Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau figure to be a big part of the Calgary Flames’ forward group, both in the present and the future.
That said, it the very specific present, they’ll be watching Tuesday’s game from the press box.
After an unsatisfactory practice amid flailing playoff hopes, Flames head coach Bob Hartley made a big statement tonight, taking Monahan, Gaudreau and Lance Bouma out of the lineup as healthy scratches against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
#TORvsCGY Roster Update: Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, and Lance Bouma will be healthy scratches for tonight’s game vs. the #Leafs.
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) February 10, 2016
Bob Hartley will address why Monahan, Gaudreau & Bouma are healthy scratches post game. #Flames
— Leah Hextall (@leahhextall) February 10, 2016
It's official. Joe Colborne & Markus Granlund will return to line-up, defenceman Jakub Nakladad will make NHL debut. https://t.co/ZKrPuNWcqJ
— Derek Wills (@Fan960Wills) February 10, 2016
Wow.
It’s amusing timing, too, as the Maple Leafs will roll with a bit of a skeleton crew of their own after that splashy Dion Phaneuf trade.
Grabner-Kadri-Komarov
— Jason Brough 🙁 (@SadClubCommish) February 9, 2016
Winnik-Spaling-Leivo
Holland-Arcobello-Parenteau
Clune-Froese-Boyes
Hunwick-Rielly
Gardiner-Polak
Marincin-Corrado
Some background
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector was there for the practice, which was unusually short at 25 minutes.
“He wasn’t happy with the way we were practicing,” David Jones told Spector. “It’s a little embarrassing when we’re not (making) five-foot passes.
“I think he was pretty pissed off about the way things were looking.”
Call it a combination of poor execution and maybe a tardy arrival ... perhaps from a Super Bowl party or two?
Strange scene at Saddledome. #Flames coach Bob Hartley addresses team in corner of rink, then leaves ice.
— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) February 8, 2016