The Calgary Flames pulled off a big trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, sending Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier along with two draft picks east in return for Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. While trading away Pelletier, in particular, was tough, the Flames have added two pieces who have the potential to be key to the team going forward and in the present.
Craig Conroy did some incredible asset management, trading away pending free agent Kuzmenko right as he got hot and Pelletier—who is finally an NHLer—while he was also hot and generally a great character on and off the ice. In exchange, Conroy brought in a pair of struggling forwards in Frost and Farabee, who both have the potential to be much more than they had been in Philly under Head Coach John Tortorella.
With this swap, the Flames will undoubtedly need to make some lineup changes. Here’s what they should do.
Where does Morgan Frost line up with the Calgary Flames?
Frost is the more intriguing option in the lineup as a centre, as the team has had a serious dearth in this position this season. While unlikely to unseat Nazem Kadri or Mikael Backlund, it makes most sense to slot him in on the third line. This would bump Yegor Sharangovich back to the wing, where he has been most effective.
This gives the Flames a few options to play with Sharangovich. They could move him up to play on the top line with Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, which would make a lot of sense. However, more realistically, they move Martin Pospisil back to that spot on the top line, at least in the short term.
Sharangovich then would stay on the third line, playing on the right of Frost. Adding a speedy centre to complement the sharpshooter seems like a natural fit.
Where does Joel Farabee slot into the Calgary Flames’ lineup?
Where else would Joel Farabee fit into the lineup than alongside his best friend Morgan Frost on the left side of the third line? Frost at centre is a strong playmaker who can move the puck up ice on his own while also playing a strong defensive game. Farabee, meanwhile, has some sandpaper to his game but can still score. Throw in the scoring prowess of Sharangovich, and you have the making of a great line.
Separating Farabee and Frost
The other interesting option for Farabee would be to slot him in on the left side of the Backlund and Coleman line, moving the latter to the right side. He’s a gritty player who is comfortable on both sides of the ice. Given the Flames are acquiring the 24-year-old after a down year in Philly, putting him alongside two established forwards who can help him find his feet is great for the team.
This then frees Matt Coronato to play on the top line with Huberdeau and Kadri, while Frost centres the third line with Sharangovich and Pospisil. The third line becomes your crash-and-bang energy line with a ton of scoring potential while providing two top lines with scoring potential.
In either scenario, this then leaves the bottom line to be three of Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Rooney, Clark Bishop, and Adam Klapka.
What to expect from the newest Calgary Flames
The Flames play tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, which will be the first time that Farabee and Frost will wear the Flaming C. Coach Ryan Huska will likely want to see what he has in the two forwards in smaller doses before he solidifies how he wants to use them. One thing is for sure: if the Flames have playoff aspirations, they will need to get more from both Frost and Farabee than they did with Kuzmenko and Pelletier. Odds are they will.
