Follow me on Twitter!:
@ColinDJD
Tonight the Calgary Flames will play host to the Detroit Red Wings in their third and final meeting of the season. Surprisingly, the Flames are up two games in the series and could sweep Detroit at home tonight.
Detroit will certainly come in strong tonight as they continue to fight for a playoff spot, however with only two home games left this season and Kiprusoff confirmed as the starting netminder, I’m sure Miikka will battle hard for a win in what could be his last home game as a Flame.
Matt Stajan was back to practice this week and we should see him back on the ice tonight. Stajan won’t be the only change in the lineup tonight either, as Hartley wants to try Reinhart as a grinder on the 4th line between Tim Jackman and Steve Begin. It could be interesting to see Reinhart in a different role, though he’s been playing well and moving him to the 4th line will reduce his ice time. To me it doesn’t seem productive for his development, although it’s at times like these that you experiment with your lines, so no harm no foul I suppose. Additionally, playing with Jackman and Begin there could be many loose pucks for Reinhart to put on net.
With the season coming to a close, hopefully the Flames will put on a good show for their fans tonight and continue to demonstrate a hard work ethic, despite the commotion this season has provided for the team.
Make sure to check out MUCHmoreDeals for great prices on hockey tickets or other venues across North America, and much more!
I have received many requests to extend my top five potential draft selections which we have covered over the past week or so, and given that the Flames potentially hold three first round selections this year, I suppose it’s fitting that we discuss another handful of eligible first round selections.
With that being said, today’s draft prospect is Hunter Shinkaruk from the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. He’s a dynamic offender, who has been called to center a few lines but has predominantly played the left wing. While this is not uncommon for players coming into their draft year, it is something which could be beneficial for the Flames just the same.
Why else would they want him? Well, Hunter is quite creative with the puck on his stick and he can ignite a certain level of excitement in fans. In 64 games, Shinkaruk ended the year with 37 goals and 86 points, 14 of which came on the power play. Similar to Sean Mohanan who we covered yesterday, he has great vision on the ice and has been known to be a playmaker. Furthermore, being a Calgary native and playing for Medicine Hat doesn’t hurt his chances with the Flames, either.
Where Shinkaruk struggled this year was adjusting after losing some strong line mates last season. He was slow to start but eventually found his stride, and it could arguably be an asset for the young forward as he feels more comfortable and plays better with higher caliber players. Shinkaruk is currently listed at 5’11 and 175lbs. Though not small, he’s not exactly a bigger bodied player the Flames are likely looking for. Keep in mind though, these guys are still young and have plenty of time to put on size.
Hunter definitely has potential to be a difference maker, and with the right development he could be a great asset to any NHL team.
“I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t creep into my mind sometimes,” Shinkaruk said of the possibility of cracking an NHL lineup in 2013-14. “I’ve had a great team to play for here in the Dub. Obviously, it’s my goal to make it into the NHL next year and it’ll all depend on what team I get drafted to. That’s going to be something I work toward . . . and if that happens, it’ll be pretty unbelievable.”
Calgary Herald
That's all for today folks, thanks for reading!
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»