Completely agree. The more competition there is for roster spots, the better the roster is going to be. I'm completely fine if Brouwer has to sit in the press box because Mangiapane outplayed him and took a spot. I'm equally fine if Brouwer is in the lineup and Mangiapane isn't because Mangiapane didn't earn it. What I'm not okay with is Brouwer being in despite Mangiapane playing well enough to take his spot or Mangiapane being in when he didn't play well enough to earn it.

Ice the best possible team and deal with what you have to with your roster after.
- Helios

Yup! Spot on.

I doubt the line-up goes this way, but there's so many options, that I hope they aren't hampered with tunnel vision and will really try and find the best fit, even if it means breaking some duo's up that seem inseparable.

MT-SM-EL
JG-SB-JN
DD-MB-MF
AM-MJ-SF
(DR-AC)

MG-TB
NH-RA
YV-TH
(BK)

MS
(DR)

This would be a very fast, skilled 4th line.

I bet they keep the 3M line together and put Bennett, Jankowski, and Lindholm on a line. 4th line should be Mangiapane, Ryan, and Czarnik. Hopefully they can roll all 4 lines this year.

Brouwer can be the healthy scratch guy and fire Lazar into the sun.
- Hunkulese

Wouldn't mind this too terribly either.

The less predetermined the roster is; the better off the Flames will be.

When I first saw the announcement of the preseason games in China I was pretty happy that the Flames would likely be sending the bulk of the guys that will be making the opening day roster so they would actually start playing with each other sooner, and not going through the painful split squad games. The idea of them getting an earlier start at developing as lines was appealing.

Now, I almost don't like it, because there will be some previous notion ideas about how the line-up should look, versus simply judging the skill and talent based on what they earn in training camp!

I just want them to ice the best team possible, even if that means buying out Brouwer, waiving Lazar, or otherwise moving out, or down the guys that didn't earn an opening day roster spot.
- InSutterWeTrust

Yup definitely. Problem last year was too many spots penciled in. This depth bodes well in more ways than one.

I doubt the line-up goes this way, but there's so many options, that I hope they aren't hampered with tunnel vision and will really try and find the best fit, even if it means breaking some duo's up that seem inseparable.

MT-SM-EL
JG-SB-JN
DD-MB-MF
AM-MJ-SF
(DR-AC)

MG-TB
NH-RA
YV-TH
(BK)

MS
(DR)

This would be a very fast, skilled 4th line.
- InSutterWeTrust

I'm not a fan of SB in the middle and I can't see them signing DR and AC to multi-year deals just to watch. Love DD but I feel he's almost definitely starting in the AHL.

I'm not a fan of SB in the middle and I can't see them signing DR and AC to multi-year deals just to watch. Love DD but I feel he's almost definitely starting in the AHL.
- LittleBroDougie

Ryan will play for sure. Czarnik is going to have to earn his spot. He's going to have to beat out Foo, Dube, and maybe even Gawdin.

I'm not a fan of SB in the middle and I can't see them signing DR and AC to multi-year deals just to watch. Love DD but I feel he's almost definitely starting in the AHL.
- LittleBroDougie

You won't get much argument from me about Benny playing down the middle as I don't have anything to support why it would be good. I also agree Dube is in tough to crack the line-up after the depth signings. I just want out of the box thinking and for the guys to earn their spot. And whatever they earn, they should get, even if the spot they earned is in Stockton, the press box, on another team, or the unemployment line.

You won't get much argument from me about Benny playing down the middle as I don't have anything to support why it would be good. I also agree Dube is in tough to crack the line-up after the depth signings. I just want out of the box thinking and for the guys to earn their spot. And whatever they earn, they should get, even if the spot they earned is in Stockton, the press box, on another team, or the unemployment line.
- InSutterWeTrust

Be interesting to see how many guys can crack 20 goals on the roster next year.

JG, SM, CN, MT, EL

Be nice to see Bennett and Janko close. If they can find a mix that works for that 3rd line could be a really good balanced attack.

Ryan will play for sure. Czarnik is going to have to earn his spot. He's going to have to beat out Foo, Dube, and maybe even Gawdin.
- Hunkulese

That's what I thought when we signed him until I saw this tweet (https://twitter.com/KdotA...y-flames-full-court-press)
Now I feel like he'll have to really blow it to not be on the opening night roster.

You won't get much argument from me about Benny playing down the middle as I don't have anything to support why it would be good. I also agree Dube is in tough to crack the line-up after the depth signings. I just want out of the box thinking and for the guys to earn their spot. And whatever they earn, they should get, even if the spot they earned is in Stockton, the press box, on another team, or the unemployment line.
- InSutterWeTrust

Let's hope they play it based on best pre-season performance rather than "experience" this time around.
I don't see how Brouwer will ever beat out the kids in an unbiased evaluation.

Be interesting to see how many guys can crack 20 goals on the roster next year.

JG, SM, CN, MT, EL

Be nice to see Bennett and Janko close. If they can find a mix that works for that 3rd line could be a really good balanced attack.
- DuranDuran

Guessing this was supposed to be JN for Neal? I think Backlund is realistic too!