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Lanny_McDonald · 07-01-2015, 11:15 PM

What's next? Patience.

The Flames need to ride this year out and continue on with the strategy of letting the youth in the organization find their way onto the team. This will allow the cap to naturally take care of itself as older expensive players are replaced with younger cheaper players. This will set the team up for long term success rather than a short term run and burn out situation. I suspect we'll see a roster like this at the start of the season.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Colborne - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Jones
Bouma - Stajan - Jooris
Granlund/Shore

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Wideman
Russell - Engelland
Schlemko

Hiller
Ramo

This coming year I see a natural progression where some of the vets are made expendable and replaced by the youth in the organization. By Christmas I expect Emile Poirier to push his way into the lineup, making David Jones trade bait. I expect to see Kenny Agostino pushing for a spot making Mason Raymond expendable. Micheal Ferland will win a spot in camp pushing Brandon Bollig to the sidelines and freeing up more cap space. Finally, on the forward lines, I see Billy Arnold forcing management's hand and making Matt Stajan expendable. On the blue line I see Tyler Wotherspoon stepping up and securing the #6/7 role, allowing the team to trim David Schlemko from the ranks. Most importantly, I think Kenney Morrison is going to burst onto the scene and give the Flames a serious thought of moving Dennis Wideman. In net I think the Flames come out of camp with Hiller and Ramo, waiting for someone to need a goaltender before dealing Hiller and bringing up Ortio for good.

I think this will be another surprising year where we see a handful of rookies jump up and take jobs away from veterans. Sadly, this will also cost some of the young guys their chance as well, as players like Markus Granlund, Drew Shore, Josh Jooris, and possibly Lance Bouma, may find themselves being pushed out of the organization. If things go the way I think they will, and the team likely hopes, we could end up with a roster something like this.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Colborne - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Poirier
Bouma - Arnold - Agostino
Granlund/Shore

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Russell
Morrison - Engelland
Wotherspoon

Ramo
Ortio

All of these improvements are important because they will free up the dollars that will eventually allow the Flames to deal with their salary structure challenges. It also keeps the cupboards stocked with draft picks and a continues the cycle of players developing and stepping up. I think this will also allow the Flames to take a run at keeping important veterans that provide leadership, like Jiri Hudler, for an extended period of time. I see this lineup as being one with incredible speed and toughness to play against, and there is plenty of size on every line. Of course, everything would have to go right, but I think this is the type of progression that is naturally needed for the team to remain motivated and the salary structure to be kept under control.

07-01-2015, 11:15 PM	#60
Lanny_McDonald Franchise Player Join Date: Mar 2013 Exp:	What's next? Patience. The Flames need to ride this year out and continue on with the strategy of letting the youth in the organization find their way onto the team. This will allow the cap to naturally take care of itself as older expensive players are replaced with younger cheaper players. This will set the team up for long term success rather than a short term run and burn out situation. I suspect we'll see a roster like this at the start of the season. Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler Colborne - Backlund - Frolik Ferland - Bennett - Jones Bouma - Stajan - Jooris Granlund/Shore Giordano - Hamilton Brodie - Wideman Russell - Engelland Schlemko Hiller Ramo This coming year I see a natural progression where some of the vets are made expendable and replaced by the youth in the organization. By Christmas I expect Emile Poirier to push his way into the lineup, making David Jones trade bait. I expect to see Kenny Agostino pushing for a spot making Mason Raymond expendable. Micheal Ferland will win a spot in camp pushing Brandon Bollig to the sidelines and freeing up more cap space. Finally, on the forward lines, I see Billy Arnold forcing management's hand and making Matt Stajan expendable. On the blue line I see Tyler Wotherspoon stepping up and securing the #6/7 role, allowing the team to trim David Schlemko from the ranks. Most importantly, I think Kenney Morrison is going to burst onto the scene and give the Flames a serious thought of moving Dennis Wideman. In net I think the Flames come out of camp with Hiller and Ramo, waiting for someone to need a goaltender before dealing Hiller and bringing up Ortio for good. I think this will be another surprising year where we see a handful of rookies jump up and take jobs away from veterans. Sadly, this will also cost some of the young guys their chance as well, as players like Markus Granlund, Drew Shore, Josh Jooris, and possibly Lance Bouma, may find themselves being pushed out of the organization. If things go the way I think they will, and the team likely hopes, we could end up with a roster something like this. Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler Colborne - Backlund - Frolik Ferland - Bennett - Poirier Bouma - Arnold - Agostino Granlund/Shore Giordano - Hamilton Brodie - Russell Morrison - Engelland Wotherspoon Ramo Ortio All of these improvements are important because they will free up the dollars that will eventually allow the Flames to deal with their salary structure challenges. It also keeps the cupboards stocked with draft picks and a continues the cycle of players developing and stepping up. I think this will also allow the Flames to take a run at keeping important veterans that provide leadership, like Jiri Hudler, for an extended period of time. I see this lineup as being one with incredible speed and toughness to play against, and there is plenty of size on every line. Of course, everything would have to go right, but I think this is the type of progression that is naturally needed for the team to remain motivated and the salary structure to be kept under control.