GDT: A Song of Snow and Fire: Avalanche (7-3-2) @ Flames (7-5-1). 7PM MT, Sportsnet

[OvermanKingGainer]

NHL Hockey Standings

We are the highest scoring team in the NHL right now... while giving up the fourth most goals. Smith REALLY needs to get it together, because we aren't sustaining this.

kind of a flawed way to look at it given we have more games played than most.

Our real scoring rate is about 9th in the league, and many of those goals have come while trailing where score effects have contributed, which is why our score adjusted scoring is 13th in the league.

Which is really, just fine. Save the goals for the playoffs, just get there.

 

[SKRusty]

kind of a flawed way to look at it given we have more games played than most.

Our real scoring rate is about 9th in the league, and many of those goals have come while trailing where score effects have contributed, which is why our score adjusted scoring is 13th in the league.

Which is really, just fine. Save the goals for the playoffs, just get there.

Or another way to look at it is the team is just starting to gel and only about 50% of the team has cohesive units with chemistry producing and we are already near the top of the league. I think Peters after last nights game will look to separating Johnny and Mony when the team is in tough with the lines of:

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Neal
Tkachuk - Monahan - Bennett
Jankowski/Dube/Ryan/Czarnik-Backlund -Frolik

In the Long term I see Johnny and Mony being split up other than PP's as 2 high scoring lines is much harder to stop than 1 provided Lindholm and Johnny can keep their chemistry going.

It is not a stretch to expect the Flames to be in the top 5 in scoring. Chucky and Johnny are tied for the team lead right now and are both in the top 10 in NHL scoring..

 

[The Gnome]

For those idiots (like me) who left after the 4th goal, this is the turning point.



and the other one.

Man, people can argue about Sam Bennett being a bust or not. But hard to argue with a guy who will literally drop the gloves with anyone. Damn I love that kid, how can you not...I just wish he'd get better at hockey

 

[Rangediddy]

You know, judging by the third angle on this clip, maybe it was a charge after all.

Checking the definition of charging, there's no standard for the number of strides, so it really is just the distance traveled, which my guess was about 50% of the width of the ice. Either way, it sucks that hits like that require a fight afterwards, but I also loved seeing Bennett stand up for a teammate like he did.

Looking at it all again, it's likely all the appropriate calls were made.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Or another way to look at it is the team is just starting to gel and only about 50% of the team has cohesive units with chemistry producing and we are already near the top of the league. I think Peters after last nights game will look to separating Johnny and Mony when the team is in tough with the lines of:

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Neal
Tkachuk - Monahan - Bennett
Jankowski/Dube/Ryan/Czarnik-Backlund -Frolik

In the Long term I see Johnny and Mony being split up other than PP's as 2 high scoring lines is much harder to stop than 1 provided Lindholm and Johnny can keep their chemistry going.

It is not a stretch to expect the Flames to be in the top 5 in scoring. Chucky and Johnny are tied for the team lead right now and are both in the top 10 in NHL scoring..

I don’t believe you. Johnny is better than Tkachuk and I won’t hear anything otherwise.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Tkachuk is gonna get paid. Scary

 

[joescores]

I know there's a lot of "comeback kids" or "cardiac kids" type references.

These teams are nothing alike. Flames dominate from start to finish, they outshoot, outchance and outmatch most teams; those Hartley teams rope-a-doped teams into scoring off rushes and stretch passes after being hemmed in their own zone for the entire night.

Essentially, if Calgary got league average goaltending, that would have been a 6-2 affair.

Below average is more appropriate concept...

 

[joescores]

Why would you change the lines you nutters? Improve special teams and get a goalie in a trade and we are good to rock some more.

 

[SKRusty]

I don’t believe you. Johnny is better than Tkachuk and I won’t hear anything otherwise.

What about seeing? Black and white numbers goals, assists, points, CORSI, or followers on Twitter. What will it take for you to hand the torch over to Chucky??? If Chucky plays with Monahan more they might all become reality this year?

Have you ever read the bottom of Chucky's mouth guard? It says "Johnny who?"

 

[joescores]

I think Mike Smith is playing through a injury(he maybe fighting through a lower body or back injury, he looks slow and awkward. And this has been a case since last season after his injury.)

Sit this bum. What time is it?

Rittich's time!

 

[joescores]

Going to address this just once. First the penalty was a textbook call of charging. Had Cole not travelled 35 ft , accelerated and hit Jankowski from the blind side the call likely would not have been made. Hits to mete out the maximum amount of punishment & damage are no longer acceptable to the NHL. Deal with it that is the game today. In light of all the concussion data that is out there I do not know how people can justify hits where the players are hit in vulnerable situations.

If you think the game was better without Deadmarsh, Lindros x 2, Allison, Saavard, Lafontaine, and Pronger you are greatly mistaken. The NHL made a huge mistake when it kept allowing players like Stevens to levy debilitating hits night in night out. At least the brawlers chose to fight. Many of the players listed were hit in vulnerable situations that they could do little about. The keep your head up line was a way to blame the victims rather than for the league and players to be held account for their actions.

The hockey today is way more exciting and entertaining and the NHL is better for it.

You owe him Janks. Let's see if you can be a big boy next time. Lovely tilt btw. Well done Bennett, you short aggressive maniac.

 

[joescores]

What about seeing? Black and white numbers goals, assists, points, CORSI, or followers on Twitter. What will it take for you to hand the torch over to Chucky??? If Chucky plays with Monahan more they might all become reality this year?

Have you ever read the bottom of Chucky's mouth guard? It says "Johnny who?"

Depp?

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

What about seeing? Black and white numbers goals, assists, points, CORSI, or followers on Twitter. What will it take for you to hand the torch over to Chucky??? If Chucky plays with Monahan more they might all become reality this year?

Have you ever read the bottom of Chucky's mouth guard? It says "Johnny who?"

You know what it’ll take. Bennett and Tkachuk play on a line and Tkachuk elevates him to a 60pt player. If I’m not mistaken, Chucky’s season next year will be the equivalent to when Gaudreau broke into the NHL. That should tell anyone how far along this kid is.

Matthews is the best player in their draft, but I truly believe Chucky could outscore Laine over a number of seasons throughout their career.

 

[SKRusty]

You know what it’ll take. Bennett and Tkachuk play on a line and Tkachuk elevates him to a 60pt player. If I’m not mistaken, Chucky’s season next year will be the equivalent to when Gaudreau broke into the NHL. That should tell anyone how far along this kid is.

Matthews is the best player in their draft, but I truly believe Chucky could outscore Laine over a number of seasons throughout their career.

I think Chucky brings more overall talent than Laine. Chucky is better in set-ups, defensively, speed, leadership, and drive. Chucky likely will score more points than Laine in his career and will maintain his healthy advantage over Laine with advanced stats Chucky career CORSI 5v5: 57.1 Laine career CORSI 5v5: 49.5. When you consider the pest factor and leadership this pretty much becomes a one pony race. Currently Laine has 182 points to Chucky's 114 but this is the first full season where Chucky is on the #1 PP unit and likely the first season where he gets any playing time with an offensive center at 5V5.

 

[FerklundCGY]

I think Chucky brings more overall talent than Laine. Chucky is better in set-ups, defensively, speed, leadership, and drive. Chucky likely will score more points than Laine in his career and will maintain his healthy advantage over Laine with advanced stats Chucky career CORSI 5v5: 57.1 Laine career CORSI 5v5: 49.5. When you consider the pest factor and leadership this pretty much becomes a one pony race. Currently Laine has 182 points to Chucky's 114 but this is the first full season where Chucky is on the #1 PP unit and likely the first season where he gets any playing time with an offensive center at 5V5.

? Laine has 143 career points

 

[viper0220]

Sit this bum. What time is it?

Rittich's time!

I really hope we run with Rittch for a while to see what we have.

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Mike Smith has been a vortex of opposition goal scoring. Need moar David Rittich.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I think Chucky brings more overall talent than Laine. Chucky is better in set-ups, defensively, speed, leadership, and drive. Chucky likely will score more points than Laine in his career and will maintain his healthy advantage over Laine with advanced stats Chucky career CORSI 5v5: 57.1 Laine career CORSI 5v5: 49.5. When you consider the pest factor and leadership this pretty much becomes a one pony race. Currently Laine has 182 points to Chucky's 114 but this is the first full season where Chucky is on the #1 PP unit and likely the first season where he gets any playing time with an offensive center at 5V5.

Chucky is better 5 on 5. But Laine is one of those players that can win game on the PP. completely different players

 

[SKRusty]

Chucky is better 5 on 5. But Laine is one of those players that can win game on the PP. completely different players

Laine is a sniper, pure and simple, and players like him are very rare and hard to find. That said I see Laine as defensively weak and not as versatile as Chucky. Laine will never drive the play and will always need a set-up man. Chucky on the other hand is more capable of driving play and TBH we have only seen Chucky 5v5 with Backs who isn't as offensively talented as Monahan or Lindholm.

 

[Volica]

I love Chucky, and I think the world of the guy. Laine is a special breed. In his prime he’s going to be worth a goal every game and a half on the PP.

Look at what stigma has followed Ovi for a decade. The guys who can pot 40-50 goals a season are special breed.

 

[SKRusty]

I love Chucky, and I think the world of the guy. Laine is a special breed. In his prime he’s going to be worth a goal every game and a half on the PP.

Look at what stigma has followed Ovi for a decade. The guys who can pot 40-50 goals a season are special breed.

Don't get me wrong Laine is going to be a very good sniper but he doesn't have the speed or the play-making of Ovi. Laine appears to be more 1 dimensional to me.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

It drives me nuts when people say Tkachuk isn’t on Gaudreau’s level. What more does the guy need to do? Flash and skating ability are entertaining to watch, and Johnny has elite production to back it up. But Tkachuk is as equally as skilled as Johnny, he makes higher percentage passes down low and is a better finisher. But he shouldn’t be knocked down a notch because he doesn’t have the same skating ability and edge work.

I don’t have any issues with anyone saying they would take Johnny over Tkachuk, but both players are on the same playing field. I just prefer Tkachuks overall game, myself.

Then below them I have Monahan and Lindholm. I think Lindy has been better overall to start the season but I have both players ranked the same.

 

[SKRusty]

It drives me nuts when people say Tkachuk isn’t on Gaudreau’s level. What more does the guy need to do? Flash and skating ability are entertaining to watch, and Johnny has elite production to back it up. But Tkachuk is as equally as skilled as Johnny, he makes higher percentage passes down low and is a better finisher. But he shouldn’t be knocked down a notch because he doesn’t have the same skating ability and edge work.

I don’t have any issues with anyone saying they would take Johnny over Tkachuk, but both players are on the same playing field. I just prefer Tkachuks overall game, myself.

Then below them I have Monahan and Lindholm. I think Lindy has been better overall to start the season but I have both players ranked the same.

The core to me in ranks of importance to the team is:

1. Gio - by far Calgary's biggest star and one of the most underrated players by fans and analysts alike.
2. Sean Monahan - He is a quite leader that leads by example and puts his all into this club. Very under rated defensively and offensive creativeness.
3. Matthew Tkachuk - Brings his fire for the game into every minute he plays. Heart of a champion willing to do anything to win. Calgary's most complete winger.
4. Elias Lindholm - Eventually I see Elias and Mony competing for who has the #1 line. Elias is just starting to bloom with the confidence he has received from succeeding with Johnny and Mony.
5. Johnny Gaudreau - Calgary's best play-maker. He does things nobody else in the NHL can do. The only reason Johnny is not higher on my list is his defensive and physical games are far below the others above him.
6. Mike Smith - Despite all the crap lately when Smitty was stealing games last year we all saw his value to the team. I can't wait to see what he brings when the games truly matter.

Players that should play their way there are Valimaki, Dube, Hanafin, and Andersson. Bennett, Jankowski and Czarnik to this point are not there and there is doubt if they will ever be there. Backs is an insanely good 3rd center and probably the best defensive player but he is ultimately replaceable. The only thing Backs lacks is that offensive ability to change a game with a single sift that the above 6 all have.

 

[super6646]

The core to me in ranks of importance to the team is:

1. Gio - by far Calgary's biggest star and one of the most underrated players by fans and analysts alike.
2. Sean Monahan - He is a quite leader that leads by example and puts his all into this club. Very under rated defensively and offensive creativeness.
3. Matthew Tkachuk - Brings his fire for the game into every minute he plays. Heart of a champion willing to do anything to win. Calgary's most complete winger.
4. Elias Lindholm - Eventually I see Elias and Mony competing for who has the #1 line. Elias is just starting to bloom with the confidence he has received from succeeding with Johnny and Mony.
5. Johnny Gaudreau - Calgary's best play-maker. He does things nobody else in the NHL can do. The only reason Johnny is not higher on my list is his defensive and physical games are far below the others above him.
6. Mike Smith - Despite all the crap lately when Smitty was stealing games last year we all saw his value to the team. I can't wait to see what he brings when the games truly matter.

Players that should play their way there are Valimaki, Dube, Hanafin, and Andersson. Bennett, Jankowski and Czarnik to this point are not there and there is doubt if they will ever be there. Backs is an insanely good 3rd center and probably the best defensive player but he is ultimately replaceable. The only thing Backs lacks is that offensive ability to change a game with a single sift that the above 6 all have.

Backs is replaceable? I'm done

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

The core to me in ranks of importance to the team is:

1. Gio - by far Calgary's biggest star and one of the most underrated players by fans and analysts alike.
2. Sean Monahan - He is a quite leader that leads by example and puts his all into this club. Very under rated defensively and offensive creativeness.
3. Matthew Tkachuk - Brings his fire for the game into every minute he plays. Heart of a champion willing to do anything to win. Calgary's most complete winger.
4. Elias Lindholm - Eventually I see Elias and Mony competing for who has the #1 line. Elias is just starting to bloom with the confidence he has received from succeeding with Johnny and Mony.
5. Johnny Gaudreau - Calgary's best play-maker. He does things nobody else in the NHL can do. The only reason Johnny is not higher on my list is his defensive and physical games are far below the others above him.
6. Mike Smith - Despite all the crap lately when Smitty was stealing games last year we all saw his value to the team. I can't wait to see what he brings when the games truly matter.

Players that should play their way there are Valimaki, Dube, Hanafin, and Andersson. Bennett, Jankowski and Czarnik to this point are not there and there is doubt if they will ever be there. Backs is an insanely good 3rd center and probably the best defensive player but he is ultimately replaceable. The only thing Backs lacks is that offensive ability to change a game with a single sift that the above 6 all have.

I can’t disagree with any of these. Depending on your values, I think your assessments are on point. I’ll just add, yes there’s reason to uncertain about Bennett’s goals, but should he start scoring consistently, he will be right there with the teams top players.

It’s encouraging to me that Lindholm was wildly inconsistent up until this season, there’s reason to think Bennett will find his game as well.