[trackercowe]

I noticed that TSN posted their off-season game plan for the Flames, so maybe Cullen's analysis is worthy of some discussion.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=424137

Here are the highlights I take from the piece:

The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season in 2013 and, finally unable to ignore the writing on the wall leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline, started a rebuilding process by trading big ticket veterans Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester.

Off-Season Game Plan looks at what moves the Flames might make this summer.

The trouble facing the Flames is that they have been so slow to accept their decline that even after shedding Iginla and Bouwmeester, general manager Jay Feaster noted, "Murray Edwards told me last evening that he expects to be in the playoffs next year, so there's my marching order."

Expecting this team to turn around and become a playoff team in one season is a major reach, particularly considering the holes that they need to fill.

It's one thing to be optimistic and hope that the Flames can get on the right track next season, but it's another matter entirely if Feaster's player acquisition decisions this summer are made under the premise that the Flames just need a couple tweaks in order to be a playoff contender once again.

However, if the Flames are going to build a strong base, they need to make decisions consistent with long-term objectives. That doesn't mean tanking the season. If they have a goaltender that stops 92% of the shots faced, as opposed to 88% (like Miikka Kiprusoff last season), then maybe Calgary could compete for a playoff spot, but that's not an expectation around which one can reasonably build a team.

Feaster's challenge is acquiring top-end talent, whether through draft, trades or free agent signings. While the Flames have solid pros scattered throughout the roster, they don't have guys at the top end of the talent scale. The sixth overall pick should net a quality prospect and the Flames have some interesting young players and prospects (Sven Baertschi, Johnny Gaudreau, Mikael Backlund, T.J. Brodie), but they need more.

The challenge for the Flames when they enter the offseason is to not look for immediate help. There could be temptation to add a veteran free agent or two with the hopes that, if all goes right, they can combine with Cammalleri, Tanguay and company to be good enough for the Flames to somehow manage to sneak into the postseason. If they're being patient, though, the Flames would at least have to look at younger free agents, like Tyler Bozak or Mason Raymond that, while not great difference-makers on their own, perhaps could be part of turning around the team's fortunes over the next few seasons.

If the Flames are indeed looking for a new goaltender, they could theoretically trade for Ryan Miller, Roberto Luongo or Jonathan Bernier, but there are plenty of options on the free agent market. Mike Smith, who GM Jay Feaster acquired in Tampa Bay in 2008, could be interesting, if the Flames believe that he might be able to provide some reasonable replication of his 2011-2012 season or, if looking for a shorter-term answer, Feaster also has a history with Nikolai Khabibulin.

Gross...

DRAFT
6th - Elias Lindholm, Valeri Nichushkin, Darnell Nurse.
22nd - Fredrik Gauthier, Kerby Rychel, Ryan Pulock.
29th - Nicolas Petan, Robert Hagg, Jordan Subban.

FREE AGENCY
According to www.capgeek.com, the Flames have approximately $44.3M committed to the 2013-2014 salary cap for 16 players.

Check out my possible Flames lineup for next season on Cap Geek here.

Needs: Two top six forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman, starting goaltender.

What I said the Flames needed last year: Two top nine forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman.

They added: Jiri Hudler, Roman Cervenka, Steve Begin, Dennis Wideman.

TRADE MARKET
Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, Alex Tanguay.

Once again the article in its entirety can be found here: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=424137