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1) With Micheal Ferland still banged up, the Calgary Flames have elected to put Jaromir Jagr on the top line alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.
I think that was the smart thing to do as Jagr still hasn't fully hit his stride and he's already garnering positive results. The sample size is small, but he is 4th on the Flames in 5v5 scoring chances/60 and they have controlled more than 57% of the shot attempts with him on the ice.
He brings more to the table than Curtis Lazar, Troy Brouwer, or any of the other alternatives, and I think it's worth testing him out in that spot to see if it can be an option down the road and/or late in games if the Flames need to shorten the bench and try to create offense.
Jagr keeping up with those guys is a valid concern, but Glen Gulutzan can give that line favorable zone starts, which would help limit the amount of skating Jagr has to do.
2) Matt Stajan is practicing on the 4th line again and seems like a good bet to get back into the lineup on Thursday, as he should be.
In my opinion, Stajan is the best 4th liner the Flames have and he has been playing well this season.
Despite no 5v5 points, he has eight chances in that game state -- more than Brouwer, Tanner Glass, Freddie Hamilton and Garnet Hathaway combined -- and he is also one of the best shot suppressors on the roster. He should be playing every night.
3) Mark Jankowski has picked up where he left off last season as the 2016-17 AHL WAR leader is tops on Stockton in goals, points, and shots. I don't think he'll be in the AHL much longer if he continues to produce like that, especially if the Flames get serious about dressing their best 12 forwards. I know they don't want to recall Jankowski and play him 11 minutes a night, but if they have him doing so instead of, say, Glass, they'll be a *much* better team.
Recent posts:
On Tkachuk's strong play, getting Lack some work, and Glass
Five takeaways from Calgary's bounce-back win over Vancouver
Five takeaways from Calgary's overtime win over Los Angeles
Five takeaways from Calgary's streak-snapping win in Anaheim
Five takeaways from Calgary's convincing win over Winnipeg
Predicting the Pacific Division standings
Flames sign Tanner Glass to one-year deal
Flames sign Jaromir Jagr to one-year deal
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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