Predict the 2017-18 Flames Lineup

[Wolfman]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Brouwer
Foo/Hamilton

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
Wotherspoon

Smith
Lack

[Vulcan]

I thought the idea when Lazar was acquired was to play him with Bennett. I think they'll get some time together early.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I thought the idea when Lazar was acquired was to play him with Bennett. I think they'll get some time together early.

Hmmmm, first I've heard of it. Tkachuk-Bennett-Lazar would be an interesting line though.

[Vinny01]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Tkachuk-Bennett-Ferland
Frolik-Backlund-Brouwer
Versteeg-Jankowski-Lazar
Stajan

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
Wotherspoon

Smith
Lack

[PlayfulGenius]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Lazar
Versteeg - Stajan - Brouwer

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone

Smith
Lack

[prizefighterinferno]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland/Bennett
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett/Ferland-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Brouwer

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Valimaki - Stone

Smith
Lack

Jankowski has an awesome summer, comes into camp on fire and pushes Bennett to the wing. Bennett also has an awesome summer, his chemistry with Versteeg continues from late last season and with Janko cantering them all three put up ~40 point seasons, giving the Flames arguably the best third line in the league. Valimaki surprises while also taking advantage of weak LD depth and gets 9 games to start the year (rotating out with Kulak) after which he is sent down to junior (captain of Finland's WJ team, big minutes etc.) because Kulak solidifies himself as a capable third pairing guy and Flames would prefer to delay the start of Valimaki's contract in light of the several D contracts coming due in three years time.

[TheKurgan]

Given all the Jagr rumors today I thought I would give this a shot again.

Gaudreau - Monahan – Jagr - Top scoring line, offensive zone starts
Tkachuk - Backlund – Frolik – Shut down line, defensive zone starts, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it
Ferland - Bennett – Lazar – Pain in the ass third line with lots of upside scoring potential
Versteeg - Stajan – Brouwer – Overpaid 4th line but still better than most 4 lines in the leauge
Jankowski/Hamilton/Foo or whoever does well in camp

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak – Stone
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

If Jagr rumors turn out to be bogus I would go with this

Gaudreau - Monahan – Tkachuk - Top scoring line, offensive zone starts, Tkachuk give this line much needed grit
Jankowski - Backlund – Frolik – Shut down line, defensive zone starts, gives Jankowski a great line to mentor with
3rd/4th and defense unchanged.

[Samonadreau]

Just playing with line ups at this point

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Ferland

Or

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Jagr
Versteeg-Stajan-Lazar

Or

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Lazar
Stajan-Jankowski-Ferland

I put Jagr in the line up and even with bias aside (I think) I keep ending up with Brouwer as the odd man out.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Just playing with line ups at this point

Gaudreau-Monohan-Jagr
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuck-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Ferland

Or

Gaudreau-Monohan-Ferland
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Jagr
Versteeg-Stajan-Lazar

Or

Gaudreau-Monohan-Jagr
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Benmet-Lazar
Stajan-Jankowski-Ferland

I put Jagr in the line up and even with bias aside (I think) I keep ending up with Brouwer as the odd man out.

I don't mind the lineups, but Monahan

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by FBI

I don't mind the lineups, but Monahan

Good call. Just using the autofill on my phone and didnt even notice.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Jagr
Versteeg-Stajan-Lazar

I put Jagr in the line up and even with bias aside (I think) I keep ending up with Brouwer as the odd man out.

I think Janko is unlikely to make the team if we sign Jagr and all the forwards are healthy. That said the forwards are unlikely to be completely healthy exiting training camp. But let's pretend they are all healthy then IMO your second line would probably be
Frolik-Backlund-Brouwer
and Jankowski would be the first injury recall for a centre or maybe just in general

[Love]

I feel like Bennett and Frolik should be a paring next season. Backlund and Tkachuk should be together as they just have a perfect sense for one another and they were the main cogs of the 3M line, and by putting Fro with Bennett we're giving him a legit top 6 forward that he could make skilled plays with, while also providing him with that defensively responsible presence that was absent in his time spent with Versteeg and Brouwer.

Main pairings: Gaudreau/Monahan - Backlund/Tkachuk - Bennett/Frolik

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lazar
Versteeg - Bennett - Frolik
Stajan - Jankowski - Brouwer


Wings could be all shuffled. Say we bring in Jagr:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Frolik - Bennett - Jagr
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lazar
Versteeg - Jankowski - Brouwer
Stajan

Really deep team that also allows for a multitude of different combos and looks at 5v5, PK & PP

[savardandjokinen]

WITH JAGR

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Jagr
Lazar-Jankowski-Brouwer
Stajan, Hathaway

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Stone-Kulak
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

WITHOUT JAGR

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Jankowski
Lazar-Stajan-Brouwer
Hathaway, F.Hamilton

D and G stay the same

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

WITH JAGR

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Jagr
Lazar-Jankowski-Brouwer
Stajan, Hathaway

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Stone-Kulak
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

WITHOUT JAGR

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Jankowski
Lazar-Stajan-Brouwer
Hathaway, F.Hamilton

D and G stay the same

I think this is right, except I'd probabky have Stajan starting over one of Lazar or Jankowski as the more realistic possibility (but the guy who's out would easily slot in for a healthy scratch or injury). Also, the coach seemed to prefer F. Hamilton over Hathaway by a slim margin last year. However, the loss of Engelland's fighting ability, plus Hathaway's contract might make Hathaway more attractive as an insertion.

Anyway, that's a nice looking team.

[Vulcan]

Here's my list I'd like to see start.

Gaudreau--Monahan--Ferland
Jankowski--Backland--Frolik
Tkachuk--Bennett-- Lazar
Versteeg--Stajan-- Brouwer

Hathaway--Hamilton

[fastpuck]

Vulcan, I think this is a good line up too. I like rotating a rookie into the Backlund Frolik line with Jankowski. I also would like to see Tkachuk, Bennett and Lazar.

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Brouwer
Foo/Hamilton

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
Wotherspoon

Smith
Lack

Yikes. That is weak bottom 6 by playoff contender standards.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Yikes. That is weak bottom 6 by playoff contender standards.

Really shows how important every dollar is in a cap world. One bad signing can really keep a team a tier below the true contenders.

One more star forward at $7.5mil would make a WORLD of difference in pushing the Flames to contender status vs Brouwer at $4.5m + $3mil in cap space that we have instead.

[Love]

Originally Posted by fastpuck

Vulcan, I think this is a good line up too. I like rotating a rookie into the Backlund Frolik line with Jankowski. I also would like to see Tkachuk, Bennett and Lazar.

Seems like too much of one thing

[thymebalm]

Most likely (less change)

Tkachuck-Backlund-Frolik
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Versteeg-Bennett-Brouwer
Lazar-Stajan-Hathaway

Possible (some change):
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Lazar-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuck-Bennett-Versteeg
Brouwer-Stajan-Hathaway

Not likely
Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Tkachuck-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Ferland
Hamilton-Lazar-Hathaway

I'm starting to see Tkachuck-Bennett as a Perry-Getzlaf lite combo in the making, much as Gaudrea-Monahan could be a Kane-Toews lite. I hope those two get playing time together early. I know its been wonderful for Tkachuck to play with Backlund, but at some point, he's going to need to drive the play from a different line.