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Adirondack Flames

Flames return Bennett to junior

By Dhiren MahibanFeb 21, 2015, 12:15 PM EST

The Calgary Flames returned forward Sam Bennett to the Ontario Hockey League’s Kinston Frontenacs the club announced Saturday.

Bennett, who hasn’t played this season, was in Calgary recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum.

“After the fourth month it gets a little annoying,” Bennett told the Flames website. “Wherever I play I’m ready to go. I don’t feel hesitant at all out there. I guess it’s just a matter of getting my confidence back up again.

The 18-year-old was finally cleared for contact last weekend and spent the week practicing with the Flames prior to Saturday’s decision.

Bennett had 36 goals and 91 points in 57 games before the Flames selected him fourth overall last June.

He has not played a meaningful game since April 1 when his Frontenacs were bounced from the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Once his OHL season is over, Bennett will be eligible to re-join the Flames or their AHL affiliate in Adirondack.

Saturday’s move allows Calgary to hold on to the first year of Bennett’s entry-level contract.

Flames’ McGrattan: ‘Quitting isn’t in my vocab’

By Dhiren MahibanJan 11, 2015, 11:15 AM EST
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After being healthy scratched in 14 straight games Calgary Flames enforcer Brian McGrattan was placed on waivers Friday. He cleared on Saturday and was assigned to the American Hockey League’s Adirondack Flames.

The 33-year-old has four penalty minutes and a minus-2 rating in eight games this season. He has not played since Dec. 6.

McGrattan spoke to the Calgary Sun’s Eric Francis following his demotion Saturday.

“I’ve been through a lot harder things in my life. Being scratched or sent down is kind of peanuts,” he said. “Quitting isn’t in my vocab”

McGrattan is just the latest enforcer to be waived and assigned to the AHL. Earlier this month, the Vancouver Canucks waived Tom Sestito. In October Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren were waived and assigned to the AHL by the Maple Leafs.

McGrattan isn’t sure the move is a smart one.

“They might be playing with fire taking big guys out – you never know the way the game is going to go,” he said. “Might see more dirty hits”

McGrattan last played in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, the minor league affiliate of the Nashville Predators, in 2012-13.

In 317 career NHL games McGrattan has 10 goals and 27 points to go along with 609 penalty minutes.

Setoguchi clears waivers, off to the AHL

By Dhiren MahibanNov 27, 2014, 9:30 PM EST
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The Calgary Flames have shipped winger Devin Setoguchi to the Adirondack Flames of the American Hockey League.

The 27-year-old was placed on waivers Wednesday and went unclaimed prior to the noon deadline on Thursday.

Setoguchi went pointless in 12 games with the Flames this season while picking up four penalty minutes and a minus-7 rating

He was also a healthy scratch in nine games.

“(Setoguchi) is skating around out there like he has a 300 pound gorilla on his back,” Flames GM Brad Treliving told The Calgary Herald. “Nothing but good things to say about the work he’s put in. He’s in the gym, he’s working hard, it’s just he’s been bitten a little bit right now.”

Calgary signed the Alberta native to a one-year, $750,000 contract in August.

Setoguchi last played in the AHL during the 2007-08 season with the Worcester Sharks while with the San Jose organization. He also signed a contract with the Ontario Reign of the ECHL during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

Flames place Backlund on IR, recall Ferland

By Dhiren MahibanOct 30, 2014, 7:07 PM EDT

You can add the Calgary Flames to the growing list of teams battling the injury bug.

Center Mikael Backlund was placed on injured reserve Thursday with an abdominal injury. Its’ the same injury he returned to Calgary, from his native Sweden, with this summer.

Backlund joins Mason Raymond (shoulder), Matt Stajan (knee) and Joe Colborne (wrist) as Flames currently injured at the moment.

With Backlund on IR, the Flames recalled Michael Ferland from the American Hockey League’s Adirondack Flames.

Ferland, 22, leads the AHL club with four goals and five assists in nine games this season.

Originally a fifth round pick (133rd overall) in 2010, Ferland has yet to make his NHL debut.

Video: Trevor Gillies loses it during AHL game

By Dhiren MahibanOct 11, 2014, 9:35 AM EDT
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Stop me if you’ve heard this before: during a blowout game in the American Hockey League stupidity occurred.

On Friday, the Adirondack Flames were in the midst of being handed a 6-1 loss when tough guy Trevor Gillies lost it on Rochester Americans rookie William Carrier.

For his efforts, Gillies, who has picked up 261 penalty minutes in 57 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders, was handed the book.

He received two minutes for instigating, five minutes for fighting, a game misconduct for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of the game and a game misconduct for being the aggressor – a total of 27 minutes.

Gillies will be automatically suspended for the Flames game Saturday for picking up the instigator a final five minutes of a game.