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

[Tkachuk Norris]

Ferland is also a player playing on his off wing... He's also shown minimal over the past month playing with 2 elite players.

February - 4 points in 12 games
January - 10 points in 11 games
December - 6 points in 14 games

So 20 points in 37 games. That's not nearly enough considering he is far less physical than he should be. I get consistency is an issue for him, but why is trying Bennett at 1LW for more than a brief stint so hard for GG to come to terms with.

Edit: For context - Monahan has had:

February - 15 points in 13 games
January - 9 points in 10 games
December - 8 points in 14 games

So 32 points in 37 games.

that production for Ferland is almost all 5 on 5. Which is really good IMO.

The biggest thing for me with Ferly is that he is fast and wins board battles. Something Johnny and Money need desperately.

Bennett is similar in that he is pretty good on the forecheck.

Don’t see how Chris Stewart is the guy to do the dirty work.

 

[Skobel24]

So he removes Bennett from the LW of that top line, and moves Gaudreau back to the left side. Despite both of them doing very very well. He then plugs a 4th line waiver pickup on the top line.

Even if by some chance Stewart does well, I still really question this decision. I hope Bennett moves back up soon. Gaudreau really seemed to be the solution to the Flames RW issue.

When Healthy:
Bennett - Monahan - Gaudreau
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Jankowski - Stewart
Stajan - Shore - Brouwer

 

[Anglesmith]

LOL, it is not the same opportunity as playing with the #2 scorer and the top GWG getter in the NHL. Good players play better with good players.

This is starting to go around in circles. My stance is that Stewart has done nothing to warrant getting topline minutes other than be right handed. I would much rather Bennett get an extended look on that line in hopes it accelerates his development. If Stewart comes in and plays well, he can also make our 3rd line better. That and I'm done with our coach, I'm convinced he's not a real human.

Is it really about what each respective player has earned? Or are you purely frustrated because Bennett isn't currently the player that he should be at this moment? There isn't much between Bennett and Stewart this year if you want to talk about what is deserved. Chris Stewart has 13 points in 47 games while playing mostly on the fourth line. Bennett has been on the third line for us and has managed only 10 more points in 16 more games.

Honestly, if Bennett had showed well on the top line, I'd agree with you he should stay there. But if it isn't working, there's absolutely nothing to lose by switching the lines, unless you think for some reason Bennett is unhappy playing with Jankowski despite the chances they generate together.

 

[The Gnome]

So he removes Bennett from the LW of that top line, and moves Gaudreau back to the left side. Despite both of them doing very very well. He then plugs a 4th line waiver pickup on the top line.

Even if by some chance Stewart does well, I still really question this decision. I hope Bennett moves back up soon. Gaudreau really seemed to be the solution to the Flames RW issue.

When Healthy:
Bennett - Monahan - Gaudreau
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Jankowski - Stewart
Stajan - Shore - Brouwer

I know Stewart has a history of being disinterested, defensive liability, etc...But can you imagine what that line would look like if it clicks (again, I understand the chance is small). Stewart playing at his best is exactly what our top line could use. A large, mean, PWF with a canon of a RHS. I'm not saying this is the likely outcome, I'm just of the opinion that it is worth a shot. If by some miracle it works, that line is gonna be dangerous as hell. If not, screw it, Stewart can eat popcorn or hang on our 4th line for all I care. He cost us nothing.

Now, one thing I will question, why after being with the team for one day, is Stewart even in the lineup? Seems a bit risky at this point in the season, I would've thought GG would like to see him get more practice time first.

 

[Skobel24]

I know Stewart has a history of being disinterested, defensive liability, etc...But can you imagine what that line would look like if it clicks (again, I understand the chance is small). Stewart playing at his best is exactly what our top line could use. A large, mean, PWF with a canon of a RHS. I'm not saying this is the likely outcome, I'm just of the opinion that it is worth a shot. If by some miracle it works, that line is gonna be dangerous as hell. If not, screw it, Stewart can eat popcorn or hang on our 4th line for all I care. He cost us nothing.

Now, one thing I will question, why after being with the team for one day, is Stewart even in the lineup? Seems a bit risky at this point in the season, I would've thought GG would like to see him get more practice time first.

My issue though is that the 1st line WAS clicking. Bennett fit well there. Why break them up because Stewart MIGHT work well there too? Stewart should be eased into the lineup. Start him on the 3rd line.

 

[Anglesmith]

Just heard audio from Gulutzan. It's definitely a temporary thing that we shouldn't read too much into. He already told Stewart that he's going to be moved around in this game to see where he fits.

 

[Anglesmith]

My issue though is that the 1st line WAS clicking. Bennett fit well there. Why break them up because Stewart MIGHT work well there too? Stewart should be eased into the lineup. Start him on the 3rd line.

By what measure? They weren't generating much.

 

[The Gnome]

My issue though is that the 1st line WAS clicking. Bennett fit well there. Why break them up because Stewart MIGHT work well there too? Stewart should be eased into the lineup. Start him on the 3rd line.

It's an experiment, that may very well be short lived. I see zero issue with that line of thinking, especially seeing GGs quote on the subject. Again, if he keeps dolling out a failed experiment, then we will have something to bitch about.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Some teams have the talent to spread it out over three lines. Don't really think the Calgary Flames are one of them. Notice how the PP showed near immediate results when our 5 best skaters were put together? Firm believer that the best players play better when played with the best players. The last two games Bennett showed me more than he has in months. He has the rest of this season and probably the next one to show he deserves to be considered a part of this team's core. Johnny Gaudreau will elevate whoever he plays with, he's that good, so why not let him elevate your former 4thOV pick rather than some waiver pickup who likely won't even be in the league next year?

I don't hate Gulutzan the same way as some of you seem to, but the way he deploys his players sometimes is brutal.

 

[Baxterman]

Some teams have the talent to spread it out over three lines. Don't really think the Calgary Flames are one of them. Notice how the PP showed near immediate results when our 5 best skaters were put together? Firm believer that the best players play better when played with the best players. The last two games Bennett showed me more than he has in months. He has the rest of this season and probably the next one to show he deserves to be considered a part of this team's core. Johnny Gaudreau will elevate whoever he plays with, he's that good, so why not let him elevate your former 4thOV pick rather than some waiver pickup who likely won't even be in the league next year?

I don't hate Gulutzan the same way as some of you seem to, but the way he deploys his players sometimes is brutal.

Why play you top line LW who is top 5 in scoring at RW just because your former 4OV players needs linemates to carry the load offensively for him?

Every indication is that Stewart on the top line is likely to be short term and may not even last the whole game. I am not sure what Bennett has done other than get drafted high that we should be switching around our line-up to make things easier for him but not necessarily better for the team.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I know Stewart has a history of being disinterested, defensive liability, etc...But can you imagine what that line would look like if it clicks (again, I understand the chance is small). Stewart playing at his best is exactly what our top line could use. A large, mean, PWF with a canon of a RHS. I'm not saying this is the likely outcome, I'm just of the opinion that it is worth a shot. If by some miracle it works, that line is gonna be dangerous as hell. If not, screw it, Stewart can eat popcorn or hang on our 4th line for all I care. He cost us nothing.

Now, one thing I will question, why after being with the team for one day, is Stewart even in the lineup? Seems a bit risky at this point in the season, I would've thought GG would like to see him get more practice time first.

Stewart wasn't disinterested or lazy with the Blues, he was also very good defensively. He had some allergy related issues earlier on with the Blues which affected his performance. Since he left the Blues don't know what happened, maybe the allergies returned? Either way hopefully he shows off his lockout season form, just a complete 2-way monster.

 

[Satan]

Good luck tonight hombres


may the hockej Gods bless us with a 3 point game

 

[MDCSL]

Why play you top line LW who is top 5 in scoring at RW just because your former 4OV players needs linemates to carry the load offensively for him?

Every indication is that Stewart on the top line is likely to be short term and may not even last the whole game. I am not sure what Bennett has done other than get drafted high that we should be switching around our line-up to make things easier for him but not necessarily better for the team.

Because Gaudreau may be our top line LW, but he’s just as good at RW as we’ve seen in the past and we happen to be desperate for quality RW while we have an abundance of LWers.

 

[DFF]

It's like we waive brouwer and the oilers pick him up to play with mcdavid
You guys would laugh your ass off

 

[JPeeper]

Contrary to what you and apparently many others seem to think, it is not the coach's responsibility to save Bennett's career. It's Bennett's responsibility.

Yeah playing your entire sophomore year with Brouwer, Chiasson and Versteeg is Bennett's responsibility. Having to carry around 2 horrendous linemates is sure a responsibility.

Oh yeah, in your third year we'll give you the exact same crap cause it didn't work out last year, ok fine, we'll give you a rookie centerman and a tweener NHL'er now. Still not lighting it up? Well, then just git gud. Hey, that time you had an actual line-mate in Jagr you guys were playing really well, well now he's gone so have Hathaway back.


It's the coaches responsibility to put players in positions to succeed, Bennett playing with trash hockey players for Gulutzan's entire reign as coach is not on Bennett. He's not Sid or McDavid (who still has Draisaitl), he can't carry around these terrible players.

 

[Scrantonicity 2]

This kind of feels like every other time we started a dud on their line over the years. Oh well, worth a shot.

 

[Tofveve]

Go Flam!

 

[Tofveve]

We live in bizarro world right now.

 

[Anglesmith]

It's like we waive brouwer and the oilers pick him up to play with mcdavid
You guys would laugh your ass off

Well, Cammalleri and Jokinen were two healthy scratches who were swapped with each other, and Cammy got time with McDavid pretty immediately.

He also has 6 points in his last two games with McDavid.

 

[Janks]

This kind of feels like every other time we started a dud on their line over the years. Oh well, worth a shot.

But Brouwer/Chiasson/Colborne/Jones all worked so well, what do you mean?

 

[Jags68]

Bishop = Overrated

 

[Mobiandi]

I'm not sure how anyone can watch Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett and think it looks like it is clicking, but clearly there are several of you seeing something I'm not.

He is much more useful with zone entries and breakouts compared to Ferland. He is also much more suited to Gaudreau's uptempo game as well. I've also found that his inclusion keeps defensemen more on their toes as he's a better puck carrier than Ferland. Gaudreau also seems to trust him with the puck more too

 

[Anglesmith]

Terrible start for the Flames so far.

 

[Baxterman]

Because Gaudreau may be our top line LW, but he’s just as good at RW as we’ve seen in the past and we happen to be desperate for quality RW while we have an abundance of LWers.

But is he just as good a RW as he is a LW?

Sean Monahan is likely a better RW than any RW we have but it's pretty dumb to move him there.

Our solution to having weak RWs shouldn't be to make our team worse.

 

[MDCSL]

If mony wasn’t a third line winger he would’ve scored that goal