GDT: Flames at Stars: 6:30pm MT on SNW

[Johnny Hoxville]

That line would be like watching molasses skate! The Flames bottom 6 is too slow, I think they should have tried to get someone like Hagelin at the deadline to improve their speed

Ferly has really good speed, Janks is no slouch. But I get what you’re saying.

 

[Baxterman]

Really, interesting. I thought the Flames PP played pretty good today.

I thought the puck retrival was obviously great but the shot selection was poor and there wasn't enough of an effort to get Bishop moving side to side to create openings. A lot of shots through the middle of the ice and the Stars Pkers and the ones that made it through right in the chest of Bishop.

Could have been Bishop was just on making great chances look routine but I think with a guy that big, especially when he is playing so well they needed more quick passes to force him to move out of the middle of the net.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Ferly has really good speed, Janks is no slouch. But I get what you’re saying.

True.

I think Brodie is expendable and if we package him with either another roster player or solid prospect (like Dube or Fox), the Flames could get that top 6 RWer they need.

 

[BigRangy]

So what should the lines be? Should Bennett be on the 1st line? Idk at this point

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Janko-Brouwer
Stajan-Shore-Lazar

Use Backlund as an offensive producer maybe instead of tasking him just with shut down duties? Let Janko and Stajan/Shore be the defensive presence?

Backlund is the 4th/5th most talented guy on a team that seriously lacks talented guys and he's being wasted a little bit just playing defense.

Same thing with Brodie on the backend but that's a differently conversation.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

I thought the puck retrival was obviously great but the shot selection was poor and there wasn't enough of an effort to get Bishop moving side to side to create openings. A lot of shots through the middle of the ice and the Stars Pkers and the ones that made it through right in the chest of Bishop.

Could have been Bishop was just on making great chances look routine but I think with a guy that big, especially when he is playing so well they needed more quick passes to force him to move out of the middle of the net.

Fair enough i see what you're saying. I think that has to do more with the way our PP is set up as I don't think I have ever seen the Flames make cross ice passes or even one-timers

 

[Baxterman]

So what should the lines be? Should Bennett be on the 1st line? Idk at this point

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Backlund-Ferland
Defensive guy-Janko-Frolik
Stajan-Shore-Lazar

Use Backlund as an offensive producer maybe instead of tasking him just with shut down duties? Let Janko and Stajan/Shore be the defensive presence?

Now that trade deadline is over and we can't add the player we need lines are tough to make I guess the safest route is to go with:

Top Line
3M
Bennett-Jankowski-Versteeg
Lazar-Stajan-Shore

And you hope Versteeg can be the creative force on the 3rd line and get them going but I think that line-up gives us more of the same with big secondary scoring concerns.

I would like them to try:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Bennett-Versteeg
Frolik-Backlund-Shore
Lazar-Jankowski-Hathaway/Stewart

Not ideal to have Bennett back at center but I give that line buttery soft minutes and zone starts. We need to try and get a secondary scoring line going and Tkachuk seems to be the best option for that to work with Bennett being the best option to pair him with. Not sure have either guy play RW makes sense or that having a Shore or Jankowski center that line works offensively.

 

[tmurfin]

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

Didn't see that coming

Yeah sucks we lost, but it's not like the effort wasn't there. We outshot the Stars 38 to 26 and had a lot of good chances throughout the game; we just couldn't beat Bishop. This is one of those games where the loss wouldn't have been as bad if we didn't need the points so badly.

If the Kings lose in regulation, this loss won't be as bad.

 

[Baxterman]

While I would love the players we would get from the top 5 picks he would bring as our coach I do prefer cheering for a team that plays well and has a chance to win more often than not.

 

[Janks]

Just wanted to post this little gem:

Johnny Hockey CF% with Stewart - 30.43%
Johnny Hockey CF% without Stewart - 90%

 

[Anglesmith]

I thought for a mentally abused kid given zero opportunity to develop for most of this game, Bennett looked really good and made a lot of things happen.

Actually, outside of a few key errors, the team played well. This was a game Bishop stole.

They get a chance to get right back at it tomorrow, which I'm sure they'll be up for.

 

[tmurfin]

While I would love the players we would get from the top 5 picks he would bring as our coach I do prefer cheering for a team that plays well and has a chance to win more often than not.

 

[Volica]

We got beat by a goalie. Also Gully keeping Stevie on the top unit for too long.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Just wanted to post this little gem:

Johnny Hockey CF% with Stewart - 30.43%
Johnny Hockey CF% without Stewart - 90%

That’s insane.

Stewart wasn’t close to the reason we lost this game. At the same time though, had they left the topline alone all game, it’s definitely plausible to suggest that they would have generated more scoring chances and scored. The numbers you posted would agree.

Overall not a bad showing from Stewart, but he’s no topline player or even a Bennett or Ferland.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I thought for a mentally abused kid given zero opportunity to develop for most of this game, Bennett looked really good and made a lot of things happen.

Actually, outside of a few key errors, the team played well. This was a game Bishop stole.

They get a chance to get right back at it tomorrow, which I'm sure they'll be up for.

Therapy for Bennett?

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Trev picks up waiver fodder.

Glen puts him on the top line

#dontbethatguy

 

[JPeeper]

Not blaming Stewart for the loss, but dude is a bigger black hole than Troy Brouwer is.

My team now has 2 Troy Brouwers.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Not blaming Stewart for the loss, but dude is a bigger black hole than Troy Brouwer is.

My team now has 2 Troy Brouwers.

At least he's not on Brouwer's contract. I'd have no problem with Brouwer if he were making less money. Stewart I think is a good bit less useful. Also has no cups and has not had a letter on any of his previous teams.

 

[Skobel24]

Please put Bennett back to the 1LW spot and Gaudreau to the 1RW spot.

 

[DFF]

Not blaming Stewart for the loss, but dude is a bigger black hole than Troy Brouwer is.

My team now has 2 Troy Brouwers.

I think Troy works harder ...Stewart seems to just float/circle around without touching anyone.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I think Troy works harder ...Stewart seems to just float/circle around without touching anyone.

This has been the knock on him since he was traded from Colorado. The hope is that he comes in motivated to play, but if he’s not engaged he’s somewhat of a useless player. He’s not going to run guys over. But he will use his body down low and he has a good shot with some skill.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

This has been the knock on him since he was traded from Colorado. The hope is that he comes in motivated to play, but if he’s not engaged he’s somewhat of a useless player. He’s not going to run guys over. But he will use his body down low and he has a good shot with some skill.

Stewart dealt with allergy issues until the lockout season with St. Louis, where he was a force in all 3 zones. Great 2-way winger. After that yeah some consistency issues arrived.

 

[The Gnome]

The only line you can put Stewart on at this point is the Backlund line, otherwise he'll sink us if last night is any indication. Not his fault we lost, we got beat by a hot goalie. It sucks, move on to today and keep playing hard. Hopefully Shore draws in.

 

[Volica]

I'm not concerned too much about Stewart.
The guy's not suppose to be playing against other teams' best players and top units. He's a guy who should be picking the corpses of bottom liners. Gulutzan is an amazing creature. Like I mentioned yesterday, that sparked some debate; it's weird he broke up a unit that was really working for something that was a complete question mark. A guy shouldn't go from waivers to top line player... That's not how it works.

Would have loved that Stewie totally meshed with those guys and they were a dominant force; and the first couple shifts looked promising. They just faded. Not having someone who's a bit of a puck hound with speed on that line really hurts them; because Monahan isn't a puck retrieval guy, and Gaudreau sure as hell isn't going into a corner to pick out a loose puck.

Really disliking the bottom 6 right now without Ferland in. There's well not enough speed. The only two guys who can motor are Ferland and Lazar; Stajan, Brouwer, Stewart and Jankowski aren't particularly fast or fast thinking players.

 

[leafsnat1on]

I didn't watch this game, despite the loss, how did Gillies look? IMO, always thought this guy is a stud but I feel he hasn't given a good opportunity to shine until now. Is he still the number 1 goalie prospect in the organization?