In a somewhat bold move, Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley made stars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan healthy scratches on Tuesday after some practice drama unfolded on Monday.
Flames bench star players Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan for nearly arriving late to practice
Bob Hartley sends a message.
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Forward Lance Bouma also joined the Flames’ top players in the press box.
According to Sportsnet's Mark Spector, Hartley was "pissed off" by his team's effort in practice on Monday, the morning after the Flames got the day off for the Super Bowl. Bouma was removed from the ice after a lackluster effort because he "wasn't feeling good." Perhaps the Super Bowl off-day and the bad practice wasn't just a coincidence, as Spector speculates:
Perhaps then, that’s why roommates Sean Monahan and Bouma were seen hustling into the Saddledome at 10:15 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. practice Monday. It just could be that Monahan lost track of time while brewing lemon tea and honey for Bouma. Or maybe it just took him a while to locate the Neti pot for his ill roomie.
Asked later on about the late arriving players, Hartley neither denied nor confirmed any late arrivals, choosing not to “air dirty laundry.”
Whatever the reason, Hartley circled the team up after practice and gave them a talking-to:
Strange scene at Saddledome. #Flames coach Bob Hartley addresses team in corner of rink, then leaves ice.
— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) February 8, 2016
So one can assume Gaudreau and Monahan’s benching is a message, then. Their absence leaves a big impact, as Gaudreau is 10th in the NHL with 49 points and Monahan is second on the Flames with 35 points.
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