Flames Franchise Will Have Tough Choices On Final Roster

Most casual hockey fans couldn't tell you who the leading scorer for the AHL Calgary Wranglers was last year. Even many Calgary Flames fans might not remember that it was big Adam Klapka setting the standard.

With 21 goals (a number shared with Ben Jones) and 46 points, it was the 6-foot-8, 235-lb. Klapka who paced the minor league squad.

He scored his first NHL goal in the season finale last year — his sixth appearance with the big-league club. On Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks, he netted a preseason goal from long distance but was also a beastly physical presence leaving bodies in his wake starting early on.

Moving to 4-0-1 on the preseason, the Flames are going to have a lot of tough decisions to make on a few of the roster spots for the start of the regular season. Klapka is one reason why. The 24-year-old is proving to be a strong contender for a spot on the fourth line.

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If things shake out as expected up front with Jonathan Huberdeau, Yegor Sharangovich, Anthony Mantha, Mikael Backlund, Connor Zary, Blake Coleman, Nazem Kadri, Andrei Kuzmenko and Martin Pospisil forming the top nine, the 'energy' line competition consists of Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Rooney, Klapka, Walker Duehr, Dryden Hunt, Jakob Pelletier, Matt Coronato and maybe even Samuel Honzek.

Klapa may be in the driver's seat based on the idea that it will be hard for Coronato and Honzek — more suited to top-9 roles — to stick there. Duehr spent a significant portion of last season as a healthy scratch and hasn't stood out in camp so far. Pelletier has also been quiet. Coronato started skating again Saturday after what's thought to be a minor injury.

Whether Pelletier and/or Honzek beat out someone or fill in for an injury in the upper lines early on remains to be seen. For now, Klapka has made his case for sticking around for the season.