Building The 2018/19 Flames Roster

[djsFlames]

If Lindholm is kept at C

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Lindholm - Ryan
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik
Lazar/Hathaway - Jankowski - Czarnik
Brouwer

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

If Lindholm is kept at C

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Lindholm - Ryan
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik
Lazar/Hathaway - Jankowski - Czarnik
Brouwer

Like this. Figure out whether Jankowski or Ryan are better suited to center fourth line. Maybe Janko learns to play wing.

Let Foo or Mangiapne beat out Lazar/Hathaway. Shouldn’t be hard frankly.

[Love]

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Bennett - Lindholm - Tkachuk
Jankowski - Backlund - Foo/Czarnik/Mangiapane
Frolik - Ryan - Foo/Czarnik/Mangiapane(/Lazar/Brouwer)

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Kulak/Kylington - Stone/Andersson
Prout

Smith
Rittich

100+ point season

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Hells Bells

The Flames could use a 3rd/4th liner with some toughness.

Of course I don't want a goon, but someone that can stick up for his teammates while still keeping up with guys like Jankowski, Ryan etc...

Maroon would be perfect if BT could somehow get him signed at a good rate. Move Stone if you have to, as I feel Andersson is ready for duty.

IMO if there's anything else that Brad could swing for the forward ranks it's trading Frolik for futures (or if the stars aligned, Brouwer) and signing Maroon for the 3RW.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Like this. Figure out whether Jankowski or Ryan are better suited to center fourth line. Maybe Janko learns to play wing.

Let Foo or Mangiapne beat out Lazar/Hathaway. Shouldn’t be hard frankly.

I'd have Foo in there ahead of those two easily, but he's a RS/RW. Czarnik probably gets in ahead of him intially given that he's getting paid like an NHLer.

[The Boy Wonder]

I actually hope we get to see Bennett on an actual scoring line where he doesn't just have to play stupid GG slow possession hockey and can actually utilize his speed.

Hopefully they can get some chemistry between all the young guys like Benny, Tkachuk, lindholm, Janko, Jonny and Mony so we can interchange them as needed and really generate more scoring.

[Groot]

I like what Roof-Daddy is saying regarding pairs and based on comments from Peters I can see him approaching lines that way as he has said he likes to structure lines based on duos. Also said he likes a team to have 2 scoring lines, a defensive line, and an energy line that is responsible defensively and chips in offensively. With that known...

1st Scoring Line
Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
This is Johnny and Mony's line. Neal seems to be the best fit to fill it out but I imagine we'll see a couple different players tried in that position.

2nd scoring line
Tkachuk - Lindholm - Czarnik
This is really Tkachuks line, and I think the centre and RW spots can be filled by a large number of players on the current roster, it just remains to be seen who fits where, and who can fit in best as his "duo partner". I think Lindholm at C is a great first look. I just want Tkachuk anchoring a 2nd scoring line as he can definitely drive his own line, and getting an effective and productive 2nd line going will be huge for the team.

Defensive Line
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik
Our shutdown line. Bennett has his best season here, but it is Backs and Froliks line. Bennett can move up and down the lineup as needed and many other players, other than Tkachuk, can fill that LW role.

Mangiapane - Ryan - Jankowski
A responsible two-way line that should be able to drive a good amount of offense. See if the duo of Mangiapane and Janko can reignite the chemistry from the AHL, and Ryan and Janko can share faceoff duties. Hardest line to have a duo for as you want to move people up the lineup as needed, and keep spots open for the Foo's, Dube's, Brouwer's (lulz) of the team as they earn their spots.

[_Q_]

I feel like Lindholm should be played at centre, but man does it ever get tempting to put him on the wing.

Personally I would do this with the forwards:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Bennet - Ryan - Frolik
Klimchuk/Czarnik/Mangiapane/Foo - Jankowski - Brouwer

I personally think that Backlund has shown that he can be one of the best second line centres in the league. It might be worthwhile to give him a better right winger and see what he can do.

If I'm going to put Lindholm at centre, I would look at splitting up Monahan and Gaudreau. Something like this looks good to me.

Bennett - Monahan - Tkachuk
Gaudreau - Backlund - Neal
Brouwer - Lindholm - Frolik
Jankowski - Ryan - Klimchuk/Czarnik/Mangiapane/Foo

[Buff]

Looking through all the possibilities. One thing I've noticed. Backlund has his best chance of centering two quality wingers of which both could likely be decent contributing scorers too. That is not meant as a slight against Frolik either as he has shown that he can score at a 40-45 point pace. Last year just seems to have hurt people's opinions of him, but whether Backlund plays on the 2nd or 3rd line, he will have decent wingers.

Gaudreau and Monahan will have a decent RW again. Somebody that belongs and not somebody who can play there until somebody else steps up.

The 3rd line isn't a 4th line.

The 4th line isn't leftovers.

Depth, guys and gals. Depth. We'll find out how good some of these pieces truly are, but it feels good to at least think and believe that we have depth.

[TheScorpion]

It's a sign!



Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Jankowski - Neal

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It's a sign!



Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Jankowski - Neal

How did you remember this? Is that you in the Neal jersey?

[TheScorpion]

Nah I had a craving for Pierre McGuire's tears and I just noticed that out of the corner of my eye while watching that video.

[Pellanor]

One thing that stood out to me watching Lindholm highlights is his ability to get to the net and deflect picks, which is also an area that Tkachuk excels in. Lots of lineups have them on the same line, but wouldn't it make more sense to spread out that net front presence across multiple lines?

[SuperMatt18]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm (Second puck carrier and playmaker to take pressure of Gaudreau)

Tkachuk-Backlund-Neal (Pure finisher to finish chances created by Tkachuk and Backlund - finishing was an issue for this line last year)

Bennett-Ryan-Frolik (Ryan and Frolik both have great hockey sense and are paired with more of a gritty Bennett)

Mangiapane-Jankowski-Czarnik (Lots of skill and finishing ability to feast on other teams 4th lines)

[Samonadreau]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Neal
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Brouwer-Ryan-Czarnik
Lazar, Whoever.

Eatbread first Callup

Gio-Brodie
Hanifin-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
Prout

Anderson first call up.

Smith
Rittich

[Duffalufagus]

Surprised at all the people
Who think Neal is playing on the second line. Won’t happen. At least out of the gate. He doesn’t come here unless there is the prospect of playing with Gaudreau. And, I think the staff is salivating at the prospect.

If it doesn’t work, sure. You have options. But James is starting the year on the first line.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Surprised at all the people
Who think Neal is playing on the second line. Won’t happen. At least out of the gate. He doesn’t come here unless there is the prospect of playing with Gaudreau. And, I think the staff is salivating at the prospect.

If it doesn’t work, sure. You have options. But James is starting the year on the first line.

Phil Kessel plays on the second (maybe even third actually...) line. Most good teams have enough depth to spread out offence. We finally have that.

[Bunk]

I like spreading the offence. I also want to see how good a line of Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal could be. These are called high class problems.

[GullFoss]

1st Scoring Line
Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
This is Johnny and Mony's line. Lindholm makes it more defensively responsible and adds a bit more aggressive style of play, especially down low. So you have Johnny as a playmaker and then Monahan as a shooter. And Lindholm can do both - he can thread the needle (like Johnny), clean up garbage (like monahan), keep possession (like Johnny) and is good on transition (like johnny and monahan). And then you get faceoff domination because Monahan can take the left draws and Lindholm the right draws.

2nd scoring line
Tkachuk - Bennett - Neal
This is the #### disturber line. Neal and Tkachuk own the bar with the cheapest shots in town. And instead of a mechanical bull at the center of their establishment, they have a human one. Could you imagine all three of these guys on a line. Bennett ramming people, Tkachuk playing dirty. And Neal head hunting. All three of these guys can playmake. All three can score. All three can skate.

Frolik - Backlund - Ryan
All these players have a strong two way game and can be possession hogs while eating tough minutes. All three can score. All three can pass. And then again, Backlund takes the LH draws and Ryan takes the RH draws...which helps a lot, especially with all the defensive zone starts.

Brouwer- Jankowski - Czarnik
If Brouwer can reclaim his career this could be a solid fourth line. Again, Jankowski can take the LH draws and Czarnik can take the RH draws.

[Heavy Jack]

Tkachuk hasn’t really had a fantastic play maker to set him up - he’s been the guy shouldering that and I actually think he could help increase Lindholm’s goal totals while seeing an increase of his own - I want to see a young Center like Jankowski roll with these guys and I want to see what two legit snipers does to Johnny’s assist totals:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal

Top line that we could even give favourable zone starts; they will feast on the opposition of the rush and can be a danger on the cycle as well as all players play at a high pace once they gain entry to the ozone if they don’t score off the rush they can track the puck to add zone time and pressure and once a line like this is able to set up it will be very hard for the D to cover all the bases especially with Gio/Brodie at the point.

Tkachuk - Jankowski - Lindholm

Lindy can help with faceoffs on Janko’s weak side; this line has it all size down the middle grit with Tkachuk and a flashy set-up guy in Lindholm it will be really hard to defend a top 6 that is as balanced as this.

Bennett - Backlund - Frolik

This is the true shut-down line and at times to get Ryan some more 5on5 time he can sub in some shifts on the right side of this line; Bennett gets some really good support players to play with that really saw Tkachuks game grow and some more responsibility as a shut-down line will probably add some confidence back into Bennett’s game.

Mangiapane - Ryan - Czarnik

Two AHL guys who seem ready to pop offensively at the NHL level and a centerman who is a top faceoff guy in the league who will help this line with gaining and holding the puck. Most 4th lines don’t have this much skill on it and for the heavier games we can sub in Brouwer or Lazar but a a 4th line like this has the potential to feast on the oppositions 4th line.