Flames' projected lines for opening night next season
There are still plenty of questions facing the Calgary Flames ahead of the 2023-24 season.
After both a difficult and frustrating 2022-23 campaign, several players entering the final year of their respective contracts seem hesitant at best when it comes to signing an extension. Tyler Toffoli has already been traded, while the futures of Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin are up in the air.
Let’s assume the Flames keep things as are and begin the 2023-24 season with this lineup. While it is an uneasy place to be in, there is a good chance that with this current roster, the Flames will find themselves in the playoffs at the end of the season. With that said, let’s look at what the opening night roster may look like.
Forward lines
- Andrew Mangiapane – Elias Lindholm – Jonathan Huberdeau
- Yegor Sharangovich – Nazem Kadri – Dillon Dube
- Jakob Pelletier – Mikael Backlund – Blake Coleman
- Adam Ruzicka – Connor Zary – Walker Duehr
There are plenty of options here for head coach Ryan Huska, as players like Sharangovich, Dube, and Coleman can play all positions up front. The one major concern here surrounds Zary, as having him in a fourth-line role may not be ideal. It will be interesting to see if Craig Conroy looks to bring someone in to fill that fourth-line spot ahead of training camp.
Defensive pairings
- Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
- MacKenzie Weegar – Chris Tanev
- Nikita Zadorov – Oliver Kylington
- Extras: Jordan Oesterle, Dennis Gilbert
Again, Huska has plenty of options here. Weegar spent time with Andersson on the top pairing last season and, despite being a right-handed shot, seems to be just as comfortable, if not more, playing on his off side. As for Kylington, he has played on his off side before, though how he will perform after taking an entire season off remains to be seen.
Goalies
- Jacob Markstrom
- Dustin Wolf
- Extras: Dan Vladar
There is still the possibility that the Flames move Vladar before the season begins. If they don’t, it is still hard to imagine that Dustin Wolf starts the year off in the AHL. While having a three-goalie rotation isn’t ideal, it seems the more likely option in this scenario.
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