Oct 15 Practice Notes - Monahan and Backlund day to day

[sureLoss]

Derek Wills @Fan960Wills
#Flames Bill Peters just told us that Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan are both day-to-day. Head coach “hopes” his top two centremen will play on Wednesday.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Monahan and Backlund both had maintenance days.

Monahan related to the shot he blocked on Saturday. Coach Peters says he hopes he’ll be able to play Wednesday but can’t say for sure. #Flames

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Derek Wills @Fan960Wills
now
#Flames lines and pairings at practice (without Monahan and Backlund):

Gaudreau-Jankowski-Lindholm
Bennett-Ryan-Neal
Tkachuk-Peluso-Frolik
Hathaway-Dube-Czarnik

Giordano-Brodie
Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Stone
Prout

Smith (in starter’s net)
Rittich

I really think Rittich earned the next start.

[David Struch]

This brings an interesting question, who are the temporary call-ups?
(not long term, Mangiapane & Foo)

Maybe we see a Graovac, Quine, Klimchuk, Lazar, Rychel, Robinson or Lomberg, as they have all played in the NHL at some point before.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Derek Wills @Fan960Wills
#Flames Bill Peters just told us that Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan are both day-to-day. Head coach “hopes” his top two centremen will play on Wednesday.

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Monahan and Backlund both had maintenance days.

Monahan related to the shot he blocked on Saturday. Coach Peters says he hopes he’ll be able to play Wednesday but can’t say for sure. #Flames

Judging by Peter's approach to sharing injury news so far, it sounds like they will both go on Wednesday.
Given that both players finished the game on Saturday, I'd say it's almost 100% likely.

[savardandjokinen]

Peluso 3rd line centre haha

[sureLoss]

Jermain Franklin @TSNJFranklin
Backlund left practice early because of soreness. It isn't believed to be serious. #Flames

[Shazam]

Fan960 said today was a day off. Guess not.

[heep223]

You take your boot off after a shot block like that, and it immediately puffs up. Wouldn’t be surprised if he can’t even get his foot into a skate right now. On the other hand unless there’s a break, it goes away pretty fast.

[The Boy Wonder]

Not too concerned about line combos on a monday before a wednesday game.

If I'm the coach I use practices like this one to get guys time with others taht they wouldn't normally play with so that it creates more familiarity amongst the group.

That said, I think the Bennett, Tkachuk, Gaudreau LW depth is incredible and is going to give the flames a pretty huge advantage when we look at teams where their Right D is kinda weak.

but longer term I wonder if there is any desire to continue converting one or two of them to be comfortable on the off-side to allow for greater flexibility.

[GioforPM]

I didn't see what happened to Backlund.

[pepper24]

Our RW depth is just as deep. Lindholm, Neal, Czarnik, Frolik.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

I really think Rittich earned the next start.

I think the coaches should stick to the plan.

Rittich most definitely earned another start, and very soon. But its a long season and the key to success with the goaltending tandem the Flames have is to pace them. I don't like the idea of Smith sitting for more than five days, and after Rittich's strong performance I would also think he feels like he has got something to prove.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Bennett - Backlund - Neal
Tkachuk - Ryan - Frolik

I'd rather see "Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal" but I have no strong objection to these lines. Backlund tends to push play in the right direction regardless of who runs with him so putting him with a couple of guys with loud tools might really pay off and I'd buy Ryan as a guy who can compliment Tkachuk & Frolik in a similar (if inferior) way as Backlund did as part of 3M.

Dube-Jankowski-Czarnik stikes me as a very capable 4th line.

[Textcritic]

It didn't get a tonne of coverage post-game on Saturday, but I am curious to know from others thoughts about the new defense pairings.

I thought Stone and Valimaki were both REALLY good, and Hanifin was very steady. Andersson looked out of his element at first, but I also really liked how he settled in. He is a very smart player.

I much prefer having the rookies on separate pairings, and I also thought it was better to have Andersson with the very strong-skating Hanifin.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Andersson looked out of his element at first, but I also really liked how he settled in. He is a very smart player.

Well Peters had Andersson out there in the final minute of a tie game so I'd wager that he liked what he saw. As of right now I'd probably put money on Andersson staying with the big club once Hamonic is good to go.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It didn't get a tonne of coverage post-game on Saturday, but I am curious to know from others thoughts about the new defense pairings.

I thought Stone and Valimaki were both REALLY good, and Hanifin was very steady. Andersson looked out of his element at first, but I also really liked how he settled in. He is a very smart player.

I much prefer having the rookies on separate pairings, and I also thought it was better to have Andersson with the very strong-skating Hanifin.

I thought Stone looked the best he has as a Flame. I like that pairing.

Andersson looks good to me, and he and Hanifin worked well.

With both players, we should expect a few bumps along the road. Valimaki is crazy young, and the transition from AHL to NHL is never a flawless one and we shouldn’t expect Andersson to be perfect.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I'd rather see "Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal" but I have no strong objection to these lines. Backlund tends to push play in the right direction regardless of who runs with him so putting him with a couple of guys with loud tools might really pay off and I'd buy Ryan as a guy who can compliment Tkachuk & Frolik in a similar (if inferior) way as Backlund did as part of 3M.

Dube-Jankowski-Czarnik stikes me as a very capable 4th line.

Bennett Backlund Neal were absolutely dominant against COL. Bennett's goal highlighted so much of what they are capable of - and not just the finish - the plays leading up to it. Backlund coming back to help in his own zone, battles behind his net, pushes it to Bennett and then Backlund gets available for the outlet.

He then makes a smart, hard low shot for the rebound and Bennett, willing to eat the post to score, crashes in hard and cashes.

Their shifts afterwards were just as good even though they didn't score. Just keeping possession and playing big in the opponent's end. It was truly beautiful hockey to watch.

Tkachuk on the top line was equally impressive. They dominated and created so much.

I would not change those two lines.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Well Peters had Andersson out there in the final minute of a tie game so I'd wager that he liked what he saw. As of right now I'd probably put money on Andersson staying with the big club once Hamonic is good to go.

This is really the best thing that any of us hoped to have happened this season. If Andersson and Valimaki both make it impossible for the team to dispatch them to Stockton, then Treliving is going to have to make a move—probably before the Christmas break.

As much as I would love for the Flames to keep eight NHL defensemen on the roster and rotating in and out of the lineup, I just don't see how it is feasible for a full season. How do the coaches justify sitting anyone but Prout in the press box?

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Our RW depth is just as deep. Lindholm, Neal, Czarnik, Frolik.

Man you are actually just a troll, good schtick though.

Pretty sure Johnny, Tkachuk, Bennett is a bit deeper than Lindholm, Neal Czarnik.

Unless you're already anointing Czarnik as better than Bennett, which is laughable.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Man you are actually just a troll, good schtick though.

Pretty sure Johnny, Tkachuk, Bennett is a bit deeper than Lindholm, Neal Czarnik.

Unless you're already anointing Czarnik as better than Bennett, which is laughable.

This is a weird thing to get offended about. It's supposed to be a compliment about how the RW depth has suddenly become a strength. Amazing to go from Ferland - Frolik - Hathaway - Brower to Lindholm - Neal - Czarnik - Frolik