Building The 2018/19 Flames Roster

[PugnaciousIntern]

C - RW:
Lindholm
Ryan

LW - C
Bennett
Jankowski

LW - RW
Tkachuk
Frolik

From what I've read about Peters, this lineup is probably his dream come true. Insane number of permutations with this group given the versatility (whether previously imposed or just naturally gifted).

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Based on the Treliving interview on Monday it sure sounds like they’ve got Monahan, Backlund, Jankowski and Ryan as the four centres. Lindholm pencilled in on RW.

[Nelson]

It's nothing unexpected but in today's interview Bill Peters explicitly and implicitly laid out the top 6 and top 4 he expects to start with:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic

He also said he would might play Neal with Gaudreau and Monahan if the team gets down.

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by Nelson

It's nothing unexpected but in today's interview Bill Peters explicitly and implicitly laid out the top 6 and top 4 he expects to start with:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic

He also said he would might play Neal with Gaudreau and Monahan if the team gets down.

Don’t tell Neal this. He cane here to play with Johnny

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Nelson

It's nothing unexpected but in today's interview Bill Peters explicitly and implicitly laid out the top 6 and top 4 he expects to start with:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic

He also said he would might play Neal with Gaudreau and Monahan if the team gets down.

Solid top 6 and top 4

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by Monahan For Mayor

I stopped watching the Flames for the last 30 or so games last season. Who looked to be the better overall player during that time Janko or Bennett ?

Neither one is a guy you would expect to see on a contender.

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by 420since1974

They both had good stretches of play at different times during the season.
If Jankowski had not scored 4 goals in the last game, I think that some people' opinions might be different.

He was brutal until that meaningless 4 goal game. Impressive for sure. But no other teams in the west are looking at Janko going “I wish that centred my third line.”

He was terrible from January on. Soft. No points. A muffin, really.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Solid top 6 and top 4

Bennett-Jankowski-Frolik as third line? Or Ryan as C? Not sold that either line can be productive (or that either is really conducive to a Bennett offensive breakout).

[Duffalufagus]

Love the optimism here though. A touch more of objective analysis would add to the purchase of the board IMO.

I’ll start: Janko is not a piece that takes this team anywhere that matters.
Bennett? Even I still hold out hope. Nothing to lose at this point anyway. But, again, Bennett is not a guy true contenders look at and and go: that’s a piece to our SCC puzzle.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Do you guys think Bennett and Jankowski need to be split up?

I don't. Although I can see the possibility of Backs and Frolik being slotted down to line 3 and Janko up to Tkachuk and Neals center.

Why would be a question a lot would ask. Well Janko is a very gifted playmaker and very smart positionally. I fell that Neal and Tkachuk would be served well being centered by a large bodied guy like Janko who can dish the puck. His long reach can help below the goal line.

Give him more offense to work with and we will see Janko bloom.

As for Bennett, he needs to get his mojo back. And he left it with Backs and Frolik when he left their line when Tkachuk came in. It could prove very beneficial for him and the team is this was how Peters built his lines.

Give every player a chance to succeed and see what happens.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

He was brutal until that meaningless 4 goal game. Impressive for sure. But no other teams in the west are looking at Janko going “I wish that centred my third line.”

He was terrible from January on. Soft. No points. A muffin, really.

[blender]

Jankowski was a rookie last season and I honestly can't remember a rookie getting less respect after a decent first year in the league.

Not saying he is going to become a first line player, but he certainly has some good upside.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Neither one is a guy you would expect to see on a contender.

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

He was brutal until that meaningless 4 goal game. Impressive for sure. But no other teams in the west are looking at Janko going “I wish that centred my third line.”

He was terrible from January on. Soft. No points. A muffin, really.

Come on, I would think that a contending team would love to have youthful depth on their 3rd/4th lines in the likes of Bennett and Jankowski.

They will both be cap hits under 2 million, have potential to grow, one is a highly drafted speedster and the other is a 6'4" center with good hands.

I know they had stretches where they let the team and fans down but I for one am happy to have them and can only see them getting better.

Our bottom 6 outside of those 2 generally comprised of Hathaway, Stajan, Brouwer and Lazar. All 4 of those guys might not even make the regular starting lineup this year. That is a) how bad our depth was last year b) how much better it is this year.

Getting to play with better players and an additional year of experience and growth will go a long way for those 2.

They may still disappoint us in the end but I still believe they provide valuable depth to the bottom 2 lines at the very minimum.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Bennett-Jankowski-Frolik as third line? Or Ryan as C? Not sold that either line can be productive (or that either is really conducive to a Bennett offensive breakout).

Ryan will be the 3rd line center. Give Jankowski the 4th line center spot and let him learn the NHL game with the easy match-ups.

[Freddy]

With the added depth on the top 6, Jankowski and Bennett will flourish with whoever gets plugged in alongside. With ‘sheltered’ 3rd line minutes I think the tandem will push Backlund to be elite as he can be/is. It’s Backlund I’m most happy for this off-season, he either gets a young/dynamic 2 way responsible fellow Swede, or the Real Deal, either way I think him & Tkachuk will do well.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Don’t tell Neal this. He cane here to play with Johnny

Neal has been around a long time. I am reasonably sure he understands how lineup decisions work, and would be surprised if he doesn’t just want to play and win.

[Freddy]

Double post, sorry

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Don’t tell Neal this. He cane here to play with Johnny

He came here to win. If you get to play with Gaudreau or Tkachuk its fantastic either way. I don't think Tkachuk will be far behind Gaudreau this year in terms of impact. We have two 1st line LWs.

[GioforPM]

I can think of three western teams that would take a rookie like Jankowski as their third line centre.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Bennett-Jankowski-Frolik as third line? Or Ryan as C? Not sold that either line can be productive (or that either is really conducive to a Bennett offensive breakout).

Bennett, Jankowski, Frolik, Ryan, Czarnik, Lazar, Brouwer, Mangipsne, Foo, Klimchim, and Dube will all battle for the bottom 6 roles.

I wonder if the lines won’t be Bennett-Jankowski-Czarnik and Frolik-Ryan-Brouwer/Lazar to start? A mix of left and right shots on each line.