We’ve got a lot of ideas, and I think we’re going to put our time and energy in the right places.” One of those places appears to be at the offensive end, where there’s still uncertainty and uncertainty surrounding the roster. The Flames will be making a number of moves in order to make the roster smaller — a necessary step in getting under the NHL’s $73.5-million salary cap. On Friday, he spoke of the idea of bringing in a veteran defenceman for a mid-season push, and though he didn’t name names, such a move makes sense. While the Flames have plenty of defencemen under contract — Matt Bartkowski and Noah Hanifin among them — Hanowski might be their best player, but he is also a year away from unrestricted free agency. On top of that, Calgary’s defence could be better than it appears — Hanowski and Rasmus Andersson have both looked strong in camp, while youngster Oliver Kylington could be part of the mix, too. But if this is going to work, the Flames need to be better offensively, and that might mean pushing for a right-handed shooter up front. A trade that brought in Patrick Maroon is one possibility, and with two years remaining on his deal, he’s an inexpensive depth forward — something the Flames could use if Mike Smith needs another tuneup. Then there’s the other end. Though Kulak seems like a lock for the roster, the Flames appear to be giving some thought to playing two defencemen on the top pair, something they did the last time they missed the playoffs — the 2006-07 season, to be exact — and it appears they might be moving in that direction again. The other pair might consist of Hathaway, Kylington, Bartkowski and Klimchuk, with Bartley taking an unlikely spot in training camp, but as the days go on, more roster decisions need to be made. Either way, Hanowski’s contract remains to be seen — the Flames have until Saturday to put their 23-man roster together, and with training camp over, they can start the process. What’s next for the Flames Training camp and pre-season are over, and the Flames head to Orlando for the start of the season. They open the year against the Los Angeles Kings, then head out on a five-game trip that includes stops in Dallas, Detroit and Columbus, before hosting the Colorado Avalanche on home ice. They hit the road again before playing eight of their next 11 games on the road. They finish their season in Vancouver against the Canucks, then start play against the Edmonton Oilers. They’re in Calgary for a couple of games in the middle of February before heading out on another five-game road trip. They start the season in Edmonton, and head back home for a seven-game homestand that includes visits from Buffalo and Chicago. This Week's Flyers Comments We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.