Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Breaking the Streak

October 16, 2021, 3:23 PM ET [62 Comments]
Trevor Neufeld
Calgary Flames Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Calgary Flames kick off their season tonight against the Edmonton Oilers at 8pm. It might be a painful one to watch. The Flames haven’t won a season opener in 11 years. With UFA acquisition Blake Coleman suspended for his hit on Jansen Harkens; the Flames will be going 11/7 tonight. Here’s a look at the lines in practice this morning per Hailey Salvian of the Athletic:

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Dube-Monahan-Mangiapane
Lucic-Backlund-Lewis
Coleman*-Gawdin-Ritchie

Hanifin-Andersson
Zadorov-Tanev
Kylington-Gudbranson
Valimaki

Markstrom
Vladar

*suspended

Things to watch:

No last change for Sutter
If you watched the Senators play the Oilers last year, you may have noticed the Oilers running up the score. The Senators lost all nine games to the Oilers during the 20-21 season. Most games weren’t even close. One player that got completely exposed was defenceman Erik Gudbranson. His tendency to chase players trying to lay a hit was both predictable and consistent. McDavid and Draisaitl ate him alive. With Gudbranson in the lineup tonight and the Flames being on the road — Tippett will be sending out McDavid or Draisaitl every time Gudbranson goes out there. Prepare for things to get ugly.

Tryouts continue
With seven defensemen and the legendary Darryl Sutter coaching — you can bet on someone getting benched. It could Be Gudbranson or Zadorov running around looking for a hit. It could be Kylington or Valimaki messing up coverage. One of these guys will be the odd man out when Coleman returns.

The Flames hold the hammer
With Zach Kassian hitting his head so recently, it’s unlikely that he will be willing to drop the gloves tonight. That leaves Darnell Nurse and Mike Smith as the only potential fighters on the Oilers roster. The Flames meanwhile have a murderers row of players willing to answer the bell. If the Flames are to win with this roster, intimidation is an important factor.

On a side note, while looking around to check whether Kassian will be in tonight — I found this.

403-B6-CF0-78-AE-4-D18-B39-C-F304-B543-BF20l

Sometimes you just have to laugh at the way Oilers media spins things. “Fighting on his terms” then including a picture of Kassian fighting a smaller, much younger player. I guess it’s safer than breaking your hand fighting Erik Gudbranson or hitting your head fighting Zach MacEwen. Maybe Kassian will drop the gloves tonight if Johnny agrees to a bout.



Anyway, enjoy the game tonight. At very least enjoy some big hits.



Trevor Neufeld
Join the Discussion: » 62 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Trevor Neufeld
» Troubling Trends, Playing the Spoiler - Flames vs Blues Game Day
» End the Trend: Flames-Blackhawks Game Day
» NCAA Star Signed, Phillips Scratched, Wolf Starts: Flames-Capitals Game Day
» Okhotiuk Debuts, Hanifin Back, Wolf Gets Another Shot - Flames-VGK Game Day
» Miro's Big Opportunuty, Topi Ronni Found Guilty - Flames-Avs Game Day