April 14 Practice - Ramo & Byron on the ice. Monahan leaves practice early...

[sureLoss]

Wes Gilbertson @SUNGilbertson
#Flames top prospect Sam Bennett on his status for Game 1: “All Bob said was just, 'Be ready.' I guess I'm expecting to find out tomorrow.”

[868904]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Maybe they'll be the fourth line??!!!!?? After all, every lineup decision will be made at game time!!!!

I would pay good money to see Theo wipe the ice with Burrows and you know he would too.

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

It all adds up!

Oh no!!! Here we go again with the # 23 thingeee!

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by hixxes

Apologies if its been pointed out already, but during the celebration at the end of the Kings game it looked to me that Monahan was in pain. He's hunched over for a moment and for the brief second his face is shown he appears to be in agony. Or he could have just been tired. At the time I thought he might have been winded in the celebration.

Seriously do we need to help the other team figure out which one of our players might be is injured?

[skudr248]

I wouldn't sleep at all tonight heading into my first Playoff game.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Monahan is likely sick, my guess anyway

Mine too. Likely wanted to give practice a go, started feeling crappy after skating a few minutes, then he and Hartley decided it was better to rest more instead of exerting himself too much and making things worse

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Wes Gilbertson @SUNGilbertson
#Flames top prospect Sam Bennett on his status for Game 1: “All Bob said was just, 'Be ready.' I guess I'm expecting to find out tomorrow.”

If Hartley does plan on using Bennett, you'd think we'd know by game 2. Getting thrown into the playoffs after a single NHL game is big enough, but if game 3 were his first appearance in front of a Saddledome crowd going nuts it might be too overwhelming

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Anyone who thinks it's mind games, do you honestly believe the Canucks care at all what the Flames do at practice today? They're trying to get themselves ready, they're not worried about Hartley or his line combinations or who's starting.

There are two explanations for Monahan leaving.

1. He is hurt badly enough that he couldn't or didn't want to continue; or
2. He was fine to continue but they're giving him some extra time for maintenance just to be safe.

Either is plausible. My guess is he's playing tomorrow but not at 100%.

Part of them getting ready is to delegate game assignments for their players tomorrow. Coaching, especially in the playoffs isn't as simple as motivation... You can bet that they are discussing specifics and looking for weaknesses in the opposition and how to capitalize on them.

In the social media age, it gets more and more difficult to hide things, but it's also a good way to spread misinformation. Hartley has punked the media in the past: http://flamesnation.ca/2015/3/2/flam...on-speculation

I think it's fair to say that Monahan would be better off practicing than being part of ploy, and that could very well be the case in this sitaution. I'm not a professional athlete and can't say what difference one practice would make or what the advantage trade-off would be to screw with the Canucks, but I think you are wrong to think that the Canucks didn't pay attention when Monahan left practice or that a coach might purposely screw with the other team like that in some situations.

[corporatejay]

I think he's banged up, like many at this point in the season, and is taking as much time off between games (nearly a week) to rest so he is as close to 100% as possible.

[heep223]

Part of me wonders if Hartley is trolling everyone, in addition to Monahan needing some rest. Because this sure takes pre-game pressure off of Gaudreau and Bennett, when everyone is asking and talking about Monahan.

Or maybe I am reading way too much into this.

Man just savour this. I am giddy with excitement.

[CroFlames]

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?...id=DL|CGY|home

Monahan is ready to go:

Sean Monahan’s 10-minute twirl with teammates at practice Tuesday was by design.
There’s no cause for alarm with the 20-year-old.

EDIT: SureLoss got SureLoss'd

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You do realize that both Colborne and Raymond have way better scoring numbers than Byron (who I like a lot). Obviously not all playing with Backlund, but still, tough to say even Raymond, who has an identical number of games to Byron, but double the goals and more points as well, doesn't know how to finish as well as Byron.

Its obvious you have to defend Raymond at any chance but have you not noticed that Mason and Colborne with Backlund has not clicked at all? Put your love of Mayray on the back burner for the moment.

Byron does things away from the puck that Raymond can't come close to, especially retrieving it. Makes a HUGE difference.

Raymond is the guy I'm sitting if you're going to play Bennett. If Byron is ready I would put him on Backlunds wing.

Bennett-Backlund-Byron sounds like an awesome line to me, glad Hartley is seriously thinking about going with it.

[heep223]

double post

[saillias]

Man we need Diaz back. Potter is already in Brennan Evans territory and we haven't even played a game yet.

[DoubleF]

So do the Canucks target Byron if he plays? Or just play a disciplined system? BBB could make for a very interesting pest line.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/D...590/story.html

[skudr248]

Hey who is ecstatic that Raymond has a good probability of not playing tomorrow?

I SURE AM. He is softer than warm butter

[dammage79]

I was pondering if the concern for playing Bennett is not that he cannot play but he may be a little too aggressive and take a few untimely penalties?

Could be an issue with how the Canucks PP is so dangerous and the lead PK forward is out with an apparent broken hand.

[EldrickOnIce]

Ha at the BBB talk.
Yes, when Colborne centres the top line - that will be great.
I don't think this is what any of us want...

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

So do the Canucks target Byron if he plays? Or just play a disciplined system? BBB could make for a very interesting pest line.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/D...590/story.html

The Better Bobnesss Bureau

[saillias]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

So do the Canucks target Byron if he plays? Or just play a disciplined system? BBB could make for a very interesting pest line.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/D...590/story.html

Hah, we can only hope they waste their energy targeting Byron. It's kinda tough to demand a 5'7" player "answers the bell" anyway... I didn't even remember the hit or understand why they would target him until seeing the date of the article. The end of last regular season? Are Canuck fans actually talking about this?