The Flames take to the ice tonight at 7pm for their final preseason game of 2021 against the Winnipeg Jets. Whether the Jets will be looking to settle the score over the hit Blake Coleman made on Jansen Harkens is up in the air as Coleman is currently suspended. Chances are we see a more reserved game tonight as both teams prepare for their season openers.
Here are the Flames lines for tonight:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm Dube-Backlund-Mangiapane Kirkland-Gawdin-Ritchie Lucic-Froese-Duehr
Hanifin-Andersson Valimaki-Tanev Kylington-Gudbranson Zadorov-Stone
Markstrom Vladar
Testing out an old formula With Tkachuk getting a rest tonight, the old Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm line gets to see the light of day. Combining for 259 points in the 2018-19 season, this line is certainly worth rolling out again. It will be interesting to see how Monahan looks tonight after a poor showing in his first preseason game.
Important game for Valimaki Valimaki has been on the outside looking in for the last few games. Sutter pointed out that he hasn’t been making the reads he needs to on the breakout. If him and Tanev are indeed in the lineup tonight, (note the four pairings) then this will be Valimaki’s last opportunity to make the team on opening night. He’s showed he has it in him during previous preseason games, but he needs to find consistency. This will be updated during warmups when the pairings are officially decided.
Gawdin might have got in 24 year old Glenn Gawdin has been finding some offence of late including a nice five hole one-timer off a feed from Tkachuk last game. Sutter has hinted towards Gawdin making the team, but with Backlund, Monahan, Dube, and Lindholm all able to play center — it will be interesting to see where Glenn ends up. He will rely on Justin Kirkland and Brett Ritchie to make space for him tonight. Both are big and can win a corner battle.
Here is an extremely vague projection of the Jets lineup per Ken Wiebe @WiebesWorld:
Connor-Scheifele-Harkins Copp-Dubois-Ehlers Stastny-Lowry-Perfetti Nash11th F spot sounded like it could be Toninato or Svechnikov
7 D will be moved around to spread out the minutes.
Hellebuyck starts in goal.
Enjoy the game,
Trevor Neufeld