Roster moves a plenty before the Flames face the Tampa Bay Lightning as the they deal with a litany of balls in the air
Injuries, a suspension, a new addition and Friday’s trade deadline have the Calgary Flames playing What’s My Line? in anticipation of Thursday’s road clash with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As the Flames kick off a three-game trip, which also includes clashes Saturday against the Florida Panthers and Sunday versus the Carolina Hurricanes, the coaching staff brought out the old Mixmaster 2000 for myriad reasons.
With forward Connor Zary’s issue more than just a “short-term thing” as coach Ryan Huska called it on Monday, fellow forward Martin Pospisil spending three games in the NHL’s clink for his check from behind in Monday night’s game, the arrival of new defenceman Joel Hanley off the waiver wire from the Dallas Stars and blueliner Noah Hanifin dealt away, the club did some recalibration in Wednesday’s practice.
According to those on-hand at the session (hat tip to Salim Nadim Valji of TSN and Eric Francis of Sportsnet) the forward trio of Mikael Backlund, Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman remain the same, but Dryden Hunt was moved to the fourth line with Walker Duehr and Kevin Rooney, Andrei Kuzmenko skated with Nazem Kadri and Jakob Pelletier. Matt Coronato — who was recalled from the AHL Wranglers because of Zary’s injury — was put with Yegor Sharangovich and Jonathan Huberdeau.
The defence corps also has been switched around, a process kicked off with the trade that sent Chris Tanev to Dallas last week and continued with the yet-to-be-announced deal that sent Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights. Rasmus Andersson was with Mackenzie Weegar, which reunited a duo that has spent the bulk of the season together. Hanifin had not been traded but was obviously to be sat out, was paired with Jordan Oesterle, while Oliver Kylington skated with Brayden Pachal and Hanley was with Dennis Gilbert.
Whether that is how the Flames line up against the Lightning remains to be seen, and dependant on whether a deal is in place early enough to bring any roster players back, and if any others are caught in the trade winds. Kylington, Oesterle, Gilbert and Rooney are also pending unrestricted free agents, and who knows what could shake out before puck drop. Plus, the trade talk surrounding goaltender Jacob Markstrom may have subsided but could crop up at any moment.
