Flames lines and defence pairs on first day of training camp

The march back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs has begun for the Calgary Flames.

The Flames broke ground on training camp for the 2022-23 season on Thursday, and teased what fans, media, and coaches alike could see next month when the team rolls out for its season debut thanks to some not-so-surprising groups from head skipper Darryl Sutter.

As he did last go-round, Sutter deployed his first group as the primary cast of characters that are likely — or will at least compete — to either wear the red, yellow, and white at the Saddledome this fall.

Coleman with Backlund and Dube. Lucic with Rooney and Ritchie. #Flames

— Aaron Vickers (@AAVickers) September 22, 2022

Here’s how the lines looked for each group opening camp:

GROUP A

Jonathan Huberdeau – Elias Lindholm – Tyler Toffoli
Cody Eakin – Nazem Kadri – Sonny Milano
Dillon Dube – Mikael Backlund – Blake Coleman
Milan Lucic – Kevin Rooney – Brett Ritchie
Martin Pospisil – Adam Ruzicka – Trevor Lewis

MacKenzie Weegar – Christopher Tanev
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Nikita Zadorov – Nicolas Meloche
Juuso Valimaki – Michael Stone

Jacob Markstrom
Dan Vladar

#Flames day one training camp lines and pairings:

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Toffoli
Eakin-Kadri-Milano
Dube-Backlund-Coleman
Lucic-Rooney-Ritchie
Pospisil-Ruzicka-Lewis

Weegar-Tanev
Hanifin-Andersson
Zadorov-Meloche
Valimaki-Stone

Markstrom
Vladar

— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 22, 2022

Perhaps to no shock, it’ll be the newly acquired Huberdeau — who led the NHL last season with 85 assists — deployed on the left side in Lindholm, who tied for the team lead and is the highest-scoring returnee at 42 goals last year.

“I think Lindy and Toffoli, I think they’re two good players and I don’t think I’ve ever played with two righties,” Lindholm said. “It’s cool to have that. We’re going to build chemistry throughout the camp. I’m excited to play with these guys.

“I know they’re shooters. They score a lot of goals. I’m a playmaker. I think it’ll be a good fit because they’re going to shoot a lot of pucks and hopefully score a lot of goals.”

Kadri, who signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Flames this summer, will be flanked by Eakin and Milano — both players invited on a try-out basis — at least to start. The 31-year-old centre had an NHL career-high 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists) in 71 games last season, and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.

Andrew Mangiapane, who scored an NHL career-high 35 goals last season, will not participate in the first few days of camp, General Manager Brad Treliving said Wednesday.

“He had a tweak during some summer skates,” the GM told media. “We anticipate it’s going to be very short term. He’s skating on his own right now with our medical staff, our skills and development people. He probably will rejoin the group in the next couple of days.”

GROUP B

Group B, which will contain the likes of Dustin Wolf, Connor Mackey, Colton Poolman, Jakob Pelletier, and Cole Schwindt, will hit the ice at 11:45 am MT.

GROUP C

Group C, featuring Jack Beck, Rory Kerins, Cole Jordan, and Daniil Chechelev, will practice at 2 pm MT.

You might also like: