Bob Hartley benches Monahan, Bouma and Gaudreau for Tuesday’s game

The Calgary Flames have benched forwards Sean Monahan, Lance Bouma and Johnny Gaudreau for their Tuesday night game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

An official reason was not given as to why the three were scratched for the game, though TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted the scratching was for disciplinary reasons. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector wrote that Monahan and Bouma, both roommates, were almost late to Monday’s practice at Scotiabank Saddledome. It was set to start at 10:30 a.m., and both players were seen entering the building at 10:15 a.m. per Spector.

After 15 minutes, Bouma was removed from the ice, with Hartley reportedly later saying Bouma wasn’t feeling well. 

During practice, Hartley reportedly huddled the team into a corner, far away from TV cameras and microphones. After ripping the group, he then stormed off the ice. Then two-and-a-half hours later, per Spector’s story, Bouma was still in the Saddledome in the team’s dressing room, rather than being quarantined away from other players. 

So, let’s recap: On the day we watched the rarest of 25-minute post-Super Bowl practices, we learned of a rare late arrival by two roommates, watched a rare illness-removal from practice, followed by an even more rare return of that sick player to a dressing room that, on every other team in every other sport, he would be asked to stay away from until he was well again. 

Said Monahan according to the Calgary Sun:

“It’s a long season and different things happen throughout the year. So you get those reminders — you’ve got to stay on your toes, do whatever you can to be the best. We know as a group that these points are crucial.

“This is a big week for us. We’re stressing that right now. We need to be good. We’re going to do whatever we can to get those points.”

The disappointing Flames are just two points out of last place in the Pacific Division. They are 4-5-1 in their last 10. Last year, Calgary made the playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 season. This culminated in Hartley winning the Jack Adams Award. 

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper