Today is the first day of real on-ice work for the Calgary Flames, which means Glen Gulutzan finally had the opportunity to test out some line combinations he's been thinking about all summer.
While a trio, or pairing, being together today doesn't mean that'll be the case come October, Gulutzan obviously has a method to his madness and wouldn't be putting certain players together unless they had the possibility of remaining together.
Nevertheless, I wanted to touch on some of the combos Gulutzan used.
We'll start up front.
Versteeg-Bennett-Foo working as a trio again today. Lazar-Stajan-Shinkaruk together as a line, too. #Flames
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 16, 2017
The Kris Versteeg - Sam Bennett - Spencer Foo line is interesting. Realistically, the only spot available in the top-9 is the third line right wing position and it appears Foo will get the first crack at it. A lot of his offense will be lost in translation to the NHL, no doubt, but he should be good enough to compete for a spot now and his speed and skill-set could mesh well with Versteeg and Bennett. I think Mark Jankowski is the best option in terms of giving the most talented player a top-9 spot but he'd have to play out of position and on his off-side to do so.
The 4th line is what it is. I think Curtis Lazar and Matt Stajan will probably be on it while Hunter Shinkaruk needs a really strong camp to crack the lineup.
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland and Mangiapane-Jankowski-Brouwer skating as lines again this morning. #Flames
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 16, 2017
There's not much to say about the top line -- it remains the same, as expected --but I like the decision to give Andrew Mangiapane and Mark Jankowski a look alongside an NHL regular. Mangiapane and Jankowski are at the point where they're ready to seriously push for spots but, unfortunately, almost all of them are accounted for. If the Flames want to dress the best possible players, this unit would probably be the 4th line. That would mean no Stajan or Lazar in the lineup, though, which I don't see happening.
The Valimaki-Andersson pair is still in tact after playing three games together in Penticton. Kulak-Stone paired again today, too. #Flames
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 16, 2017
Brett Kulak showed well with the big club last season and is the odds-on favorite to claim the spot on the left side of the 3rd pairing, as he should be. Putting him with Michael Stone from the word go and letting those two familiarize themselves together is the smart thing to do.
The Juuso Valimaki - Rasmus Andersson pairing will be a ton of fun to watch in the preseason. Valimaki is *really* young and there isn't a spot on the right side available for Andersson, but I think they're both talented enough to make things interesting when cuts are being made.
This is going to be a fun preseason.
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