Building The 2018/19 Flames Roster

[ForeverFlameFan]

I’m not terribly worried if Smith goes down. We have Gillies and Rittich who can play 1a/1b for the time being. I’m pretty confident we can still be a .500 team with that duo, even if we have to score 4-5 goals to win some games.

Our problem with last season was that if our goalie played terrible, we almost had little to no chance of coming back because we were so atrocious at scoring goals. That won’t be the case next year with the acquisitions we’ve received.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Almost every team is hooped if they lose their starting goalie. Rittich was very good as back up, bad when spotlight turned to him - but so was the whole team. That would hopefully have been a learning experience. He is capable. Gillies also has a chance.

I would feel more comfortable with a tried and tested option. I’m starting to feel optimistic about the coming season but, just in my opinion, I see a huge potential problem in net if Smith is injured. Rittich and/or Gilles could save the day, but I feel that’s far from guaranteed. I will feel so frustrated if the Flames are in a playoff spot and then boom, Smith gets injured, and a sub-.900 save percentage sinks the season.

However, I think it’s fair to say the collapse this season was the product of basically everything sucking simultaneously.

[savardandjokinen]

This is a combo of the potential combinations I guess

Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal/Lindholm/Tkachuk/Czarnik

Bennett/Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik

Tkachuk/Lindholm/Bennett-Lindholm/Jankowski/Ryan-Neal/Lindholm/Czarnik/Jankowski

Lazar/Mangiapane/Hathaway/Brouwer/Foo-Ryan/Jankowski-Brouwer/Foo/Mangiapane/Hathaway/Lazar

[the-rasta-masta]

My lineup:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Neal
Frolik-Backlund-Jankowski
Lazar-Ryan-Czarnik

Gio-Brodie
Harmonic-Hanofin
Stone-Kulak

Smith
Rittich

This team becomes really dangerous if Bennett breaks out. Give him a shot on the first line.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Almost every team is hooped if they lose their starting goalie. Rittich was very good as back up, bad when spotlight turned to him - but so was the whole team. That would hopefully have been a learning experience. He is capable. Gillies also has a chance.

Agreed. It was the first backup stint in the NHL for Rittich. It was a good development season for him and he will probably come in to this season with more confidence and obviously more experience.

I am pretty high on Rittich, I think he has the ability to be at the very least a really good nhl backup. His AHL numbers are outstanding and I think he will take a another step this season.

[spotthefan]

I think it is unrealistic to expect 70+ games from Smith. Not that he can’t, but that it isn’t ideal.

So I’d prefer 60-65. Which means the backup needs to play ~ 22 games. We need to be comfortable with the back up playing that. Not sure about Rittich and/or Gilles doing that.



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[Fire]

Brouwer will almost certainly get bought out now. If they want to sign Lindholm and Hanifin to long term deals they pretty much have to unless Treliving can pull off some nice RFA deals.

[TheScorpion]

I rather have Brouwer than Lazar in the lineup every day, FWIW.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

My lineup:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Neal
Frolik-Backlund-Jankowski
Lazar-Ryan-Czarnik

Gio-Brodie
Harmonic-Hanofin
Stone-Kulak

Smith
Rittich

This team becomes really dangerous if Bennett breaks out. Give him a shot on the first line.

They might try Bennett on the first line a little early in pre-season, but when you have both Neal and Lindholm, why would you bother with Bennett on his off-wing on a line he doesn't deserve to be on? Let him earn the shot before giving it to him.

[bax]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal

Two snipers and Gaudreau- a legitimate first line that will put the puck in the net.

Tkachuk - Ryan - Lindholm

Time for Tkachuk to carry his own line. Lindholm is no slouch either. Ryan is the beneficiary of playing with two good, young, two way players.

Bennett - Backlund - Czarnik

Backlund will carry this line with his terrific two way play. Bennett has really only ever had success while flanking Backlund so let's hope they rekindle that chemistry and Czarnik provides a offensive spark to get both guys going.

Lazar - Jankowski - Frolik

Not your typical 4th line. These guys will get more minutes than other 4th lines around the league. Depth here, a 4th line that can score. Frolik can drive the play for this line.

Brouwer/Hathaway are your extras with Mangiapane, Dube, and Foo ready for a call up when injuries hit.

Neal, Czarnik, Ryan, Lindholm, and Backlund can more around the line up. I don't see this as being set in stone- I really believe Czarnik could get 40-50 points this year. Exciting times!

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Fire

Brouwer will almost certainly get bought out now. If they want to sign Lindholm and Hanifin to long term deals they pretty much have to unless Treliving can pull off some nice RFA deals.

Cant. The buyout window is over. There may be a another buyout chance but I think it depends on arbitration cases.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I rather have Brouwer than Lazar in the lineup every day, FWIW.

I suppose that's true, but Brouwer is an opportunity cost due to his pug-fugly contract. That could mean the difference between bridging Hanifin and giving him a long-term deal that could pay dividends down the road. Ideally neither guy would be a regular on a good team.

For that reason, the next priorities this summer have to be a legitimate backup option and finding a way to shed Brouwer somehow.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I rather have Brouwer than Lazar in the lineup every day, FWIW.

You've gone mad. Have you taken your pills today for your madness?

You'd rather a guy that cannot skate of keep up to the play over a much younger, faster, pace setting player?

Where'd this ridiculous Lazar hate come from?

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I rather have Brouwer than Lazar in the lineup every day, FWIW.

Maybe if all things were equal but I would rather have a 1M Lazar than a 4.5M Brouwer every day.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

My biggest concern with this roster is: what happens if Smith gets injured?

Then you would trade for a goalie midseason if he’s gonna be out long. Any short timeframe injury you’d just roll with Rittich/Gillies

[Monahammer]

Tkachuk-lindholm-bennett - I really want to see this line.

[Red]

Originally Posted by dammage79

You've gone mad. Have you taken your pills today for your madness?

You'd rather a guy that cannot skate of keep up to the play over a much younger, faster, pace setting player?

Where'd this ridiculous Lazar hate come from?

Lazar brings absolutely nothing to the game. His skating is as useful as it was for Rico Fata who BTW accomplished a ton more than Lazar has.

Wish it weren't the case, but he is quite useless.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Nm

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Red

Lazar brings absolutely nothing to the game. His skating is as useful as it was for Rico Fata who BTW accomplished a ton more than Lazar has.

Wish it weren't the case, but he is quite useless.

Agreed...but the Flames will give him another opportunity because they paid a 2nd for him.

He skates really fast and then......??

Truly does nothing else even adequately beyond the odd hit.

Maybe he figures it out, but there has been zero indication that will occur...ever.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Then you would trade for a goalie midseason if he’s out for a long time. Short term injury you’d just ride out with Rittich/Gillies

Those guys wilted big time when the spotlight was on them in the next week and a half of games after Smith got hurt in Brooklyn. At least a below average goal per game each of them let in, nevermind the losses.There wrr lots of moving parts with the scoring drying up and the team abdandoning a coach, but the way those backups played really hurt at the most important time of the year.

Smith played fantastically well last year and you have to hope he can keep that up. And hopefully the ability and confidence of those backups is up a notch too.