Practice notes Jan 15

[Sandman]

Tkachuk will be riding shotgun with Gio.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by AC

LOL. The post-loss hysteria is legitimately hilarious.

Is it post loss hysteria in this case?

People didn’t like that Nordstrom was in the lineup and that Bennett was centering Lucic and Nordstrom going into yesterday’s game.

And then a lot of those concerns were proven to be justified with how poorly they performed as a line, only for Bennett to then look great with Backlund and Mangiapane.

I think the negative feedback around the lines being the same is actually fair in this circumstance. There was nothing that showed last night or in the warmup games that Lucic-Bennett-Nordstrom would be an effective line, and running them out there again just seems foolish.

It’s a short season and you can’t get off to a slow start. If a line performs as poorly as that trio did last night with no real sign of a positive then you should probably switch it up.

[AC]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Is it post loss hysteria in this case?

People didn’t like that Nordstrom was in the lineup and that Bennett was centering Lucic and Nordstrom going into yesterday’s game.

And then a lot of those concerns were justified with how poorly they performed as a line, only for Bennett to then look great with Backlund and Mangiapane.

I think the negative feedback around the lines being the same is actually fair in this circumstance. There was nothing that showed last night or in the warmup games that Lucic-Bennett-Nordstrom would be an effective line.

No, that is all fair IMO. General questioning about roster decisions to maximize effectiveness is all valid.

It's the extreme reactions after losing the first game, such as: "Can't expect too much from a rookie head coach first full season, another season wasted."

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Is it post loss hysteria in this case?

People didn’t like that Nordstrom was in the lineup and that Bennett was centering Lucic and Nordstrom going into yesterday’s game.

And then a lot of those concerns were proven to be justified with how poorly they performed as a line, only for Bennett to then look great with Backlund and Mangiapane.

I think the negative feedback around the lines being the same is actually fair in this circumstance. There was nothing that showed last night or in the warmup games that Lucic-Bennett-Nordstrom would be an effective line, and running them out there again just seems foolish.

It’s a short season and you can’t get off to a slow start. If a line performs as poorly as that trio did last night with no real sign of a positive then you should probably switch it up.

It's crazy how some people love to exaggerate Bennetts game.

He looked "great" after being put w Backlund? No he didn't. What did he do again?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

If i were trying to roll 4 deep lines

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

Is what I would do. Why not give it a shot? That first line played well in intrasquad, that fourth line played well in the playoffs, and Leivo gets another shot to prove he could be an alright secondary scorer. If not, you can adjust

Until we have three guys you absolutely can't break up and are arguably the top line we shouldn't be using the word deep anywhere near this team yet.

Dube or Mangiapane might be that third guy, to Tkachuk and Lindholm who I put as #1 and #2 right now.

Leivo and Simon may just turn out to be guys who get some time here and amount to nothing for us, leaving us looking for replacements sooner or later.

[danny darko]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And Tkachuk eating popcorn? That's some 4 dimensional chess right there!

Tkachuk will dress as Markstrom à la Mighty Ducks 2 to score an epic late game goal against Team Iceland...or Vancouver... Who ever we play next.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Did they take nothing away from last night?

When the flames change lines too quickly we complain of players not getting a chance...when they don't change, we complain that they stay together. When they win, we complain about Bennett not at center. When they lose we complain about not changing enough. And all of that is OK! I love being a fan 😀

[mile]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

It's crazy how some people love to exaggerate Bennetts game.

He looked "great" after being put w Backlund? No he didn't. What did he do again?

I’m guessing you checked out after the second period.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

It's crazy how some people love to exaggerate Bennetts game.

He looked "great" after being put w Backlund? No he didn't. What did he do again?

Agreed, great would suggest he scored a goal or two

He generated a couple chances he didn't finish. I would give him another chance there but zero points is a low bar for great.

[N26]

I would like Hanifin-Andersson as the top pair and Gio-Tanev as the 1B.

I want Tanev there to protect Gio's offense forays and for the two of them to be a physical shutdown pair when needed.

Still that doesn't plan for the obvious ascendancy of Välimäki.

[Groot]

I think the Flames have better depth then years past, but with Lucic looking like hot garbage, and Bennett deserving better then 4th line duty, we should rely on our depth when it comes to injuries, not worrying about rolling 4 lines in the game.

Tkachuk, Lindholm, Dube, Gaudreau, Monahan, Mangiapane, Backlund, Bennett belong in the top 9. Then have Simon or Leivo fill in where needed on the RW. Roll 3 lines equally 5v5. Keep Ryan as 4th line centre with PK duties and limited 5v5. Stick Lucic in the press box if he looks like he did last night, or he can find his legs on the taxi squad.

Also saw that Kent Wilson tweeted Monahan and Gaudreau had the lowest zone start % yesterday, with just 33% Ozone starts. Thats ridiculous and they need to be starting in the Ozone way more. Let our better defensive lines in Lindholm's and Backlund's start in the Dzone more, ideally Backlund.

[TheScorpion]

Lucic had an atrocious game but I have a feeling he's going to look good tomorrow against the Canucks. Just a hunch. He's a guy who'll be motivated after such a bad showing.

[djsFlames]

We know Lucic can be a solid cycler, passer and make the odd contribution when he's on, but it took a few months for him to get his legs last year, and depending on where's he's at fitness-wise, it may be the same case this time around.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Derek Wills @Fan960Wills
#Flames lines and pairings at practice:

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

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov
Mackey-Kylington

Markstrom
Rittich

This organization. What are they smoking?

They pick up a useless Chris Stewart at the tail end of his career, dress him the first game with 13 and 23

They promote Buddy Robinson, who is not a NHLer, and he miraculously gets a look on their line in his 5 game stint. Nice story as he is buddies with Johnny, and he got that goal where Johnny set him up. Then says thanks by dumping the puck in the corner for Johnny to chase.

And now Josh Leivo, who is at the age where players peak, 27 years of age, with 169 games spread across 8 seasons, and only cracked the roster as a regular last year because he was on a rebuilding Canucks team - they immediately slot him with 13 and 23

For all they talk about being able to do it, coaches really don’t often roll 4 lines. Night to night, they often figure out who is going, make tweaks and the flat guys sit more.

So it baffles me. I had this concern when camp started, and what we saw on ice game 1 agreed with the reasoning.

Why put a bottom 6 / replacement level guy, non impact player, with your stars? With the guys who are the engine of the team. The ‘as they go, so goes the team’ guys.

Is it an issue of ‘smartest guy in the room’, seeing something we don’t? Or hope being a strategy?

Slotted properly, I could like Leivo. I really have my doubts that he is slotted well right now. I hope he proves me wrong

[Northendzone]

I assume that this question has already been asked, but did today’s practice include any drills to help Milan Lucic not put the puck in front of his own net?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Slotted properly, I could like Leivo. I really have my doubts that he is slotted well right now. I hope he proves me wrong

Who should be in his place?

[djsFlames]

Simon. The guy that's been slotted with star players recently and already looked good with them at camp.

[Iceman57]

I've been saying it in most of these practice threads but now I've resorted to begging, please for the love of Lucifer separate Monahan & Gaudreau!!! Doing this should allow each of them to find their game again, it will force them not to rely on the same old tired plays which simply are not working 5 on 5. I know it's the first game in a pandemic season but Monahan really did not look engaged at all last night.


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

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Nesterov

[868904]

Originally Posted by NewFan

According to today's practice, yesterday's game was exactly what Ward wants to play this team. Anyway I wish our coach can explore and can use his players according their strength and chemistry. Not force them what he wants them to play. It's OK to experiment at the beginning of the season and find chemistry. Hopefully he can found it soon.
Now other teams found out how to play against #13 and #23. Against them nobody plays to steal the puck, just play close and body check, hit, push, slash, and they are ineffective. So in my opinion Johnny and Monahan need somebody who can create space for them or somebody fast who can play give and go rushing game.
So I would try Tkachuk or Bennett for creating space or Simon, Dube even Ryan/Mangi for real fast 1-two-pass skate and shoot play.

To be fair, the Flames looked like contenders in the first. The question is, are the Flames capable of being that good for 60 minutes and were the Jets just really bad in the first?

I’ve wanted a top tier coach since Daryl left but in this case, I understand why Ward would give these lines another chance.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Double post