Line Combos: Fwd lines

[Ace Rimmer]

Leave it to the Flames board to complain about having Backlund and Coleman on the third line.

That's a feature, not a bug.

 

[Rubi]

I'm ecstatic about the Flames top 2 lines and 2 out of 3 players on the 3rd line. Our center depth has never looked so good with Lindholm, Kadri, and Backlund... and then if Ruzicka can play well as the 4th line center or the 3rd line LW... well then nothing is impossible for this season.
Honestly, after the Flames failed to get Eichel and he went instead to rival Vegas and then the news that Gaudreau wouldn't re-sign with the team and Tkachuk wanted to either leave now or leave in 9 months... well lets say I was a little depressed.
Happily, I now think the team is better now than what it was at the end of last season.
I have high hopes this season and I will be looking forward to watching Flames hockey once more

 

[super6646]

We complained for 25 years that we have no centre depth. Finally when we have the best centre I’ve ever witnessed in my adult life; all of a sudden we’re complaining that two guys that have produced perfectly well as middle 6 guys in their careers (with advanced stats that point to them being some of most elite defensive players in the NHL) because… reasons?

The fact we’re complaining at all, right now, after… wait for it… zero, nil, zilch, zéro regular season games played with this essentially brand new team is just, perfect. Like, key demographic sports fan territory.

If we start 3-5-2 and the first line can’t carry the puck into the zone, and the third line is terrible (somehow?), and our two 4LW and 4RW are costing us game after game; then wake me up. At this point of time, it’s bitching for the sake of bitching.

Come us guys; I expect it from Twitter where it’s essentially all 17-22 year old kids that are all trying to be insiders and hot take experts; but I’ve known most of you guys for the better part of a decade, we’ve all complained for ever about this core and how we’ve built this roster. This is the first time we are seeing something completely different. Let’s hit the breaks, wait at least 10-15 games and restart our complaints lol.

I can have an excuse since it's only been half about half decade lol.

Also Jesus Christ I just realized I've been on this board for 4 and a half years already.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

We complained for 25 years that we have no centre depth. Finally when we have the best centre I’ve ever witnessed in my adult life; all of a sudden we’re complaining that two guys that have produced perfectly well as middle 6 guys in their careers (with advanced stats that point to them being some of most elite defensive players in the NHL) because… reasons?

The fact we’re complaining at all, right now, after… wait for it… zero, nil, zilch, zéro regular season games played with this essentially brand new team is just, perfect. Like, key demographic sports fan territory.

If we start 3-5-2 and the first line can’t carry the puck into the zone, and the third line is terrible (somehow?), and our two 4LW and 4RW are costing us game after game; then wake me up. At this point of time, it’s bitching for the sake of bitching.

Come us guys; I expect it from Twitter where it’s essentially all 17-22 year old kids that are all trying to be insiders and hot take experts; but I’ve known most of you guys for the better part of a decade, we’ve all complained for ever about this core and how we’ve built this roster. This is the first time we are seeing something completely different. Let’s hit the breaks, wait at least 10-15 games and restart our complaints lol.

I agree! This might be the best team we’ve seen here since the late 80’s.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

My two cents:

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Dube
Ruzicka - Kadri - Mangiapane
Coleman - Backlund - Toffoli
Lucic - Rooney - Lewis

Toffoli makes that top line too slow. Dube adds some much needed pace, puck skills, and physicality, and should take pressure off Huberdeau to carry the puck through the neutral zone, as that's not really his game.

Ruzicka can ride shotgun to Kadri and Mangiapane while adding some size - playing with those two should help him keep his intensity up.

Toffoli's shot with Backlund and Coleman makes a lot of sense, but this line isn't for offense.

4th line is gonna be bad so try not to play them lol.

 

[TheHudlinator]

The only difference between Toffoli and Neal is the attitude…..so far

Well that and he has more points in a third of the games as Neal did as a Flame. The way some of you guys talk about Tofolli comes off like he kicked your dog.

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

If I have to watch Trevor Lewis on the third line I’m going to poke out my own eyeballs. Bad enough he’s on the fourth line

 

[Rubi]

My two cents:

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Dube
Ruzicka - Kadri - Mangiapane
Coleman - Backlund - Toffoli
Lucic - Rooney - Lewis

Toffoli makes that top line too slow. Dube adds some much needed pace, puck skills, and physicality, and should take pressure off Huberdeau to carry the puck through the neutral zone, as that's not really his game.

Ruzicka can ride shotgun to Kadri and Mangiapane while adding some size - playing with those two should help him keep his intensity up.

Toffoli's shot with Backlund and Coleman makes a lot of sense, but this line isn't for offense.

4th line is gonna be bad so try not to play them lol.

You really should have gone to bed before you posted this. You're dreaming. LOL.
Stick to defending Johnny Gaudreau.

Dube still has to prove he's a capable 2nd liner and spent a lot of last year in Sutter's dog house and you think he would put him on the first line?

Ruzicka still hasn't proven himself to Sutter and others as an every day nhl'er and you think he'll slide in on the 2nd line? Pelletier had a better shot at that and we all know where he is. Kadri doesn't need anybody to ride shotgun for him. He's more than capable of looking after himself.

Putting Toffli with Backlund and Coleman just doesn't work. Thats where he played last year and the results were terrible. We've invested too much in Toffoli to set him up to fail. At worse Toffoli should get the opportunity to succeed on the 2nd line with Kadri and Dube if he doesn't click on the first.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

You really should have gone to bed before you posted this. You're dreaming. LOL.
Stick to defending Johnny Gaudreau.

Dube still has to prove he's a capable 2nd liner and spent a lot of last year in Sutter's dog house and you think he would put him on the first line?

Ruzicka still hasn't proven himself to Sutter and others as an every day nhl'er and you think he'll slide in on the 2nd line? Pelletier had a better shot at that and we all know where he is. Kadri doesn't need anybody to ride shotgun for him. He's more than capable of looking after himself.

My opinion is independent of whether or not I think Sutter would do something. Surely you've heard of independent thinking?

Toffoli absolutely tanked the top line whenever he got the chance to play with them. Huberdeau is slow enough as it is, there's a reason that line struggled to produce in preseason.

Also, I didn't mean to imply that Ruzicka would be "protecting" Kadri. I meant riding shotgun as in playing on the same line. Ruzicka is not that type of player, obviously....

Putting Toffli with Backlund and Coleman just doesn't work. Thats where he played last year and the results were terrible. We've invested too much in Toffoli to set him up to fail. At worse Toffoli should get the opportunity to succeed on the 2nd line with Kadri and Dube if he doesn't click on the first.

Have you really never heard of the sunk cost fallacy? But sure, go out of your way to handicap your best players just to make sure you don't waste everything you've invested in Tyler ****ing Toffoli lol. That strategy worked great with Sean Monahan.

 

[Dack]

Kind if surprised they didn't claim Bowers or Kaut or really anyone who looks to have any potential. Playing with Backlumd and Coleman is the easiest spot in the lineup, they really just need somebody with a little offensive talent.

 

[Rubi]

My opinion is independent of whether or not I think Sutter would do something. Surely you've heard of independent thinking?

My independent thinking wishes the sky was pink but that's not likely to happen.

Toffoli absolutely tanked the top line whenever he got the chance to play with them. Huberdeau is slow enough as it is, there's a reason that line struggled to produce in preseason.

It didn't work the very few times with Lindholm and Gaudreau but it could with Huberdeau and Lindholm. That was a pretty sweet goal they scored the other night.

Also, I didn't mean to imply that Ruzicka would be "protecting" Kadri. I meant riding shotgun as in playing on the same line. Ruzicka is not that type of player, obviously....

Have you really never heard of the sunk cost fallacy? But sure, go out of your way to handicap your best players just to make sure you don't waste everything you've invested in Tyler ****ing Toffoli lol. That strategy worked great with Sean Monahan.

Have you heard that putting Toffoli on the third line with Backlund and Coleman is setting him up to fail? What a waste of draft picks if you want to do that after 37 games with the Flames.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Look what Kadri did for Nuke and Burakovsky last season. I think Mangi and Dube could be a really good fit together.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

My independent thinking wishes the sky was pink but that's not likely to happen.

It didn't work the very few times with Lindholm and Gaudreau but it could with Huberdeau and Lindholm. That was a pretty sweet goal they scored the other night.

Have you heard that putting Toffoli on the third line with Backlund and Coleman is setting him up to fail? What a waste of draft picks if you want to do that after 37 games with the Flames.

One play off the rush really isn't a great indicator of anything, as much as you want to make threads about it. It didn't work for the overwhelming majority of the preseason aside from a great play from Huberdeau. That's literally the only goal they connected for at 5v5 - they had a total of 4 5v5 points in 14 combined games...

And how is it setting him up to fail by playing him with Backlund? By putting him on a line where he's the 2nd best player?

Again, go educate yourself about sunk costs.

 

[Rubi]

One play off the rush really isn't a great indicator of anything, as much as you want to make threads about it. It didn't work for the overwhelming majority of the preseason aside from a great play from Huberdeau. That's literally the only goal they connected for at 5v5 - they had a total of 4 5v5 points in 14 combined games...

And how is it setting him up to fail by playing him with Backlund? By putting him on a line where he's the 2nd best player?

Again, go educate yourself about sunk costs.

Oooooo... they played a whole 5 preseason games together! That's certainly a big enough sample size to write off Toffoli and demote him to the 3rd line.
Its a damn good thing Sutter is coaching this team and not you. LOL.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Oooooo... they played a whole 5 preseason games together! That's certainly a big enough sample size to write off Toffoli and demote him to the 3rd line.
Its a damn good thing Sutter is coaching this team and not you. LOL.

Well if you add in the mediocre to terrible 49 games he played last season, then yeah it's starting to be a big enough sample to justify demotion.

 

[Rubi]

Well if you add in the mediocre to terrible 49 games he played last season, then yeah it's starting to be a big enough sample to justify demotion.

Ok.. I see I'm not going to change your mind about Toffoli and that he doesn't deserve to play on a line any better than the 3rd line with a declining Backlund. LOL.
You obviously think you know better than Darryl Sutter. We'll leave it at that I guess.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Ok.. I see I'm not going to change your mind about Toffoli and that he doesn't deserve to play on a line any better than the 3rd line with a declining Backlund. LOL.
You obviously think you know better than Darryl Sutter. We'll leave it at that I guess.

Toffoli is declining faster than Backlund, who, along with Gaudreau, was the team's best player in the playoffs. And maybe there are some things that Sutter doesn't see as soon as others, you'd think Calgary fans of all people would know that coaches are far from perfect. He's got his loyalties to his LAK guys, like Lewis, Lucic, and yeah, Toffoli. For example, if he had heeded my advice in 2021 and put Gaudreau with Lindholm and Tkachuk earlier maybe they make the playoffs. But nope, he had to play Gaudreau with Monahan and Ritchie for reasons.

Fans are allowed to have different opinions than coaches, you know this right? Appeal to authority is the most desperate attempt at debate.

I used to think you were a better poster than this...

 

[Rubi]

Toffoli is declining faster than Backlund

That's your opinion. I don't see it. I see a player who ended up playing for a completely new team last year and only had 37 games to adjust and played a lot of those games with the dried husk of Monahan and other 3rd line players.

, who, along with Gaudreau, was the team's best player in the playoffs. And maybe there are some things that Sutter doesn't see as soon as others, you'd think Calgary fans of all people would know that coaches are far from perfect. He's got his loyalties to his LAK guys, like Lewis, Lucic, and yeah, Toffoli. For example, if he had heeded my advice in 2021 and put Gaudreau with Lindholm and Tkachuk earlier maybe they make the playoffs. But nope, he had to play Gaudreau with Monahan and Ritchie for reasons.

Yes.. Sutter, a two time Stanley Cup winner and Jack Adams winner with 699-503-101 coaching record as well as playing 400+ games in the NHL... should listen to you. How many NHL games have you coached? How many games have you played?

Fans are allowed to have different opinions than coaches, you know this right? Appeal to authority is the most desperate attempt at debate.

I used to think you were a better poster than this...

I'm not appealing to authority. I'm simply putting my faith in someone who brings home the bacon (twice btw) and lead the Flames to first place in the Pacific division with 111 pts thus ending up in 6th place in league standings, and coached the team to 3rd best in the league in GA and 6th best in GA and 2nd best in Goal Differential.
Frankly, I doubt Darryl Sutter needs your advice on how to run his hockey team.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

That's your opinion. I don't see it. I see a player who ended up playing for a completely new team last year and only had 37 games to adjust and played a lot of those games with the dried husk of Monahan and other 3rd line players.

Yes.. Sutter, a two time Stanley Cup winner and Jack Adams winner with 699-503-101 coaching record as well as playing 400+ games in the NHL... should listen to you. How many NHL games have you coached? How many games have you played?

I'm not appealing to authority. I'm simply putting my faith in someone who brings home the bacon (twice btw) and lead the Flames to first place in the Pacific division with 111 pts thus ending up in 6th place in league standings, and coached the team to 3rd best in the league in GA and 6th best in GA and 2nd best in Goal Differential.
Frankly, I doubt Darryl Sutter needs your advice on how to run his hockey team.

That's exactly what you're doing.

"I'm not appealing to authority"

Immediately goes on explaining why you trust an authority just because they are an authority.

And yeah, Backlund is way better than Toffoli. Toffoli can't keep up with the pace of the league now. You're hero Sutter just alluded to that, so apparently you have to accept that as fact.

 

[Bounces R Way]

We complained for 25 years that we have no centre depth. Finally when we have the best centre I’ve ever witnessed in my adult life; all of a sudden we’re complaining that two guys that have produced perfectly well as middle 6 guys in their careers (with advanced stats that point to them being some of most elite defensive players in the NHL) because… reasons?

The fact we’re complaining at all, right now, after… wait for it… zero, nil, zilch, zéro regular season games played with this essentially brand new team is just, perfect. Like, key demographic sports fan territory.

If we start 3-5-2 and the first line can’t carry the puck into the zone, and the third line is terrible (somehow?), and our two 4LW and 4RW are costing us game after game; then wake me up. At this point of time, it’s bitching for the sake of bitching.

Come us guys; I expect it from Twitter where it’s essentially all 17-22 year old kids that are all trying to be insiders and hot take experts; but I’ve known most of you guys for the better part of a decade, we’ve all complained for ever about this core and how we’ve built this roster. This is the first time we are seeing something completely different. Let’s hit the breaks, wait at least 10-15 games and restart our complaints lol.

Just because I'm complaining about the lack of viable wingers in our bottom 6 doesn't mean I'm not optimistic overall. Definitely the best center depth this team has had in a very long time. For my money the deepest defense in quite a while too.

Backlund and Coleman on the 3rd line is sweet, another reason I'm choked they don't seem to want to give Pelletier or Phillips a chance there. Literally a perfect situation to break in a young player into the league. Two great defensive vets who can skate, down the lineup, without a ton of pressure to produce. Instead we'll probably get Brett Ritchie's dumb ass flubbing chances.

I've been cheering for this team through thick and thin a long time too, I reserve the right to bitch and moan when I think they're being stupid

 

[Rubi]

Just because I'm complaining about the lack of viable wingers in our bottom 6 doesn't mean I'm not optimistic overall. Definitely the best center depth this team has had in a very long time. For my money the deepest defense in quite a while too.

Backlund and Coleman on the 3rd line is sweet, another reason I'm choked they don't seem to want to give Pelletier or Phillips a chance there. Literally a perfect situation to break in a young player into the league. Two great defensive vets who can skate, down the lineup, without a ton of pressure to produce. Instead we'll probably get Brett Ritchie's dumb ass flubbing chances.

I've been cheering for this team through thick and thin a long time too, I reserve the right to bitch and moan when I think they're being stupid

I think Ruzicka will get a solid chance to prove himself. When the Flames signed Rooney that put the stake into the hopes of a 2nd rookie getting an opportunity to prove himself as a Flame this year. I'll be happy with either Rooney or Ruzicka playing LW on the 3rd line with the one who doesn't playing center on the 4th line. Would I be even happier if Phillips made the team this year? Absolutely. However right now I just have to console myself with the fact that no other team felt he was waiver worthy. He'll get his chance when injuries happen. IMO, Pelletier just isn't ready yet to take that step up to the Flames. I'd rather have him playing 20+ minutes for the Wranglers than 11-12 for the Flames. He'll eventually get his chance too... maybe even this year.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Claim Bemstrom

 

[Rubi]

Huberdeau is back practicing with the team and Sutter is really throwing those lines into a blender.

 

[super6646]

Those lines suck

 

[Yepthatsme]

Huberdeau is back practicing with the team and Sutter is really throwing those lines into a blender.

Worth noting that over the last week or so Backlund has been getting the most minutes at 5v5. This could be the method for getting Huberdeau’s TOI up to where it should be. Also doesn’t hurt Backlund’s our second leading scorer over the last couple weeks as well.

Sutter also made a comment that stuck with me yesterday. When he was asked about Ruzicka, Sutter said sure he got the points, but Lindholm really likes who he is playing with right now which is important. He said Lindholm is our best player and they’ve been looking for a good fit for him. We could see Ruzicka in that spot for a while as long as the wheels don’t fall off there.

Other than skating fast and hard, Dube hasn’t amounted to much this year. His blown coverage on one of the goals last night may have been the last straw for Sutter. That 4th line is going to be a nightmare to play against though, probably our 3 best/most punishing forechecked together.