarnkrok plays centre (especially on right side draws). Dube and Lucic played well together last game - put Dube in the middle there. Dube seems to thrive on a line with big linemates.

[FusionX]

Originally Posted by Bingo

With a game tomorrow night in Vancouver, I thought we'd see Vladar in this one. You'd think they'd let Markstrom play against his old team.

Playing both?
Waiting to see how much action he faces tonight?

I'm thinking it's mainly cause the Swedish trio want to play together for the first game?

Plus, it's not like the Van game is a must have and Markstrom's played against them a few times already. I think we see Vladar against them tomorrow night.

[direwolf]

Should be an easy win, but for some reason opposing goalies on bottom feeder teams always seem to play well against us. We've got Vancouver tomorrow night on the back-to-back, so I'm hoping for a big lead early so we can just cruise to a win and maybe rest up some of the top guys in the 3rd.

[Jore]

In that case I wonder how Lucic-Dube-Monahan would do. Seems much better to have speed through the middle with two options to playing through instead of speed along the wall, with only 1 option.

[Monahammer]

Why don't we let the guy who's likely to win the jack adams decide what the lines should look like.

[CsInMyBlood]

Again, I would love Sean Monahan to do something, anything that would make this a better team.

IMO Ruzicka would make it better and deserves that spot.

It always seems who ever plays on Monahans line and has any success does it in spite of him being there. His 6 assists in 60 games indicate this is the case.

Anyways enough derailing of this thread with my Monahan concerns, I hope he scores a Moneyhands hat-trick tonight and you can all tell me how wrong I am.

[sa226]

With the addition of 2 righties, I don't see too many line combos outside of the first line with a player playing on his off wing. Unless necessary. I think that's a small part of the reason that Lewis is playing with Backlund and Coleman.

[Cheese]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1504885404964589570

https://twitter.com/user/status/1504881816729137154

[D as in David]

He doesn't have the greatest face-off percentages (under 50% since 2018/19 when he was at 50.15) but I'm not sure how many he has taken. That is certainly a factor that matters to Darryl.

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18