Ladislav Smid has spent much of the season as the go-to ‘healthy scratch’ defenseman for the Calgary Flames. Why would anyone else be considered for the spot in the line-up?
The obvious answer to the question of replacing Dennis Wideman for ten to twenty games is the guy that has been travelling with the team all year, Ladislav Smid.
Since his conditioning stint with the Stockton Heat earlier in the season, Smid has only seen limited ice-time for the Calgary Flames, but has stepped in on occasion.
Related Story: Calgary Flames Send Smid For Conditioning Stint
His limited game time this year is possibly the only thing not going for him with the pending Wideman suspension. He’s been around the Calgary Flames team all year and thus wouldn’t need to adjust to new teammates and coaches and most importantly has actually already cracked the line-up even if he is the seventh of six defensemen right now.
To my thinking, the Calgary Flames should be rewarding Smid for his patience up in the press box this season, though should also look to bring someone up from their AHL affiliate if only for the experience with the NHL team.
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What do you think? Are these the only possible options and which one do you reckon would slot into the Calgary Flames line-up most comfortably? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.