2015 and Beyond Line Combos

[Johnny Hoxville]

Personally I'd like to give Raymond a shot at 2nd LW with Backlund and Frolik on his line. I think they're defensive games would open it up for Raymond to utilize his speed and get some good scoring chances.

I think Raymond will fight Byron for that spot, I'm betting on Byron winning personally.

 

[Bouma Fett*]

I kind of want a Byron/Stajan/Jones line.

 

[AgeOfBennett]

I wanna see Jooris get some more time at centre. He really did play great until he got injured

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Bennett/Backs - Backs/Bennett - Frolik
Bouma - Jooris - Colborne
Ferland - Stajan - Jones/Byron

Raymond, Bollig, Shore

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Wideman
Russell - Smid

Engelland

When injuries come I see Poirer getting called up and not getting sent back down

If all things went the way I want, this would be a sweet forward lineup going into playoffs this year

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Poirer - Bennett - Frolik
Bouma - Backlund - Colborne
Ferland - Stajan - Jooris

Byron, Bollig

But honestly we have way too many bodies upfront. I really wanna give Shore a shot, I think he could be a great player, but we don't have room for him yet

 

[Bouma Fett*]

Assuming Ferland doesn't sign and Smid isn't ready for the start of the season

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Raymond - Backlund - Frolik
Bouma - Bennett - Colbourne
Byron - Stajan - Jones

Bollig, Jooris, Shore (one of them sent to AHL)

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Wideman
Russell - Engelland

Wotherspoon

Hiller
Ramo

 

[Lunatik]

I'm shocked at how many people are penciling Raymond in as the #2 LW

 

[Dack]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Byron-Backlund-Jones
Jooris-Bennett-Frolik
Bouma-Stajan-Colborne
Bollig/Shore/Raymond (I think someone will be moved soon to alleviate the logjam because I think Shore Should be playing Nhl minutes but I don't know who he bumps out)

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Wideman
Russell- One of Many possibilities

Hiller
Ramo

 

[Lunatik]

Colborne has to be the most underrated Flame by Flames fans. Seeing him on the 4th line by so many people is nauseating

 

[GAMO1992]

Colborne has to be the most underrated Flame by Flames fans. Seeing him on the 4th line by so many people is nauseating

I don't think that he's 'underrated' or people don't like him. It's just that we have such a glut of forwards that where do we put him?

These were my lines last page:

Johnny-Money-Huds
Bennett/Backs-Bennett/Backs-Frolik
Raymond/Bouma-Jooris-Jones/Colborne
Raymond/Bollig-Stajan-Colborne/Byron

Realistically the only moves I could see made would be:

Johnny-Money-Huds
Colborne/Raymond-Backlund-Frolik
Bouma/Raymond-Bennett/Jooris-Jones
Jooris/Bollig-Stajan-Byron/Colborne/Ferland

As others have said a move HAS to be made. We just have too many NHL forwards right now. the way I see it

1st line is probably a lock and won't change(I said probably)
2nd line down is where all the parts are interchangeable.
My ideal line up would be the 1st one I posted. That just means we are that deep of a team. It's nothing to get offended at. Players gotta play and the best 16 will on opening night

 

[Lunatik]

I don't think that he's 'underrated' or people don't like him. It's just that we have such a glut of forwards that where do we put him?

These were my lines last page:

Johnny-Money-Huds
Bennett/Backs-Bennett/Backs-Frolik
Raymond/Bouma-Jooris-Jones/Colborne
Raymond/Bollig-Stajan-Colborne/Byron

Realistically the only moves I could see made would be:

Johnny-Money-Huds
Colborne/Raymond-Backlund-Frolik
Bouma/Raymond-Bennett/Jooris-Jones
Jooris/Bollig-Stajan-Byron/Colborne/Ferland

As others have said a move HAS to be made. We just have too many NHL forwards right now. the way I see it

1st line is probably a lock and won't change(I said probably)
2nd line down is where all the parts are interchangeable.
My ideal line up would be the 1st one I posted. That just means we are that deep of a team. It's nothing to get offended at. Players gotta play and the best 16 will on opening night

Colborne was on pace for only 6 points fewer than Frolik despite needing wrist surgery for the large majority of the season. He is one of our most physical players as well. Not to mention he is one of the very few natural playmakers this team has. Having him outside of the top 9 would be a misuse of epic proportions.

I think the only thing that makes sense is to play him on on the 2nd line with either him or Frolik on the left side. I'd prefer to try Colborne there but Frolik has played LW as well. Plus I think a Colborne - Backlund - Frolik line would be one of the best 2-way lines in the league, but there is a chance Hartley will want Frolik and Backlund on 2 different lines. Hartley has also said Bennett will play centre, so out centers our locked in with Mony being #1, Backlund being the 2/3 shutdown centre, Bennett being the 2/3 scoring centre and Stajan being the #4 centre.

To be honest with the way our top line was pushed around in the playoffs against the Ducks I am not convinced that Hudler will be the top line RW when Frolik, Colborne & Jones are all bigger and more physical.

So we have the following locked in IMO:

Gaudreau - Monahan - _______
_______ - Backlund - _______
_______ - Bennett - _______
_______ - Stajan - _______

I think we will see:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Frolik
Hudler - Bennett - Colborne
Bouma - Backlund - Jones
Ferland/Bollig/Byron - Stajan - Jooris/Shore/Raymond

What I want to see is:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Colborne - Backlund - Frolik
Byron/Bouma - Bennett - Jones
Byron/Bouma - Stajan - Shore/Jooris
x: Bollig, Shore/Jooris
injury replacements: Ferland, Raymond

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Colborne has to be the most underrated Flame by Flames fans. Seeing him on the 4th line by so many people is nauseating

I can understand it, most often people forget about his wrist injury and how it hampered him both in point production, and in the faceoff dot. I will actually be surprised if he's not at centre to start the season, with Bennett on his wing. Hartley likes to put players in "pairs of two" if I recall. Monahan/Gaudreau, Frolik/Backlund (seems like a match) and maybe Colborne/Bennett?

I'm shocked at how many people are penciling Raymond in as the #2 LW

It hasn't been that many, I think even more have left him off the roster completely. Really he should be middle-six or pressbox.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I think Hartley will continue trying to integrate Colborne into our top 6. Perhaps on that open LW spot.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

From everything Hartley has said it sounds as though the organization is pretty committed to playing Bennett at C. Of course things can change, will be interesting to see how things shake down.

 

[InfinityIggy]

From everything Hartley has said it sounds as though the organization is pretty committed to playing Bennett at C. Of course things can change, will be interesting to see how things shake down.

Yep, I think he will get the same treatment Money got in his rookie year, sheltered minutes on the 'third line'.

 

[Bouma Fett*]

I'm shocked at how many people are penciling Raymond in as the #2 LW

Not necessarily a permanent thing for me, as I mentioned I don't expect it to last more than a month. But I'd like to give him the opportunity, since I thought he looked decent last year at the start before the injury, and I feel Backlund and Frolik may be able to compensate for the turnovers and things Raymond can be prone to, allowing him to use his speed a little more and open things up for him, letting him pot some more goals.

Might not work, but I'd like to see that line get a shot. And if they do work out well at the start of the year and Raymond starts off playing well, could make it easier to move him as well.

Not something I expect to last long, but open to giving it a shot

 

[Bouma Fett*]

Colborne has to be the most underrated Flame by Flames fans. Seeing him on the 4th line by so many people is nauseating

And I personally don't like him that much. Don't feel it would be a big loss to lose him. Understand why you and some others like him though. Thought he was beyond horrible in his first year here, he improved a lot last year, but I still look at him as one of those decent bottom 6 guys. Don't see top 6 in him.

But to each their own. I understand why some people think highly of Colbourne.

 

[Lunatik]

And I personally don't like him that much. Don't feel it would be a big loss to lose him. Understand why you and some others like him though. Thought he was beyond horrible in his first year here, he improved a lot last year, but I still look at him as one of those decent bottom 6 guys. Don't see top 6 in him.

But to each their own. I understand why some people think highly of Colbourne.

How was he beyond horrible in his first year? Just shy of 30 points as a rookie and continually improve through the season. I think people forget that his first year here was his rookie season

 

[marbsarebad]

Johnny-Monahan-Hudler

Bouma-Backlund-Jones

Colborne-Bennett-Frolik

Ferland-Stajan-Jooris/Byron

Raymond, Bollig fighting for a spot or traded

Gio-Wideman

Brodie-Hamilton

Russell-Engelland

Nakladal or Wilson extra

Smid-LTIR or traded (please)

Ramo
Ortio

Hiller will be traded for picks and cap space.

I want Brodie and Hamilton to gain some chemistry together and Gio to make Wideman have another great season for some trade bait. Brodie will also make up for Hamilton's defensive stumbles, same with Gio for Wideman.

Frolik would be a perfect RW for Bennett to grow with. Frolik would teach Bennett the defensive side of the game, while honing his offense (much like Hudler did with Johnny and Monahan). Colborne and Bennett worked well in the playoffs, too.

The Bouma-Backlund-Jones line worked well enough last year.

Ferland will be fighting for that 4th line LW, but I think the confidence he gained in the playoffs will have made him work 1000 times harder this offseason.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Hamilton has defensive stumbles? Sure he has lapses like every player, but he's so solid for a kid his age.

I really like Colborne. He was injured for a bit last year and had a cold streak. He had a great playoffs until that one game, which everyone blames him for and rightfully so. But if you look at the entire body of work, there's a lot to like there IMO.

 

[Sparky93]

Johnny-Monahan-Hudler

Bouma-Backlund-Jones

Colborne-Bennett-Frolik

Ferland-Stajan-Jooris/Byron

Raymond, Bollig fighting for a spot or traded

Gio-Wideman

Brodie-Hamilton

Russell-Engelland

Nakladal or Wilson extra

Smid-LTIR or traded (please)

Ramo
Ortio

Hiller will be traded for picks and cap space.

I want Brodie and Hamilton to gain some chemistry together and Gio to make Wideman have another great season for some trade bait. Brodie will also make up for Hamilton's defensive stumbles, same with Gio for Wideman.

Frolik would be a perfect RW for Bennett to grow with. Frolik would teach Bennett the defensive side of the game, while honing his offense (much like Hudler did with Johnny and Monahan). Colborne and Bennett worked well in the playoffs, too.

The Bouma-Backlund-Jones line worked well enough last year.

Ferland will be fighting for that 4th line LW, but I think the confidence he gained in the playoffs will have made him work 1000 times harder this offseason.

Nailed it! I see Gio/Hamilton and Brodie/Wideman, but the forward lines look great. I think after Jones is moved, Colborne goes to 2RW, leaving us with Ferland-Bennett-Frolik

 

[Dack]

Hamilton has defensive stumbles? Sure he has lapses like every player, but he's so solid for a kid his age.

I really like Colborne. He was injured for a bit last year and had a cold streak. He had a great playoffs until that one game, which everyone blames him for and rightfully so. But if you look at the entire body of work, there's a lot to like there IMO.

Over the summer I watched a couple of Boston games to try and get an idea of how Hamilton played, he has lapses like all young players but I was impressed for the most part. I think his Defence was underrated because he's an offensive D man and because a lot of his mistakes ended up in goals.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I think people will be surprised with just how good he is, but especially with what he'll become.

 

[Calculon]

Defensively, Hamilton isn't as good as Brodie is right now. He might be better one day but I don't know enough about his hockey IQ to say anything either way.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I'm not sure even Gio is as good as Brodie defensively right now. I truly mean that... and I think Gio has a strong case for best all-around defenseman in the NHL.

If Hamilton can just hold down the second pairing that's plenty. Compared to most #3D in the NHL I'm sure he can hold his own.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I'm not sure even Gio is as good as Brodie defensively right now. I truly mean that... and I think Gio has a strong case for best all-around defenseman in the NHL.

If Hamilton can just hold down the second pairing that's plenty. Compared to most #3D in the NHL I'm sure he can hold his own.

I agree with you about Brodie, and am confident Dougie will be fine. He will have an adjustment period though learning our system so I hope our fan base has a little patience with him.

 

[Dertell]

I prefer Brodie/Wideman over Hamilton/Wideman. L-R on both 1st and 2nd pairs.

And nobody forgot about Colborne's wrist injury. If his injury was such a massive hindrance it made him take so many brainless penalties and be completely invisible in the neutral zone, then he shouldn't have came back in the lineup so soon, let alone playing so much in the top 6.