On paper, the Calgary Flames boast a very strong first line. Their projected second and third combinations look pretty good, too.
How the fourth line will fare is anyone’s guess.
Expect Milan Lucic, Trevor Lewis, and Kevin Rooney to form the Flames’ primary checking unit in 2022–23. Rooney is a newcomer from the New York Rangers who will likely spend most of his time between the two ex-L.A. Kings forwards.
Lewis, 35, is basically a known commodity by now. He’s a right-handed forward who can take (but seldom win) faceoffs, and he won’t hurt you too much in his own zone — even if you shouldn’t expect him to give you much of anything past the red line.