On Monday, the 32-year-old Calgary winger, one of the team’s better forwards this season, was the latest Flame to get asked about the team’s up-and-down play thus far.
The introspective Lucic compared it to the famous Robert Louis Stevenson novella.
“I think it’s been a little, you know, Jekyll and Hyde,” he said before the team went on to a 4-3 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
“I think our good has been really good, but it hasn’t been there enough if you ask me for the first quarter of the season.”
Or, as Stevenson wrote in 1886 when referring to Mr. Hyde (and not to this version of the Calgary Flames):
“He gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point. He’s an extraordinary-looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way.”
Through their first 15 games of the season, the two words that have been most used to describe the 2020-21 version of the Calgary Flames have been “competitive” and “consistency.”
Thus far, the team boasts an 8-6-1 record – fifth in the North Division, where the top four teams will make the postseason, and has yet to win more than three consecutive games.
More often than not, great efforts have been followed by poor ones. The latest example came last week. After defeating the Canucks 3-1 on Thursday night, they fired just four shots on goal in the game’s first period two nights later en route to a 3-1 loss while being outshot 46-19.
“We weren’t competitive,” a visibly upset head coach Geoff Ward said after the loss on Saturday night.
Veteran forward Sean Monahan once again referenced the team’s need to increase its compete level.
“That’s not a game we want,” he said.
Longtime captain Mark Giordano wouldn’t put a letter grade on the early part of the season, but again echoed the need for consistency.
“We’ve had moments where we’ve been good,” he said last week. “But we know we can get a way more consistent 60-minute game night in and night out. We’re trending in the right direction but we’re not quite there yet.”
Stellar goaltending masking poor play
One of the troubling early-season trends is the team’s over-reliance on goalie Jacob Markstrom.
The Swede has arguably been the most impactful free agent signing of any NHL team last off-season. He’s played the fourth-most minutes of any goalie this season, behind only fellow North Division goalies Frederik Andersen, Mikko Koskinen, and Connor Hellebuyck. Markstrom was the team’s lone bright spot on Saturday night, stopping 43 shots – the fourth-highest number of saves by a Flames goalie in a regulation defeat in team history.
“He’s won a lot of hockey games for us already, but we’ve got to help him out,” Dillon Dube said.
Compounding the Flames’ challenges are the struggles of former starter David Rittich, whose 0.857 save percentage ranks second-last among the 64 goalies who have played more than one game this season.
Rittich’s struggles have forced Ward and the team’s new goaltending department to play Markstrom more than intended early on this season.
Lack of depth scoring
While Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, and Elias Lindholm have produced offensively (and the line of Lucic – Mikael Backlund – Andrew Mangiapane has been the team’s most effective trio in February), offensive production beyond those players has been in short supply.
Newcomers Dominik Simon, Joakim Nordstrom, and Josh Leivo have combined for two assists in 33 games. Dube has struggled at times playing with Matthew Tkachuk and Lindholm, with just four points in his past 10 games (though he looked great while reunited with Lucic and Sam Bennett on Monday night against Vancouver, scoring once while being assertive on the forecheck).
The Flames’ next 13 games see them play division leaders Montreal and Toronto just four times combined, the Ottawa Senators five times and the Edmonton Oilers three times, providing an opportunity for Calgary to potentially make up ground in the standings.
SPARKS OFF THE FIRE
– One of the biggest issues for the Flames this season is their play in the first period. Their first period shot differential of -54 is tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the lowest in the league. In the third period, the Flames’ goal differential of +6 is fourth-best, while their shot differential of +24 is fifth-highest.
– Something to watch for from the Vancouver Canucks: Two Flames players have used the term “full-court press” when referring to how they pressure teams in the neutral zone
– The North Division is seen as the most offensive of the four NHL divisions, but its defensive game is equally impressive, with Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal all ranking in the top-five in even-strength save percentage.
– As Ward continues to search for consistency, emotion, and competitiveness, it’s possible Brett Ritchie gets a look at some point. The 27-year-old, who’s shuttled between the roster, taxi squad, and AHL this season while on a one-year deal, could be effective in a fourth-line role. Last season, he was fourth among Boston Bruins forwards with 89 hits. From 2016-17 to 2018-19 with the Dallas Stars, he led the team in overall hits (451) and hits per game (11.84). Right now, the Flames rank 23rd (and last in the North Division) with 270 hits. Ritchie adds a dimension that’s clearly lacking with this group.
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
