[News] Flames recall Adam Ruzicka

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I can't see Sutter taking any of Lewi, Lucic or Richardson out for Saturday after praising them after the Chicago win.

Guessing Ruzicka is munching pop corn.

Exactly.

Sutter: "these guys have championship experience - they're leaders in how they do their jobs"...

"hey Richardson, I'm going to sub you out for a guy from the farm tonight, okay?"

[Heavy Jack]

I could see Pitlick sit for a game although he has been checking well. He can be hard on the puck but has mediocre skills when trying to handle it.

[cowtown75]

He's playing really well in Stockton. Good for him.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

I could see Pitlick sit for a game although he has been checking well. He can be hard on the puck but has mediocre skills when trying to handle it.

Agreed. I haven't been overwhelmed with his effectiveness when he has the puck on his stick.

[agulati]

I don’t see him drawing in for the Friday game at least. Let him skate/practice with them.

As others have said, the 4 th line has looked good, so why mess with that. I can see him potentially stepping in if a player is given an off day

[FlamesAddiction]

I wonder if Treliving is considering some roster tweaks, but wants to see what we have on the backburner before making any trades. Bring him up and let the coaches assess him before making any trades.

[442scotty]

The third line needs a serious skill injection. Pretty sure they could give him a shot there without hurting team chemistry

[Canada 02]

according to Tre, Ritchie is still week to week

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

The third line needs a serious skill injection. Pretty sure they could give him a shot there without hurting team chemistry

If changing one player on the end of the roster destroys team chemistry, this team is not going anywhere.

Give him a shot. That's how we develop young players.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I dig a Ruzicka - Monahan - Dube line

[Macho0978]

Considering Pitlick made a nice pass to set up the Hawks first goal the other night I could see him out Ruzicka in.

No way Sutter messes with the 4th line. They played a lot against Kane and played very well. They are looking like a great 4th line right now

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

Considering Pitlick made a nice pass to set up the Hawks first goal the other night I could see him out Ruzicka in.

No way Sutter messes with the 4th line. They played a lot against Kane and played very well. They are looking like a great 4th line right now

Sutter doesn’t work that way. He scratches guys for not playing the right way (in his opinion), not for a bad pass (actually the puck was knocked off his stick) or other individual mistakes.

[GranteedEV]

I like Ruzicka, but I'd like to see more of that delicious Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips line from game 82 last year a lot more than the inevitable traditional 4th line we'll get even if Ruzicka does get into a game.

[Moneyhands23]

He had a great response after being sent down. Hopefully he gets a good chance and adds that skill and size to the line up!

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I like Ruzicka, but I'd like to see more of that delicious Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips line from game 82 last year a lot more than the inevitable traditional 4th line we'll get even if Ruzicka does get into a game.

We have a 4th line that has played with incredible passion and given Sutter the ability to roll four lines consistently because they are playing heavy minutes sometimes against top lines like against Kane when we played Chicago. I can’t see Sutter separating Lucic - Richardson - Lewis at this point they’ve been an incredible line and embody all the aspects of what makes a great 4th line.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

We have a 4th line that has played with incredible passion and given Sutter the ability to roll four lines consistently because they are playing heavy minutes sometimes against top lines like against Kane when we played Chicago. I can’t see Sutter separating Lucic - Richardson - Lewis at this point they’ve been an incredible line and embody all the aspects of what makes a great 4th line.

What Sutter has done that all coaches (IMO) since him have failed to do is build the 4th line with intention. They all have clear roles and they know exactly what they need to do to be successful.

IMO, previous coaching staffs have made the 4th line more of a leftover line, with guys pining to climb up the lineup and not accepting that they're not in some sort of scoring role. There's less skill with this group, but the minutes are more meaningful because there's a level of responsibility the team hasn't had since (dating myself) Stephane Yelle and co.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

We have a 4th line that has played with incredible passion and given Sutter the ability to roll four lines consistently because they are playing heavy minutes sometimes against top lines like against Kane when we played Chicago. I can’t see Sutter separating Lucic - Richardson - Lewis at this point they’ve been an incredible line and embody all the aspects of what makes a great 4th line.

I'm not sure I saw it that way (that Sutter wanted that line out there against Kane to play heavy minutes). I saw it more as the Blackhawks targeting the Richardson line with the Kane line because it was getting them a ton of offensive zone time.

I liked the result last game, and I'm not criticizing them because they obviously won/tied the "goals" part of the matchup by being defensively sound enough and getting strong goaltending, but it didn't seem like the strategy was intentionally to have that line out there against Kane.

Anyways, I'm not saying we need to split up Lucic-Richardson-Lewis right now. I'm saying that if Ruzicka gets in a game, it'll probably happen in Richardson's place at some point, and I'd rather just see the full Lucic-Ruzicka-Phillips line again at some point than hope Lucic-Ruzicka-Lewis work

[Knut]

A reward for solid play could be all it is as well. Come up, make more money, practice with the big team. 3 days off so some NHL coaching in there too. Watch a game in the press-box with a coach as well.

Could be an opportunity for learning.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Ruzicka's been using his size more to be physically dominating in the AHL this season (from what I've heard). A few days practising with Looch and the grumpy old guys as their apprentice would be instructive for the kid. Intensity was always the knock against him.

[Matata]

Ruzicka is consistently playing at a high level in the AHL for the first time in his career, I don't think he should play or stay long because he's always been a fragile prospect and he needs to keep that up, but no reason for him not to do some NHL practices and get some NHL pay.