[Cali Panthers Fan]

Based on the pre-season action so far, this is what I would project for an opening night lineup:

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Toffoli
Mangiapane-Kadri-Dube
Coleman-Backlund-Phillips
Lucic-Rooney-Lewis
Ritchie/Eakin

To me, Eakin has earned a league minimum contract and will be the backup center should anyone go down. As advertised: good defensively, wins faceoffs, not much offense, but doesn't hurt you either...low event player. Ritchie the other extra forward for more muscle/skating on the 4th line.

As of now, I'd pencil in Phillips on that 3rd line and see what he can do once the regular season starts. He's proved himself for a while now in the AHL. Ruzicka just hasn't shown enough consistency (what else is new), and Milano has a very incomplete game to bother with a contract. Milano coasts a lot, and doesn't seem concerned enough with his own end, which I know drives Sutter crazy. Time is running out for Ruzicka to figure out how to bring a consistent effort. The tools are all there, but there's just not enough drive to be an NHLer. Phillips is undersized, but he battles hard, plays defense, and has been good at creating offense when given a chance with the puck. He's done enough to earn a shot, but part of me wonders if the Flames make a trade for another winger as the year goes along. I'm just not convinced that Phillips is the long-term answer, but I could be wrong.

Zary has been very good in these pre-season tilts, but I think he needs at least another year in the AHL to develop his game after an up and down first year. Give him the top line with the Wranglers and let him become the player he should be.