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Why Trouba and the Flames aren’t a fit — The Month of Familiar Feelings |
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Perhaps Calgary Flames fans should refer to this December as: The Month of Familiar Feelings.
Starting off with a recurring losing streak-ending 3-0 shutouts, the Calgary faithful were served a dish far more well known on Thursday night.
That being the perennial classic video goal review finding a way to beat the Flames.
For those who missed it, here is the overtime game winner. Scored by St. Louis and Team Canada’s Colton Parayko.
Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska proceeded to challenge the play. After all, pushing the pad is technically against the rules.
We can save the tension for another time. The goal was allowed. Pushing the pad like that, while technically illegal, is a play experienced at all levels of hockey. It’s a bitter way to lose a game—but fairly typical.
As to why it’s familiar, most Flames fans are well aware of a stigma following the team when it comes to goal reviews. Coleman’s “kicking motion” in game five against the Oilers, the “hand pass” that annulled an overtime Flames goal against the Leafs last season, the failed hand pass challenge that led to a Nashville Predators goal; we could list easily 30 of these incidents and still have plenty to go.
Not exactly a wonderful feeling to dig up, but certainly familiar. As is fitting The Month of Familiar Feelings.
One more of those. This one happened a little under a year to the day. Dec. 14, 2023. The Flames went on to lose the shootout due to this goal being allowed.
The 23 year old Québec City product made the most of his limited time on ice. Pelletier finished the game with a goal, four shots and a hit in 7:27 of ice time. In a rare moment on the ice with Jonathan Huberdeau, the two improvised a slick double passing play as they entered the offensive zone.
There is more to it than just a strong individual performance from Pelletier.
Bumper Boys
Slotted on the fourth line with Kevin Rooney and Ryan Lomberg, the three dominated the opposition. At 5v5 the three were 8-3 in shot attempts, 8-1 in shots, 3-0 in high danger shot attempts and, obviously 1-0 in goals. All in under ten minutes of ice time.
This isn’t the first time Rooney and Lomberg have worked well with top six talent. Some may remember current healthy scratch Andrei Kuzmenko playing exceptionally well with the two on Nov. 3 during a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The line finished 11-1 in shot attempts and 2-0 in high danger shot attempts in just 4:46 of 5v5 ice time.
Surely, Huska is sheltering those minutes, but it’s undoubtedly foreign to see a fourth line on any NHL team serve as a place to boost a floundering player’s confidence. Time will tell if the Flames head coach leans harder into utilizing that spot.
Trouba
It looks like Rangers Captain Jacob Trouba’s days are numbered in New York.
It’s at least a fun concept to entertain what a deal for Trouba would look like if it were the Flames trading for the menacing defenceman. With competing offers already on the table and reportedly a few teams willing to claim the 30 year old off waivers, the return may not be ideal.
The greatest selling point for Calgary is that Jacob would then be in the Western Conference and less likely to injure any Rangers players. Not much, but considering that Trouba has delivered massive body checks to Nazem Kadri, Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary and Dillon Dube in the last two seasons—not nothing either.
The Flames may as well throw a fifth into whatever trade goes down just to keep that monster in the Eastern Conference.
The problem with Calgary going after Jacob appears to be an already clogged blue line.
Jake Bean, Brayden Pachal, Tyson Barrie, and Joel Hanley continue their derby to solidify a bottom pairing spot, there is also a massive glut on the AHL Wranglers defence that only got more packed with the return of Joni Jurmo.
The league is in constant flux in terms of blue line vacancies. If General Manager Craig Conroy wants to find a place to play for some of these guys, he can. In the meantime, there isn’t any room for Jacob Trouba.
The Flames get some much needed rest this week and will play the Dallas Stars on Sunday as part of a two-game road trip. After that, they face off against the rebounding Nashville Predators.
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and the National Hockey League.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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