What's your future depth chart?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Pretty simple, and there's no right or wrong way to do this. Post your version of the Flames' long term depth chart. "Long term" can mean 2 years or 5 years, just explain how far down the line you are thinking. As well, if you do have a way "out there" lineup, please give reasons for it.

Mine is about 4 years out and a lot of the veterans we have are gone. Most of the veterans are replaced with younger, cheaper, mostly better options.

Gaudreau-Bennett-Poirier
Klimchuk-Monahan-Frolik
Ferland-Jankowski-Colborne
Bouma-Arnold-Jooris
Smith, Agostino

1st callup: Mangiapane


Brodie-Hamilton
Giordano-Morrison
Wotherspoon-Culkin
Kanzig

1st callup: Hickey


Gillies/Ortio

1st callup: McDonald


Key players: I like Backlund, but I don't see us retaining him long term with so many promising centers in the organization. He's pretty good in all areas, but doesn't excel in any one. Colborne I am iffy on, but he does have the size and skills suitable to a third line wing position. He's starting to use his size more which makes him even more suited to a 3rd line checking role with some offensive punch. Ferland will have to play his way off the roster at this point, and I think he'll be a valuable player. Klimchuk will surprise many by being a pure goal scorer at the NHL level with decent instincts in other areas. Playing him with an elite 2-way 2nd line center in Monahan and excellent 2-way possession player in Frolik will allow him to score 20+ goals a year. Poirier has the speed, hands, and defensive acumen to play a top line winger role. Putting him with elite offensive players in Gaudreau and Bennett will make an absolutely lethal top line. I feel like Jankowski and Arnold will be our bottom 2 centers, giving this team unreal center depth. Bouma and Jooris will be retained as "heart and soul" 4th line wingers who are great on the PK, but it's also possible that they will be replaced by that point. I don't see long term futures for Granlund or Shore.

I see Hamilton and Brodie as our top pairing for years to come. I think we retain Giordano for at least 5 years, but his role will gradually reduce over time to a 2nd pairing player. I feel like Morrison is going to surprise many and take over the 2nd pairing right side. Wotherspoon and Culkin will solidify themselves as above average bottom pairing defensemen in the next couple of years. Kanzig finds a way to make the NHL as a 7th d-man who slots in against more physical teams. I have a hunch that there isn't a long term future for Russell or Wideman on this team.

I think Gillies is destined to be a good starting goalie in the NHL and he'll need at least 2 years in the AHL to get there. Ortio solidifies his role as a very good backup. McDonald is a little younger and continues to work on his game in the AHL.

This is just for fun. No need to be super critical of anyone's opinions.

[DJones]

I am pretty close to the same as you except I would like to see Smith in Colborne's place. Just have a good feeling about him.

And Hickey I believe will end higher than Wotherspoon and Culkin. Kylington could be with him on the 3rd pairing.

Klimchuk is 50/50 to me as well right now. But in 3-4 years we should have a few first rounders able to take his place.

[Loudog]

I still can't believe right now it looks like Janko will have to fight for the 3rd line center spot. Our depth at center is so refreshing.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by DJones

I am pretty close to the same as you except I would like to see Smith in Colborne's place. Just have a good feeling about him.

And Hickey I believe will end higher than Wotherspoon and Culkin. Kylington could be with him on the 3rd pairing.

Klimchuk is 50/50 to me as well right now. But in 3-4 years we should have a few first rounders able to take his place.

I went back and forth on Colborne or Smith in that role, but I think unless Colborne's game completely falls apart, he'll be better than Smith long term.

I almost put Kylington on the 3rd pairing instead of Culkin, but he has so much work to do it's hard to bank on him figuring it out. Hickey has looked good, but he's only had one good year against decent competition, so I hesitate to put him in the mix yet. I think he'll be right on the cusp of making the team at that time.

Klimchuk's shot is what makes me think he'll be a solid 2nd liner. He always seems to pot his chances.

***I should add this is without several years of drafts and any free agent additions. Obviously there's no way to predict what comes out of those two arenas.

[442scotty]

Hard to argue against your lineup

[GreenLantern]

At the risk of turning this thread sideways.. I would say the part of your lineup I like/agree with the most is Jankowski eventually replacing Backlund as the great two way center who can play up and down the line up. That will be pretty key as when Backlund hits UFA I think a lot of teams will throw a big contract at him and the Flames can essentially walk away, use that money to retain guys like Gaudreau/Monahan/Bennett/Brodie etc.. and plug Jankowski into his spot without missing a beat.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

Gaudreau-Bennett-Poirier

[Phanuthier]

Good initial list, hard to argue too much.

I still believe in Drew Shore, I think he'll end up in a top 6... ahead of Frholik. Despite signing a 5 year contract, I don't think he stays here till the end. Colbourne and Shore will play up the roster based upon size.

Colbourne - speaking of which, hard to guess where he lands. Some days he looks like he could be a catalyst, then there is the other 99% of the time. But big players take a while to develop.

Jankowski - again, hard to tell because we haven't even seen him in a pro camp yet. I think its hard to argue about him ahead of the depth chart over Granlund, when we've already seen that Granlund can be a smart, effective 2-way player in the NHL.

One interesting line that I could see for the next decade, is Klimchuk-Bennett-Poirer..... the line that will go to head to head with McJesus for years to come.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by codynw

My thoughts on

Ferland / Janko / Smith

[ComixZone]

2017/2018 (Stanley Cup Champions):

Klimchuk - Monahan - Hudler
Gaudreau - Bennett - Iginla (UFA signing)
Bouma - Backlund - Frolik
Poirier - Stajan - Ferland
Carroll, Jankowski

Giordano - Brodie
Kylington - Hamilton
Oduya (UFA signing) - Andersson
Wotherspoon, Rafikov

Ward (UFA signing)
Gillies

[heep223]

^ you think Poirier is a 4th liner? and Klimchuk 1st line LW on a stanley cup champion? And our 2nd line RW is 40 years old?

To each their own I suppose.

[Gaskal]

I think as soon as he was drafted I called that Klimchuk would eventually end up with Monahan; same with Gaudreau for Bennett. Those two lines would play very different styles, but still be deadly in their own ways. So the top six for me would be how Cali had it.

If we're talking 4 years out then that's a really interesting situation for the bottom six. I think Janko will eventually push Backlund out of that 3C spot too, and I think Colborne - Bouma - Smith will form the nucleus of the bottom six wingers. The extras would probably be someone like Carroll or Hathaway.

[shotinthebacklund]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Poirier
Klimchuk-Bennett-Colborne
Ferland-Jankowski-Frolik
Bouma-Arnold-Smith
Jooris, Agostino

1st callup: Carroll


Brodie-Hamilton
Giordano-Morrison
Wotherspoon-Culkin
Kanzig

1st callup: Hickey


Gillies/Ortio

1st callup: McDonald

I see Monahan more as the trigger guy for Gaudreau with Poirier adding speed grit, shooting.

Bennett the set up/scorer for Klimchuk with Colborne (reaching potential) driving possession with size and buying some space for others.

[Hackey]

So we're not making any signings or trades in the next 4 years?

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Hackey

So we're not making any signings or trades in the next 4 years?

That's my favourite part about these "predict the future lineup!" threads.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Hackey

So we're not making any signings or trades in the next 4 years?

Do th exercise as you see fit. Why enter a thread just to poop all over it.

[Poe969]

I'm surprised more people aren't considering Kylington. There's a really low chance he becomes a Karlsson but I think he'll at least turn into an offensive PP specialist.

As Hackey pointed out, people aren't thinking of any possible trades or UFA signings but I guess that kind of makes it more fun. I mean who would have dreamt we'd get Hamilton, especially for so little!

I can honestly see a top UFA signing in Calgary (at a decent contract) within the next 2 years. One things for sure, this team is definitely on the upswing.

[GranteedEV]

I think it's a foregone conclusion that Backlund will be gone because he's gonna get paid as a UFA. I also see Bouma gone soon because he just won't fit the cap structure going forward, though that may depend on today's arbitration I have a bad feeling. So this is what I kind of see:

Forwards:

Poirier-Bennett-Frolik
Gaudreau-Monahan-Jooris
Klimchuk-Jankowski-Shore
Ferland-Arnold-Hathaway

The first line is the first line because (IMO) the #1 center is on it. I think Bennett is going to be like, scary good.

I think of it as our version of Chicago's Saad-Toews-Hossa line except a poor man's version as obviously there's no Hossa. It's a bit wierd to have either Poirier/Frolik on the LW when we're expecting to putting them on the RW, but I feel like they'd make an incredible pair on the wing.

The second line kind of reminds me of the Blackhawks too. You've got your big time scorers Sharp/Kane and Monahan/Gaudreau and then you've got your do-it-all roleplayer (Jooris/Bolland) I'm probably more high on what Jooris brings to the table than most here. I see him as the kind of guy who not only has a great ability to get the puck away from the other team, but carry it up the ice and make good plays with it. I honestly feel like he's the kind of player that sort of line needs, not just another scorer but someone who can dig the puck out of corners for them because that's not a strength of either of their games. It's also convenient that he's got great hands and I see him as a 22+ goal scorer with that line.

Jankowski's line is interesting. I don't see Janko as a 3rd line C at all (nor do I see Backlund as a true 3C FWIW). But with his size, faceoff skill, defensive ability he's just the natural replacement for Backlund. This is where you're getting into "embarrassment of riches" and the biggest question mark is "can it work under the cap????". Shore is on the RW of the line, I just like what he brings with his skill, size, and IQ. I can see Shore/Janko just being impossible to contain once they get the puck up the ice, they're both the kind of player you want on the team. They're going to really create some space and the beneficiary of that is going to be Morgan Klimchuk, who will be finding corners with ease.

Where is Granlund in the top 9? I don't know to be honest. Next year is a big year for him because I think he's as deserving of a spot as any of the other guys. I would love for him to be forever rotating in with the other three on the fourth line if it can fit within the cap. Good to have depth but he's a bit too talented to be just "depth".

Ferland/Arnold/Hathaway should be a very fun fourth line that's good enough to be a 3rd line. The final forward I would like to see being kept is Paul Byron. Great, affordable depth piece who can play anywhere in the lineup and not look out of place. The kind of player who might have helped last year's Kings make the playoffs.

Defense:
Brodie-Morrison - Our very own version of Keith/Seabrook
Giordano-Hamilton - Second pairing you say? Hah! Eat **** NHL.
Kanzig-Culkin
Kulak/(Hickey up and down because he's still waiver exempt)

Goal:
Ortio (clear #1)
Gillies

So we're not making any signings or trades in the next 4 years?

We'll need to make some trades for sure, moving Raymond, Bollig, Engelland, Smid, Stajan, Jones, Hudler, Russell, Wideman, Backlund for cap space or draft picks...

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I'm surprised more people aren't considering Kylington.

Well, way I see it is, five years until we need to worry about Kylington or Andersson. There'll be a lot more roster movement then due to cap, then Hickey/Kylington will get their chance. My list is for 3 years out.

[Gaskal]

I totally forgot to mention the d corps...

Brodie - Hamilton
Hickey - Kylington
Wotherspoon - Morrison
Kanzig