Series preview: Wranglers face the Reign for first games since NHL trade deadline
1 month ago
It’s the Calgary Wranglers’ first pair of games since the NHL trade deadline and they weren’t immune to the roster moves that affected the organization. They’ll push on with the players they have and brace for the AHL trade deadline on Mar. 15. For now, they have the Ontario Reign as their next challenge at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Projected lineups
Calgary
Forwards – Mitch McLain, Brett Sutter, Cole Schwindt, Riley Damiani, Ilya Nikolaev, Lucas Ciona, Ben Jones, Clark Bishop, Alex Gallant, Rory Kerins, Mark Duarte, Matthew Wedman, Adam Klapka, William Stromgren
Defensemen – Artem Grushnikov, Jeremie Poirier, Colton Poolman, Mark Pysyk, Jordan Oesterle, Will Riedell, Yan Kuznetsov, Sam Jardine, Jonathan Aspirot
Goaltenders – Dustin Wolf, Oscar Dansk
Injured – Brady Lyle, Ilya Solovyov
Ontario
Forwards – Martin Chromiak, Tyler Madden, Samuel Fagemo, Akil Thomas, T.J. Tynan, Nikita Pavlychev, Hayden Hodgson, Samuel Helenius, Andrew Lee, Taylor Ward, Jacob Doty, Colton Young, Charles Hudon, Francesco Pinelli
Defensemen – Tyler Inamoto, Kim Nousiainen, Cole Krygier, Steven Santini, Joe Hicketts, Wyatte Wylie, Luke Rowe, Kevin Connauton, Brandt Clarke
Goaltenders – Erik Portillo, Aaron Dell
Leaders
Calgary
Matt Coronato – 40GP, 15G, 27A (Inactive on NHL call up)
Ben Jones – 54GP, 19G, 19A
Adam Klapka – 48GP, 14G, 19A
Ontario
T.J. Tynan – 54GP, 7G, 42A
Samuel Fagemo – 36GP, 31G, 16A
Charles Hudon – 49GP, 18G, 26A
Notes and expectations
The biggest change to this roster going into this series is the trade of Emilio Pettersen. Pettersen was the only other player among Ben Jones who played in all games for the Wranglers so far this season. This leaves Jones as the lone iron man. Pettersen has been up near the top of team scoring all season and had 30 points in the 54 games he played with the squad this year.
Pettersen played his last four pro seasons with the Flames’ AHL affiliate and while he came close at times to a call-up, he has yet to make his NHL debut. The 23-year-old will get a fresh start with the Texas Stars. In return, the Wranglers received centre Riley Damiani.
Damiani has had a slower season but has played 53 AHL games with the Stars this year. In those games, he has put up 10 goals and 13 assists for a total of 23 points. He was also quite the playoff producer last year putting up two goals and an assist in six games. Damiani could easily fill as a third or fourth-line center to start and challenge the likes of Clark Bishop, Cole Schwindt and Ben Jones for a spot. He is expected to wear the number 11 and could play as soon as the first game of this series.
On the blue line, the Wranglers received Jordan Oesterle back from the Flames after he cleared waivers on March 8th. Oesterle has played in 12 games with the Wranglers and put up eight assists in that time. For the Flames, he has only played 22 games all year and with other defenders coming in from trades, he was the odd man out. He will likely get quite a bit of ice time on a top pairing, especially with some of their defenders banged up right now.
From a team view, Calgary has a short-term goal of making the playoffs. However, that may look. Last year, they were able to clinch the division and the league. This year, their available talent looks a little different. They are not in an unsafe spot by any means. They sit at fifth in a tight Pacific division with the top seven making it to the postseason. The Wranglers have split their last five series and need to start sweeping some of these, especially against Pacific Division opponents if they want to make up some more comfortable ground. Ontario up by one spot in the Division is a good start.
This series starts on Sunday night for an Indigenous appreciation game with a custom jersey for Calgary.
Puck drop for this game is at 6:00 p.m. MT and their following game will be on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. MT. Tickets are still available for both match-ups or you can follow along with the radio broadcast on the Fan960. Streaming is available on AHL.tv and FlamesNation contributors Mike Gould and I will have updates on (X) formerly Twitter.
Let’s get rowdy! GAME DAY hosted by Flamesnation & Barn Burner at Greta Bar YYC is coming at you live on Saturday March 23rd! Join the crew at our favorite Game Day Watch Party spot, Greta, to watch Calgary take on Vancouver! Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are $10! Good food, good prizes and a guaranteed good time. This event is brought to you by McLeod Law LLP and Village Honda. Get your tickets at nationgear.ca before they sell out!
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