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Who should Calgary Flames take out of the lineup for Coronato?

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Oct 27 2025, 4:27 pm
Who should Calgary Flames take out of the lineup for Coronato?
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames were able to snap an eight-game skid on Sunday night without one of their best players in the lineup.

Earlier in the day, head coach Ryan Huska confirmed with reporters that Matt Coronato would be a healthy scratch versus the New York Rangers. He was quick to mention that it would only be a one-game absence, meaning that the 22-year-old will be back in the lineup on Tuesday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“He’s going to get back in our next game,” Huska said. “It’s more of just taking a breath. You recognize that you’re a really good player. When you get into situations we’re in, there’s a tendency for everybody to try to do a little bit too much to try and help the team.”

The risky decision paid off, as the Flames were able to put forth their best offensive showing of the season, defeating the Rangers by a 5-1 final. Now, the big question will be who comes out of the lineup for Coronato on Tuesday?

The Flames had strong performances from a number of individuals versus the Rangers. Yegor Sharangovich, who was healthy scratched for two games last week, was able to score his first of the season. He was set up by Connor Zary on what marked his first assist of the 2025-26 campaign.

There were a total of 10 Flames who recorded at least a point on Sunday, while Blake Coleman, Mikael Backlund, and Nazem Kadri had multi-point outings.

While it’s a good problem to have, there weren’t any players up front who are deserving of coming out of the lineup based on their performances versus the Rangers. That said, here are a few players who may draw the short stick on Tuesday against the Leafs.

Adam Klapka

The biggest thing for Adam Klapka entering the 2025-26 season was to find his consistency at the NHL level. He’s done that to this point, being a very solid presence on the fourth line while chipping in offensively with a goal and two helpers through 10 games.

flames-klapkia

Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

Klapka was by no means bad on Sunday, though he wasn’t as noticeable as some players above him in the lineup. If he is to come out on Tuesday, it wouldn’t be due to anything he’s done wrong, but simply a necessary shuffle to get Coronato back in.

Justin Kirkland

Based on the overall impact so far this season, Justin Kirkland would be the most obvious choice to take out. The 28-year-old has been in and out of the lineup plenty, having suited up for six games.

Kirkland has been adequate in a fourth-line role, and has been especially good in the faceoff dot, winning a team-best 59.1 per cent of his draw opportunities. That said, his ceiling as a player is rather limited. If he were to come out, however, the Flames would need someone to replace him down the middle, meaning that Morgan Frost may have to shift back to centre.

Ryan Lomberg

Another option may be Ryan Lomberg, who, like Klapka, has been solid in his fourth-line duties this season. Though he’s managed just an assist, he’s been a hound on the forecheck and is giving Huska and the coaching staff everything they could have asked for to this point.

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Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

The thing with Lomberg is that he’s limited as an NHLer. While beloved in the dressing room, having him sit in the pressbox for a game in order to make room for Coronato is a move that wouldn’t ruffle many feathers amongst the fan base.

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