Last Season: 37-35-10 84 pts (5th in Central Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)
Key Additions: D Noah Hanafin, F James Neal, F Alan Quine, F Elias Lindholm, and Head Coach Bill Peters
Key Departures: D Dougie Hamilton, F Troy Brouwer, D Mark Bartkowski, and F Michael Ferland
Top Questions Facing the Flames:
- How will Bill Peters reshape the Flames?
Peters left the Carolina Hurricanes to replace Glen Gulutzan as the head coach where he will have to turn the Flames around after missing the playoffs. It will take some time for the Flames to adjust, but Peters is a proven coach that will help this team return to the playoffs. Plus the additions of Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanafin from Carolina will help with some of the transition the team will need to do as both are familiar with Peters’ system.
2. Where will James Neal play in the lineup?
Possibly the biggest signing for the Flames was the James Neal signing. Neal, who’s played in the past two Stanley Cup Finals with Nashville and Vegas, is a huge pickup for the Flames, but who will Bill Peters put him with? Do you put him on the first line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, or do you put him on the second line to spread out the scoring? It will be interesting to see how Neal will be utilized in the Calgary lineup.
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