Confirmed with Link: Chris Higgins PTO with Flames

[HiggsBroson]

Obviously I'm a big fan of hockey but a little unsure of the Flames lineup for this coming season. Anyone care to post it?

 

[Anglesmith]

Obviously I'm a big fan of hockey but a little unsure of the Flames lineup for this coming season. Anyone care to post it?

Roughly speaking:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Competition - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Competition
Bouma - Stajan - Competition

Giordano - Brodie
Jokipakka - Hamilton
Engelland - Wideman

Elliott
Johnson

Competing for wing spots will be the likes of Tkachuk, Shinkaruk, Jankowski, Bollig, Chiasson and Higgins.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Roughly speaking:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Competition - Backlund - Frolik
Ferland - Bennett - Competition
Bouma - Stajan - Competition

Giordano - Brodie
Jokipakka - Hamilton
Engelland - Wideman

Elliott
Johnson

Competing for wing spots will be the likes of Tkachuk, Shinkaruk, Jankowski, Bollig, Chiasson and Higgins.

Arguably Linden Vey as well.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Engelland - Wideman

Ugh, anything but that please.

 

[Calculon]

Bollig's not really competing for anything; he's got spot duty on the fourth line + 13th forward role locked down.

Higgins along with Hathaway are competing for that fourth spot for the remaining games+bress box duty.

Chiasson, Thachuk and Shinkaruk are competing for the two spots in the top-nine. Most likely, only one of Tkachuk or Shinkaruk make the team.

Alternatively, all three make the team (with Chiasson on the fourth line), making Bollig and Hathaway the 13th and 14th forwards while Higgins isn't offered a contract. Based on Treliving's comments on the Higgins PTO though, it does sound like if he has even a decent camp he'll get a contract.

And yeah, hopefully Gulutzan doesn't waste any games on an Engelland-Wideman pairing but instead alternates them according to need. Wideman really should have been bought out.

Edit: Good point. On the other hand, if they had bought out Wideman they might have thrown a boat anchor of a contract at Russell which would be even worse.

 

[Anglesmith]

I, for one, am happy we didn't buy out Wideman. We get what we can get from him this season and he comes completely off the books for next season, as opposed to dragging out the cap hit for multiple years.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

I've been surprised with the lack of talk about Freddie Hamilton this offseason. Everyone seems to be assuming Hathaway will be the guy to win the 4th RW spot, or 13th forward sort of thing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Hamilton win it, and to be honest I would prefer that.

To me Hathaway will follow the same path as Ferland did after the playoffs last year - shows good physicality and energy for a short sample size, before falling of a bit. I see him having a tough time playing the way he did for his showcase this year for a whole season. Hamilton, to me at least, will have an easier time transitions to the NHL.

Also, a HUGE no to an Engelland/Wideman pairing.

 

[Anglesmith]

I was just proposing something to give HB an idea of the roster. Obviously no one knows exactly what will happen. I don't think Hathaway nor Hamilton is anything close to a favourite to win a roster spot, but I could be wrong obviously.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I've been surprised with the lack of talk about Freddie Hamilton this offseason. Everyone seems to be assuming Hathaway will be the guy to win the 4th RW spot, or 13th forward sort of thing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Hamilton win it, and to be honest I would prefer that.

To me Hathaway will follow the same path as Ferland did after the playoffs last year - shows good physicality and energy for a short sample size, before falling of a bit. I see him having a tough time playing the way he did for his showcase this year for a whole season. Hamilton, to me at least, will have an easier time transitions to the NHL.

I think both Hamilton and Hathaway make the roster, but Hamilton and Chiasson will be cycled in and out of the lineup whereas Hathaway, Bouma, Ferland will be mainstays:

I wouldn't mind it if both made it:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Hamilton
Frolik-Backlund-Brouwer
Ferland-Bennett-Tkachuk
Bouma-Stajan-Hathaway
Chiasson/Bollig(blegh)

With Janko/Shinkaruk/Pribyl/Poirier/Klimchuk/Eatbread all getting a callup at some point.

Vey is the real odd man out in my opinion.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Vey is the real odd man out in my opinion.

One person's "odd man out" is another's "total wildcard"

He has the tools, if the off-ice stuff is truly behind him, who knows what can happen. I like the potential though, just have really low expectations.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Imagine if Mangiapagne makes it

 

[Lunatik]

Imagine if Mangiapagne makes it

There is a better chance of you making it

 

[AgeOfBennett]

Imagine if Mangiapagne makes it

The AHL squad? Definitely.

 

[InfinityIggy]

There is a better chance of you making it

I could see Hox making it as a Grinder.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I could see Hox making it as a Grinder.

I'm not afraid to get dirty.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

Welcome Higgs! If your brother makes the team, I hope you stick around. It'll be nice having another inside guy on our boards again.

To be completely honest, I would have rather of brought in Nystrom than Higgins mostly for sentimental reasons. Nystrom was one of my favourite players while he was here and I was very sad when he left.

I was not even mad when he scored 4 against us that one game.

 

[Volica]

I, for one, am happy we didn't buy out Wideman. We get what we can get from him this season and he comes completely off the books for next season, as opposed to dragging out the cap hit for multiple years.

Considering the Magic Treliving has pulled off at the deadline; I'm happy we didn't buy out the Widedog.

He'll either help this team make the playoffs or he'll be good trade bait. Win-win.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I was not even mad when he scored 4 against us that one game.

Only because we somehow still won.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I could see one or even two more PTO's being handed out. I mean, who's gonna play that topline RW spot.

 

[Lunatik]

Nyzeeman on a PTO would be amazing

And given Rhettzky one too, maybe he'll take a puck in the chops and have to get off the radio

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Nyzeeman on a PTO would be amazing

And given Rhettzky one too, maybe he'll take a puck in the chops and have to get off the radio

I actually don't mind Rhett on the radio. He's definitely not the most sophisticated guy, but he always makes the simple analysis and usually makes things a whole lot less complicated than they need to be. Boomer drives me nuts, it should be Pinders show to host.

 

[Lunatik]

Obviously I'm a big fan of hockey but a little unsure of the Flames lineup for this coming season. Anyone care to post it?

Honestly with Gulutzan just coming in and the new additions, pretty much anything is possible.

Basically all we know for sure is:

Gaudreau - Monahan - ___RW-1___
___LW-2___ - Backlund - ___RW-2___
___LW-3___ - Bennett - ___RW-3___
___LW-4___ - ___C-4___ - ___RW-4___
x: Bollig, ___EX-2___

RW-1: Troy Brouwer is the most likely option, but I see Chiasson getting some pre-season time there just to see if it can work.
RW-2: Michael Frolik is the most likely option, but again Chaisson is an option.
RW-3: I think Chiasson is most likely, with Brouwer, Ferland, Higgins, Vey and Shinkaruk are possibilities.
RW-4: This could be almost anyone. Ferland, Higgins, Hathaway, Vey, F. Hamiton and Chiasson are all possibilities.
LW-2: I think Lance Bouma will start here, see if he can bounce back as he's had success with Backlund already. But Frolik, Ferland, Higgins, Shinkaruk, Tkachuk or even Matt Stajan
LW-3: The consensus is that it will likely be Tkachuk or Shinkaruk in this spot.
LW-4: Again this could be anyone. Bouma, Ferland and Higgins the 3 most likely IMO.
C-4: This is probably Matt Stajan's spot, but there was talk about him being used more and he did see some time on the wing late last year. So some of us have speculated he may be used as a winger this year, in which case Freddie Hamilton would be the favorite in this case.
EX-2: Hamilton, Hathaway, Higgins and Vey are the most likely candidates.

 

[Snazu]

I actually don't mind Rhett on the radio. He's definitely not the most sophisticated guy, but he always makes the simple analysis and usually makes things a whole lot less complicated than they need to be. Boomer drives me nuts, it should be Pinders show to host.

I actually don't mind any of them. Warrener is good to hear his take from being an ex player and his crazy drunk stories usually make me laugh. I think that guy has a good book in him to write one of these days like the one Jamie Mclennan wrote.

 

[HiggsBroson]

He thinks he has a good shot. Foots all healed, feels healthy. Said GG wants him to help PK and thinks his experience would help a younger team.

 

[Bouma Fett*]

If Tkachuk gets a shot for the 9 games I'd actually like to see him with Backlund and Frolik. Those two are good enough to help cover the rookie mistakes.