[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

They did a good job addressing a pair of needs, but the team is still lacking a decent quality RW.

What in your mind is a decent quality RW? A 20 goal scorer who provides a physical component missing on the team isn't a decent quality winger? I think the guys that Treliving has brought in perfectly match the needs of the hockey team and the support players in development. Your comments seem to indicate you're missing the grand scheme of things. I see this team as working off of skill pairs and then finding a complimentary winger to support the need on that line.

1) Swap Tkachuk over and have him play either on Backlund's line and shoehorn Frolik or Brouwer onto the first line, where they are not quite good enough options or put Tkachuk on the first line right off the bat.

No movement or swapping required. Tkachuk is a high talent asset that needs a high talent center to succeed. The Flames have just the player for him to play with, and can do so in a situation where he is not being rushed. He is a perfect compliment to Sam Bennett. This is your third line where they are going to be fed some really good zone starts and sheltered away from the other team's best defensive players. The only thing missing on this line is a big body that can play the boards, dig pucks out, and go to the net with some authority. Playing with some speed is also a requirement. Short term solution here is Chaisson. If he can show some chemistry with these two he may earn a long term gig. If not I believe there is guy in the minors, in Emile Poirier that could patrol the right side and make this a very dynamic line.

2) Have Frolik and Brouwer as the first two line's RW and have Chiasson and Hathaway or some other farm hand take the 3rd and fourth line roles. That's the worst case scenario as it screws up the entire lineup by pushing up players into roles they aren't suited for.

Brouwer plays first line with Monahan and Gaudreau. They need a big, tough RW that can finish. They need a guy that can provide a physical component to the line that has been missing and they've been searching for. That screams Troy Brouwer. Frolik isn't the answer as he doesn't have that edge to make room. Someone take liberties with Johnny Hockey, Brouwer will be there to immediately answer the bell. That isn't in Frolik's makeup as a hockey player. Plus, Frolik and Backlund have shown they are an effective pair on both sides of the puck, making up the basis for an excellent 2nd line this year, so why mess with that. Find them a LW in either Ferland or Shinkaruk, and you are in a much better situation. If these guys fail you can go to the late season LW and add in Matt Stajan. Lots of options there.

3) Find some money to sign or trade for another RW that can be viable in any of the top 3 lines. If the Flames are able to deal Wideman, which is likely due to his having only one year and the lack of offensively talented UFA D-men, they can sign one of the available RW or get one in exchange for Wideman. A Wideman for Yakupov trade would make some sense for both teams.

Wait, whut?

You've just written a tome about the failings of the talent level added to the right side and your answer is Nail Yakupov? WTF??? Yakupov is a lost cause. He brings nothing to this team, or any other team. The only black and blue that results from Yakupov's game is the bruises on the fan's heads from beating them against the coffee table as they watch the games on TV. Yakupov is horrible. He's can't finish, he can't play the physical game, he can't play defense, he can't give or take a pass, he just can't play hockey at the NHL level. And that's the solution? You've gone off the reservation here Caged.

If the Flames can add that secondary RW, then the offseason gets an A+ from me. If they go in without one and have to find another solution it'll be a B/B+. The team needs depth in case of injuries and having 3 NHL RW is a concern, even though they have 5-6 LW and C that can play.

I don't think they have to add anything else at this point. I see a very solid lineup developing.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Brouwer
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Chaisson
Bollig-Stajan-Hathaway
Grant-Shinkaruk

In the minors the Flames will have Prybil, Poirier and Jankowski waiting in the weeds in the event of injury. No need to shuffle the lineup. Treliving has addressed each line in an efficient manner. I think that if he can now focus on dealing with the contract mess on the back end, and fire Wideman into the sun, this is a team that is playoff bound. I really like the dynamics on each line and see a lot of success in the future for this club.