Predicted next round of cuts and final roster

[Toonage]

I'm looking for some surprises before Monday. Like Rooney is sent down so they don't risk Pelletier (even though I'm one of those people who doesn't see it with him), and can keep 3 goalies as they also don't want to risk losing Cooley who they seem very high on.

Sharangovich-Kadri-Kuzmenko
Huberdeau-Zary-Mantha
Honzek-Backlund-Coleman
Pelletier-Pospisil-Lomberg
- Klapka

Weegar-Miromanov
Bahl-Andersson
Bean-Barrie
- Pachal

Vladar-Wolf
- Cooley

It's be fun to see Honzek & Pospisil on a line but I suspect they'll want Honzek higher in the lineup and Pospisil might be better suited for 4L duty than 2L or 3L IMO.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I kind of thought Tinordi was the ideal extra defenseman. Brings some size and physicality, something this team could use. And he’s not that good, not going to interfere with getting a high draft pick. But a few people saying Barrie is going to get signed so guess not.

He is horrible to watch. He ranks as one of the lowest effective defensemen in the NHL. I have no clue why he was ever signed, he's barely a warm body.

Last year he was top 20 (in a bad way) as one of the worst defender in the entire NHL. Right up there with recent Oiler signee Josh Brown, bleeding over 75 shots against per 60 minutes.

Thats over a shot a minute against his own goalie every minute he is on the ice.

Abysmal.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Pospisil - Kadri - Kuzmenko
Huberdeau - Sharangovich - Mantha
Zary - Backlund - Coleman
Lomberg - Rooney - Pelletier
Schwindt

Weegar - Miromanov
Bahl - Andersson
Bean - Barrie
Pachal

Vladar
Wolf

My reasoning on forwards is two things:
1) Flames are not going to expose Pelletier to waivers, and Pelletier is decently defensively.
2) Conroy places importance on centres and winning draws. Schwindt makes the team over Klapka because of this (with a slight importance to waivers as well).

Honzek and Klapka are the first 2 call-ups this year dependent on what spot opens up. I think they both did more than enough to make team.

On defence, Hanley goes back down to the Wranglers. I don't think that he outplayed Pachal last year, and he certainly hasn't outplayed Pachal so far in camp and preseason. I think with Solovyov being demoted, it makes the defence fairly clear for me.

[Zoller]

Sending Honzek down gives the wrong message. The kid stole a spot in pre-season and should be rewarded.

Sharangovich - Kadri - Kuzmenko
Huberdeau - Zary - Mantha
Honzek - Backlund - Coleman
Lomberg - Pospisil - Coronato
Rooney-Pelletier

Weegar - Miromanov
Bean - Andersson
Bahl - Pachal
Barrie

Wolf
Vladar

No need to waive Pelletier as we would be at the 23 man roster limit.
He's a good dressing room guy and can rotate in and out of the lineup.

I know teams usually like to carry 2 extra defensemen and 1 extra forward but it's not worth the risk of exposing Pelletier to waivers IMO.

[Flamesfan05]

Honzek came and earned a spot . Let’s keep the momentum. They can always send him down later

Waive Schwindt. I don’t see anything useful from this guy. Waive Rooney if you need to. No big loss

Give Pelletier 30 games to swim or sink for good

[flambers]

My guess they will waive Pelletier (had a very average camp, definitely should not be on the roster) and Schwindt

Klapka will make the starting lineup on the 4th line

Lomberg - Rooney - Klapka

As for Honrek, not 100% sure.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think folks are under-estimating the difference between pre-season hockey and regular season hockey. How many guys have we seen come in and have amazing pre-seasons and then show they aren't ready. Remember Charles Kobasew lighting it up?

The message thing is over-stated. Again - what happens on Monday matters little. What matters is the development arc and where Honzek and others are as the season progresses. There is nothing wrong with a guy like him, who has missed critical development time, maximizing his time on ice, including in key situations - down in the AHL. This is a guy that they want to be a top 6 forward. He needs playing time to get there.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think folks are under-estimating the difference between pre-season hockey and regular season hockey. How many guys have we seen come in and have amazing pre-seasons and then show they aren't ready. Remember Charles Kobasew lighting it up?

The message thing is over-stated. Again - what happens on Monday matters little. What matters is the development arc and where Honzek and others are as the season progresses. There is nothing wrong with a guy like him, who has missed critical development time, maximizing his time on ice, including in key situations - down in the AHL. This is a guy that they want to be a top 6 forward. He needs playing time to get there.

You're right, I'd much rather Honzek and Coronato get top 6 minutes in the AHL than learn the 4th liner game. Pelletier on the other hand doesn't track to be a top 6 guy. I think that giving him reps in the NHL would help him take the next step.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think folks are under-estimating the difference between pre-season hockey and regular season hockey. How many guys have we seen come in and have amazing pre-seasons and then show they aren't ready. Remember Charles Kobasew lighting it up?

The message thing is over-stated. Again - what happens on Monday matters little. What matters is the development arc and where Honzek and others are as the season progresses. There is nothing wrong with a guy like him, who has missed critical development time, maximizing his time on ice, including in key situations - down in the AHL. This is a guy that they want to be a top 6 forward. He needs playing time to get there.

Oh for sure, Coronato is a recent example (last season). Once a players makes the final cut, they have to elevate their game to stay.. In his case, he was not ready.

However, a good camp can keep him on the opening night roster, and a poor camp could mean waivers (Pelletier)

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

You're right, I'd much rather Honzek and Coronato get top 6 minutes in the AHL than learn the 4th liner game. Pelletier on the other hand doesn't track to be a top 6 guy. I think that giving him reps in the NHL would help him take the next step.

Agreed. Same goes with a guy like Klapka. He's a bottom of the line up player. He can be here as a 4th liner, 13th forward and that's fine.

[8sPOT]

I dont see the harm in rewarding Honzek with a spot opening night. He's been the best forward throughout pre-season. Give him some games, and if he falters send him down.

[Matty81]

I think it would be pretty shocking if Schwindt and Hanley are not cut - not a huge chance those guys will be picked up and even if Hanley is, he has almost no trade/asset value.

Leaves them having to cut one forward and a goalie. Cooley is odds on to go in net.

Rooney, Pelletier, Honzek and Coronato are probably the 4 being considered for final cut up front.... Rooney has the lowest asset value by far, but unfortunately plays centre which is a desperate need. Honzek seems to have earned a look, Pelletier will get picked up on waivers. Coronato hasn't lit it up at campe, I'm guessing it will be him going down as the final cut.

I could see Rooney being cut later if a younger centre they like with some upside comes up on waivers

[flambers]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

You're right, I'd much rather Honzek and Coronato get top 6 minutes in the AHL than learn the 4th liner game. Pelletier on the other hand doesn't track to be a top 6 guy. I think that giving him reps in the NHL would help him take the next step.

You can also use the reverse logic, by keeping Pelletier on the roster (whether that's the 13th forward etc.)

What type of message does that send...

As he has not stood out, by any means

I could see Honrek getting sent down, however Pelletier is either waived or traded in my view

[CsInMyBlood]

I keep seeing people penciling Pospisil on the 4th line. The guy is so effective there is no way he gets buried down there. Totally underrated.

He is going to be a big part of the Flames going forward.

[Royle9]

I feel like Pospisil is hurt.
He was pretty much inked, not penciled, but inked on a line with Huby and Mantha from day 1 and we haven't seen him/heard from him in weeks.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by flambers

You can also use the reverse logic, by keeping Pelletier on the roster (whether that's the 13th forward etc.)

What type of message does that send...

As he has not stood out, by any means

I could see Honrek getting sent down, however Pelletier is either waived or traded in my view

The message is that they are trying out for different positions on the team. Honezek isn't trying out for the 4th line, he is trying out for the 2nd line.

Pelletier doesn't need to stand out, he needs to be a dependable player who backchecks and forechecks with the same intensity that Lomberg and Rooney do.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

The message is that they are trying out for different positions on the team. Honezek isn't trying out for the 4th line, he is trying out for the 2nd line.

Pelletier doesn't need to stand out, he needs to be a dependable player who backchecks and forechecks with the same intensity that Lomberg and Rooney do.

I get it, just don't think Pellettier is going to make the team, I would not be shocked if Honzek is also sent down

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The message thing is over-stated. Again - what happens on Monday matters little. What matters is the development arc and where Honzek and others are as the season progresses. There is nothing wrong with a guy like him, who has missed critical development time, maximizing his time on ice, including in key situations - down in the AHL. This is a guy that they want to be a top 6 forward. He needs playing time to get there.

Yeah, all that really matters is the messaging to Honzek - hey, you came in and kicked ass, but we want you to continue and develop and do this and this and this.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by flambers

You can also use the reverse logic, by keeping Pelletier on the roster (whether that's the 13th forward etc.)

What type of message does that send...

As he has not stood out, by any means

I could see Honrek getting sent down, however Pelletier is either waived or traded in my view

I think the flames need to take a bigger picture view than that as a rebuilding team and consider asset management and potential in their decisions as to who they retain. Pelletier hasn't been great offensively in preseason, but the worst advanced analytics on the team in preseason among the regulars has been Rasmus Andersson and Kuz has been terrible too - it's not as simple as cutting the worst preseason players for me.

The season before last Pelletier was one of the best players on the flames analytics wise in his 24 games... he's coming off a major injury and struggled last year and is building back up. I think it's smart to give him a chance to play his way back into form and see what he's got. If he struggles through a longer sample size, I'm fine with moving him, but it's too soon right now, trading him after two good seasons based on one injury plagued one as he tries to get back to health.

There will be open roster spots after the deadline and they will need all of these younger guys once the UFAs like Kuzmenko, Mantha and Rooney are gone.

The flames have almost no chance of winning the cup this year and need to be taking the long view.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I feel like Pospisil is hurt.
He was pretty much inked, not penciled, but inked on a line with Huby and Mantha from day 1 and we haven't seen him/heard from him in weeks.

He was hurt,

No clue if its day to day thing

It was on, one the Flames Radio broadcasts awhile back