Building The 2018/19 Flames Roster

[ForeverFlameFan]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm —> Lindholm provides two way play
Tkachuk - Backlund - Neal —> Neal makes this like deadly with a goal scorer on the line above and one here.
Bennett - Jankowski - Czarnik —> give Bennett and Janko an offensively minded player.
Frolik - Ryan - Lazar —> this line can play 200 ft hockey.
Hathaway, PTO guy

Giordano - Brodie —> no brainer without Hamilton
Hanifin - Hamonic —> Hamonic can cover for Hanifin if need be
Kulak - Stone —> already familiar with each other
Prout —> makes sense. Gets to eat popcorn.

Smith —> no one else is ready
Rittich —> signed a one year deal/Gillies signed 2 year deal (1 year 2W, 1 year 1W).

[pgsieve]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Bennett - Ryan - Foo
Dube - Jankowski - Czarnik

Extra: Hathaway
First Call-Up: Eat Bread
Traded: Frolik

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Valamaki - Stone

Extra: Kulak
First call-up: Anderson

Smith
Gillies

Traded: Rittich (Parsons needs the full net this year)

[Flames_F.T.W]

Just for something a little different:

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

[Royle9]

I'm too now in the boat that I think we could afford to flip Frolik for picks and let one of our young guys come up. Nothing against Frolik, I just feel his days are slowly getting behind him and I'd rather give the kids a shot, save some salary and I feel we wouldn't notice it much. We've got depth at bottom 6 RW now in Foo and Czarnik

On the D side of things if we could flip stone for picks as well I think it free's up room for Andersson to slot in as he's more than ready. I'd also like to see Valimaki get a shot to make the left side.

Chances of this happening are pretty slim though:


Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Jankowski - Lindholm
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik -> Would prefer Czarnik here
Mangiapane/Dube - Ryan - Czarnik
Hathaway, Lazar

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone —> Would like this to be Valimaki - Andersson
Prout

[GioforPM]

People are sure writing off Frolik after one subpar season and only one year removed from his career season. And sure putting a lot of stock into a 5'9". 160 lb guy who's going to be 27 mid season and has really not proven much so far. I hope Czarnik pops this year like some people think, but even Lazar has done a whole lot more in the NHL.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

People are sure writing off Frolik after one subpar season and only one year removed from his career season. And sure putting a lot of stock into a 5'9". 160 lb guy who's going to be 27 mid season and has really not proven much so far. I hope Czarnik pops this year like some people think, but even Lazar has done a whole lot more in the NHL.

Not sure I'd agree with "writing off" but definitely more critical of Frolik, but he's making 4.3M which made sense in the top 6, not so much in the bottom 6 in my opinion unless he's producing at a 40+ point pace again. Don't see that happening if he's playing bottom 6 minutes however.

He's a great defensive forward, good on the PK etc but when we have so many young guys banging on the door who do you figure we drop rather than Frolik?

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I'm too now in the boat that I think we could afford to flip Frolik for picks and let one of our young guys come up. Nothing against Frolik, I just feel his days are slowly getting behind him and I'd rather give the kids a shot, save some salary and I feel we wouldn't notice it much. We've got depth at bottom 6 RW now in Foo and Czarnik

On the D side of things if we could flip stone for picks as well I think it free's up room for Andersson to slot in as he's more than ready. I'd also like to see Valimaki get a shot to make the left side.

Chances of this happening are pretty slim though:


Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Jankowski - Lindholm
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik -> Would prefer Czarnik here
Mangiapane/Dube - Ryan - Czarnik
Hathaway, Lazar

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone —> Would like this to be Valimaki - Andersson
Prout

The issue that I have with this and I believe most around the team seem to adhere to this as well is that the season is long and you need guys who are experienced as professional hockey players, living the life day in day out, coming to the rink, off ice routines and training, etc. I think that is why the flames likely keep both Stone and Frolik around because chances of one of teh young guys hitting the wall hard are way higher than either of those two falling off a cliff (granted, Frolik is close).

I suppose you could rotate the young guys in but there is something to the notion of making the young guys earn their spot from a vet and that competition is always good. The flames also got through most of last season very injury free (until it was over anyways), especially on the blue line, and thats another reason to keep a guy like frolik around. I'd much rather have him out there moving up and down the lineup if we get hammered with injuries than a bunch of kids who might not know what they are doing and get overwhelmed, like you saw from the team north of us.

[Strange Brew]

I'm not so keen to flip Frolik. He may be on a decline and overpaid for his role, but one of the goals of the offseason IMO was to push players down the lineup, defacto improving the quality of the bottom lines. I don't believe the return would be worthwhile.

[really?]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I'm not so keen to flip Frolik. He may be on a decline and overpaid for his role, but one of the goals of the offseason IMO was to push players down the lineup, defacto improving the quality of the bottom lines. I don't believe the return would be worthwhile.

Well reasoned point. Frolik gives an honest effort and if the Flames roll four lines, he's brings serious value on line four due to his responsible play. Expect him to contribute offensively and earn his 4+ mil in that manner, then your setting him up to fail. The main issue with a guy like him is that if someone like Dube, Foo or Klimchuck bests him in camp, do the Flames make room or do they just hold their ground and stick with the vet?

Hopefully with a new regime all spots are being evaluated and those who earn a spot will have a spot.

[dammage79]

Don't mess with the depth. Keep the kids like mangipane and Dube or foo on the farm. Deep teams go deep and injuries are inevitable. I mean unless one
Of the farm kids absolutely blows the doors off the place at camp, itdoesnt hurt them to be called upon when needed.

Worst thing to do is shed some veteran depth like Frolik and end up like that one flames playoff run where we ran out of d men and got eaten alive by Chicago (I think it was Chicago, just a season or two before their cup run)

Besides, it'll be good to have some trade deadline bullets up our sleeve.

[bax]

Yeah, I am against trading Frolik. He is a good player and can drive a bottom six line by himself. I think he will thrive with a lesser role.

[really?]

Agree about keeping depth, but if young guys are warehouse just because they can be, it sends the message that effort and performance are valued below comfort and familiarity. I'm sure most guys in the room would prefer that Frolik draws in with them, but if someone has kicked the door in, and then is sent down, that is suggestive of complacency.

I believe last year's Vegas team is a great ex ample of the opposite of complacency. Every position was earned and each man knew it. Obviously that's not possible where players and culture are largely entrenched, but moving in the direction of that competitive model of rostering is where the good teams are headed.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by really?

Agree about keeping depth, but if young guys are warehouse just because they can be, it sends the message that effort and performance are valued below comfort and familiarity. I'm sure most guys in the room would prefer that Frolik draws in with them, but if someone has kicked the door in, and then is sent down, that is suggestive of complacency.

A player would need to outplay Frolik in a defensive-zone-start-heavy role in order to do so, and that in itself is a very tall order. I think a commitment to Frolik actually suggests that the team is serious about winning, not "complacency."

[Jason14h]

We don’t need cap space this year anymore, so why on earth would we deal Frolik for picks?

Plus people act like injuries don’t occur. Remember last season as guys got injured and we couldn’t win a game !

If multiple young guys come in and Frolik gets pushed to the 4th line you are laughing all the way to a division title

[Poe969]

The only reason to deal Frolik would be to make room on the roster/clear cap space and the only reason that would happen is because a better player is coming to the team.

[Vinsta13]

I would love to try in the pre-season:

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


Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Anderson- Stone

As i consider Gauderau and Monahan our two proven "first line" players so why not separate them allowing them to carry their own line.

And in my opinion if this team wants to be a contender Backlund has to be our third line center because that speaks to the level of depth we have down the middle.

[theslymonkey]

I realize it's summer and things are slow around here. But the lineup is pretty set based on salary and what Peters has said.

Center depth is set.
Monahan - Johnny/Mony isn't getting broken up.
Backlund - He's easily the second best center on the team.
Ryan - He wasn't signed to play 4C, he wins faceoffs.
Janko - He's still young but still needs to play center.

Left side is easy.
Johnny - Duh.
Tkachuk - See above
Bennett - Doesn't play RW, and can't beat out the guys above.
EatBread - Probably his spot to lose, but you could put lots of kids here.

Right side is a little more messy.
Lindholm - Peters said he'll go here.
Neal - Deadly with Chucky, but could easily swap with Lindholm.
Frolik - He's easily behind the other two and has proven to be effective at RW.
Czarnik - Less pressure here, but could bump Fro with a good showing.

Defense is set.
Gio/Brodie - Peters said so.
Hanifin/Hamonic - Makes sense and keeps Stone down.
Kulak/Stone - Whatever, it's the third pair. Could get bounced by a kid in trining camp.
Prout - Who cares.

Goalies is obvious.
Smith - Duh.
Gillies/Rittich - Flip a coin, one goes up, one goes down.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by Vinsta13

As i consider Gauderau and Monahan our two proven "first line" players so why not separate them allowing them to carry their own line.

Im not sure I agree with this. They are both good players, but I think this is an instance where the whole is greater then the sum of the parts. Johnny can score, but he is an unbelievable playmaker. Monahan can make plays, but he has the best shot on the team. They are a natural fit, and have already developed 4 years of chemistry together. I'm not sure that either could carry their own line, but both could be important pieces on their respective lines. To me they are a pair.

I know your original post is about trying it in preseason, and as far as that goes, have at 'er. But if the modern day NHL is more about pairs then lines, Johnny and Monny are one of the more natural pairs that you have at your disposal.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

I realize it's summer and things are slow around here. But the lineup is pretty set based on salary and what Peters has said.


Right side is a little more messy.
Lindholm - Peters said he'll go here.
Neal - Deadly with Chucky, but could easily swap with Lindholm.
Frolik - He's easily behind the other two and has proven to be effective at RW.
Czarnik - Less pressure here, but could bump Fro with a good showing

I would definitely like to see Neal on the top line. That line is lacking some grit that I think Neal is better suited to provide then Lindholm. Neal has a tendency to be unpredictable with his reactions (see kneeing marchand in the head). He's not going to be a physical force, but if you jack up one of his boys, all bets are off. I think that factor alone gives Monahan a little more room, and keeps a few slashes off johnny's hands. I just don't see Lindholm as much of a deterrent, and its not like Lindholm would be wasted playing on a line with Backlund and Tkachuk.

[_Q_]

All of you penciling Jankowski in to the second line centre slot are on crack.

Backlund is, without a doubt, a better player than Jankowski right now. I would even slot Lindholm and Ryan ahead of him. No way in hell do we start the season with Jankowski as our #2.

Not to say he doesn't have the potential to be a good second line centre one day. That might happen by the end of the year, but as of today, he's not good enough to be that guy.