The Calgary Flames have embarked on one of their most important road trips of the season. The next four games for the Flames see them take on Pacific Division opponents, including two teams they?re directly chasing in the Western Conference playoff race. With four games remaining until the All Star break, it?s fair to say we?ll have a much better idea of where Calgary stands when this trip come to an end. The Flames kick things off this evening when they visit the Arizona Coyotes (7 pm, Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960).
Calgary Flames 22-18-3, 5th Pacific Division
Curtis Glencross-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau-Mikael Backlund-David Jones
Lance Bouma-Drew Shore-Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig-Matt Stajan-Paul Byron
TJ Brodie-Mark Giordano
Kris Russell-Dennis Wideman
Rapha Diaz-Deryk Engelland
It?s a special night for Shore, as he makes his Flames debut less than a week after being acquired from the Florida Panthers. It seems pretty clear that Calgary sees Shore as an NHLer right now, because they?re playing him knowing full well his waiver scenario. Currently, Shore would not need to clear waivers to be sent back to the American League. However, suiting up for just two more NHL games will make Shore eligible for waivers, adding another interesting wrinkle to this story. Theoretically, the Flames could send Shore back to Adirondack following tonight?s game without having to worry about waivers, but the impression many get is the team is hoping he?ll stick around for the rest of the season.
Markus Granlund and Mason Raymond will sit out as healthy scratches tonight. For Granlund, it seems inevitable a return to the AHL is in the offing, as that was the original plan when Josh Jooris got hurt. Granlund has shown glimpses this season of being ready for the highest level, but it?s become pretty clear some more seasoning would be helpful. As for Raymond, this will be the fourth time in six games he?s been sat out as a healthy scratch. It?s a somewhat disturbing trend for a guy who signed a three year contract during the offseason and has just one point in his last 12 games.
Calgary?s hottest player right now is Backlund, as he?ll try to extend his goal and point scoring streaks to four games this evening. Since returning from a 29 game absence, Backlund has three goals and five points in three games and has been one of their most consistent players. It also has given the team a whole lot more balance down the middle, with Monahan and Stajan also fully capable of taking on tough matchups and defensive responsibility. On an expiring contract, seeing Backlund put up points like this only bodes well for an extension prior to July 1st.
After posting his first NHL shutout on Saturday night in Vancouver, the Flames will go back to Joni Ortio in net tonight against Arizona. That means the team is taking three goalies with them on this road trip, although Karri Ramo remains on IR. This is clearly a great opportunity for Ortio, but it?s also an opportunity for the team to get a larger body of work on Ortio before making any goaltending decisions prior to the trade deadline. How he performs before Ramo comes back from an upper body injury could very well dictate their plans at that position for the near future.
Arizona Coyotes 16-22-4, 6th Pacific Division
Lucas Lessio-Antoine Vermette-Martin Erat
Sam Gagner-Martin Hanzal-Mikkel Boedker
Tobias Rieder-Kyle Chipchura-David Moss
Brandon McMillan-Joe Vitale-Lauri Korpikoski
Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Michael Stone
Keith Yandle-Connor Murphy
Philip Samuelsson-Zbynek Michalek
It?s been a difficult season for the Coyotes, who just haven?t been able to get on anything resembling a roll. Plain and simple, this team doesn?t have the personnel to keep up with the rest of the division or the conference. The offseason in Arizona saw them divest from Mike Ribeiro without a true replacement, only to see him go on to play a huge role in Nashville?s resurgence. They added next to nothing to a group that missed the playoffs last season, and with how much better other teams in the conference got, that wasn?t going to do the trick. Sitting 13 points back of the playoffs with less than half a season to go is just too much ground to make up.
It seems like Coyotes management would agree with the previous statement. General Manager Don Maloney pulled the trigger on the first of what should prove to be numerous deals yesterday afternoon. Maloney dealt goaltender Devan Dubnyk to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a third round pick. When asked if this was the beginning of more moves, his quote was ?I think that?s safe to say?. Names like Vermette, Hanzal, and even captain Shane Doan have been thrown around as potential trade targets for contending teams. If that?s the case, it?ll likely signal a full on rebuild for a team that was a perennial playoff threat only a few years ago.
Speaking of Doan, it looks like he?ll sit out against Calgary tonight with a lower body injury suffered in Arizona?s 3-2 setback to San Jose on Tuesday night. Doan joins defenceman Brandon Gormley (lower body) on the sidelines, while Hanzal returns to the lineup after missing the last four games with an upper body injury. The return of Hanzal can?t be understated, as is he is the team?s tough minutes centre and is one of the team?s most consistent possession drivers. He?ll be a really solid addition to a team looking to make a playoff push.
With Dubnyk off to Minnesota, that leaves Mike Smith as the unquestioned number one goalie for the Coyotes. Unfortunately, that?s not a good thing this year. Smith is in the midst of an absolute nightmare season, sitting 7-17-2 with a 3.52 goals against average and a horrifying 0.885 save percentage. He?ll get the start tonight, with ECHL callup Michael Lee serving as the backup.
Calgary Flames 22-18-3, 5th Pacific Division
Curtis Glencross-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau-Mikael Backlund-David Jones
Lance Bouma-Drew Shore-Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig-Matt Stajan-Paul Byron
TJ Brodie-Mark Giordano
Kris Russell-Dennis Wideman
Rapha Diaz-Deryk Engelland
It?s a special night for Shore, as he makes his Flames debut less than a week after being acquired from the Florida Panthers. It seems pretty clear that Calgary sees Shore as an NHLer right now, because they?re playing him knowing full well his waiver scenario. Currently, Shore would not need to clear waivers to be sent back to the American League. However, suiting up for just two more NHL games will make Shore eligible for waivers, adding another interesting wrinkle to this story. Theoretically, the Flames could send Shore back to Adirondack following tonight?s game without having to worry about waivers, but the impression many get is the team is hoping he?ll stick around for the rest of the season.
Markus Granlund and Mason Raymond will sit out as healthy scratches tonight. For Granlund, it seems inevitable a return to the AHL is in the offing, as that was the original plan when Josh Jooris got hurt. Granlund has shown glimpses this season of being ready for the highest level, but it?s become pretty clear some more seasoning would be helpful. As for Raymond, this will be the fourth time in six games he?s been sat out as a healthy scratch. It?s a somewhat disturbing trend for a guy who signed a three year contract during the offseason and has just one point in his last 12 games.
Calgary?s hottest player right now is Backlund, as he?ll try to extend his goal and point scoring streaks to four games this evening. Since returning from a 29 game absence, Backlund has three goals and five points in three games and has been one of their most consistent players. It also has given the team a whole lot more balance down the middle, with Monahan and Stajan also fully capable of taking on tough matchups and defensive responsibility. On an expiring contract, seeing Backlund put up points like this only bodes well for an extension prior to July 1st.
After posting his first NHL shutout on Saturday night in Vancouver, the Flames will go back to Joni Ortio in net tonight against Arizona. That means the team is taking three goalies with them on this road trip, although Karri Ramo remains on IR. This is clearly a great opportunity for Ortio, but it?s also an opportunity for the team to get a larger body of work on Ortio before making any goaltending decisions prior to the trade deadline. How he performs before Ramo comes back from an upper body injury could very well dictate their plans at that position for the near future.
Arizona Coyotes 16-22-4, 6th Pacific Division
Lucas Lessio-Antoine Vermette-Martin Erat
Sam Gagner-Martin Hanzal-Mikkel Boedker
Tobias Rieder-Kyle Chipchura-David Moss
Brandon McMillan-Joe Vitale-Lauri Korpikoski
Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Michael Stone
Keith Yandle-Connor Murphy
Philip Samuelsson-Zbynek Michalek
It?s been a difficult season for the Coyotes, who just haven?t been able to get on anything resembling a roll. Plain and simple, this team doesn?t have the personnel to keep up with the rest of the division or the conference. The offseason in Arizona saw them divest from Mike Ribeiro without a true replacement, only to see him go on to play a huge role in Nashville?s resurgence. They added next to nothing to a group that missed the playoffs last season, and with how much better other teams in the conference got, that wasn?t going to do the trick. Sitting 13 points back of the playoffs with less than half a season to go is just too much ground to make up.
It seems like Coyotes management would agree with the previous statement. General Manager Don Maloney pulled the trigger on the first of what should prove to be numerous deals yesterday afternoon. Maloney dealt goaltender Devan Dubnyk to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a third round pick. When asked if this was the beginning of more moves, his quote was ?I think that?s safe to say?. Names like Vermette, Hanzal, and even captain Shane Doan have been thrown around as potential trade targets for contending teams. If that?s the case, it?ll likely signal a full on rebuild for a team that was a perennial playoff threat only a few years ago.
Speaking of Doan, it looks like he?ll sit out against Calgary tonight with a lower body injury suffered in Arizona?s 3-2 setback to San Jose on Tuesday night. Doan joins defenceman Brandon Gormley (lower body) on the sidelines, while Hanzal returns to the lineup after missing the last four games with an upper body injury. The return of Hanzal can?t be understated, as is he is the team?s tough minutes centre and is one of the team?s most consistent possession drivers. He?ll be a really solid addition to a team looking to make a playoff push.
With Dubnyk off to Minnesota, that leaves Mike Smith as the unquestioned number one goalie for the Coyotes. Unfortunately, that?s not a good thing this year. Smith is in the midst of an absolute nightmare season, sitting 7-17-2 with a 3.52 goals against average and a horrifying 0.885 save percentage. He?ll get the start tonight, with ECHL callup Michael Lee serving as the backup.
