What Lineup should the Calgary Flames run out for the remainder of 2023-24?

While the Calgary Flames haven't been officially eliminated from the playoffs this season, their playoff chances are slim to none, so what should the rest of the year look like ahead of a critical summer for GM Craig Conroy?

It wouldn't shock anyone if the Flames continued to roll out the same lines each and every night, but with the future potentially becoming the present in Calgary, the next 12 games will be crucial to building them going forward. So what changes do we think they should make?

First off, let's take a look at the Flames lines for their latest loss to the Buffalo Sabres;

On paper, the lines continue to make sense, with the top three lines all looking to build together, but what about the future of the team? As noted, Matt Coronato was a healthy scratch and Jakob Pelletier played (and starred) for the Wranglers over the weekend, but with 12 meaningless games upcoming, why can't they find their way into the lineup? If the Flames are serious about their future, they should be looking to move Hunt and Greer/Rooney out of the lineup, and while some fans won't like seeing the 88-11-20 line broken up, they need to move on from Andrew Mangiapane, with that role being perfect for Pelletier. As for Coronato, he showed great fire alongside 10-17, and while the Flames are looking to build Kuzmenko's value, Coronato is the future, and if he can keep those other two rolling, it's a no-brainer.

Defensively, that blue line makes plenty of sense, and while the Flames continue to break up Weegar-Andersson for depth, it appears to be working as both Kylington and Miromanov have flashed plenty of potential, with those two looking to stake their claim on this blue line for years to come. The only thing this team needs to do down the stretch is find a way to get Jeremie Poirier his NHL debut, as he has 12 points in 15 games this season before and after a tough injury, and with so much talent coming in for the future, getting him valuable experience down the stretch needs to happen.

In net, the team seem to be getting it right, as Dustin Wolf has put up .966, .947 and .926 save percentage's in three of his past four starts, and while the team would like to have Markstrom finish the season strong, it's Wolf's time to develop at the top level. With 12 games left, the Flames would like to get each player six games, but ultimately, if they are looking towards the future, if they can give Wolf an extra start or two, it would be the right call.

Ultimately, the 2023-24 season is over for Calgary in terms of a potential playoff run, and with the likes of Markstrom and potentially Kadri on the way out this summer, giving the kids as much run as possible right now needs to be done, whether you are Team Tank or Team Push for the Playoffs.