Projected Lines

[Enoch Root]

The additions of Coleman and Pitlick have sure solidified the right side. One of Tkachuk or Mangiapane takes another spot, then either probably Ritchie, unless Pelletier can earn a look.

Maybe the best that RW has looked since Iggy left. I mean, not awesome r anything, but no longer a hole in the lineup.

[Toonage]

I suspect the only real battle for forwards will be the 4C spot between Ruzicka & Gawdin.

Sutter seemed to play Ruzicka a fair bit at the end of the year or am I wrong about that?

Lewis will sit most nights I'd imagine. Brought in to be a lock room guy I think.

How's this?

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Dube-Monahan-Pitlick
Lucic-Ruzicka-Ritchie/Lewis

Hanifin-Tanev
Zadorov-Andersson
Valimaki-???
- Kylington

Markstrom-Vladar

This assumes Monahan does not return to form or at least needs to work his way back up

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Don't think Mackey and Gawdin have much to do with it.

The Flames have 11 or 12 pretty much guaranteed forwards that will make the team. I say 11 because maybe a guy like Ritchie gets pushed out for someone else. Either way if they carry 23 players, it comes down to Pelletier's salary vs say Gawdin, not both of them on the roster.

Pelletier at $863 and Zary at $894 aren't going to make a dent vs the other 13th forward salary of say $750

What difference does it make who ends up on the roster? You're still looking at the $6M currently available taking a sizable hit when you factor in Dube and it will mean cap space in and around the $4-$5m range. That's not much to work with unless the goal is to nibble further around the edges.

[Enoch Root]

Tough call on D. IMO, it is more likely that Treliving spends the extra cap on another Dman than a forward. But for now, I think I like a balanced approach:

Hanifin - Andersson
Valimaki - Tanev
Mackey - Zadorov
or Zadorov - Welinski

I think we'll see a better year from Valimaki, and Tanev is just the smart, steady partner he needs.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I'd like to see both Zary and Pelletier get a shot but with Daryl at the helm they'll have to have the best camp they've ever had to get a shot. Daryl like's a big rough bottom 6 and neither of these 2 guys fit that bill so I don't seem room for them there.

Likely a long shot they make it unfortunately.

With that said Zary did look good in the AHL last year, first time underage playing with pro's and he didn't look out of place much at all. Made a lot happen which was great to see.

Pelletier has a solid game, kind of reminds of me of what Mangiapane looked like before coming into the pro's but maybe a bit more pedigree.

Either way I'd like to see them get a fair look, but I think the bottom is is locked in with the Lewis/Pitlick acquisitions etc. and no room in the top 6 at all.

My guess to start:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Coleman
Tkachuk - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Lucic
Ritchie - Lewis - Pitlick

If they are doing well, I can see Sutter not using Pelletier or Zary or other young players

If they don’t do well, it would be so ####ed up if they are not giving chances

[bax]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I'm still hoping that they can find something better than Lewis for the 4th line. And it would be nice if they found something better than Stone for the #6.

I don’t see that happening. Sutter is probably the only reason why Lewis was signed. He loves him

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by bax

I don’t see that happening. Sutter is probably the only reason why Lewis was signed. He loves him

The team has players better than Lewis, Froese and Ritchie.

Ruszicka, Gawdin and Pelletier are likely all either at or beyond the level of these players already, and would only improve with added experience. If all of the above are on the roster ahead of these younger players it would really be telling as to why this team continues to have basically useless dinosaur 4th lines.

It goes way beyond Sutter and would hardly be anything new. Same goes for a guy like Mackey getting room. He has all the signs of a player ready to take another step.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

If they are doing well, I can see Sutter not using Pelletier or Zary or other young players

If they don’t do well, it would be so ####ed up if they are not giving chances

Well... we didn't do well last year and when we were already mathematically eliminated we sadly pissed away over a dozen games before giving both Gawdin and Ruzicka a game here and there.

Could have used those guys in 5-6 games to get a real look but chose not to.

I doubt that changes.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I suspect the only real battle for forwards will be the 4C spot between Ruzicka & Gawdin.

Sutter seemed to play Ruzicka a fair bit at the end of the year or am I wrong about that?

Lewis will sit most nights I'd imagine. Brought in to be a lock room guy I think.

How's this?

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Dube-Monahan-Pitlick
Lucic-Ruzicka-Ritchie/Lewis

Hanifin-Tanev
Zadorov-Andersson
Valimaki-???
- Kylington

Markstrom-Vladar

This assumes Monahan does not return to form or at least needs to work his way back up

I’m guessing Lewis was a Sutter request. I doubt he’ll be sitting. He did play Ruzicka quite a bit for 2 or 3 of the final Canuck games. I thought he didn’t look out of place. Bigger guy.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Well... we didn't do well last year and when we were already mathematically eliminated we sadly pissed away over a dozen games before giving both Gawdin and Ruzicka a game here and there.

Could have used those guys in 5-6 games to get a real look but chose not to.

I doubt that changes.

Me too. I think Sutter was brought in to prove whether this group of players could get over the hump or not. Two years. After which if it doesn’t work everyone including the GM will be shipped out.

[MrMike]

No offence but Tanev Zadorov should be a great shut down pair when trying to lock down a lead.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

What difference does it make who ends up on the roster? You're still looking at the $6M currently available taking a sizable hit when you factor in Dube and it will mean cap space in and around the $4-$5m range. That's not much to work with unless the goal is to nibble further around the edges.

Huh?

You said there was no room for Pelletier / Zary when Mackey and Gawdin get signed. I directly answered that. Now you don't care who ends up on the roster?

Honestly don't understand what you're getting at.

If they use the $4.5M (guess) on a player than it's possible that they'll have to get creative on forward 13, or go with 22, but that's back to the differential I was talking about, which is around $100K to $125K

[bax]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

The team has players better than Lewis, Froese and Ritchie.

Ruszicka, Gawdin and Pelletier are likely all either at or beyond the level of these players already, and would only improve with added experience. If all of the above are on the roster ahead of these younger players it would really be telling as to why this team continues to have basically useless dinosaur 4th lines.

It goes way beyond Sutter and would hardly be anything new. Same goes for a guy like Mackey getting room. He has all the signs of a player ready to take another step.

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

The team has players better than Lewis, Froese and Ritchie.

Ruszicka, Gawdin and Pelletier are likely all either at or beyond the level of these players already, and would only improve with added experience. If all of the above are on the roster ahead of these younger players it would really be telling as to why this team continues to have basically useless dinosaur 4th lines.

It goes way beyond Sutter and would hardly be anything new. Same goes for a guy like Mackey getting room. He has all the signs of a player ready to take another step.

Froese and Ritchie? Better in what sense? Pelletier hasn’t even played an AHL game yet.

There was a clear mandate this summer to acquire bottom six players that play a defense first style and can also forecheck. Pitlick, Lewis, and Coleman (although he will likely play top 6)

Lewis isn’t a useless dinosaur. Far from it, that comment makes me think you don’t know the player at all. He is very solid defensively.

[GioforPM]

Sutter didn’t mind the odd smallish guy on the bottom six if said player had jam to his game. Byron Ritchie, Clark, for example. Pelletier isn’t big but he’s got jam. And Zary isn’t tiny or anything.

[Goriders]

What ever happened to the Dvorak rumour? Haven’t heard anything beyond the initial “flames are in on it”. That’s the other potential move that was mentioned outside of the Eichel soap opera.

I don’t know enough about him. But would he be a better second line fit at center than Monahan?

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by VilleN

I think they might try the following D pairings, since Sutter mentioned that he thought Hanifin was ready to carry his own:

Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Tanev
Zadorov-Mackey(Kylington,Stone)

I like it, see if Tanev can elevate Valimaki's game. Juuso also adds some potential offence to that pairing.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Goriders

What ever happened to the Dvorak rumour? Haven’t heard anything beyond the initial “flames are in on it”. That’s the other potential move that was mentioned outside of the Eichel soap opera.

I don’t know enough about him. But would he be a better second line fit at center than Monahan?

He's healthier and carries a smaller cap hit than Monahan for a few more years.

Apples to apples, not a better player but there would be some perks if Monahan isn't able to get or stay healthy.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Would be nice to see a Pelletier or Zary push. Those are always the best pre seasons. One of those guys forces their way on to a third line and things look a little better.

I'm with most though, hoping more change is coming with that cap space.

That would be a best case scenario. I'm really high of Pelletier ( higher than most), and I think that he could bring a lot of energy to the Flames bottom 6 - a roll that I think he could excel in, due to his strong fore and back checking.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

That would be a best case scenario. I'm really high of Pelletier ( higher than most), and I think that he could bring a lot of energy to the Flames bottom 6 - a roll that I think he could excel in, due to his strong fore and back checking.

I thought he looked really solid at the world juniors. That’s the only real time I’ve seen him play. I thought he looked better than Zary

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Toonage

He's healthier and carries a smaller cap hit than Monahan for a few more years.

Apples to apples, not a better player but there would be some perks if Monahan isn't able to get or stay healthy.

Looks like Monahan has definitely scored more points at the NHL level. But if he can’t stay healthy I’m betting that will start to narrow.

Dvorak scored a lot in junior and was line mates with Tkachuk and Marner. Wondering if a reunion with Tkachuk might help both players.

Bit of a side track but I think Monahan is the odd duck in the line up.