"Doesn't matter who you are": Sutter sends message by benching Flames forwards

The Calgary Flames came out this summer looking like they might just take the NHL by storm.

Unfortunately, they’ve looked more like a bit of light rain: just kind of generally annoying.

Following the departure of Johnny Gaudreau, the Matthew Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar swap, and the signing of Nazem Kadri fresh off a Stanley Cup, many predicted the Flames would be one of the league’s top teams this year.

But ten games into the season, they haven’t exactly looked quite like world-beaters yet, sitting fifth in the Pacific Division with a 5-4-1 record.

During Saturday night’s 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey, Mikael Backlund, Milan Lucic, and Kevin Rooney didn’t see a whole lot of ice time in the third period.

“Had to shorten the bench a lot,” said Flames head coach Darryl Sutter postgame. “If you don’t have the energy and you’re not very efficient … you should have the energy because you’ve only played nine games in a month. If you don’t have the energy, maybe you have a preparation problem.”

Calgary was without Michael Stone for much of the contest, who played just 25 seconds before exiting with an injury.

Calgary erased a 3-1 deficit entering the second period — and a 3-2 deficit entering the third to force overtime against the Devils. But  Fabian Zetterlund iced the game for New Jersey, causing Calgary to lose their fourth game in a row.

“When you don’t have the energy or the emotion in the game, then they don’t get to play,” Sutter added. “It doesn’t really matter who they are. The guys who played in the third got us a point.”

The Flames travel to play the New York Islanders tomorrow, with puck drop set for 5 pm MT. One can only wonder what Sutter’s line combinations will look like for that one.

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