[GDT] It Begins! Flames @ Jets

[Ryan Coke]

Thanks for the thoughts, I should’ve clarified that assuming Nordstrom is out when Ryan is in, who has been the 4th guy? Has it been Bennett in practice?

Edit: Or since it looks like Nordstrom in for Ryan, either way who the 4th main PKer would be.

[bax]

New gear for Markstrom tonight. Looks much better than the all white in my opinion.

[Magnum PEI]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I expect the Jets to come out absolutely flying. We beat them in the play-in and that memory has to be still fresh for them. So I hope we see an absolute war tonight. GFG!!!

Maurice has been stoking the fire on the incident with Schieffele again this week, and apparently Hellebyuck says he's "still bitter about (losing in the playoffs)".

[sureLoss]

Salim Nadim Valji @salimvalji
No roster changes for the Flames…projected lineup tonight:

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

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov

Markstrom
Rittich

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Thanks for the thoughts, I should’ve clarified that assuming Nordstrom is out when Ryan is in, who has been the 4th guy? Has it been Bennett in practice?

Edit: Or since it looks like Nordstrom in for Ryan, either way who the 4th main PKer would be.

good question.

Simon i would guess.

[Locke]

Its 2021! Shake off the opening night Curse!

[Hells Bells]

I like Leivo with Gaudreau/Monahan much more than Simon.

Now if they could get Ryan on that line with Mangiapane/Backlund, and move Simon with Lucic/Bennett, the lines would be perfect IMO.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Salim Nadim Valji @salimvalji
No roster changes for the Flames…projected lineup tonight:

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

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov

Markstrom
Rittich

I hate that 4th line. Nordstrom should not be in the line-up, Ryan should be.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

It's probably not a bad thing that the Flames start the season with no back to backs until February and a six day break after Monday. Gives them time to get a rhythm going and get a few more practices in with the shortened preseason, as well as tweak what's working and what's not after the first few games. Bodes well for a strong start.

In contrast, the Oilers, Jets and Sens have two back to backs in January, the Leafs and Candiens each have one, and the Canucks have three (and then another on Feb 1-2). The Flames do have a bunch more later on, but I think a good start to the season is going to be far more important this year with the shortened camp and 56 game schedule... and it's usually pretty important.

[bigpete]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

Maurice has been stoking the fire on the incident with Schieffele again this week, and apparently Hellebyuck says he's "still bitter about it".

What a tool. Talking about Maurice.

[Monahammer]

Nordstrom was a guy Boston fans almost universally were sorry to see go. Why not let him have a game with us before deciding he's not fit for the lineup

[Hells Bells]

For the record, I believe Hellebyuck is simply bitter about the loss and his performance.

Nothing to do with Maurice's delusions on Tkachuk as far as I'm aware.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Nordstrom was a guy Boston fans almost universally were sorry to see go. Why not let him have a game with us before deciding he's not fit for the lineup

The problem with that is that Ryan has been in the lineup for the last two years and has been very good. Replacing him with an unknown quantity who has had marginal-to-negative impacts on the game during his career thus far seems like a bad idea.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Hells Bells

For the record, I believe Hellebyuck is simply bitter about the loss and his performance.

Yeah, he said on the Winnipeg news last night that he's bitter about the Flames stealing his chance at winning a Cup is going to use it tonight.

[Nelson]

This is a much better representation of my position on Nordstrom over Ryan:

https://twitter.com/Kent_Wilson/stat...003090433?s=20

If these end up being the lines tonight, preferring Nordstrom over Ryan is silly. Nordstrom is left-handed, has absolutely no offence, and is replacement level or worse at everything at 5on5.

I hope I am wrong.

And I'm excited to see Nordstrom on the PK and cap space accruing as a result of sitting Ryan.

[transplant99]

Oh...i see....fancy stats are the argument.

Sigh.

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Im guessing we see Lowry go after Tkachuk early on as well. Get that whole thing over with.

THis is so stupid. If the moron Lowry goes after Tkachuk then Lucic can go fight Scheiffle, get that thing over with.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by Stanley

One could argue that even with Ryan in the lineup that Ryan is the worst Flames player so really, what's your point?

One could not argue that actually. Ryan is easily one of the Flames best 9 forwards.

Originally Posted by transplant99

Nordstrom doesnt have the offense Ryan does. No debate.

What Nordstrom does bring is elite PK skills. Something the team lost a ton of over the off season when Jankowski and Reider (and Frolik before them) left for greener pastures.

Its an important role to allow the other guys less ice time, there by keeping them fresher for this truncated and compacted season. If this team wants to roll 4 lines somewhat equally, then they need PK "specialists" who can also take a somewhat regular shift. Ryan and Nordstrom will both be required to do this. Otherwise a guy like Dube/Backlund/Bennett will be thrust into that role as well as putting huge minutes on Lindholm.

Nothing about Nordstrom's PK numbers in Boston actually suggest he's an elite PK'er. They just suggest that he's played a lot of PK minutes but that he's likely average at best.

Out of 8 forwards who've played 40+ minutes on the PK in Boston over Nordstrom's 2 seasons there, he ranks:

- 1st in TOI/GP
- 2nd worst in shot attempts against per 60
- 3rd worst in unblocked shot attempts against per 60
- 3rd worst in shots against per 60
- 4th worst in goals against per 60
- 3rd best in expected goals against per 60
- 3rd worst against in scoring chances against per 60
- 2nd best in high danger chances against per 60

Basically, he was good at suppressing high danger chances but overall wasn't that great of a PK'er

[Flamesm]

Is it possible Ryan is nursing an injury of some sort? Maybe he came to camp out of shape? There has to be something else to this as Ryan SHOULD be a mainstay on the fourth line at least.

[EVERLAST]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

This is Awesome. ....game day....everything IS AWESOME.

I hope Maurice remembers to wear his brown pants ....he's gonna need them.