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In the first of a four-part series, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson examines the Flames’ depth chart at centre …
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Before transitioning to the front office, Craig Conroy earned his paycheques as a faceoff man.
So the Calgary Flames’ general manager certainly puts an emphasis on the centre position. As Conroy retools his roster, there’s no doubt that one of his top priorities is to find a future difference-maker down the middle. Or, better yet, two or three of ’em.
In the first of a four-part series, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson examines the Flames’ depth chart at centre …
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Chart-topper
Nazem Kadri is not only the Flames’ top pivot. He is their top player, period. Kadri would be best cast as the second-line centre on a championship-calibre team — that’s not rocket science, since that was his role with the Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche in 2022 — but he’s done just about everything you could have possibly asked in his two campaigns in Calgary. The 33-year-old claimed the team scoring title this past season with 75 points, the second-best total of his career, and proved to be an important mentor and motivator to a pair of rookie linemates.
What’s lacking?
With all due respect to Kadri, the Flames don’t have a true No. 1 centre. They certainly don’t have a McDavid or a Barkov, a MacKinnon or a Matthews, the type of cornerstone pieces that you build your entire organization around. What’s also lacking at this position is youth. The three guys who seem like sure things to be skating as centres next season — Kadri, captain Mikael Backlund and Kevin Rooney — are all north of 30. It’s no secret that Conroy has been trying to land an up-and-coming pivot in trade talks, but those guys are hard to pry away.
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On the cusp
Calgary’s prospect pool is shallow at centre, but Cole Schwindt is the one guy pushing for full-time duties. Schwindt has so far logged seven NHL appearances, including four this past winter. While he led the AHL’s Wranglers with four playoff goals, he projects as a bottom-six sort — most likely a fourth-liner — at the big-league level. Those supporting casters need to excel at the small details, and this 23-year-old right-hander has been determined to improve at the faceoff dot. Schwindt will get a long look at training camp, but he’s probably stuck on the fringes after Rooney was signed to a one-year extension.
On the move?
When Elias Lindholm was traded in late January, the Flames shifted Yegor Sharangovich to centre. While ‘Sharky’ earned praise from the coaching staff, his faceoff numbers were ugly — he won only 39 per cent of his draws last season — and it proved more difficult to unleash his deadly shot from the middle of the ice. With that in mind, they may prefer to slide him back to the flank. There’s also the potential of a position switch for either Connor Zary or Martin Pospisil, Kadri’s regular wingers last winter. Zary auditioned as a pivot at the tail-end of his rookie campaign, while Pospisil was one of Slovakia’s centremen at worlds.
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In the pipeline
We’ll be curious to see if Sam Honzek, the Flames’ first-round pick in 2023, starts his pro career at centre or on the wing. Injuries were, unfortunately, the story of Honzek’s final season in the junior ranks. He was limited to just 38 outings with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, notching a dozen goals and 21 assists. While it was a frustrating winter for Honzek, his teammate and fellow Flames prospect Jaden Lipinski flourished, leading the Giants with 66 points and successfully swiping 57.4 per cent of his faceoffs. Sam Morton was an intriguing add as a college free agent, although this late-bloomer soon turns 25.
Potential targets
It seems like a slim chance, but what happens if Cayden Lindstrom — the winner of the Canadian Hockey League’s best prospect award and considered by most to be a Top 5 talent — slides a few spots and is still available at ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft? Would the Flames claim the Medicine Hat Tigers centre, or would they be scared off by injury concerns? Berkly Catton (Spokane, WHL) and Konsta Helenius (Jukurit, Liiga) could also be on their radar at No. 9. This summer’s free-agent crop includes a couple of familiar faces in Lindholm and Sean Monahan, but a reunion with either seems far-fetched.
Burning question
How long will it be before Backlund, who turned 35 in March and is now just 10 games shy of 1,000, starts to show signs of his age? It hasn’t happened yet, a credit to his superb conditioning, but can he continue to log 19-plus minutes a night, like he did last season in establishing a new career-high?
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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