Flames season preview: Neal, Lindholm, Ryan look to revive offense

The 2018-19 NHL season begins Oct. 3. With training camps open, NHL.com is taking a look at the five keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lines for all 31 teams. Today, the Calgary Flames.

Coach: Bill Peters (first season)
Last season: 37-35-10, fifth place Pacific Division

5 KEYS

1. Peters' impact
Bill Peters, hired to replace Glen Gulutzan as coach April 23, is tasked with getting Calgary into the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third time in five seasons. Peters, the 19th coach in franchise history, guided the Carolina Hurricanes to a 137-138-53 record in four seasons, never making the playoffs.
"You want high expectations," Peters said. "When you have high expectations, that means your team is good and you have a chance to win. When there's no expectation, you're going through the motions and you're playing out the string. It's not enjoyable."

2. More offense

Calgary struggled to score last season, finishing 27th in the NHL in goals (2.63 per game) and tied for 28th on the power play (16.0 percent). A revamped forward group, including the additions of 10-time 20-goal scorer James Neal, Elias Lindholm and Derek Ryan, who had NHL career highs in goals (15), assists (23) and points (38) for Carolina last season, should boost the offense.

3. Smith's work

Goaltender Mike Smith is coming off an up-and-down season. Prior to the All-Star break, the 36-year-old won 20 games with a 2.39 goals-against average and .926 save percentage, but he missed 13 games in February and March because of injury and had two wins, a 3.44 GAA and a .880 save percentage in his final eight games.
"He feels great," general manager Brad Treliving said. "He got healthy. He's a specimen in terms of how he looks after himself in the summer and during the year. He's excited. He knows he feels there's some unfinished business from his end from last year, so that part doesn't worry me at all."

4. Giordano, Brodie reunion

Defenseman and captain Mark Giordano spent the past two seasons playing on a pair with Dougie Hamilton, who was traded to the Hurricanes on June 23. That set up Giordano's reunion with TJ Brodie, his previous partner. They have had plenty of success together. Brodie, a left-handed shot who is returning to the right side, had NHL career highs in points (45) and assists (39) in 70 games playing with Giordano in 2015-16. Giordano set NHL career highs in goals (21) and points (56) that season.

5. Health matters

Injuries slowed Calgary late last season. Smith's lengthy absence took its toll, and top center Sean Monahan, who led the Flames with 31 goals and was second with 64 points behind Johnny Gaudreau (84), missed the final seven games of the season and had wrist, groin and two hernia surgeries in April.
Forward Matthew Tkachuk, second on the Flames with 24 goals and third with 49 points, missed the last 12 games and Brodie missed the final nine, each with a concussion.
The Flames went 2-9-0 to end the regular season and finish 11 points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

The biggest battles in Calgary's camp involve the fourth-line wing and backup goaltender. Forwards Curtis Lazar, who played 65 games last season, and Garnet Hathaway, who played 59, will compete with newcomer Anthony Peluso and prospects Andrew Mangiapane, Spencer Foo and Dillon Dube to earn that role and that of the extra forwards.

Goaltender David Rittich, who played 21 games last season, could have the inside track on Jon Gillies, who played 11 games, for the backup role. Space on Calgary's defense also could be up for grabs, with prospects Rasmus Andersson and Juuso Valimaki attempting to usurp Brett Kulak and Michael Stone.

Most intriguing addition

Neal, who signed a five-year, $28.75 million contract (average annual value $5.75 million) with the Flames on July 2, could play on Calgary's top line with Monahan and Gaudreau to give them their first legitimate top-line right wing.
Neal had 44 points (25 goals, 19 assists) in 71 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. He has scored at least 21 goals in each of his 10 NHL seasons, including an NHL career-high 40 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011-12.
"I'll go where I fit in," he said. "I think we have a lot of guys that can switch roles, we've got guys that can play on top lines, that can fit in anywhere."

Biggest potential surprise

Forward Austin Czarnik, 25, signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract (AAV $1.25 million) on July 1. He had four assists in 10 games with the Boston Bruins and was third in the American Hockey League in scoring with 69 points (25 goals, 44 assists) for Providence. He could earn a spot on Calgary's third line.

Ready to break through

Dube, a 20-year-old forward selected in the second round (No. 56) of the 2016 NHL Draft, will play his first season of professional hockey after he had 84 points (38 goals, 46 assists) with Kelowna of the Western Hockey League in 2017-18. He also had five points (three goals, two assists) in seven games as captain of Canada's gold medal-winning 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship team.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Johnny Gaudreau -- Sean Monahan -- James Neal
Matthew Tkachuk -- Mikael Backlund -- Elias Lindholm
Michael Frolik -- Derek Ryan -- Austin Czarnik
Sam Bennett -- Mark Jankowski -- Garnet Hathaway
Mark Giordano -- TJ Brodie
Noah Hanifin -- Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak -- Michael Stone
Mike Smith
David Rittich