Calgary Flames Send Smid For Conditioning Stint
By Luke Ryan
Calgary Flames defenceman Ladislav Smid has been sent down for a two-week conditioning stint with the organization’s AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat per the team’s official website.
It’s the latest in a string of bad luck and missed opportunities for Smid since his 2014 arrival in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers, that saw Laurent Broissoit and Roman Horak head the other way.
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Since then, he has only managed 91 games in the two and a quarter seasons; not exactly a regular in the side. In fact, he’s been a more regular site in the press box as a healthy scratch than on the ice this year. The obvious hope is that he can spend his two weeks in Stockton getting back in a condition that’ll allow the Calgary Flames to use his talents.
For a team that has, at times, shown clear struggles in defense, it’s never going to be a bad thing to have an option like Smid in reserve that can pressure the likes of Dennis Wideman and Kris Russell should their form tail off.
The Czech native isn’t about to put up 20 to 30 points in a season, in fact he’s unlikely to put up many at all – offense has never been his strong suit, but this could be what the Calgary Flames need in the line-up.
Having a defenseman that isn’t concerned about getting up the ice and joining the rush could actually be a massive positive. Should Smid find some fitness, he could be the ideal candidate to come in and help shore up the Calgary Flames’ awful penalty-kill statistics.
The hope is that spending two weeks in the American Hockey League will not only help his fitness but will also light the fire in his belly to push for inclusion on the Calgary Flames game day roster.
No player can be happy to be spending so much time in the press box, after all.
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Can Smid make a case for Calgary Flames ice time? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.