GDT: Toronto 2019 Cup Parade Tour Stop 12: Flames (5-5-1) @ Leafs (8-3-0). 5PM MT, Sportsnet

[SKRusty]

Ice time is the problem this year. He's limited to 5 on 5 almost exclusively and doesn't play with Gaudreau, Tkachuk, or Lindholm. It's funny though, he's been on the ice for his fair share of Flames goals, whether it's being the screen man for Valimaki's goal or the fourth touch on Hamonic's goals, but haters are always going to hate. .

In all due respect to Hoxville Bennett's trajectory will be more akin to Backlunds .... Damn why did you have to give the rose tinted glasses back to OKG.

BENNETT did nothing on the first line. It was just tried. Don't you remember that Washington game? Nada zero zilch. He deserves no extra time yet.

Bennett does not have have the hockey IQ that the stars do. Physical talent and hard work only take you so far. Even tonight rather than passing the puck back to the point Bennett insisted on driving through 3 players. WHen he is thinking it is worse because he stops skating because he can't process fast enough. There are so many times Bennett could go cross crease, back to the point, shoot or drop the puck for a great scoring
opportunity but he simply can't process what is happening fast enough.

Getting another Backlund is far from the end of the world.

 

[DFF]

Sounds like Mark Messier. Or Ryan Getzlaf. Or Nazem Kadri. Or, as you alluded to, Brayden Schenn, though Bennett is a much better two-way player.

Fans will always have problems with power forward centers because their game has way too much.. everything. But you win with guys like this.



Lack of finish isn't really a problem this year, that seems to be a holdover narrative from last year.

Ice time is the problem this year. He's limited to 5 on 5 almost exclusively and doesn't play with Gaudreau, Tkachuk, or Lindholm. It's funny though, he's been on the ice for his fair share of Flames goals, whether it's being the screen man for Valimaki's goal or the fourth touch on Hamonic's goals, but haters are always going to hate. Sam Bennett has zero secondary assists this season, but he's touched the puck on quite a few goals for. That should say it all. Points are not a stat that tell the full story.

When we trade him he will be the next Henrik Zetterberg except more physical, meanwhile we'll be wondering why we can't get anywhere with David Backes 2.0 as our #1 center.

I don't hate Bennett but I cant stand the people that pump him up like a second coming of Jesus Christ.


Bennett is a good player but he is missing something. Who knows if he is going to find it but he aint going to be no Mark Messier. Probably the top 10 player all time.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

BENNETT did nothing on the first line. It was just tried. Don't you remember that Washington game? Nada zero zilch. He deserves no extra time yet.

Yep, that back pass to Gaudreau through the Capitals player's legs while sucking in the defense is definitely nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero.

Or some of us actually watched the (two whole periods, none on the power play, none in overtime), not their own imagination.

And I'm sure Bennett did nothing tonight, when Andersen barely got a piece of his deadly shot, or when he used his backhand to set up Jankowski wide open in the slot, or when he again made an incredibly dominant play from Gretzky's office as his little twenty seconds of PP time wound down.

Unfortunately certain people can't tell the difference between cushy power play points and hard-earned 5 on 5 points that don't involve playing with elite franchise player linemates. Then again I'm talking to someone who thinks Monahan is more valuable than Gaudreau.

 

[JPeeper]

Anyone catch Peters post-game presser?

Dude is calling out the officials hard. f***ing love it.

 

[Calculon]

 

[SKRusty]

Yep, that back pass to Gaudreau while sucking in the defense is definitely nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero.

Or some of us actually watched the (two whole periods, none on the power play, none in overtime), not their own imagination.

And I'm sure Bennett did nothing tonight, when Andersson barely got a piece of his shot, or when he used his backhand to set up Jankowski wide open in the slot, or when he again made an incredibly dominant play from Gretzky's office as his little twenty seconds of PP time wound down.

Unfortunately certain people can't tell the difference between cushy power play points and hard-earned 5 on 5 points that don't involve playing with elite franchise player linemates. Then again I'm talking to someone who thinks Monahan is more valuable than Gaudreau.

If Sam was even a tenth of what you said he was wouldn't Sam still be on the first line tonight? Sam probably played his most invisible game of the season when he was on the first line.

What so does the coach like punishing star players? Doesn't recognize where the talent is?

Sam does his best when he plays against players in his skill range. Primarily second and third line players. And again how many points does Sam have playing with a first or second line RW?

You infer I dislike Sam but that is not the case but when I see him play I see Backlund in the early years. When he gets his complete game going Sam will be a great in a checking roll. To expect him to lead a team is unrealistic.

 

[Tofveve]

We won!

 

[SKRusty]

We won!

I conjured Harold Ballard's spirit and things worked well. Nothing breaks the Leafs like good ole Harold.

 

[Anglesmith]

I'm attempting to be perfectly objective here, and to be honest, I do get Giordano's penalty on the 5-on-3. I do. As much as half of my brain says "you can't call that" the other half points out that you can't not call it. Tavares didn't have the puck, and Gio shoved him into the net, knocking it off its moorings.

That said, this is a sport where we still have game management by the refs. One shift while the Flames were up 2 mid-way through the third featured two clear infractions in a row against the Flames. First, Hathaway was clearly, blatantly tripped while rushing down the wing. He got up and chased the puck on the forecheck, and Andersen mishandled it into the trapezoid and failed to hold up in time, playing the puck illegally. Neither of these were called, one would assume, because of the game situation. So if you're going to let things go at that point, then the half of my brain saying "you can't call that" on the Gio play has to be right.

 

[SKRusty]

I'm attempting to be perfectly objective here, and to be honest, I do get Giordano's penalty on the 5-on-3. I do. As much as half of my brain says "you can't call that" the other half points out that you can't not call it. Tavares didn't have the puck, and Gio shoved him into the net, knocking it off its moorings.

That said, this is a sport where we still have game management by the refs. One shift while the Flames were up 2 mid-way through the third featured two clear infractions in a row against the Flames. First, Hathaway was clearly, blatantly tripped while rushing down the wing. He got up and chased the puck on the forecheck, and Andersen mishandled it into the trapezoid and failed to hold up in time, playing the puck illegally. Neither of these were called, one would assume, because of the game situation. So if you're going to let things go at that point, then the half of my brain saying "you can't call that" on the Gio play has to be right.

Gio's penalty was borderline in the sense that the Flames were already down a player and 9 times out of ten that is not called a penalty. At even strrength it would be called 9/10 times. I HATE griping about the reffing but the last couple games have been horrid. Neal being checked from behind etc.

 

[JGaudreau]

Game management is key here. It's like fugazi, it's bullshit. The rulebook states the rules, just call the freaking game based on the ruleboook.


"Cross-checking is an infraction in the sport of ice hockey where a player checks an opponent by using the shaft of his or her stick with both hands."

So the Toronto player blatantly violates this rule, but because it was "soft" the refs then tilt the game against Calgary because a Toronto player blatantly violated the rules, got called for it and the crowd didn't like it... wtf? Seriously, someone explain how there's any logic to that. You violate the rules and get rewarded the rest of the game for it??? Screw the stupid NHL.

 

[Anglesmith]

I find it interesting in the last few games that the pairings have been somewhat fluid on the back-end based on situation. We're seeing Andersson/Valimaki sometimes, but we're seeing Andersson/Hanifin and Valimaki/Hamonic at various times, too. Maybe it's just coming out of special teams where guys get scrambled a bit, but I plan on paying closer attention to if it might be strategic and based on zone starts or matchups.

 

[Volica]

I find it interesting in the last few games that the pairings have been somewhat fluid on the back-end based on situation. We're seeing Andersson/Valimaki sometimes, but we're seeing Andersson/Hanifin and Valimaki/Hamonic at various times, too. Maybe it's just coming out of special teams where guys get scrambled a bit, but I plan on paying closer attention to if it might be strategic and based on zone starts or matchups.

Coach has got a lot of confidence in this top 6. Seeing Juuso and Rasmus out there against JT was a panic moment; but those kids took it in stride.

 

[SKRusty]

Coach has got a lot of confidence in this top 6. Seeing Juuso and Rasmus out there against JT was a panic moment; but those kids took it in stride.

Don't know how many times I heard 20 year old Valimaki and 22 year old Andersson in the telecast.

These kids are going to be the cornerstones of our defense for the next 10-15 years. Valimaki, Andersson, Kylington and Hanifin...WOW ..That makes me very excited.

 

[Volica]

Don't know how many times I heard 20 year old Valimaki and 22 year old Andersson in the telecast.

These kids are going to be the cornerstones of our defense for the next 10-15 years. Valimaki, Andersson, Kylington and Hanifin...WOW ..That makes me very excited.

Tremendous upside and youth on the backend. Juuso and Rasmus keep getting better.

I seem to recall people getting lambasted for saying Stone’s job wasn’t safe. 12 games or whatever later; he’s press box fodder.

 

[SKRusty]

Tremendous upside and youth on the backend. Juuso and Rasmus keep getting better.

I seem to recall people getting lambasted for saying Stone’s job wasn’t safe. 12 games or whatever later; he’s press box fodder.

I was told I was clueless in July when I said Valimaki was going to make the team so I feel ya. Stone is too slow for how the Flames want to play. I hope we can trade him for a RD prospect and leave Prout in the box for the popcorn maker.

 

[JPeeper]

I was told Stone is going no where.

I told you guys when Hammer came back he'd play his last game as a Flame.

 

[FlamesNewArena]

we can't get rid of stone just in case of injury. I would rather get him in and hopefully he shows well when we put him in. As of now we would get nothing for him (maybe a 4th rounder). The cap dump would be nice but i would rather see him play a few more games in november and trade him to the leafs, who after tonight their fans would and should give up a first for him because they are awful.

 

[super6646]

Stone is a good third pairing dman, but there is just no justification to playing him over andersson right now. If things start to struggle, you can send him back down. But right now, I have no issues with our bottom pairing.

 

[Mobiandi]

I think Stone, Valimaki, Andersson and possibly Hanifin will all be rotating in and out of the press box. The latter three might all be playing better but Stone isn't Bartkowski -- he's still an NHLer, albeit an overpriced one

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

One thing I'd note is that Prout has not been sent down, even though he would presumably be a big help to the Stockton group whose right D is non-existant. Is it possible there is a Stone waive-and-trade in the works a la Kulak?

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Yeah I know some were being critical of our youth and experience earlier in this thread in relation to Burke’s comments. But honestly if you look at Peters time in Carolina, he has zero issues leaning heavily with youthful guys on the backend. Of course experience is an asset, but not if it doesn’t fit the style you want to play. Peters wants teams to be on their heels and he wants to play with speed. Other than Neal, look at all the players we added and what’s the common denominator? Speed.

Lindholm, Ryan, Czarnik, Dube, Valimaki, Hanifin, Rasmus, all these guys can skate and get the puck up the ice. We also need to keep in mind and it’s something our fan base isn’t used to, he’s going to let our kids play through their growing pains. It’s the right way to do it and it’s the best way to develop our youth. It’s also the main reason why we’ve struggled developing younger players because we don’t put them in situations to succeed, we’ve benched them or sent them down in the past.

I have a lot of faith in Peters and I like what he’s all about. I think he’ll be here for a very long time. I also can’t wait to see what he does with Kylington.

 

[Master Bill]

Was at the game - I didn't get to see what happened after Toronto's 2nd goal (?) because everyone around us were standing to celebrate.
But thank god, I cannot be any happier to have those snobby Leafs fans leave quieter than a mouse.

 

[SKRusty]

I think Stone, Valimaki, Andersson and possibly Hanifin will all be rotating in and out of the press box. The latter three might all be playing better but Stone isn't Bartkowski -- he's still an NHLer, albeit an overpriced one

That's where moving Stone for TIMOTHY LILJEGREN or Cal Foote might be wise because then you have an injury call up. Cal Foote likely would require a draft pick to go along with ... a third or a decent prospect.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

That's where moving Stone for TIMOTHY LILJEGREN or Cal Foote might be wise because then you have an injury call up. Cal Foote likely would require a draft pick to go along with ... a third or a decent prospect.

Dubas is not going to make that trade, he would stay away from Stone with a ten foot pole.

Yzerman might have some interest in Stone but doesn't have the cap space to be a player in such a trade unless it was both Frolik+Stone (8.0M for two years) for Callahan (5.8M for two years ) and Coburn (3.7M for one year). Lightning come away with the more functional pieces, Flames come away with a net 2.2M of extra cap space this offseason which they may outright need. Cal Foote in that trade would still be a pipedream though.