GDT: Oct. 7th: Canucks @ Flames [8:00pm - Sportsnet]

[Pirate King Luffy]

It's one game. My god, people are losing it.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

If like to see them try
Ferland-Bennett-Frolik
Bouma-Backlund-Jooris

I know FroBack was good when together last night, but putting Fro with the kids could help get them the puck and spark some offense. And Bouma-Backs-Jooris is a decent shutdown line with an offensive touch.

I agree. Bennett seems like he tries to do too much himself at times. He needs to learn to use his line mates better. At times I felt like josh just wasn't skilled enough to play with Sam and would be better with Backs or Stajan.
I also have no problem reuniting the Bouma-Backlund-Jones line that worked so well.

Hamilton was disappointing. the thing I thought this one showed more than anything is how much TJ Brodie means to this team.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

It's one game. My god, people are losing it.

This looks like a Leafs thread after a loss

 

[SmellOfVictory]

This looks like a Leafs thread after a loss

Haha seriously. This is a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs last year, partially due to career years from guys who aren't going to repeat (no, Bouma is not a top 6 forward) and everyone's freaking out at one bad loss, like we're Hawks fans or something.

I agree. Bennett seems like he tries to do too much himself at times. He needs to learn to use his line mates better. At times I felt like josh just wasn't skilled enough to play with Sam and would be better with Backs or Stajan.
I also have no problem reuniting the Bouma-Backlund-Jones line that worked so well.

Hamilton was disappointing. the thing I thought this one showed more than anything is how much TJ Brodie means to this team.

I agree on Bennett. He also has a bad habit of coming down the boards. Not that he's been totally ineffective at it, but it's definitely limited his ability to hold onto the puck, since he tends to get stuck between the boards and a defender.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

It's not selective memory, it's blind disdain. Engelland could save a family from a burning building, score 3 goals in game seven of the cup finals and he would still get **** on

While I do have great disdain for Engelland, he certainly wasn't the worst Flame last night. He wasn't great, but he looked passable; it's hard to say which defender was the worst, but Hamilton, Russell, and Wideman all had some pretty craptacular moments. There was a lot of blown cover, bad pinches, and less-than-optimal reads.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

Gaudreau was worse than invisible to my eye, at least offensively. Very tentative and was barely moving his feet when he had the puck. He had some very good backchecks though, good foot speed there.

Engelland is no good.

Your avatar is amazing. Nice idea, and nice work to II.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Really? I thought that Monahan played very well and the Hudler looked awful.

Hudler and Gaudreau definitely didn't play well, but Monahan had a more-poor night. I'm sure it was just first-night rust but he was often in poor position, and in the offensive zone I thought he was fighting the puck. I do give him full credit for the forecheck on Sbisa leading to the goal, but 28 other teams in the league don't conveniently have a Sbisa.

B's fan, just trying to see how Hamilton looked? From the stat line it didn't appear good, but I could not watch the game, and didn't have time to sift through the whole GDT.

Not very good. He doesn't seem to have a grasp of the system yet and it's causing him to be a step late defensively.

 

[Calculon]

Backlund and Frolik looked good together; Bennett and Frolik less so. Bennett really needs to be sheltered at this stage; frankly, based on his training camp and preseason, I would have sent Bennett down to Stockton had he been eligible for that. But seeing as how it's juniors or NHL for him, best thing to do is stick him next to a savvy vet (i.e. Hudler) and shelter his minutes. It's going to take some time and some growing pains for him to transition to being a centre at the NHL level.

 

[Shawnofthedeadz]

Backlund and Frolik looked good together; Bennett and Frolik less so. Bennett really needs to be sheltered at this stage; frankly, based on his training camp and preseason, I would have sent Bennett down to Stockton had he been eligible for that. But seeing as how it's juniors or NHL for him, best thing to do is stick him next to a savvy vet (i.e. Hudler) and shelter his minutes. It's going to take some time and some growing pains for him to transition to being a centre at the NHL level.

Was Backlund even good this last game? I didn't even notice him out there and looking at the box score, -3 seems pretty bad.

Hudler and Gaudreau definitely didn't play well, but Monahan had a more-poor night. I'm sure it was just first-night rust but he was often in poor position, and in the offensive zone I thought he was fighting the puck. I do give him full credit for the forecheck on Sbisa leading to the goal, but 28 other teams in the league don't conveniently have a Sbisa.



Not very good. He doesn't seem to have a grasp of the system yet and it's causing him to be a step late defensively.

I don't know if I agree with that. I thought Monahan was decent, Hudler was invisible and Gaudreau was bad. Johnny hockey just wasn't really skating out there last tonight which lead to a couple of bad turnovers.

 

[Calculon]

Was Backlund even good this last game? I didn't even notice him out there and looking at the box score, -3 seems pretty bad.

Looked pretty good to start the game, which coincidentally, was when he was paired with Frolik. Was invisible to ineffective when paired with Bollig. Didn't play much in preseason so I imagine he might still be a little rusty.

But honestly, some of Hartleys combinations were questionable yesterday.

 

[tmurfin]

Bennett just needs to tone his game down, best way to do that is to strap Frolik to him, let Fro take some of the heavy lifting off him.

 

[Rangediddy]

Looked pretty good to start the game, which coincidentally, was when he was paired with Frolik. Was invisible to ineffective when paired with Bollig. Didn't play much in preseason so I imagine he might still be a little rusty.

But honestly, some of Hartleys combinations were questionable yesterday.

You never know which combinations will gell this early in the season. When you're down and being visibly outplayed, I don't see anything wrong with mixing it up just to see who plays even a bit better with who.

We also have the best coach in the league so I'm not too concerned that he won't be able to right the ship when it docks in Van on Saturday. I just wonder if we'll see Hiller in net with Ortio backing him up or Ramo?

 

[tmurfin]

I actually wouldn't mind seeing the starting lineup from last years first game, just to see how different it is/was from the end of the season

 

[SmellOfVictory]

I actually wouldn't mind seeing the starting lineup from last years first game, just to see how different it is/was from the end of the season

Here were the projected lines: http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=733441

Glencross-Monahan-Hudler
Raymond-Backlund-Bouma
Gaudreau-Colborne-Byron
Bollig-Stajan-McGrattan

Brodano
Russell-Engelland
Smid-Wideman

I'd say that's somewhat different from end of the season. The things that really didn't change through the season were the Brodano pairing (injury aside), Monahan/Hudler, and Backlund/Bouma.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

Here were the projected lines: http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=733441

Glencross-Monahan-Hudler
Raymond-Backlund-Bouma
Gaudreau-Colborne-Byron
Bollig-Stajan-McGrattan

Brodano
Russell-Engelland
Smid-Wideman

I'd say that's somewhat different from end of the season. The things that really didn't change through the season were the Brodano pairing (injury aside), Monahan/Hudler, and Backlund/Bouma.

Switch Raymond and Bouma, swap Raymond and Byron, switch Raymond and Jones, and Byron and Frolik, and then switch McGrattan and Bennett, swap Backlund with Bennett, swap Gaudreau and Glencross, switch Ferland in for Glencross, swap Wideman and Engelland, and switch Kulak for Smid.

 

[Rangediddy]

Switch Raymond and Bouma, swap Raymond and Byron, switch Raymond and Jones, and Byron and Frolik, and then switch McGrattan and Bennett, swap Backlund with Bennett, swap Gaudreau and Glencross, switch Ferland in for Glencross, swap Wideman and Engelland, and switch Kulak for Smid.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

are u ok

 

[Rangediddy]

are u ok

 

[Wayne Primeau]

liek if u cri evertim

 

[Johnny GODreau]

Rangediddy that Avatar. Oh Yeah!

 

[Rangediddy]

Rangediddy that Avatar. Oh Yeah!

Ya II nailed it! Right down to the gingerness!

 

[Shawnofthedeadz]

Looked pretty good to start the game, which coincidentally, was when he was paired with Frolik. Was invisible to ineffective when paired with Bollig. Didn't play much in preseason so I imagine he might still be a little rusty.

But honestly, some of Hartleys combinations were questionable yesterday.

Thought it was because he was playing poorly Hartley decided to put him with Bollig. Hartley explicitly stated in his post game interview that the reason he changed the lines up was because he gave roles to certain players and they didn't deliver. It didn't feel like a spark attempt, but more a disappointment in the play of some individuals. Backlund was clearly one of those disappointing players.

Bennett was also chasing and falling out a lot. He might be one of those players who benefits from a game in the press box (like Johnny Hockey).

 

[StreakingRed]

It was a horrible game for the Flames and the Canucks were simply the better team and deserving of the win. But.. it is Game 1. I'm not worried and expect a much better effort and bounce back game in Vancouver.

 

[Anglesmith]

Thought it was because he was playing poorly Hartley decided to put him with Bollig. Hartley explicitly stated in his post game interview that the reason he changed the lines up was because he gave roles to certain players and they didn't deliver. It didn't feel like a spark attempt, but more a disappointment in the play of some individuals. Backlund was clearly one of those disappointing players.

Bennett was also chasing and falling out a lot. He might be one of those players who benefits from a game in the press box (like Johnny Hockey).

We were all watching the same game, though. Backlund and Frolik were probably our most assertive forwards in the first period.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

The Flames are almost always guaranteed to lose the season opener.