With Troy Brouwer’s tenure in Calgary over, the Flames didn’t just get cap space: they gained a roster spot, too. And with only 11 forward spots really guaranteed, the door has opened for someone else to become a regular presence in the lineup.
The question of who that should be will become apparent over the course of training camp; the question of just where in the lineup he’ll ultimately end up could take a lot longer.
Once again, let’s kick things off with a mock lineup (including shot handedness):
| Gaudreau (L) | Monahan (L) | Neal (L) |
| Tkachuk (L) | Backlund (L) | Lindholm (R) |
| Bennett (L) | Ryan (R) | Frolik (L) |
| ? |