'14-'15 Flames' 23 Man Roster

[Wheels of Poirier]

I don't necessarily agree with all this talk about not having a top line; sure, it may not resemble such compared to other teams,' but it'd be wrong not to consider Glencross-Backlund-Hudler as a top unit.. about as perfect a combination of offence, skill, grit, physicality, checking/defensive, and experience that you'll possible come up with for this roster.. I think it's more feasible to assume we have a "middle-6", as opposed to 3 equal lines. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure Hartley will be doing his fair share of line juggling (though I personally expect it will be decidedly less than last year), but I think at least to start the season we roll with the aforementioned as our defacto first line, and the middle six being any combination of:

LW - Raymond/Baertschi/Gaudreau
C - Monahan/Stajan
RW - Colborne/Jones/Bollig (who will likely bounce between the bottom two lines, occasionally rotating with Big Ern perhaps even Engelland)

I don't think Monahan should necessarily be sheltered as much as some around here might, but that's not to say I'd dump top-6 type minutes on him and let him sink or swim; I just see his role increasing this year to where his line is playing nearly as much as Stajan's (even if in different situations and/or vs less-stiff competition) which is one reason I think the middle-6 approach might be effective. I also don't see any reason to disrupt the chemistry Mony seemed to find with Colborne last year; I think it's worth keeping them together to start the year to see if they can pick up where they left off, which makes it more a matter of finding the right LW to compliment them... Same goes for Stajan/Jones; I am cautiously optimistic that Jones can/will put it together this year for us, but see Bollig getting bumped up instead in the event that he can't.

 

[Skobel24]

No Bouma? He's like the very first guy I think of that makes the line up. He played his arse off every game. Sorry Knight, but Bouma comes first.

You might want to read his lines a little closer.

I did read them. The fact that Bouma isn't in his line up questions whether or not he watched a Flames game.

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi - Monahan - Colborne
Raymond - Stajan - Jones
Bouma - Knight - Mcgratten

Priceless.

 

[Demetric]

Bollig is left wing everyone, not right wing

 

[Skobel24]

I'd like to see something along the lines of;

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi - Monahan - Colborne
Gaudreau - Stajan - Raymond
Bouma - Knight - Jones

Extra's: Bollig, McGrattan

The extra's would be cycled out with Jones and Knight. Granlund and Reinhart would be the first callups.

 

[CraigsList]

I'd like to see something along the lines of;

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi - Monahan - Colborne
Gaudreau - Stajan - Raymond
Bouma - Knight - Jones

Extra's: Bollig, McGrattan

The extra's would be cycled out with Jones and Knight. Granlund and Reinhart would be the first callups.

What about Byron?

 

[Skobel24]

What about Byron?

Well ****. Toss him on RW for the 4th line, and he can cycle out with the rest of them.

 

[Kanye]

We need our 4th line to permanently be McGrattan, Bollig, Wolf.

I highly doubt both Gaudreau and Baertschi stick. One will be sent down. (my guess is Gaudreau)

 

[Skobel24]

We need our 4th line to permanently be McGrattan, Bollig, Wolf.

I highly doubt both Gaudreau and Baertschi stick. One will be sent down. (my guess is Gaudreau)

No, we really don't.

 

[Sparky93]

Glencross - Backlund - Raymond
Hudler - Monahan - Colborne
Wolf - Stajan - Jones
Bollig - Bouma - McGrattan

Gio - Brodie
Russell - Wideman
Smid - Engelland

Hiller
Ramo

 

[Wheels of Poirier]

I'd like to see something along the lines of;

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi - Monahan - Colborne
Gaudreau - Stajan - Raymond
Bouma - Knight - Jones

Extra's: Bollig, McGrattan

The extra's would be cycled out with Jones and Knight. Granlund and Reinhart would be the first callups.

If moving Raymond over to the right effectively allows us to bump Jones down to cycle in and out of that 4th line with Bollig/Byron/McGrattan or even Reinhart/Granlund, I'm all for it.. Although I'm not so sure about Stajan being flanked by a couple of smaller guys in Gaudreau and Raymond; I'd actually be interested to see what Staj and Raymond could do paired up together, but I'd likely switch Gaudreau and Baertschi on that left side. If Knight earns a full-time spot to start the year, I'd all but assume he's here for the year centering that 4th line. All in all, pretty close to what I expect we'll see for the first part of the year.. depending on whether or not Johnny stays. If he doesn't, and Hartley still tries Raymond out on the right, perhaps Bouma will find a spot on the 3rd line with he and Stajan, leaving Byron to rotate left side with Reinhart or Granlund and Bollig with Big Ern on the right. In reply to Demetric, Bollig has played both C and LW; it isn't too much of a stretch to imagine whether Hartley will try him at RW for all the LW depth we currently have.. Lord knows somebody's gonna have to be versatile if they want the ice time. I shudder at the thought of Engelland getting a look up front at RW before Bollig lol

 

[CraigsList]

Well ****. Toss him on RW for the 4th line, and he can cycle out with the rest of them.

Let's not rush Knight. I think he could use another AHL season with top 6 minutes. Byron can play all positions, he can be slotted anywhere.

 

[BVicious]

The signing of Byron really makes me question if both Gaudreau and Baertschi are starting with the Baby Flames.

That's exactly what it means. Plus the additions of Bollig + Raymond.

If the last few games of the season showed us anything, and Burke, is that he will do whatever it takes to stick in the lineup.

I said this before.....Byron set the bar for what it takes to be an NHL player if you lack size.

Hard to believe everyone leaves him off the roster

 

[CraigsList]

That's exactly what it means. Plus the additions of Bollig + Raymond.

If the last few games of the season showed us anything, and Burke, is that he will do whatever it takes to stick in the lineup.

I said this before.....Byron set the bar for what it takes to be an NHL player if you lack size.

Hard to believe everyone leaves him off the roster

My thoughts exactly. If Gaudreau and Baertschi are in the AHL next year, that is a very well stacked AHL team. Hard to believe Johnny doesn't make the team though.

 

[Wheels of Poirier]

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi/Johnny - Monahan - Colborne
Bouma - Stajan - Raymond
Byron/Bollig - Knight - Jones/Bollig/McGrattan

*Reinhart/Granlund

Edit: forgot about Jones; also, I think in this scenario that Bollig could switch sides depending on who he's lined up with

 

[BVicious]

Glencross - Backlund - Hudler
Baertschi/Johnny - Monahan - Colborne
Bouma - Stajan - Raymond
Byron - Knight - Bollig/McGrattan

*Reinhart/Granlund

You forgot Jones.

And personally I don't split up Stajan and Glencross. And I actually put jones on their line.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

You forgot Jones.

And personally I don't split up Stajan and Glencross. And I actually put jones on their line.

I forgot Jones in my lineup to.

 

[Wheels of Poirier]

Edit: double post

 

[Wheels of Poirier]

You forgot Jones.

And personally I don't split up Stajan and Glencross. And I actually put jones on their line.

Glencross and Stajan may have formed some chemistry in an effective trio with Stempniak once upon a time, but to ice the best possible lineup for the upcoming year, our best LW should not be matched with our 3rd best center IMO. Not to say Hartley won't experiment with the lines throughout the year.. we may eventually see them on the same line once again. Jones is going to have to really turn it on this year for me to think he deserves a spot in our top-9, even as one of our rare natural RW'ers. I would personally rather see Raymond at RW beside Stajan now than Jones. It can't be mere coincidence that more than one poster managed to "accidentally" omit him from their projected lineup lol

 

[CraigsList]

As far as I remember, I think Byron had great chemistry with Stajan and Glencross when D. Jones was out. Would love to see a Glencross - Stajan - Byron line again.

 

[BVicious]

Glencross and Stajan may have formed some chemistry in an effective trio with Stempniak once upon a time, but to ice the best possible lineup for the upcoming year, our best LW should not be matched with our 3rd best center IMO. Not to say Hartley won't experiment with the lines throughout the year.. we may eventually see them on the same line once again. Jones is going to have to really turn it on this year for me to think he deserves a spot in our top-9, even as one of our rare natural RW'ers. I would personally rather see Raymond at RW beside Stajan now than Jones. It can't be mere coincidence that more than one poster managed to "accidentally" omit him from their projected lineup lol

Oh I know about Jones, he wasn't much for us last year but I believe he will be better. And by believe I mean hope.

As for Glencross/Stajan duo, I see your point about perhaps switching it up, but one could argue our most recognizable 'First Line' and go to line for Hartley was the Stajan/Glencross/Stempniak line.

I'm all for experimenting with that RW position...be it Raymond, Jones, Byron, move Bollig over, whoever.

I've also always been a believer that Glencross gets more offensive results when not playing in a offensive role. He produces more it seems when played less, and against lesser competition than on a first line. But I have no facts to back that up, it's just my own assumption.

 

[Skobel24]

Oh I know about Jones, he wasn't much for us last year but I believe he will be better. And by believe I mean hope.

As for Glencross/Stajan duo, I see your point about perhaps switching it up, but one could argue our most recognizable 'First Line' and go to line for Hartley was the Stajan/Glencross/Stempniak line.

I'm all for experimenting with that RW position...be it Raymond, Jones, Byron, move Bollig over, whoever.

I've also always been a believer that Glencross gets more offensive results when not playing in a offensive role. He produces more it seems when played less, and against lesser competition than on a first line. But I have no facts to back that up, it's just my own assumption.

While he definitely scores more against lesser competition, the reason most people want him on the 1st line is so he can shutdown other top lines. That is where he is needed.

 

[DFF]

Let's not rush Knight. I think he could use another AHL season with top 6 minutes. Byron can play all positions, he can be slotted anywhere.

He is going to be 24th already so he needs to be rushed before he becomes a journeyman

 

[CraigsList]

He is going to be 24th already so he needs to be rushed before he becomes a journeyman

I wish him the best, hopefully he can make it. I have Gaudreau, Baertschi, Reinhart, Granlund, and Arnold as a runner up with him. Good luck to him, but I just don't see it happening. He is a solid 4th liner though, so I wouldn't mind it if we needed someone to win face offs, sitting Bollig or McGrattan for a game.

 

[SaintMorose]

top9 a) Glencross - Backlund - Gaudreau
top9 b) Baertschi - Stajan - Hudler
top9 c) Byron - Monahan - Colborne/Jones
4th line) Raymond - Bouma - McGratton

Bollig+Jones/Colborne

a) 2 possession players and a finisher that can hit and draw attention from his smaller line-mates.
b) I think Sven will have an opportunity to turn heads in camp and if he's the 2nd best LW after Glencross (beating Byron and Raymond) he should be on the team in a scoring role
c)3 guys to make the team last year but possibly a chance for Jones to earn a spot on the team with a strong camp. Byron can really be rotated anywhere in the line-up if needed but here's a good spot to get most of his minutes
d)I'd love to see Knight make a case to be a 4th line centre to start the year (and push Bouma to wing) but with contracts to Raymond, McGratton and Bollig he'll need to show he is much more capable than at least 2 of them to get a spot as they won't waste his time as a 13th forward.

Gio - Brodie
Russell - Wideman
Smid - Wotherspoon/Engelland

Engalland/Cundari

Obvious top pairing this may be the year Brodie sees 25 minutes a night. Wideman should make a comeback to where he can play 20 mins a night and Russell gives the top 4 another solid point shot. Tyler needs to make the team as a top 6 guy near the level of Smid/Russell or he'll be sent down and Engalland Cundari will take the last 2 Defensive spots to start the year.

Hiller
Ramo

Based on the contract situation I expect this to be the plan and Ortio to be given a good shot at the NHL team next year.

Overall we lost Galiardi, Cammy, Butler and have a chance to fill those spots with 3 young players but Tspoon is a long-shot and Sven/Reinhart/Granlund/Knight are going to need very good camps if they want to play over Raymond. My line-up is pretty optimistic of them earning those spots.
Gaudreau if he moves to the right has a great chance as rookies generally lose spots due to defensive play and he's actually very good in both the neutral and defensive zones and on top of that fighting for ice-time with Hudler Jones, and Colborne who aren't great defensively.

 

[Lunatik]

Mason Raymond will not be playing on the 4th line