What to think of the Calgary Flames opening night roster
By Jim Lynch
The Calgary Flames start their season on Thursday, Oct. 13, at home against the Colorado Avalanche. With the season about to start, the Flames opening night roster is known and should be discussed.
For Nazem Kadri’s first game with the Flames to come against his former team is such a good coincidence. Plus, it will be fun to see MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau in their new uniforms for the start of the regular season.
With so much change from last year, let’s break first highlight the 2022-23 NHL roster for the Calgary Flames.
The Calgary Flames roster includes the following players:
Rasmus Andersson, Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman, Dillon Dube, Noah Hanifin, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Trevor Lewis, Elias Lindholm, Milan Lucic, Connor Mackey, Andrew Mangiapane, Jacob Markstrom, Nicolas Meloche, Brett Ritchie, Kevin Rooney, Adam Ruzicka, Christopher Tanev, Tyler Toffoli, Dan Vladar, MacKenzie Weegar, Nikita Zadorov.
Injured and/or Non-Roster: Oliver Kylington, Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Martin Pospisil.
I think I am most excited to see how the top line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli can do together. This team had the best line in hockey last season with Tkachuk, Lindholm and Gaudreau. For the team to try and run things forward with a new group is going to be interesting to watch this season.
I also look forward to seeing how Weegar and Chris Tanev can play together. The Flames signed Weegar to a massive contract extension keeping him in Calgary for the long term, now we have to see how he does this upcoming season.
I also can’t wait to watch Nikita Zadorov again this season. He is a physical presence on the blue line, someone who is built for playoff hockey but can provide an electric spark to the lineup. I think this team has a lot of potential for the upcoming season to lead the Pacific Division again.
You might be wondering about one part of the Flames roster: who will wear the A or the C this season? Well, the team is in no rush to name a new captain, but with the season starting tonight, one would have to think we could see some alternate captains named at some point today.