It’s easy to dismiss preseason games and especially prospect tournaments as irrelevant venues of competition, but they’re worth noting for at least two reasons: 1) players getting opportunities and 2) possible injuries. The Calgary Flames got two scares in that second category in their prospects exhibition against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
The biggest concern revolves around promising scorer Johnny Gaudreau’s condition following this ugly hit by Frank Corrado (video via Jason Gold):
PHT’s own Cam Tucker reports that Corrado, 21, received a major penalty (possibly for elbowing) and was ejected for that check. Jason Gold compares that hit to one Kyle McLaren delivered on Richard Zednik.
Whatever the league may or may not decide to do about that check, the early word regarding Gaudreau (pictured) seems positive:
"At this stage, I don't think there is anything to worry about." - @ryanhuska on Bennett and Gaudreau pic.twitter.com/YJCK0NJrYd
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 16, 2014
"You're gonna get hit. That's hockey. As a smaller guy, you have to keep your head on a swivel." - Gaudreau pic.twitter.com/eIF1l4PFny
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 16, 2014
That brings us to the other scare for Calgary tonight: first-round pick Sam Bennett was held out after he seemed to suffer a minor groin injury. The good news is that the fourth overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft doesn’t even think this issue will linger into training camp:
#Flames C Sam Bennett acknowledges his groin was bothering him but says he will be 100% for main camp.
— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) September 16, 2014
Bennett, 18, and Gaudreau, 21, inspire some serious excitement from observers so it’s heartening to hear that they likely dodged bullets.
There’s no question Gaudreau has that P.Kane shiftiness to his game.
— Kent Wilson (@Kent_Wilson) September 15, 2014
Naturally, if anything changes for either prospect, PHT will make note.