Calgary Flames Daily: Lack traded, Mangiapane recalled
It’s the last game of 2017! The Calgary Flames will take on the Chicago Blackhawks tonight in their final matchup of the year.
Happy New Years Eve! The Calgary Flames are playing their last game of the year vs. the Chicago Blackhawks where they’re hoping to end the year off on a high-note. The Flames have lost their last three games and are three points out of a wildcard spot. To be honest, I thought it’d be way more with how December’s been going. So I’m pleasantly surprised.
There’s been a lot happening over the last 24 hours: The Flames traded Eddie Lack to the New Jersey Devils for defenceman Dalton Prout, who will report immediately to Stockton. With Prout’s contract $200,000 less than Lack’s (CAR is still paying 50% of Lack’s salary), the Flames now have enough to call up Tyler Parsons from the ECHL.
He’s been having a successful run when he went pro this year. He struggled for the first few games, but has been on fire since. Parsons is currently nursing an injury, but he’ll be back shortly.
Related Story: Let's look at Flames prospect Tyler Parsons
Then this morning, the Calgary Flames recalled Andrew Mangiapane from Stockton after placing Michael Frolik on IR. He suffered a broken jaw after taking a Brent Burns slapshot to the face (don’t ever do that, kids) and he just had surgery. He’ll be out 4-6 weeks. Mangiapane’s excited for his NHL debut tonight at the ‘Dome.
Via Calgary Flames:
“We got back at 5 a.m.,” Andrew Mangiapane was recalling Sunday morning at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “I was sleeping, 10 a.m. came and I guess I had four missed calls from Brad Pascall.“Kayle Doetzel, my roommate, came into my room, woke me up and said: ‘Hey, Brad’s on the phone. He wants to speak to you’ type thing.“Gotta say thanks to my roommate for answering the phone. I was sleeping through it.“Guess I’ve got to put my phone on volume now.”
That’s always a good motto to live by.
“I got the text from him yesterday,” laughed former Stockton linemate Garnet Hathaway, “like: ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ And I knew, but I’m like: ‘Why are you texting me?’“I’m so pumped for him. He’s worked so hard. During the summer, this whole season … he’s earned this.”“He’s a good friend of mine,” enthused Mark Jankowski. “Great guy. He’s played really well. Had a lot of different linemates and just continued to shine.“He’s such a smart player and that translates at every level. He reads the game well. He’s skilled, can make plays and he’s a hard worker.”“I was watching Mark and Hath a lot when I was down in Stockton,” he said. “I was happy for them, that they were doing good, and it gave me confidence that maybe I could do good.“Now I have my shot.”
Calgary Flames
People were wondering if Sam Bennett would move up and play with Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund and have the third line being those three AHL players, but (unfortunately), Mangiapane will have to spend his NHL debut on a line with Matt Stajan and Troy Brouwer. Jaromir Jagr will play with Backs and Tkachuk.
On the other side of the rink, Lance Bouma will make his first appearance in Calgary since being bought out by the Flames this past off-season. The Flames are paying him to play against them, essentially.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender, Jeff Glass, will be making his second ever NHL start in his hometown. He played two nights ago making his NHL debut – at 32 years old. It was a 4-3 OT win vs. the Edmonton Oilers for his first ever NHL win against Calgary’s biggest rival. That’s gotta feel good for the Calgary native.
Some links surrounding the Flames
Game Day: Mangiapane called up from Stockton Heat (Calgary Sun).
Jeff Glass to start against his hometown team as Blackhawks face Flames (Second City Hockey).
Flames trade Lack, acquire Prout (Calgary Sun).
Backlund hits 500 club, his NHL career a lesson in ‘patience’ (Calgary Sun).
Some links surrounding hockey and the NHL
Bettman says NHL will never bring three-on-three OT to playoffs (Sportsnet).
Sabres ready for Winter Classic close-up (NHL.com).
3 things we learned in the NHL: Goalies sinking Senators (Sportsnet).
Forsberg streak for Predators ends with undisclosed injury (NHL.com).
Next: Flames need to consider a major shake up
That’s all in today’s Flames Daily!