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Calgary Flames Top Five Weirdest Moments of 2016

By Ramina Shlah

Jan 27, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman (6) against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Nashville Predators won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman (6) against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Nashville Predators won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /
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November 6, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) and center Sean Monahan (23) celebrate the goal scored by right wing Alex Chiasson (39) against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Monahan and Gaudreau each provided an assist on the goal. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 6, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) and center Sean Monahan (23) celebrate the goal scored by right wing Alex Chiasson (39) against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Monahan and Gaudreau each provided an assist on the goal. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Gaudreau, Monahan, and Bouma scratched

‘Twas the day after the Super Bowl. Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and Lance Bouma were all healthy scratches for the game this day. This was weird for everyone to hear since Gaudreau and Monahan are two of the top Calgary Flames players.

Everyone was kind of freaking out a little bit. Like, oh no, we don’t have Gaudreau and Monahan? It was a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which the Flames still thankfully won.

That day, they had a morning skate at 10:30 am. They got there at 10:15 am. So needless to say, Bob Hartley wasn’t exactly the happiest coach that day. Bouma left the ice 15 minutes into practice because he was “ill”. Oh so that’s what they’re calling it, hey?

I mean, it was the day after the Super Bowl. And when you get a group of guys watching one of the biggest sporting events of the year together, there’s bound to be a lot of drinking involved. But hey, it happens to the best of us, right? You drink a lot, you go to work the next morning hungover. But in this case, the entire hockey world found out.

Practice lasted only 25 minutes and Hartley left the ice mad. All the players mentioned how he wasn’t very pleased with his team that day. It was a bold move by Hartley, because as much as he wanted to get a message across which I completely agree with, he was benching two of the Flames top scorers. And this was at a time where the Flames really couldn’t afford to lose any games.

At first, all the Flames released was that they were healthy scratches. Then the management later revealed they were late and how Bouma was throwing up. And with the Super Bowl being the night before, people put two and two together.

This was just a weird day in general. But the guys definitely heard the message Hartley was sending.

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