Practice notes Jan 4

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Jore

looks like this franchise will live and die by keeping two players together no matter what

And fail to address the depth on right wing

[Geeoff]

Maybe the Flames have too many middle six caliber players if this is how they want to deploy them. Moves incoming?

[TBone290]

Hockey is back in less than 10 days!!!

[savardandjokinen]

I really don’t mind the lines I’ve seen. It’s tough to move both Lindholm and Bennett to center as you’d have to dislodge a natural center in Monahan, Backlund or Ryan. And personally, I think Ryan is the best 4th line center option as it makes no sense for Bennett to be on that line to start at least. Personally I think one of Lindholm and Bennett is always going to be a winger with no injuries. I’m interested in both in the center position, and I suspect both will see quality time there

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

That looks good

I though Simon and Leivo would be swapped but I like it!

And Lindy to C. I like the idea of trying new things.

That tentatively makes it

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

[Monahammer]

Interesting, no Kylington? Did I miss an injury?

The forward lines right now don't look like they leave much room for Pelletier or Zary to force their way on. Maybe Pelletier could displace Simon? Zary isn't ready yet imo.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Interesting, no Kylington? Did I miss an injury?

The forward lines right now don't look like they leave much room for Pelletier or Zary to force their way on. Maybe Pelletier could displace Simon? Zary isn't ready yet imo.

Kylington will arrive late, quarantining now after immigration related delays

[djsFlames]

Yeah outplaying Simon is likely Pelletier's way in.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Interesting, no Kylington? Did I miss an injury?

Apparently he's delayed by some immigration issues. Hopefully a late arrival at such a truncated training camp does not have a big effect (in what is a huge season for him).

[bax]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Interesting, no Kylington? Did I miss an injury?

The forward lines right now don't look like they leave much room for Pelletier or Zary to force their way on. Maybe Pelletier could displace Simon? Zary isn't ready yet imo.

Kylington is late to camp due to immigration issues.

I don't think the Flames have any intention on rushing Pelletier or Zary- they will want them to get some AHL time in for sure before making the jump.

I really like the idea of Simon with Gaudreau. He's known for winning board battles and getting the puck to Crosby.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by bax

Kylington is late to camp due to immigration issues.

I don't think the Flames have any intention on rushing Pelletier or Zary- they will want them to get some AHL time in for sure before making the jump.

I really like the idea of Simon with Gaudreau. He's known for winning board battles and getting the puck to Crosby.

Maybe but I think this season especially you could really catch lightening in a bottle with a player like Pelletier and give his confidence a huge shot in the arm permanently. They will be much more up to game speed because of the WJC, and Pelletier has had a strong performance there, should already be coming in pretty hot.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

I really don’t mind the lines I’ve seen. It’s tough to move both Lindholm and Bennett to center as you’d have to dislodge a natural center in Monahan, Backlund or Ryan. And personally, I think Ryan is the best 4th line center option as it makes no sense for Bennett to be on that line to start at least. Personally I think one of Lindholm and Bennett is always going to be a winger with no injuries. I’m interested in both in the center position, and I suspect both will see quality time there

I hear you. But I am more concerned about maximizing Bennett than maximizing Ryan. If Bennett can be an effective C, that is more important than Ryan at 4C, IMO.

[boogerz]

I'd really like to see them try a line of:

Mangiapane - Bennett - Dube

Good skating, tenacious, skilled, young, and eager to prove themselves worthy could be a winning combo

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I like the idea of Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm to play against other teams' top lines, getting better matchups for Monahan's line.

It's frustrating that they haven't really tried this combination yet

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by boogerz

I'd really like to see them try a line of:

Mangiapane - Bennett - Dube

Good skating, tenacious, skilled, young, and eager to prove themselves worthy could be a winning combo








It's frustrating that they haven't really tried this combination yet

Agreed. What I would like to see:

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

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I really don't like Dube on the fourth line.

The way I proposed, there really is no 4th line. All lines would get equal time 5on5 (12-14 mn per night). Some players will get extra time on special teams.

I want to keep the Lucic, Bennett, Dube line together as it brings out the best in two underperforming players.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Bennett - Dube should be a pairing. It's obvious from last playoffs they play well together and play a similar style. They both love to drive the net or get pucks to the net, knowing when each other is there. I hope in the next couple of days we see Bennett centering Dube.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Bennett - Dube should be a pairing. It's obvious from last playoffs they play well together and play a similar style. They both love to drive the net or get pucks to the net, knowing when each other is there. I hope in the next couple of days we see Bennett centering Dube.

That would put Ryan on a wing, likely with Backlund, given the training camp groupings. Here are the 6 NHLers on team Iginla

Mangiapane-Backlund-Bennett
Lucic-Ryan-Dube

And remember there is no mixing during camp due to medical constraints

So if they reunite the playoff line:
Lucic - Bennett - Dube
Mangiapane - Backlund - Ryan

If you go with the young guys together,
Mang - Bennett - Dube
That leaves
Lucic - Backlund - Ryan

That last line doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Backlund was as good even strength as Monahan last year. Lindholm had more ES goals but also got more minutes, plus had a lot of those playing on the top line.

As another poster said, the most likely scenario is that one of either Lindholm or Bennett ends up on the wing because they both have done so. However, Ryan is a really smart dependable player and I could see him being fine on W

I see how spreading things out you have 4 lines you can roll, but then it’s getting them the ice time that is the challenge.

Bringing in grinders and trying them on the top 6 may suppress players the Flames should be developing, with upside

[Vinny01]

In your opinion who is more critical that they play him at center

Bennett or Lindholm?

I thought both were effective in their time up the middle last year but I feel it is more critical for Bennett to get that spot. Having said that I want him in the top 9 and don’t really want him buried on the 4th line.

[ComixZone]

With Bennett, I think the biggest need is to just play him with someone else who is tenacious on the forecheck and can play with pace.

Dube delivers that, as does Mangiapane. I'd like to see Bennett at centre, and I think ultimately that is where we'll see him - but Mang-Backs-Benny as an alternate line should be a pretty good line.

Mangiapane - Backlund - Bennett
Mangiapane - Bennett - Dube
Lucic - Bennett - Dube

All look like good options to me, but I would love to see:

Tkachuk - Bennett - Lindholm

Then fill out the rest of the roster with:

Mangiapane - Backlund - Leivo
Gaudreau - Monahan - Dube
Lucic - Ryan - Simon

A really good bonus to the team while icing Lucic - Bennett - Dube was that it also pulled the best hockey we'd seen out of Dube and Lucic (as well as Bennett), that shouldn't be ignored.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

In your opinion who is more critical that they play him at center

Bennett or Lindholm?

I thought both were effective in their time up the middle last year but I feel it is more critical for Bennett to get that spot. Having said that I want him in the top 9 and don’t really want him buried on the 4th line.

Tough call. I agree with you on Bennett, and could really see the team being good with either one on W.

I really liked Bennett at C but also he had consistent and quality linemates. Tough to decouple the influence of factors of position and linemates

Lindholm is good at C, and having said that, had a career year as a winger. Stepped from a mid 40ish point Center to a 78 point winger. That’s in a role where Ferland was a 40 point guy. Marian Hossa had a good career as a defensively strong winger.

Also if Monahan and Lindholm are both C, it bumps Backlund to 3C, and you could make a debate worthy case that he is the best all around C of the 3

I would like to see the Flames get back to the transition game they were playing when the top line was on fire. Mobilize a D man, show them highlights of how quickly they moved the puck, quit deferring to Johnny as puck carrier, and profit.

So yeah, in terms of getting the best mix of the 12 guys, I’d probably want to see the top 9, who will get more minutes, more heavily loaded. It would look a lot like things we saw last year, though.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm (was one of the top lines in the league a year ago)
Tkachuk - Backlund - Mangiapane (Best line down the stretch)
Lucic - Bennett - Dube (best line in the playoffs)
Simon - Ryan - Leivo (solid new guys with very dependable Derek Ryan)
Nordstrom

That is still rock solid to me, just need to figure out why the top line was flat.


But that doesn’t matter. We know from the camp teams that they want to look at Lindholm at C. So with Johnny/Monny and Tkachuk/Lindholm pairings, and no intermixing of groups, they are dedicating the camp time to trying Simon and Leivo as the wingers on those lines.

It pushes Backs to 3C, and doesn’t lend itself to a situation of C for Bennett, much less paired with Dube.

I just fear moving Lindholm to C gets you a big downgrade in the top line wing, pushes your arguably best Center to the third line, leaves Bennett on W, and rewards guys who are ok career players with spots that the Flames should be filling with the guys they developed

So yeah. I guess my opinion is it’s better for the group of 12 to put Bennett at C over Lindholm. My 2 cents.