2025/26 Roster Discussion

[prizefighterinferno]

Zary-Kadri-Sharangovich
Huberdeau-Frost-Coronato
Farabee-Backlund-Coleman
Lomberg-Posposil-Klapka

Bahl-Andersson
Weegar-Parekh
Pachal-Bruzstewicz
Hanley

Wolf
Prosvetov

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It's also a scenario you see happen a lot.

A guy gets hurt in training camp and misses camp, tries to rush back, isn't quite 100% and it takes 40 games for him to find his stride.

He has been inconsistent his entire career. I am not a big fan. He doesn't bring a lot to the table other then offense. His defensive play 5v5 is poor and he isn't helping you much outside the scoresheet.

I don't know why there was a rush to sign him to an extension. Two trends with Conroy I would like to see go away: 1) Signing big contracts after one good season, and 2) Signing contracts a year before you have to.

I don't think you would be giving Sharangovich nearly 6 million for 5 seasons if you signed the extension this off season.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I keep seeing people posting a rerun of the Bahl-Andersson pairing. With all of the complaints about how his season was last year, and the desire to boost his numbers for a trade, I do not know why we would plan to do the same thing we did last season.

I think you need to start out with Bahl-Weegar and have them covering the toughest D assignments.

Besides, after the Andersson trade we are going to need Bahl-Weegar to cover those assignments anyway, so we may as well start them together.

The D pairings were not the Flames troubles last year. It was that the Flames do not have a single forward you can trust to carry the puck through the neutral zone. This really handcuffed decision making with the puck.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

LMFAO, this is where you need to stop relying only on your numbers bingo. Bean was a damn trainwreck in his own zone and got caught pinching way too many times. Anyone else who watched the games think Jake Bean was steady in his own zone? Come on man, there is more to hockey than just statistics.

You think?

Anyone else? Have you done a formal poll? Because I don't think you'd do all that well in a Backlund is a fourth liner thought if that's the case.

I write game stories, clearly I watch the games.

But when I see the stats it makes me wonder, and watch differently and then I see things.

And I'm sorry man ... if you think Backlund is a fourth line player I'm not sure you should call your eye test a hill to die on.

[TheIronMaiden]

Farabee-Kadri-Posposil ( rough and tumble with a scoring edge)
Huberdeau-Frost-Coronato ( high skill, decent two way play)
Honzek - Zary - Sharangovich ( O zone starts only)
Klapka-Backlund-Coleman ( D zone starts only)
Lomberg- Kirkland

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You think?

Anyone else? Have you done a formal poll? Because I don't think you'd do all that well in a Backlund is a fourth liner thought if that's the case.

I write game stories, clearly I watch the games.

But when I see the stats it makes me wonder, and watch differently and then I see things.

And I'm sorry man ... if you think Backlund is a fourth line player I'm not sure you should call your eye test a hill to die on.

I didn't call Backlund a 4th line player, I said he took a step back defensively. What am I watching this summer, replays of a different Flames team than you? The discussion was on Bean and you tried to use statistics to say he is good in his own zone. So if statistics don't lie would you argue Evan Bouchard is perhaps the best two way defenseman in the league and rock solid in his own zone? Also because stats are the be all and end all according to you then you must argue Darnell Nurse is also above average in his own zone. I mean the stats don't lie. Hell, from our own team you should be arguing that Jake Bean is a much more competent defenseman than Rasmus Andersson is. That's what the stats say, right?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I didn't call Backlund a 4th line player, I said he took a step back defensively. What am I watching this summer, replays of a different Flames team than you? The discussion was on Bean and you tried to use statistics to say he is good in his own zone. So if statistics don't lie would you argue Evan Bouchard is perhaps the best two way defenseman in the league and rock solid in his own zone? Also because stats are the be all and end all according to you then you must argue Darnell Nurse is also above average in his own zone. I mean the stats don't lie. Hell, from our own team you should be arguing that Jake Bean is a much more competent defenseman than Rasmus Andersson is. That's what the stats say, right?

I said he was vanilla steady and could and likely will lose his spot.

That's hardly calling him good in his own zone.

Just pointing out that with his matchups he held his own last year, which is easily backed by numbers. And that calling a players "a bag of suck on hockey skates" is way over the top and silly.

And the Andersson question? No it doesn't. Andersson had the hardest matchups, and is a different stratosphere.

But why would a person that sees things backed up by stats ever ignore stats to take the word of someone else's eye test that isn't backed by stats? Honestly ... why?

And here you are suggesting Backlund is a fourth liner ...

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Honestly I thought Backlund took a pretty big step back defensively last year. I think Frost is a better two way C now personally. I could live with Kadri, Zary, Frost, Backlund down the middle myself but Huska won't. Can't wait to see Backlund on PP 2 again....good Lord.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Just leave Huberdeau at home.

Why, overpaid do not mean he's not in the top 2 forwards. He's likely top 2.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I said he was vanilla steady and could and likely will lose his spot.

That's hardly calling him good in his own zone.

Just pointing out that with his matchups he held his own last year, which is easily backed by numbers. And that calling a players "a bag of suck on hockey skates" is way over the top and silly.

And the Andersson question? No it doesn't. Andersson had the hardest matchups, and is a different stratosphere.

But why would a person that sees things backed up by stats ever ignore stats to take the word of someone else's eye test that isn't backed by stats? Honestly ... why?

And here you are suggesting Backlund is a fourth liner ...

Backlund, Frost and Kadri vs the top scorers on the other 31 teams and Draisaitl and McDavid (missed 2 games against the Flames so left him in)

Kadri:
Minutes - 353:29

xGF% 48.58%
GF% 34.29%
CF% 49.94%
SF% 48.03%
SCF% 45.92%
HDCF% 40.27%

Backlund:
Minutes - 510:37

xGF% 58.17%
GF% 62.79%
CF% 52.02%
SF% 50.10%
SCF% 52.88%
HDCF% 51.14%

Frost
Minutes - 101:13 (Flames only)

xGF% 38.59%
GF% 25.00%
CF% 45.15%
SF% 49.51%
SCF% 40.43%
HDCF% 29.63%


The GF% and xGF% for Backlund against the top scorer of every team in the league is elite. He's not just playing well, he's out playing the best players head-to-head. 4th liner is just due to his age and the want to have young players take his spot on the team

[Vinny01]

Here is my stab at the roster and lines

Zary-Kadri-Coronato
Huberdeau-Frost-Sharangovich
Farabee-Backlund-Coleman
Lomberg-Pospisil-Klapka

Weegar-Andersson
Bahl-Parekh
Hanley-Pachal

Wolf
Prosetov

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

The GF% and xGF% for Backlund against the top scorer of every team in the league is elite. He's not just playing well, he's out playing the best players head-to-head. 4th liner is just due to his age and the want to have young players take his spot on the team

And I just think some fans find his lack of finish infuriating.

"How can you expend that many minutes on a guy that couldn't hit the ocean from the beach?"

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I said he was vanilla steady and could and likely will lose his spot.

That's hardly calling him good in his own zone.

Just pointing out that with his matchups he held his own last year, which is easily backed by numbers. And that calling a players "a bag of suck on hockey skates" is way over the top and silly.

And the Andersson question? No it doesn't. Andersson had the hardest matchups, and is a different stratosphere.

But why would a person that sees things backed up by stats ever ignore stats to take the word of someone else's eye test that isn't backed by stats? Honestly ... why?

And here you are suggesting Backlund is a fourth liner ...

That is what I said I would run down the middle of I had my preference. Point out where in that quote I specifically said Backlund is a 4th line player? You are moving the goal posts. I think numbers have their place in hockey but I don't use them as the be all end all in my evaluations like you do.

[dissentowner]

Question Bingo, I said if we are deploying Zary at centre like people want I would use Backlund as our 4th line C. So are you using Zary as your 4th line C? That would be dumb, you need him in a top 6 role to develop. Kadri? That is not happening. Frost? He is younger and still has upside. He is at worst as good if a two way C. Now if you don't cherry pick that discussion to point out where I put Backlund as a 4th line C my preference is Backlund as 3rd line C and Zary on the wing.

[dissentowner]

Also, I stand by Backlund never being on the PP again, he is terrible on the PP.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Bingo

And I just think some fans find his lack of finish infuriating.

"How can you expend that many minutes on a guy that couldn't hit the ocean from the beach?"

I don’t even think it’s infuriating, it is what it is, but it’s a big part of why he’s a bottom six player and not a 1st liner.

Backlund is good at shutting down the other team’s best players, he’s also not great offensively, not great at faceoffs, and a bit slow.

I like him very much for what he is and hopes he retires a Flame, but I don’t think 4th line is some big insult. Lots of great defensive/shutdown forwards make a whole career out of anchoring that spot.

[Kipper_3434]

Bean stinks. Don't care what the stats say, he looked slow and soft all season with not nearly enough skill to compensate. I think Huska just makes most Dmen seem better than they are and that shows in the stats.

[konradical]

When do the players come back to Calgary to start prep? Is there a deadline?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Goriders

So it’s looking like we are rolling into this season with essentially the same lineup as at the end of the season minus Vladar and potentially adding Pareckh. None of the rumoured trades or free agent additions seem to be materializing. We are a week away from physicals so I’m assuming nothing is going to happen on that front.

That being said there are still a few question marks. Big ones for me are:

1. Who replaces Vladar as backup to Wolf? It’s looking like based on contract make up Prosvetov is the front runner based on a one way contract. But could Cooley beat him out or did his second half last year lose him favour in the organizations eyes?

2. Who gets bumped out of the D group if Parekh pushes himself onto the roster? My guess is it would be Miromanov or Bean. Based on how much Bean was playing last year I would assume Miromanov would get sent down.

3. What’s going on with Zary and is he going to hold out? We seem to have a surplus of wingers so I would not be surprised to see Conroy play hardball with Zary. I can see his point based on Zary’s injury history. But I hope Zary gets signed before camp as players that miss camp typically have down years. Sharongovich and Mangiapane being recent examples. I don’t know which way this one will go. Someone will have to blink at some point.

4. Where are they going to slot in Klapka in the lineup? Per above we have a surplus of wingers. Problem I see is both Pospisil and Klapka will be wasted on the 4th line. But one of them is probably going to end up there. My guess is it will be Klapka. I think he should be further up the lineup to take full advantage of his tools. I think the same thing about Pospisil though.

5. Will any other youngsters be able to make the opening roster? I think the best chance would be on D. Players like Bean and Miromanov could easily be replaced. Someone will also have to come up when Andersson is eventually dealt depending on what comes back. Candidates would most likely be Brzustewicz, Solovyov and Kuznetsov. I would bet none make it at the start of the season but one of the three bumps in when Andersson is dealt.

We have a surplus of wingers if Zary signs and I don’t see any centers ready to bump any of the current ones. So I doubt any forwards make the jump unless one of Morton, Kerins or Honzek get added as the 14th forward in Hunt’s spot. That could easily happen.

6. How are they going to handle the Andersson situation? My guess is he gets traded at the deadline and one of the previously mentioned young dmen take a spot on the roster. This will be awkward for the team. Still hoping something gets done before camp starts. If they are in a playoff spot at the deadline it would create a vacuum on D and in the locker room. Not sure what to do if you’re Conroy. There’s also an issue with too many right dmen if Andersson and Parekh are both on the roster. Bumps Pachal out or he has to play the opposite side. Messy situation.

So based on the above and contract status here’s my guess for opening day lineup. I’m going to assume Zary signs.

Huberdeau Kadri Coronato
Zary Frost Pospisil
Farabee Backund Coleman
Lomberg Kirkland Klapka

Sharongovich
Hunt

Hanley Weegar
Bahl Andersson
Bean Parekh

Pachal

Wolf
Prosvetov

I guess ultimately anything could happen but that’s what I think will play out.

I do think there’s going to be some moves eventually because with Andersson on the team the D grouping is a bit of a mess and you have a number of young Dmen stagnating on the wranglers.

We also have a surplus of wingers causing a few to be under utilized and we have a shortage of centers. Seems like there needs to be a rebalance at some point this season. I see the Andersson situation as that oppurtunity.

The team is full of mid six and #4-6 d-men. Having an extra #8-10 forward or #5-7 d-man isn't really a problem. People get injured. Competition is never a bad thing either. If a guy like Farabee has to sit as a healthy scratch, he has to sit.

I'd assume Prosvetov starts as the backup.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Bean stinks. Don't care what the stats say, he looked slow and soft all season with not nearly enough skill to compensate. I think Huska just makes most Dmen seem better than they are and that shows in the stats.

It just shows in his stats more than others?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

That is what I said I would run down the middle of I had my preference. Point out where in that quote I specifically said Backlund is a 4th line player? You are moving the goal posts. I think numbers have their place in hockey but I don't use them as the be all end all in my evaluations like you do.

I'm not moving goal posts ...

You named three centers ahead of him. That would make him number four.