[Signing] Flames sign James Neal (5 years, 5.75 AAV)

[activeStick]

Bennett should be nowhere near the top 6.

[dammage79]

Still in awe at how different this team looks today than it did at the end of the season.

Mostly I am excited for Lindholm and Neal. those two alone are massive additions to this top 6. Giddy I tell ya. Giddy.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Bennett should be nowhere near the top 6.

Or maybe the top 6 is exactly where he should be. Or at least where we all hoped he would be.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by crapshoot

Or maybe the top 6 is exactly where he should be. Or at least where we all hoped he would be.

Those are two very different things.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Those are two very different things.

Yes, they are, but I would not leave it out of the realm of possibilities that Bennett still have the potential to be a top 6 player.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

"Give him the no pressure opportunity"

*Sticks him on the shutdown line that faces the toughest opponents*

Backlunds good at sheltering people though. Look at the wingers he had before Tkachuk. Guys like Colborne had career years being propped up by Backlund. For a while it was the spot to put new rookies

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

And then you have 17 goal rookie centre Jankowski nowhere? He needs the same type of opportunities. That's why I don't think it makes much sense to play Lindholm at centre when everybody is healthy. We're just too deep at that position and then somebody gets bumped into a suboptimal position. Whereas RW is still relatively weak unless Lindholm is slotting there. Only when Lindholm is on RW does our depth at that position look respectable.

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

You can flip Lindholm/Neal. You can flip Jankowski/Backlund. You can flip Ryan and Jankowski.

It's really hard to imagine Lindholm at centre when everybody is healthy. I still think he makes the most sense as the responsible right shot presence on the top line. Lets us split up our two best shooters in Neal and Monahan and stack a couple good scoring lines.

I think also you could put Ryan with Backlund and Frolik in tougher defensive zone situations against top line opponents and go Bennett-Shore-Czarnik or Mangiapane-Bennett-Czarnik. Still think they should re-sign Shore and keep Lazar & Brouwer off the ice somehow.

Or if Dube makes the team then it's easy. Bennett-Dube-Czarnik.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Backlunds good at sheltering people though. Look at the wingers he had before Tkachuk. Guys like Colborne had career years being propped up by Backlund. For a while it was the spot to put new rookies

It should always be the spot to put new rookies. Give me a Mangiapane/Backlund/Frolik line for two or three months, I bet that does just fine.

[420since1974]

I think that Neal was signed to be a shooter on the first line.

Gaudreau (LW) - Monahan (C) - Neal (LW/RW)
Bennett (LW/C) - Lindholm (C/RW) - Tkachuk (LW/RW)
Mangiapane (LW/C) - Backlund (C) - Ryan (C/RW)
Frolik (LW/C/RW) - Jankowski (C) - Czarnik (RW)

Spares: Lazar (C/RW), Brouwer (RW), Hathaway (RW), & Quine (C) = 2 of these 4 to be waived, traded, or bought-out prior to opening night. I'm going to guess that Hathaway and Quine get waived to Stockton.

[Gaudreau is a Ninja]

Originally Posted by 420since1974

I think that Neal was signed to be a shooter on the first line.

Gaudreau (LW) - Monahan (C) - Neal(LW/RW)
Bennett (LW/C) - Lindholm (C/RW) - Tkachuk (LW/RW)
Mangiapane (LW/C) - Backlund (C) - Ryan (C/RW)
Frolik (LW/C/RW) - Jankowski (C) - Czarnik (RW)

Spares: Lazar (C/RW), Brouwer (RW), Hathaway (RW), Quine (C) = 2 of these 4 to be waived, traded, or bought-out prior to opening night. I'm going to guess that Hathaway and Quine get waived to Stockton.

I love how the Flames have so many options now with lines. I could see this being tried but that's not how my lines look.

Monahan Gaudreau Neal

Backlund Lindholm Tkachuk

Ryan Frolik Bennett

Jankowski Czarnik Mangiapane/Brouwer(unfortunately)

*centers named first

[saXon]

Interesting that TSN pointed out Neal hadn't had a choice of where to play before, and has been consistent on all of those teams. The Flames were his first ever choice of destination to play.

[TheScorpion]

Well, that's not entirely accurate. He could've refused to sign with Dallas and re-enter the draft, choosing not to play there.

The general sentiment makes sense, though.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well, that's not entirely accurate. He could've refused to sign with Dallas and re-enter the draft, choosing not to play there.

The general sentiment makes sense, though.

That's grasping at straws. What kid wants to re-enter the draft?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by saXon

That's grasping at straws. What kid wants to re-enter the draft?

Every kid that gets drafted by Edmonton.

[Sutter_in_law]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well, that's not entirely accurate. He could've refused to sign with Dallas and re-enter the draft, choosing not to play there.

The general sentiment makes sense, though.

He could have also walked away from any of his NHL teams and played beer league or World of Warcraft...

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by 420since1974

I think that Neal was signed to be a shooter on the first line.

Gaudreau (LW) - Monahan (C) - Neal (LW/RW)
Bennett (LW/C) - Lindholm (C/RW) - Tkachuk (LW/RW)
Mangiapane (LW/C) - Backlund (C) - Ryan (C/RW)
Frolik (LW/C/RW) - Jankowski (C) - Czarnik (RW)

Spares: Lazar (C/RW), Brouwer (RW), Hathaway (RW), & Quine (C) = 2 of these 4 to be waived, traded, or bought-out prior to opening night. I'm going to guess that Hathaway and Quine get waived to Stockton.

Nope this is it

Johnny Monahan Neal
Frolik Backlund Lindholm
Tkachuk Jankowski Bennett
Lazar Ryan Brouwer
Hathaway Czarnik

Mangiapane isnt ready, and Quine is depth

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Nope this is it

Johnny Monahan Neal
Frolik Backlund Lindholm
Tkachuk Jankowski Bennett
Lazar Ryan Brouwer
Hathaway Czarnik

Mangiapane isnt ready, and Quine is depth

Swap Lazar with Dube
Swap Brouwer with Czarnik
Swap Brouwer with Lazar
Swap Brouwer with Hathaway
Swap Brouwer with Mangiapane
Swap Brouwer with Quine
Swap Brouwer with Klimchuk
Swap Brouwer with Harvey
Swap Brouwer for donuts.

Now you’ve got it.

[doctajones428]

I say put Bennett in the top 6. If he can't make it with guys like Johnny/Monahan/Tkachuk/Neal, then we know where he stands on this team and in the league

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

I say put Bennett in the top 6. If he can't make it with guys like Johnny/Monahan/Tkachuk/Neal, then we know where he stands on this team and in the league

Never given, always earned. Amiright?

Bennett should be on the third line with Backlund and Frolik. This is where he had the most success in his career to date, and should try and find his game on that two way line. The second line should be Tkachuk-Jankowski-Neal. To me, both Tkachuk and Jankowski earned that opportunity, and playing with Neal gives them a bonified veteran finisher to work with. Give these two young guys, who have exceeded expectations, a chance for bigger and better things. Give Bennett, a player who has grossly underachieved, an opportunity to find his game where he had some past success, and where there will be less pressure for him to produce.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Nope this is it

Johnny Monahan Neal
Frolik Backlund Lindholm
Tkachuk Jankowski Bennett
Lazar Ryan Brouwer
Hathaway Czarnik

Mangiapane isnt ready, and Quine is depth

-No way Frolik plays ahead of Tkachuk.
-Lazar will be waived to the AHL.
-Czarnik and Mangiapane will fight hard for 3rd line duty
-Brouwer and Hathaway should be extra's