Predict the 2017-18 Flames Lineup

[Heavy Jack]

Start of the year:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Versteeg - Bennett - Foo
Lazar - Stajan - Brouwer

End the year

Gaudreau - Monahan - Foo
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Lazar - Jankowski - Brouwer

[Flamefan1]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

Start of the year:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Versteeg - Bennett - Foo
Lazar - Stajan - Brouwer

End the year

Gaudreau - Monahan - Foo
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Lazar - Jankowski - Brouwer

Heavy Jack I like your end of the year line up except flip Ferland and Foo and make the end of the year also the start of the year.

[jlh2640]

Johnny Monahan Ferland
Tkachuk Backlund Frolik
Versteeg Bennett Iginla
Brouwer Jankowski Lazar
Hathaway Stajan

Gio Hamilton
Brodie Hamonic
Kulak Stone
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

So we traded Backlund? We don't win the cup without him. Trading him would send a bad message to the squad.

There's no guarantees we're winning a cup next year. Treliving's responsibility is to keep the team competitive and building toward a championship. Backlund may not be affordable based on the salary structure and where the team is heading. You failed to see that Bennett's line elevated to the second line, meaning that they assumed the scoring load. You also failed to see that Jankowski shifted to middle, assuming Backlund's role of third line center. If these two things happen, Backlund becomes expendable and is a piece to be moved to strengthen other areas or keep the pipeline full. As it is, I'm not sure the Flames can afford Backlund going forward. Treliving will have an idea and if he knows he can't be signed will make a deal rather than lose him for nothing.

This is reminiscent of the summer of '86 when everyone was so hyped over the team after the upset win over the Oilers. We were certain that '87 was our year, and that roster was going to get us to the cup. Low and behold Fletcher would deal our leading scorer before the first quarter of the season was gone. Don't get too attached to certain players, as they are all expendable. Sometimes you have to move players to make room for others stepping up. I see some youth stepping up and making other players expendable. That's a very good thing.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by New Era

There's no guarantees we're winning a cup next year. Treliving's responsibility is to keep the team competitive and building toward a championship. Backlund may not be affordable based on the salary structure and where the team is heading. You failed to see that Bennett's line elevated to the second line, meaning that they assumed the scoring load. You also failed to see that Jankowski shifted to middle, assuming Backlund's role of third line center. If these two things happen, Backlund becomes expendable and is a piece to be moved to strengthen other areas or keep the pipeline full. As it is, I'm not sure the Flames can afford Backlund going forward. Treliving will have an idea and if he knows he can't be signed will make a deal rather than lose him for nothing.

This is reminiscent of the summer of '86 when everyone was so hyped over the team after the upset win over the Oilers. We were certain that '87 was our year, and that roster was going to get us to the cup. Low and behold Fletcher would deal our leading scorer before the first quarter of the season was gone. Don't get too attached to certain players, as they are all expendable. Sometimes you have to move players to make room for others stepping up. I see some youth stepping up and making other players expendable. That's a very good thing.

I love the progress that Jankowski has made... But I truly believe that he doesn't make Backlund expendable. Backlund was hands down our best center last year, playing against the enemy's top lines and shutting them down. If we trade him, we'll be looking for a center like him again. Plus, Backlund absolutely loves this team. He'd probably even take a discount, given that Treliving is really good at negotiating with the players.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I love the progress that Jankowski has made... But I truly believe that he doesn't make Backlund expendable. Backlund was hands down our best center last year, playing against the enemy's top lines and shutting them down. If we trade him, we'll be looking for a center like him again. Plus, Backlund absolutely loves this team. He'd probably even take a discount, given that Treliving is really good at negotiating with the players.

I agree. What Jankowski does if he performs is provide the luxury of moving a centre like Bennett to the wing.

[dissentowner]

There is too much smoke when it comes to Iggy, I think he ends up here and I think people who really did not watch him but just went by what they heard will be surprised how his skating isn't all as bad as it is made out to be. That being said I don't think he has the gas to play on the 1st line.


Lines:

Gaudreau/Monahan/Foo
I really think the Flames want and expect Foo to make the team and I think they will try him in training camp and pre-season on the top line and he fits like a glove. Fast and skilled with a very nice release, Foo will be rookie that comes out of nowhere to challenge for the Calder.

Tkachuk/Bennett/Iginla

Bennett is elevated to 2nd line C and him and Tkachuk will be mentored by one of the best PF to ever play the game. This line will be a physical nightmare to play against and will drive the opposition nuts.

Ferland/Backlund/Frolik

Backlund and Frolik will bring out the best in Ferland who will go back to his natural side which I believe is a big step in realizing his potential. This line will be devastating at the two way game and will see a lot of the oppositions 1st line.

Versteeg/Lazar-Stajan/Brouwer

This seriously would have to be the best 4th line in the NHL. Lazar and Stajan flip in and out of games and you have to solid veteran guys on the wing that can move up the lineup as needed.

This gives you 4 dangerous lines with balance.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Haven't put together any lines yet. Think I'll wait until training camp to see how things shake out.

I do think Hathaway gets a regular spot though. I think the team needs a bit of biff-bam-pow in the lineup.

[Enoch Root]

I probably have higher expectations for Foo than the majority here, but I think that if Iginla returns, there is no chance that Foo cracks the lineup.

Frolik
Iginla
Versteeg
Brouwer
Lazar
Hathaway

And that doesn't include Ferland.

And it's not like we need Versteeg on the left side:

Gaudreau
Tkachuk
Ferland
Bennett/Jankowski (only room for one of them at C)

At the very most, there is room for 2 rookies to crack the lineup up front, with Jankowski and Foo being the front runners. But if Iginla enters the picture, it drops to one, and not only does Jankowski have the inside track, but RW suddenly becomes the most crowded position.

[Love]

What I want, and what I predict are two different things. My prediction of GG's lines on opening night are:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Versteeg - Bennett - Brouwer
Stajan/Lazar/Hamilton/Hathaway

(Jankowski & Foo in the AHL)

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

[handgroen]

posted this in the tkachuk thread but it belongs here


the flames are in a good spot right now as far as their pairs, the core of the team is in 5 pairs, it would be perfect to spread them through 3 of 4 forward lines, and 2 of 3 d lines.


gaudreau - monahan - ferland

frolik - backlund - lazar

tkachuk - bennett - versteeg

stajan - jankowski - brouwer


giordano - hamilton

brodie - hamonic

kulak - stone

great distribution of talent and great core moving forward



first line

gaudreau - monahan - ferland

ferland is figuring it out, and brings a ton of toughness to our top line. gaudreau and monahan are going to stir the drink offensively for a long time. scoring pair.

second line

frolik - backlund - lazar

this gets the right hander lazar waaay more minutes and truly casts him in a defensive mould developmentally, something the team could really use long term. surrendering assets to acquire him means the club obviously feels like he has more to give and you don't get more out of lazar if you play him on your fourth line. frolik slides back to his natural left side and he and backlund continue to be our shut down pair.

third line

tkachuk - bennett - versteeg

we keep thinking of tkachuk as the beneficiary of playing on the 3M line, but he does a lot to drive play on his own. putting him with bennett gives you a duo moving forward that fits with the monahan gaudreau pair, bennett plays with a lot of grit and tkachuck will pull him into the 'fabric of the game.' versteeg has a ton of talent and even though he seems like he would be the softest player on this line, he is renowned for his #### talk. pest pair.


fourth line

stajan - jankowski - brouwer

i don't think it's presumptuous to pencil in jankowski at this point. not a big issue to slide stajan to the wing and gives jankowski a bit of a safety net. brouwer starts at the bottom and plays less minutes because he's earned them. but still has a great opportunity to cycle up to the backlund line if his play picks up.

[Gaudfather]

Whatever the actual lineups are - October can't come soon enough.

Here is a sampling of some of the best goals from last season to whet your appetite!

https://mobile.twitter.com/NHLFlames...054080/video/1

[GoJetsGo]

Not necessarily to start the year, but I have a feeling these lines could really click:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Versteeg - Bennett - Ferland
Stajan - Lazar - Brouwer

[kehatch]

By the end of camp, or shortly afrer

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuck
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Jankowski-Versteeg
Stajan-Lazar-Brouwer

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by kehatch

By the end of camp, or shortly afrer

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuck
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Jankowski-Laze
Stajan-Lazar-Brouwer

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

Where's Versteeg?

[Wyguy]

This is what I want to see by the end of the season.

Ferland-Monahan-Tkachuk
Gaudreau-Bennet-Foo
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Stajan-Lazar-Versteeg
Brouwer-Hamilton

or

Ferland-Monahan-Vertseeg
Gaudreau-Bennet-Foo
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Stajan-Jankowski-Lazar
Brouwer-Hamilton
D is obvious

However, I think that our fourth line sucks and it will be better if Brouwer remembers how to play hockey or we can trade away stajan at the deadline for a pick and throw in a prospect, which ever one deserves it by then.

[Love]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

There is too much smoke when it comes to Iggy, I think he ends up here and I think people who really did not watch him but just went by what they heard will be surprised how his skating isn't all as bad as it is made out to be. That being said I don't think he has the gas to play on the 1st line.


Lines:

Gaudreau/Monahan/Foo
I really think the Flames want and expect Foo to make the team and I think they will try him in training camp and pre-season on the top line and he fits like a glove. Fast and skilled with a very nice release, Foo will be rookie that comes out of nowhere to challenge for the Calder.

Tkachuk/Bennett/Iginla

Bennett is elevated to 2nd line C and him and Tkachuk will be mentored by one of the best PF to ever play the game. This line will be a physical nightmare to play against and will drive the opposition nuts.

Ferland/Backlund/Frolik

Backlund and Frolik will bring out the best in Ferland who will go back to his natural side which I believe is a big step in realizing his potential. This line will be devastating at the two way game and will see a lot of the oppositions 1st line.

Versteeg/Lazar-Stajan/Brouwer

This seriously would have to be the best 4th line in the NHL. Lazar and Stajan flip in and out of games and you have to solid veteran guys on the wing that can move up the lineup as needed.

This gives you 4 dangerous lines with balance.

I like this. Would be perfect if there was a way to fit Jankowski in there as well..

Gaudreau - Monahan - Foo
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Iginla
Versteeg/Stajan - Jankowski - Lazar/Brouwer

So many bodies, so little spots

[PugnaciousIntern]

Every year we have a flashy new right winger come in and every year we say he will grow into the top line over the course of the season.

Maybe this time I'll be wrong, but I'm sceptical

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Bennett-Brouwer
Frolik-Backlund-Lazar/Foo
Versteeg-Stajan/Lazar-Lazar/Hathaway
Hamilton

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
Bartkowski

Smith
Lack

[Groot]

I really hope to see the following happen next year, which influences the lines.

1) Jankowski earns a permanent spot on the team. I think that after Backlund, Jankowski looks to be the best potential two-way centre, as both Monahan and Bennett seem to be more offensively-inclined. And Backlund also has done a great job of bringing rookies into the NHL last couple years, so I think Jankowski spending his first NHL year on Backlunds wing would do wonders for his development at an NHL level as a two-way forward. So a line of Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik

2) Bennett gets a chance at centre with quality wingers. Before it's decided that Bennett should move to the wing permanently, give him some quality playing partners and see how he continues to develop at a centre position. If he still doesn't seem to be progressing throughout the year you can always shift him to wing later, when Jankowski has some actual NHL experience under his belt. Since Jankowski is the new 3M piece, Tkachuk and Bennett could be a phenomenal paring. Put Versteeg on the right side for some veteran leadership on the line. Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg

3) Ferland starts the year on the top-line. Those 3 were the Flames best line in the abysmal 2015-2016 season for trios playing 100+ mins together, and Ferland on top line from Feb 21 to season end last year would be on pace for 27 goals over a full season. Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland

That leaves the 4th line and I'm definitely fine with Stajan and Lazar rotating centre duties with Lazar also on the wing. Put Brouwer on the right side and hope to God he remembers how to play hockey, or stick him in the press box and let a Hathaway, Foo, or Hamilton step-up.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Lazar - Stajan - Brouwer
*Foo, Hathaway

We would be running a 1, 2a, 2b line setup as the top 3 lines could all play 20 mins a night, so going 18-16-16-10 (mins played) across the 4 lines, with even less for the 4th if needed as the 2a, 2b can play more then 16 each.

Our defense is a no-brainer, I guess I would hope to see Kulak or Wotherspoon along side Stone on the 3rd pairing over Bartkowski though, and Andersson being the first RD call-up.

So excited for the season!