Flames/Heat Line-Up - 2013-14

[PlayfulGenius]

Moon, you missed Galiardi...intentional?

Edit : oops, I see him now

[ThePrince]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Flames need to trade Giordano, Butler, Cammalleri, Stajan, Jackman and Jones.

Assuming picks in return, the lines would look like

FORWARDS
Sven Baertschi ($1.425m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Corban Knight ($3.750m) / Lee Stempniak ($2.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Sean Monahan ($1.775m) / Roman Horak ($0.805m)
T.J. Galiardi ($1.250m) / Lance Bouma ($0.578m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / T.J. Brodie ($0.578m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m) / Kris Russell ($1.500m)
Patrick Sieloff ($0.925m) / Mark Cundari ($0.600m)
Christopher Breen ($0.578m) /
GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Joey MacDonald ($0.925m)

Win or lose, I'd be ecstatic with that lineup.

Wow. Really?

Two really major problems. First, I'm pretty sure that lineup doesn't hit the cap floor. Secondly, if we ran with that defence/goaltending, we would set the record for goals against in one year. I wouldn't be surprised if that lineup went 0-82.

[Redmonster]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Flames need to trade Giordano, Butler, Cammalleri, Stajan, Jackman and Jones.

Assuming picks in return, the lines would look like

FORWARDS
Sven Baertschi ($1.425m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Corban Knight ($3.750m) / Lee Stempniak ($2.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Sean Monahan ($1.775m) / Roman Horak ($0.805m)
T.J. Galiardi ($1.250m) / Lance Bouma ($0.578m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / T.J. Brodie ($0.578m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m) / Kris Russell ($1.500m)
Patrick Sieloff ($0.925m) / Mark Cundari ($0.600m)
Christopher Breen ($0.578m) /
GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Joey MacDonald ($0.925m)

Win or lose, I'd be ecstatic with that lineup.

My bet is Cammy stays until the trade deadline. His trade value will be at its highest so It shouldn't hurt to keep him around. We need him to fill out our top 6. Backs and Baertschi could probably benefit from his experience and talent.
Also if they trade Cammy around then, a spot would become available for Johnny Gaudreau to just step right in and play some games at the end of the season

[Fire]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Flames need to trade Giordano, Butler, Cammalleri, Stajan, Jackman and Jones.

Assuming picks in return, the lines would look like

FORWARDS
Sven Baertschi ($1.425m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Corban Knight ($3.750m) / Lee Stempniak ($2.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Sean Monahan ($1.775m) / Roman Horak ($0.805m)
T.J. Galiardi ($1.250m) / Lance Bouma ($0.578m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / T.J. Brodie ($0.578m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m) / Kris Russell ($1.500m)
Patrick Sieloff ($0.925m) / Mark Cundari ($0.600m)
Christopher Breen ($0.578m) /
GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Joey MacDonald ($0.925m)

Win or lose, I'd be ecstatic with that lineup.

Like someone else said, the Flames would not reach league minimum.

Giordano brings leadership and most likely will be the captain. He needs to stay. He can replace Sieloff in your line-up because it's very doubtful he will be ready for the NHL. He has only 45 game in junior under his belt.

Cammalleri needs to stay because his value in trade right now is too low. At the trade deadline it will give the Flames another 1st rounder, probably more.

I agree about getting rid of Butler, Stajan, Jackman and B. Jones as soon as possible.

[Enoch Root]

One final comment about StrykerSteve's lineup...

3 of the 4 Cs have played a total of zero NHL games at C.

Yes, combined with that D, they would get embarrassed regularly - worst possible way to develop youth

[kyuss275]

Don't think the big changes in the lineup happen until 2014-2015 season.

Cammi, Stempniak, Stajan, Jackman, Butler and Russel will be gone.

I think Backlund has this year to prove he is a true #2 center or he will be dealt in the summer. I see Monahan, Knight and Reinhart all making the team for 2014-15 and they will need a veteran winning center for guidance if Backlund can't get it done.

Glencross might be traded next summer. He will be 31 going into his final year. I think after the discount he took he will want to be paid and get term. Don't think the flames should go that route and he can bring back a pretty good youngish player in the 27-29 range.

Galiardi has this year to prove himself.

Don't worry there will still be some veterans. Flames will not trade Backlund or Glencross for picks. Also Cammi, Stempniak, Stajan ect will bring back picks and some of them will be used at the draft in trade for veteran help or packaged with Glencross or Backlund. Also there is UFA market if need be.

This year i think all one way contracts win out for a spot. There will be some injury call-ups and after the trade deadline the same infusion as last year.

It will be very interesting to see if Ramo or Berra can show they are a #1 goalie. If not, i don't think Feaster is going to wait all the way until Gillies or Brossoit are ready.

[Imported_Aussie]

I could see a lineup to start the season like this:

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Mike Cammalleri ($6.000m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / Jiri Hudler ($4.000m)
Sven Baertschi ($1.425m) / Sean Monahan ($1.775m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Corban Knight ($3.750m) / Lee Stempniak ($2.500m)
T.J. Galiardi ($1.250m) / Matt Stajan ($3.500m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
Roman Horak ($0.805m) / Tim Jackman ($0.613m)
DEFENSEMEN
T.J. Brodie ($2.300m) / Dennis Wideman ($5.250m)
Chris Butler ($1.700m) / Mark Giordano ($4.020m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m) / Mark Cundari ($0.600m)
Kris Russell ($1.500m) /
GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Joey MacDonald ($0.925m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $55,462,917; BONUSES: $4,411,250
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $13,248,333

* * * *

Monahan gets his 9 games, then either sticks, or returns to junior. If he returns, move Stajan up to 2nd line, then either Horak slots into the lineup or someone in the AHL playing well gets the callup.

Cammalleri is traded leading into the deadline, giving Sven the chance to be a top line player, if he has earned that right.

[FightinSioux]

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Cammalleri - Monahan - Stempniak
Baerstchi - Stajan - Jones
Gagliardi - Knight - Jackman
Extra: McGrattan/Bouma

Brodie - Wideman
Butler - Giordano
Russell - O'Brien
Extra: Breen/Cundari

Ramo
MacDonald
Extra: Berra


Monahan gets his 9 games, then either sticks, or returns to juniors.

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baerstchi - Stajan - Jones
Cammalleri - Knight - Stempniak
Bouma - Gagliardi - Jackman
Extra: McGrattan

Brodie - Wideman
Butler - Giordano
Russell - O'Brien
Extra: Breen/Cundari

Ramo
MacDonald
Extra: Berra

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I found this article about how much Hitchcock liked Russell:

“I’m not one of these guys who falls in love with points with younger players,” Hitchcock said. “One thing about defensemen is anybody who has any upside offensively doesn’t realize that until later in their careers where everything calms down – I’m talking 27 and above.”

He's 26 right now......

I've followed him for years because he always reminded me of Brodie and I always wanted us to aquire him.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/article...s-Russell.html

26 year old Russell reminds you of 23 year old Brodie? and you've been following him for years? Doesn't make a lot of sense considering Brodie is still a young pup in the league.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by FightinSioux

Ramo
MacDonald
Extra: Berra

I really do not like the look of a 23 man roster where we are carrying 3 goalies. All that is doing is taking a spot away from a Horak or a Cundari that could be contributing to the big club and developing their NHL game.

If we are not going to platoon Ramo and Berra as a 1a/1b combination then I would rather see Berra in the AHL in a starter role getting use to the North American game so that he can come up and replace MacDonald ASAP. Carrying the 3 of them in some kind of goalie rotation just seems like a waste of a roster spot.

If the three goalies are so close in ability at the camp & preseason that the team cannot make a decision between them then the default decision should be to keep the two 26 year old goalies with room to improve and ship out the post-apex 33 year old.

[FightinSioux]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I really do not like the look of a 23 man roster where we are carrying 3 goalies. All that is doing is taking a spot away from a Horak or a Cundari that could be contributing to the big club and developing their NHL game.

If we are not going to platoon Ramo and Berra as a 1a/1b combination then I would rather see Berra in the AHL in a starter role getting use to the North American game so that he can come up and replace MacDonald ASAP. Carrying the 3 of them in some kind of goalie rotation just seems like a waste of a roster spot.

If the three goalies are so close in ability at the camp & preseason that the team cannot make a decision between them then the default decision should be to keep the two 26 year old goalies with room to improve and ship out the post-apex 33 year old.

I agree if u look at my projected lines with Monahan that roster has 26 players listed and the one without has 25
I'm still over but all I was doing was projecting the forward and defensive lines. And for the goalies I put them in the order I thought ramo being 1 Joey Mac number 2 and Berra 3. Only my projections but isn't that what this thread is a flames/heat projected line up?

[djsFlames]

Wtf are people doing putting Cammalleri on the 3rd line?

We do need to shield our youngsters to some extent. Otherwise we're no better (smarter) than the Oilers. You put your most proven vets up top. I think absolutely that Glencross and Cammalleri are locks for the top line. Sure there are other vets like Stempniak and Hudler, but Glen and Cammy are better than either and have seen top competition before. You have to know that Hartley is not going to arrange the lines in a way that allows us to get absolutely trampled every night. We're not going to place 3rd liners and rookies head to head vs the Teows, Getzlafs and Sedins of the league. Yeesh, when did we start checking our brains at the door? smh..

[_Q_]

I think a lot of you need to temper your expectations for who will and who won't make the line-up. As awesome as it is to see youngsters playing, I seriously doubt most of them will be on the opening day line-up. There will, however, be injuries - that's pretty much guaranteed - and they will be the first to get called up. Barring trades and injuries, next year's opening night line-up is probably going to look like this:

Cammalleri - Backlund - Hudler
Glencross - Stajan - Stempniak
Baertschi - Galiardi - Jones
McGrattan - Begin - Jackman (Assuming Begin re-signs)
Horak - Bouma

Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Butler
O'Brien - Smith
Russell

MacDonald
Ramo

Yup, not too exciting. But that is how hockey teams operate.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Wtf are people doing putting Cammalleri on the 3rd line?

We do need to shield our youngsters to some extent. Otherwise we're no better (smarter) than the Oilers. You put your most proven vets up top. I think absolutely that Glencross and Cammalleri are locks for the top line. Sure there are other vets like Stempniak and Hudler, but Glen and Cammy are better than either and have seen top competition before. You have to know that Hartley is not going to arrange the lines in a way that allows us to get absolutely trampled every night. We're not going to place 3rd liners and rookies head to head vs the Teows, Getzlafs and Sedins of the league. Yeesh, when did we start checking our brains at the door? smh..

Cammalleri, Baertschi and Glencross are all LWers. That's why you are seeing one of them on the 3rd line. If you want Baertschi getting top two line minutes then one of Cammalleri or Glencross shakes out onto the 3rd line. No slight to them and its as simple as that.

Putting one of them out of position on the 1st line is a possibility but don't rule out Hartley keeping our LWers at LW. Has nothing to do with checking brains at the door. Most people are more concerned about keeping players in their natural positions than you are.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by moon

I don't think there is any win option with that line-up.

As most have already pointed out too many guys but for the most part (outside of possible 9 games for Monahan and after trade deadline):

Glencross-Backlund-Hudler
Baertschi-Stajan-Cammy
Jones-Knight-Stempniak
Galliardi-Bouma/Horak-Jackman
McGrattan

Gio-Brodie
Wideman-SOB
Butler-Russell
Smith

MacDonald
Ramo

I would prefer to see Blair Jones in the line-up than Knight but the staff seems to have something against Jones and hard to see Feaster not forcing Knight into the line-up.

Really think that Hudler, Wideman, Butler, Stajan, Stempniak and Cammy should be moved out to make room for Reinhart, Bouma/Horak, Breen, Cundari with Hudler and Wideman being very unlikely to be moved.

Not an ideal team and certainly not one with many wins in it but at least steps being made in right direction unlike the past.

I'm wondering what your reasoning behind this is?

I like Blair. I think he's an effective player at what he does. He's an NHL player, not an AHL player, but IMO I'd like to see what Knight can do. By all accounts he's quite the pest as well and could have a very nice offensive side to his game, unlike Jones.

[SeanCharles]

Cammalleri-Backlund-Hudler
Baertschi-Monahan-Jones
Glencross-Stajan-Stempniak
Galiardi-Knight-Bouma
McGrattan

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Wideman
O'Brien-Butler
Cundari-Breen

Ramo
Berra

Street-Reinhart-Horak
Byron-Granlund-Nemisz
Bancks-Jones-Hanowski
Elson-Olson-Eddy
Ferland-Laing-Howse

Smith-Billins
Ramage-Wotherspoon
Sieloff-MacKenzie
Martin-Culkin

Ortio
Broissoit

Perfect world these players fill the roles above and we trade Jackman and McDonald.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

I'm wondering what your reasoning behind this is?

I like Blair. I think he's an effective player at what he does. He's an NHL player, not an AHL player, but IMO I'd like to see what Knight can do. By all accounts he's quite the pest as well and could have a very nice offensive side to his game, unlike Jones.

I think Knight should start in the AHL and prove something first. As I have said many times I am not that keen on NCAA guys so I don't have much hope that Knight will be much more than a NHL/AHL tweener and not sure that he should be handed a spot because Feaster just acquired him/gave him a biggish deal.

I think Blair Jones got a raw deal last year and deserves a shot this year especially with the apparent weak centers we have again (although if Monahan impresses could be a better group.)

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by _Q_

I think a lot of you need to temper your expectations for who will and who won't make the line-up. As awesome as it is to see youngsters playing, I seriously doubt most of them will be on the opening day line-up. There will, however, be injuries - that's pretty much guaranteed - and they will be the first to get called up. Barring trades and injuries, next year's opening night line-up is probably going to look like this:

Cammalleri - Backlund - Hudler
Glencross - Stajan - Stempniak
Baertschi - Galiardi - Jones
McGrattan - Begin - Jackman (Assuming Begin re-signs)
Horak - Bouma

Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Butler
O'Brien - Smith
Russell

MacDonald
Ramo

Yup, not too exciting. But that is how hockey teams operate.

Begin isn't on the team anymore, but otherwise, I pretty much agree with you. Just insert Bouma as 4th line Center, and send Horak to the AHL where he can play top 6 minutes.

[Alberta_Beef]

Blair Jones is 26 years old, has 7 seasons of pro hockey under his belt as apart of 2 weaker organizations and how many full NHL seasons does he have under his belt? Nada, nil, zero, zilch, NONE.

Calling him an NHL player is a huge stretch. A borderline NHLer sure, but for Christ sake the guy has averaged fewer than 20 games in the NHL per pro season despite playing 20 games in the NHL as a first year pro.

He has been given every opportunity in the world to become a full-time NHL player and he has failed miserably.

[Stampede2TheCup]

Originally Posted by moon

I think Knight should start in the AHL and prove something first. As I have said many times I am not that keen on NCAA guys so I don't have much hope that Knight will be much more than a NHL/AHL tweener and not sure that he should be handed a spot because Feaster just acquired him/gave him a biggish deal.

I think Blair Jones got a raw deal last year and deserves a shot this year especially with the apparent weak centers we have again (although if Monahan impresses could be a better group.)

I don't think Knight needs to prove something at the AHL level if he wins an NHL spot out of camp. Nobody is handing him a spot but many are projecting he'll earn it. You may not be keen on NCAA guys but Knight has size and doesn't seem to shy away from using it, is good at faceoffs, and has a very well-rounded game. Unlike so many NCAA prospects he's not a one-dimensional guy who has to light it up offensively to fit onto an NHL roster. People hoping he can transition to the NHL better than most NCAA players are doing so with good reason in my opinion.