Flames Line-up this year???

[Niemo]

Can someone update me on what it will be this coming year? I have a feeling that we will be icing a much more competitive team with potential. We look really deep with potential 2nd line centers (Wahl, Horack, Byron, Reinhart, Nemisz all play C).


MacMillan - Wahl - Nemisz
Howse - Horack - Byron
Meyer - Reinhart - Patterson
Grantham - Bouma - Cameron

Brodie - Negrin
Seabrook - Breen
??? - ???

Irving
Ortio

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I think you meant Heat lineup this year.

Here's what I have so far:

Nemisz - Horak - Howse
Meyer - Wahl - Cameron
? - Byron - Patterson
Grantham - Bouma - MacMillan

Mikkelson - Brodie
Breen - Negrin
Seabrook - ?

Irving
Ortio

Reinhart won't be here next season because he still has a year of junior.

I believe Mikkelson will be down playing in Abbotsford for most of this season.

It also sounds like Bancks and Piskula will get signed by Feaster so you could pencil them in as well.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Bouma-Byron-Nemisz
Meyer-Wahl-Howse
MacMillan-Horak-Cameron
Grantham-Patterson

Breen-Brodie
Negrin-Piskula
?-Seabrook

Irving
Ortio

I think Mikkelson stays in the NHL or perhaps is lost on waivers if he can't make our lineup so I didn't include him. There's a chance he could make it through waivers I suppose. Bouma, Byron, Nemisz, and/or Brodie (maybe even Breen) may make the big club. Does Matt Keith have another year on his AHL deal or is he UFA too?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Bouma-Byron-Nemisz
Meyer-Wahl-Howse
MacMillan-Horak-Cameron
Grantham-Patterson

Breen-Brodie
Negrin-Piskula
?-Seabrook

Irving
Ortio

I think Mikkelson stays in the NHL or perhaps is lost on waivers if he can't make our lineup so I didn't include him. There's a chance he could make it through waivers I suppose. Bouma, Byron, Nemisz, and/or Brodie (maybe even Breen) may make the big club. Does Matt Keith have another year on his AHL deal or is he UFA too?

Matt Keith was only on an ATO which has expired now.

I don't know if those are your intended lines, but I just can't see the head coach splitting up Horak and Howse after the last couple of years they've had together.

This is my dilemma as well. Abbotsford looks so deep at the center position (Wahl, Horak, Bouma, and Byron). Nemisz can also play center and is damn good at it too. Bouma played first and second lines last season. Byron seems like the best player for the first line considering his points totals from last season. Yet, Horak and Howse has awesome chemistry and could be a great first line. Not to mention Wahl who I don't believe has been able to prove himself as the skilled playmaker we all know he is.

Any way the new head coach forms these lines, someone is not going to be getting the ice time they deserve.

[Freeway]

If I were a betting man, I'd say Max Reinhart is more likely to be seen in a Calgary sweater than an Abbotsford sweater this season.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Freeway

If I were a betting man, I'd say Max Reinhart is more likely to be seen in a Calgary sweater than an Abbotsford sweater this season.

Considering he can't play for the Heat this season because of his age, that's a pretty easy bet for you to win...or more importantly, not lose.

Although, I believe that if the Heat's season lasts longer than the Ice's, he can join them in the playoffs.

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Originally Posted by Freeway

If I were a betting man, I'd say Max Reinhart is more likely to be seen in a Calgary sweater than an Abbotsford sweater this season.

That would be pretty exciting... Maybe with Feaster running the show we could see a young phenom come and make the team..

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Btw anyone else see Byron making this team out of camp? If he has a decent camp I can see him being on the team for sure.. especially since it'll look good after the Reggie swap.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Matt Keith was only on an ATO which has expired now.

I don't know if those are your intended lines, but I just can't see the head coach splitting up Horak and Howse after the last couple of years they've had together.

This is my dilemma as well. Abbotsford looks so deep at the center position (Wahl, Horak, Bouma, and Byron). Nemisz can also play center and is damn good at it too. Bouma played first and second lines last season. Byron seems like the best player for the first line considering his points totals from last season. Yet, Horak and Howse has awesome chemistry and could be a great first line. Not to mention Wahl who I don't believe has been able to prove himself as the skilled playmaker we all know he is.

Yeah but Horak and Howse will be rookie pros and probably not start on the top unit. They may end up there partway through the year but I expect players who have played several seasons more of pro to edge them out. Abby may get some veteran players on AHL deals as well who might be ahead of Horak/Howse.

Not sure how several of our rosters don't have Bancks! lol

If Byron starts in Calgary you could have

Bancks-Wahl-Nemisz
Bouma-Horak-Howse
Meyers-Patterson-Cameron

[kirant]

Slotting in the new guys...:

Nemisz - Wahl - Cameron
Walter/Meyer - Horak - Howse
Grantham - Byron - Patterson
MacMillan - Bouma - Rheault
Bancks

Mikkelson - Brodie/Wilson (Whoever is cut)
Breen - Negrin
Seabrook - Piskula

Irving
Ortio

That's a much more interesting team skill wise than last year.

[fanman]

^It should be way more interesting with Troy Ward coaching too. He's talked about getting more offense out of the players and playing more of a puck possesion style. The D looks to be more mobile now as well with the departure of 2 stay-at-home types in Pelech and Baldwin.

Oh, you can add Carter Bancks to the forwards and Joe Piskula to the D as well. Looks like the Heat's roster is pretty much filled out then.

[Freeway]

Putting in my two cents based on who has been signed:

The Heat likely have 17 forwards to work with: Logan MacMillan, Greg Nemisz, Bryan Cameron, Mitch Wahl, Lance Bouma, Ryan Howse, Roman Horak, Carter Bancks, Gaelan Patterson, Paul Byron, Ben Walter, Ryley Grantham, Stefan Meyer, Quintin Laing, Jon Rheault, Guilliame Desbiens and C.J. Severyn.

I'd expect Nemisz, Bouma, Byron and Meyer to have the inside track on the one or two NHL jobs available, so most likely the Heat will roll with 14 forwards (along with one or two bodies in the ECHL). That said, it's a pretty good group of players, pending more signings.

On the blueline? It's a little thin. Assuming T.J. Brodie doesn't make the Flames roster, the Heat have six signed defenders: Brodie, John Negrin, Keith Seabrook, Chris Breen, Clay Wilson and Joe Piskula. IF Brodie makes the Flames (which is likely if they roll with seven defenders on the main roster), then they need another defender. And they don't have an ECHL body for a seventh man.

Leland Irving and Joni Ortio are locks for the nets.

[sworkhard]

You could see Pelech back next year on an AHL contract.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Freeway

then they need another defender. And they don't have an ECHL body for a seventh man.

I'm assuming that they'll fill in any needed slots with AHL only deals for some of the training camp invite crowd.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Anyone know why Keith Seabrook was loaned out to the Moose last season ahead of guys like Pelech? Just occurred to be that it seems a bit odd we would loan him out, but then release Pelech altogether. Did the Moose request Seabrook, or was Pelech just more of a Playfair favorite?

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Anyone know why Keith Seabrook was loaned out to the Moose last season ahead of guys like Pelech? Just occurred to be that it seems a bit odd we would loan him out, but then release Pelech altogether. Did the Moose request Seabrook, or was Pelech just more of a Playfair favorite?

Heat were short on forwards and Playfair wanted someone more defensively responsible on the blueline. Moose were short on defensemen and needed a guy like Seabrook. In addition, due to the emergence of Brodie, there really wasn't a niche for him on the team anymore as he played a similar role to the one Babchuck played on the Flames last year.

Pelech was released simply because at this time, the Flames don't think he proved he's worth another NHL contract. He's one of the guys that could be back on an AHL deal if they need to fill some holes.

[Jing]

I am pretty excited to see what the heat can do with Byron/Horak/Howse/Brodie/Irving, and hopefully a healthy season from Wahl and Negrin.

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by sworkhard

Heat were short on forwards and Playfair wanted someone more defensively responsible on the blueline. Moose were short on defensemen and needed a guy like Seabrook. In addition, due to the emergence of Brodie, there really wasn't a niche for him on the team anymore as he played a similar role to the one Babchuck played on the Flames last year.

Pelech was released simply because at this time, the Flames don't think he proved he's worth another NHL contract. He's one of the guys that could be back on an AHL deal if they need to fill some holes.

Although it almost does work for Playfair as well haha.

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by BurningYears

Although it almost does work for Playfair as well haha.

LOL Thanks for catching that. Fixed.

[Freeway]

According to both Feaster and Severyn, C.J. Severyn is on a one-year AHL contract.