In this edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, Darryl Sutter is growing frustrated with his team’s current four-game losing streak, and as a result, chose to bench several players during Saturday night’s (Nov. 5) outing versus the New Jersey Devils. In other news, the organization is reportedly considering signing Milan Lucic to a contract extension. Meanwhile, both Chris Tanev and Michael Stone are out due to injury.
Sutter Shortens Bench vs. Devils
Saturday night was another struggle for the Flames, as they dropped their fourth straight to the Devils by a 4-3 final. Many were quick to notice in the third period that Sutter shortened his bench in a big way, sitting Mikael Backlund, Kevin Rooney, and Lucic. He wasn’t shy about sharing why postgame.
“Had to shorten the bench a lot,” Sutter said following the loss. “If you don’t have the energy and you’re not very efficient … you should have the energy because you’ve only played nine games in a month. If you don’t have the energy, maybe you have a preparation problem.”
These three aren’t the first players Sutter has voiced his displeasure with. Earlier in the week, the veteran bench boss admitted that Jonathan Huberdeau needs to be better moving forward. His frustration is well warranted, as this talented Flames team has just a 5-4-1 record through its first 10 games of the season.
Flames Considering a Lucic Extension
Speaking of Lucic, despite his rough outing on Saturday, it hasn’t all been bad for him. While he no longer fills the stats sheet like he did during his prime years with the Boston Bruins, he has proven to, at least at times, be effective in a fourth-line role. While his impact on games is a major point of debate amongst fans, it appears that those within the Flames organization are happy with his play. In fact, they are reportedly considering signing him to an extension.
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As first reported by Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period, the Flames are at least partially interested in bringing back Lucic. The 34-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and is believed to be hoping for a multi-year deal. Whether Brad Treliving is interested in signing him to a contract with term remains unknown, but nonetheless, it appears the two sides may be able to find a way to work something out.
Tanev & Stone Out With Injury
The Flames have been forced to play their past two games without Tanev, who suffered an upper-body injury in a game on Nov. 1 versus the Seattle Kraken. The veteran shutdown defenseman has yet to practice since suffering the injury, and not a ton has been said about it to this point. That said, if it were anything major, one would expect that an update would have been given by now. At this time, he can be considered day-to-day.
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As for Stone, the news is a little more disheartening. After a great start to the 2022-23 season, he was forced to leave Saturday’s game versus the Devils with an undisclosed ailment, and has since been placed on injured reserve. As a result, he will miss at least the next four games, though an exact timeline for a return has yet to be given.
In a corresponding move to these injuries, the Flames have recalled defensemen Nick DeSimone and Dennis Gilbert from the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League. There is a very likely chance that at least one, if not both, will be in the lineup on Monday night against the New York Islanders.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
As mentioned, the Flames will be in action on Monday against the Islanders. It is the start of a much-needed three-game road trip for the team. The second of the three will be played on Tuesday in a rematch versus the Devils, while the third will come on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. They will then be back at the Saddledome on Saturday night for their final game of the week to take on the Winnipeg Jets.
