Feb 17 practice. Bartkowski in? Jokipakka, Chiasson, Hathaway out?

[Gaskal]

Bartkowski - Wideman...

[Jason14h]

I'm really starting to wonder whether the lack of feistiness is because of Gulutzan.

The weird thing is during their win streak, they were fighting every game, and sometimes 2 or 3.

[activeStick]

I wasn't able to watch the entire game last game.

How did Brodie look with Engelland? Same occasional mistakes or was he better?

[bax]

Originally Posted by 868904

I'm really starting to wonder whether the lack of feistiness is because of Gulutzan.

• Tkachuk started the year real feisty, but hasn't been that noticeable in this regard lately;
  
• Bennett started the same way and has a history of being super feisty and physical, but hasn't looked that way at all since taking a lot of penalties early in the season;
  
• Hathaway looked great, but like you say, in recent games, really hasn't been that noticeable and sat many games even after having played well.
  

I know both Tkachuck and Bennett took a lot of penalties early which hurt the team, which explains why Gulutzan would want them to "tone things down" a bit, but I find that there really isn't that "#### disturbing" and "feisty" element anymore in the Flames game anymore. I feel like Gulutzan may have told these guys to tone it down too much.



I really don't see Gulutzan as a fit with a Brian Burke type team. He seems to think along the lines of the anti-truculence crowd on this board.

I think this is just being used as another excuse to pile on the coach to be honest. I don't agree with your perception at all.

Tkachuk and Bennett are still playing hard and going to the dirty areas to cause havoc. Tkachuk's goal last game was basically scored while he was standing in the crease. Tkachuk has consistently been involved with scrums and look no further than Bennett getting to the front of the night on Brodie's goal against Philly. Also, Bennett took a dumb penalty giving one too many shots to the back of a player's head by the benches during a line change.

Hathaway has a reckless style that is hard to keep up over the course of a season. Also, he is just coming off an injury which can explain his hesitancy last game.

Last game we had a player ejected for spearing, Bouma chopping Giroux on the hands with little to no time left on the clock, and Ferland throwing down with Bellmare after a large scrum had started. Not to mention multiple players going after Cousins in the first half.

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing what you're seeing.

[Demetric]

I am really liking those FW lines ... here is to them functioning well

[Bonecrushing Hits]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
#Flames lines today:
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik;
Gaudreau-Monahan-Versteeg;
Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer;
Bouma-Stajan-Hamilton

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Alex Chiasson is a notable odd man out as the team runs through forward lines. Hathaway the other extra forward. #Flames

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Bartkowski skating on the third pairing with Wideman today. Sure does look like he’ll be in tomorrow. #Flames

Kristen Odland @Kristen_Odland
Jokipakka is rotating in the pairings which suggests that Bartkowski plays on Saturday vs. the Canucks, his old team.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
#Flames D pairings today:
Giordano-Hamilton;
Brodie-Engelland;
Bartkowski-Wideman.
Jokipakka extra.

Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
That line could be really interesting, if they could find some chemistry that has some potential.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I think the only debate in this is Hamilton vs. Hathaway ... personally, I would rather play Hathaway. As for Wideman, at this point, might as well play our 5+ million dollar dman for the next 2 weeks to see if we can get any value for him at the deadline.

I disagree with this because you are not getting anything for Wideman, he is unmoveable. We are pushing for the playoffs, ice the best roster you can to get there and that means playing anybody else but Wideman.

[Galakanokis]

Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer

I want this line to work out so badly. Would love for all three of these guys to break out together down the stretch. This has the potential to be a tough but skilled line to play against. Could be a great third line.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Bonecrushing Hits

Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
That line could be really interesting, if they could find some chemistry that has some potential.

^Anyone else find it funny that this post was made by 'Bonecrushing Hits'?

[FBI]

Chiasson healthy scratch woot!
Only about 40 games too late but at least we finally got there.

[Erick Estrada]

I'm surprised Bartkowski got in the lineup that quick. I suppose the writing is on the wall for Jokipaka. Remember a few years ago when we and the media used to talk about how strong the Flames were on the back end? This has to be the worst defensive depth since pre-Darryl Sutter days. That 3rd pairing wouldn't crack the other 29 lineups in the NHL.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Bonecrushing Hits

Ferland-Bennett-Brouwer
That line could be really interesting, if they could find some chemistry that has some potential.

It is not lost on me what you're getting at from your username.

[Jetfire]

Darren Haynes:

"Apparently rookie hazing is still an issue in pro sports. Fleet-footed Flames newcomer Matt Bartkowski has been paired with Dennis Wideman."

[Envitro]

Why can't they just sit Wideman? He shouldn't have been playing in half of the games this year. He's been just brutal

[TheScorpion]

For all the hate Jokipakka gets, he's absolutely superior to the Widedog.

[cannon7]

Only way Wideman gets traded is to a team in a bind with the expansion draft (Columbus, Pittsburgh), as a cap dump.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Only way Wideman gets traded is to a team in a bind with the expansion draft (Columbus, Pittsburgh), as a cap dump.

How would that work since he's UFA?

[GreenLantern2814]

Gaudreau-Backlund-Frolik. For ****s sake.

[DionTheDman]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

How would that work since he's UFA?

Clearly we must re-sign Wideman!

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Gaudreau-Backlund-Frolik. For ****s sake.

I don't think so.

This is on Gaudreau now, it's up to him to get it going. He played great with Monahan for the past two years and Monahan is back to his old self, so the excuses are gone.