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Line Combos: 2018/19 Roster Discussion mk2 - Opening Night

Volica

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,436
11,110
Jihadi Flames Fan said:
I didn't realize how young this team is. Thanks for posting! :thumbu:
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YW.
Very cool when you break it down. Calgary is super young.

The vets are good too. Like, look at the dudes over 30; they're guys playing important roles. There's no more 30+'s that are 4th line grinders getting their last paycheques.
 
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Rubi

Rubi

Photographer
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Jan 9, 2009
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I guess it ain't snowing in Vancouver. Lucky them.
 
Asimplehockeyfan

Asimplehockeyfan

Registered User
Sep 6, 2018
78
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IMG_20181002_194351.jpg
 
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SKRusty

SKRusty

Napalm
Jan 20, 2016
2,611
1,062
Anglesmith said:
Yeah, remember how we were "all in" last year according to even some Flames fans? :laugh:
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I hate that term all in. Tre's job is likely riding on how this season plays out. I like this line-up way more than any other team since the late 80's. I like how the money is spread out throughout the line-up.

If Connor goes down Edmonton is dead. In Calgary I think the Flames can be competitive even if they lost 2-3 guys not named Mike Smith.
 
Mobiandi

Mobiandi

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
20,990
17,402
Our cup window depends on:

1. Having stable goaltending
2. How fast Gio's decline is
3. How fast another Dman can take over from Gio when that happens
4. Will Gaudreau re-sign?
5. Will James Neal fall off a cliff soon?

Right now we've opened up a good 2 years for ourselves, though. After that, it's one big, fat question mark
 
CraigsList

CraigsList

In Conroy We Trust
Apr 22, 2014
19,202
6,980
USA
Mobiandi said:
Our cup window depends on:

1. Having stable goaltending
2. How fast Gio's decline is
3. How fast another Dman can take over from Gio when that happens
4. Will Gaudreau re-sign?
5. Will James Neal fall off a cliff soon?

Right now we've opened up a good 2 years for ourselves, though. After that, it's one big, fat question mark
Click to expand...

1) I think it'll be stable enough... But Calgary's goaltending for the future is very concerning after this season.
2) I don't see Gio declining until the next decade.
3) Hanifin and Valimaki can easily compete for the 1st pairing LD.
4) Depends on our success as a team within the next few years. However, I could definitely see him wanting to go to the east. Hopefully the team chemistry and the locker room keeps him here.
5) I think Neal will be decent for the first 2 years... But I am a bit concerned for the future. Won't be Brouwer/Lucic like, but I have a feeling that he is going to be a bottom 6er for this team sooner than we thought.
 
Fig

Fig

Absolute Horse Shirt
Dec 15, 2014
12,970
8,453
Rubi said:


They join captain Mark Giordano and alternate Sean Monahan as players wearing letters. Congrats to Backlund and Tkachuk.
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Awesome.

The Tkachuk friendship tour was a success, and now the "flaming A" has a double entendre.
 
Volica

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,436
11,110
Mobiandi said:
Our cup window depends on:

1. Having stable goaltending
2. How fast Gio's decline is
3. How fast another Dman can take over from Gio when that happens
4. Will Gaudreau re-sign?
5. Will James Neal fall off a cliff soon?

Right now we've opened up a good 2 years for ourselves, though. After that, it's one big, fat question mark
Click to expand...

Cup window will be open here in Calgary for likely 4 years, longer depending on how we continue to develop and if we can resign Johnny.

Tre will address goaltending one way or another this offseason, he always finds a way.

Gio hasn't shown any sign of slowing down. I think people need to stop drinking the HFBoards cool-aid in terms of age. Yes. Mark is 35 years old today. Yes, that is older for a hockey player.
Has he declined in the past 4 years? No.
Is he still among the fittest Flames. Yes.
Does his game play into the modern NHL better than the other dinosaurs in the league. Yes.

Don't see Neal declining overly soon. The guy was never a killer skater, but has high end offensive instincts. As long as Calgary plays him to his strengths, he'll be valuable for this team for the length of his contract.
 
SKRusty

SKRusty

Napalm
Jan 20, 2016
2,611
1,062
Mobiandi said:
Our cup window depends on:

1. Having stable goaltending
2. How fast Gio's decline is
3. How fast another Dman can take over from Gio when that happens
4. Will Gaudreau re-sign?
5. Will James Neal fall off a cliff soon?

Right now we've opened up a good 2 years for ourselves, though. After that, it's one big, fat question mark
Click to expand...

  1. If Gillies or Parsons is not ready to go by next year Tre will sign Rinne, Bobrovsky, Talbot or Smith again.
  2. Gio's replacement (Valimaki) made the team this year and will likely be pushing for a bigger role starting next season. Kylington and Andersson are both ready for their shot to replace expiring contracts.
  3. Johnny is a great hockey player but TBH Chucky is probably more important to the long term success of the Flames. Czarnik and Dube should be able to fill the gaps if Johnny becomes to expensive or chooses to leave.
  4. If Neal gives Calgary 2 seasons of stats similar to how he performed over the last 5 Calgary should be just fine. Foo, Mangiapane, Phillips, and Gawdin are not far off from being able to take the leap. Provided Tre is careful with the trading of draft picks Calgary should be fine.
Realistically speaking the Flames should be a playoff team for the next decade.... The average age of the starting line-up is below 25. Get some good drafting and it could be longer.

How long Calgary can be a contender really is up to the drafting and development of players. I think the window opens this year and though there maybe periods where the team is not as strong as it needs to be they should be relatively short lived. I think the way Tre has negotiated contracts the skill and pay is spread out to maximize the duration of Calgary's ability to compete for the cup. The team is constructed very similarly to Chicago and Detroit thus we as fans should be able to expect a fairly long run of success.

Vegas and Tampa IMO are the only teams that have the depth Calgary does. I think our D is better than both and our forwards are better than Vegas'.
 
Rubi

Rubi

Photographer
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Jan 9, 2009
15,675
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Corpus X said:
I think, while that option IS available, it is not the expectation of Flames Coaching staff and GM.
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Although I expect there certainly will be discussion after Valimaki plays his 9th game. Send him down then, to the AHL, and the Flames get him on a 4 year ECL. After the 9th game his ECL is reduced to 3 years. Obviously its a no-brainer decision if his play continues to be excellent, but if it declines I expect there will be a serious discussion.
 
Lunatik

Lunatik

Registered User
Oct 12, 2012
56,247
8,384
Tje more serious discussion will be before he hits the GP for an accrued season that eats an RFA year
 
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