Todd Cordell: G19 Calgary Flames vs Toronto Maple Leafs: Right the ship

per @markhmasters:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Lucic-Backlund-Dube
Nordstrom-Gawdin-Leivo

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Kylington

Markstrom (Starter)
Rittich

Were 1-4 in our last 5.
If the last 5 years with this core has taught us anything, we are likely to go 4-1 in our next 5 followed by another 1-4 run etc, etc, etc!

Can’t fault markstrom for the oilers loss. We played better than the Vancouver games but we still let the oilers stars have their way in our own zone.

Learn from our mistakes from that game and apply it to the leafs who have a few stars of their own we have a chance to win, if not this could be an ugly night

Were 1-4 in our last 5.
If the last 5 years with this core has taught us anything, we are likely to go 4-1 in our next 5 followed by another 1-4 run etc, etc, etc!
- DEDDIE

Time to just admit this group isn’t working and tear it all down.

Right the ship??? You mean keep it from sinking.
Five games coming up to determine what the (frank) this team is. Playing against TO, you have a chance to show you belong in the conversation. Then two against the Sens, a team in theory, we should beat. Then back to the Oil. If anything other that at least 6 but realistically 8 of 10 points isn't had, radical changes need to happen, regardless of the outcome on the remainder of the season. It needs to start with Ward. If Ward isn't gone, the issue is as much off-ice as on because even we dummy fans can see his on-ice decisions and lineup changes are making thigs worse...

Win tonight... its pretty much a must.
Side note, whats Chucky going to be tonight?

If you look at the fancy numbers there is absolutely no reason to be alarmed. Flames are just in a minor funk and should regain control of the division soon.

Bennett needs to get scratched to send a message and punish him for not trying. Calgarypuck is out to lunch when it comes to this guy, I think the technical term is that they're "dense" because none of them have caught on and are still in denial when they say that "he needs more time" - but it was nice to see Bennett thrown on the taxi squad and benched a week ago or so, to me that acknowledges that Ward realizes what Bennett's doing and it's time to stop treating him like an entitled, princess 4th overall pick
Dube is over-rated, he might be a fast skater, because he's young, but his puck handling is awful
Mangiapane deserves to be on the top two lines
But after that, there's no skill in this lineup. We only have 1 decent RW for the top two lines in Mangiapane, and the bottom two lines we only have Backlund to show for.
Love the progression and effort out of Lucic, he's won me over, but if you move him, it's still addition by subtraction because the cap savings on him would let you go out and sign Hall.
I really hope Ryan is close to returning because he's our best shot at improving this line up, at this rate we could start talking about Pelletier getting his shot to make the team, and look to drafting high. It doesn't seem like this line-up has the answers, and Treliving's gamble of letting this team stick together and grow isn't paying off, odds are Gaudreau walks.

Right the ship??? You mean keep it from sinking.
Five games coming up to determine what the (frank) this team is. Playing against TO, you have a chance to show you belong in the conversation. Then two against the Sens, a team in theory, we should beat. Then back to the Oil. If anything other that at least 6 but realistically 8 of 10 points isn't had, radical changes need to happen, regardless of the outcome on the remainder of the season. It needs to start with Ward. If Ward isn't gone, the issue is as much off-ice as on because even we dummy fans can see his on-ice decisions and lineup changes are making thigs worse...

Win tonight... its pretty much a must.
Side note, whats Chucky going to be tonight?

That's just it - this team, as it's been constructed and coached this season, doesn't belong in the same conversation as the top tier of the division or league. They've had several must-win games and their effort is lackluster at best. As for Chucky, he'll be what he was last game, but hopefully with a bit more puck luck.

Bennett is a bust, he’s had the opportunity and has done nothing. I think he’s a cancer in the dressing room. Bennett reminds a lot of Rico Fata but proved to be an epic failure.

If you look at the fancy numbers there is absolutely no reason to be alarmed. Flames are just in a minor funk and should regain control of the division soon.
- DuranDuran

You're being completely facetious, right?!! They've never had control of the division, and everything points to there being far more significant problems than just a minor funk.

You're being completely facetious, right?!! They've never had control of the division, and everything points to there being far more significant problems than just a minor funk.
- WrySatyr

via GIPHY

Bennett is a bust, he’s had the opportunity and has done nothing. I think he’s a cancer in the dressing room. Bennett reminds a lot of Rico Fata but proved to be an epic failure.
- FlamesFan1230

Yeah, Rico Fata should not even have been drafted in the first five rounds, let alone as a 1st rounder.

Bennett hasn't lived up to potential during the regular season and that's as much on staff as it is on him. This team is worse of with him out of the lineup than with him in it. You can't honestly tell me that Nordstrom or Leivo or Simon or Gawdin are better than Bennett.

The fact that he wants out only tells me that he's voiced what must of the rest of the team has been too diploma to voice - that this team is going nowhere fast due to consistent management and coaching blunders.

Bennett is a bust, he’s had the opportunity and has done nothing. I think he’s a cancer in the dressing room. Bennett reminds a lot of Rico Fata but proved to be an epic failure.
- FlamesFan1230

He broke a guy’s collarbone and fought a dude way bigger than him last game. Yep sounds exactly like Rico Fata.

He broke a guy’s collarbone and fought a dude way bigger than him last game. Yep sounds exactly like Rico Fata.
- fry

So what you are saying his high end level is being a goon. With all the hype about him going into the draft he was supposed considered high end talent. I really wish Draisatl dropped down to 4th 🥵

He broke a guy’s collarbone and fought a dude way bigger than him last game. Yep sounds exactly like Rico Fata.
- fry

So what you are saying his high end level is being a goon. With all the hype about him going into the draft he was supposed to be considered high end talent. I really wish Draisatl dropped down to 4th 🥵

He broke a guy’s collarbone and fought a dude way bigger than him last game. Yep sounds exactly like Rico Fata.
- fry

Doesn't matter. Outside of that, the rest of the game it's like the last Dubois shift in Columbus all the time. He's not trying on purpose so he should get scratched.

He probably hates Gaudreau and Monahan - and that's why the coaches put him on that line, I bet there's a lot of things going on behind the scenes.

People like you should give it up and stop defending Bennett. He's a multimillionaire and instead of making the best of things, he doesn't try and sulks. If he tried as hard as Mangiapane I'd respect him. But there's strategy behind what Bennett's doing. If he tried hard on the 3rd line, and didn't produce, then he looks bad, his value goes down. He's just clinging onto his 4th overall pick status and riding that for what it's worth.

Bennett is a bust, he’s had the opportunity and has done nothing. I think he’s a cancer in the dressing room. Bennett reminds a lot of Rico Fata but proved to be an epic failure.
- FlamesFan1230

Never draft a guy that can’t do a single pull up.

Pat Steinberg
@Fan960Steinberg

#Flames projected tonight in Toronto, per the team:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Lucic-Backlund-Dube
Nordstrom-Gawdin-Leivo

Giordano-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Kylington

Markstrom

That 4th line.... Kylington...

Bennett is a bust, he’s had the opportunity and has done nothing. I think he’s a cancer in the dressing room. Bennett reminds a lot of Rico Fata but proved to be an epic failure.
- FlamesFan1230

This here is one of the dumbest comments I’ve read on here. Let’s get rid of one of the only guys that hits and drops the mitts on the team. If he wasn’t a 4th oa pick no one would care.
We can make this team even softer to play against!

1. This IS who you are. Deal with it.
2. 97 just broke JMs will to live. Sorry not sorry.
3. He's too busy chewing his mouthpiece, and his mouth guard
4. Try Metamucil.
5. Clean up your drool and delete your browser history.

#. LOOOOOOCH.

p.s ur fuct.

Never draft a guy that can’t do a single pull up.
- TurdFergeson

Didn’t stop him from dropping that bum in Edmonton. Look out if he’d have been able to get a couple in.

Doesn't matter. Outside of that, the rest of the game it's like the last Dubois shift in Columbus all the time. He's not trying on purpose so he should get scratched.

He probably hates Gaudreau and Monahan - and that's why the coaches put him on that line, I bet there's a lot of things going on behind the scenes.

People like you should give it up and stop defending Bennett. He's a multimillionaire and instead of making the best of things, he doesn't try and sulks. If he tried as hard as Mangiapane I'd respect him. But there's strategy behind what Bennett's doing. If he tried hard on the 3rd line, and didn't produce, then he looks bad, his value goes down. He's just clinging onto his 4th overall pick status and riding that for what it's worth.
- eastcanadAREaholes

“People like you”

His work in the corners isn’t his problem. His stone hands and lack of hockey IQ are. His perception of his role on the team is. He’s one of the few players still digging in on the boards. That comparison to PLD’s last shift is just your sh!tty brain seeing two players demanding trades and then trying to shoehorn comparable factors into it.

Also, your name is fvcking retarded.

“People like you”

His work in the corners isn’t his problem. His stone hands and lack of hockey IQ are. His perception of his role on the team is. He’s one of the few players still digging in on the boards. That comparison to PLD’s last shift is just your sh!tty brain seeing two players demanding trades and then trying to shoehorn comparable factors into it.

Also, your name is fvcking retarded.
- fry

The Toronto team has six players injured. These include their best defenseman, and three players from their top 2 lines. The Leafs are preparing to utilize a career minor leaguer on the first line tonight. I'm not sure if this is desperation or overconfidence. Nonetheless, the Flames need to take advantage of this precarious foe if they intend to find any traction in the standings. Another loss will likely confirm the need to reassess and retool the roster.

BTW, most amateur scouts rated Bennett outside of the top-6, with some upside to be a second liner. He never possessed the right tools to be a top-6 player. Those who quote NHL Central Scouting in a veiled effort to claim he should be better and does not try, should note that NHL Central Scouting asks scouts to where they believe a player "will be picked" which is much different than where a player "should be picked." Thus, when rumors indicated Buffalo were considering taking Bennett 1st overall, scouts responded accordingly. When Buffalo instead shocked many at the draft by selecting Sam Reinhart (possibly by mistake), many assumed Bennett would not be taken until much later. However, fortunately for Bennett, Burke would not pass up another opportunity to select a future third liner with a lottery pick. Regardless, it was not a strong draft class beyond the top 3 players. The rest is history and Bennett has become the player most outside of Buffalo and Calgary expected.