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Tonight the Calgary Flames open preseason with a pair of split squad games against the Vancouver Canucks.
Here are the projected lineups:
vs Vancouver
Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Elias Lindholm
Sam Bennett - Mikael Backlund - Michael Frolik
Milan Lucic - Derek Ryan - Jakob Pelletier
Zac Rinaldo - Glenn Gawdin - Devante Smith-Pelly
Mark Giordano - T.J. Brodie
Noah Hanifin - Travis Hamonic
Andrew MacDonald - Robert Hamilton
David Rittich
Cam Talbot
@ Vancouver
Tobias Rieder - Mark Jankowski - Austin Czarnik
Dillon Dube - Alan Quine - Matthew Phillips
Ryan Lomberg - Byron Froese - Buddy Robinson
Justin Kirkland - Adam Ruzicka - Dmitri Zavgorodniy
Oliver Kylington - Rasmus Andersson
Brandon Davidson - Michael Stone
Andrew Nielsen - Alexei Yelesin
Artyom Zagidulin
Tyler Parsons
A few things to watch in Calgary:
1) Sam Bennett's shooting. It sure sounds like he’s going to be a rover in the top-6, being given opportunities on different lines depending if Elias Lindholm plays center, Michael Frolik is moved down, or Matthew Tkachuk remains unsigned. Bennett has always been a great chance generator but finishing them off is a much different story. This will be the first opportunity to show the revamped shot/release he worked on with skills coach Darryl Belfry.
2) Milan Lucic. He has never been overly mobile and his puck skills have completely died over the last couple of years. We’ve heard a ton of talk about how he’s slimmed down, gotten quicker, and can still make plays. Let’s see it.
3) Jakob Pelletier’s debut. He is still a year or two away from really pushing for an NHL job but he has skill and is a real competitor. I don’t think he’ll be shy about battling against bigger, more physically mature opponents in the corners, nor do I think he’ll hesitate to get to the paint. I wouldn’t be surprised if he generates a couple dangerous chances and perhaps puts one in the back of the net.
A few things to watch @ Vancouver:
1) Oliver Kylington. Regardless of which pairing Rasmus Andersson ends up on any given night, we know he *will* be in the lineup. We don’t know that about Kylington. His competition for a spot on the 3rd pairing – Andrew MacDonald, Michael Stone, etc. – might not be fierce in terms of raw talent but the Flames do value veteran ‘defensive minded’ defenders. Kylington isn’t just going to be handed a spot. He’s going to have to play well to get it. Top pairing duties against the more talented Vancouver split will provide a good test for him. Let’s see if he can prove himself.
2) Tobias Rieder and Austin Czarnik. If Michael Frolik isn’t traded, there might only be one every day wing spot up for grabs. Both of these guys are fighting for it. I think tonight will be a good opportunity for them to showcase what they can do while playing meaningful minutes alongside the guy who will probably end up centering them come October.
3) Dillon Dube. As mentioned above, there might only be one regular wing spot open and Dube clearly has a lot of competition for it. Last season with Stockton, he was one of the more efficient 5v5 producers in his age group. It’s not a stretch to suggest he’s ready for NHL duty. He needs to use these games to go out and prove it.
Here is how you can watch tonight’s action.
I’ll be back tomorrow with some takeaways and data from tonight’s games. Enjoy!
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