The next item: RW discussion and predictions

[djsFlames]

Gaudreau - Monahan - ________

In order for the Flames to take another step towards contention, this is a lingering hole that needs to be filled, preferably sooner than later. Whether that happens this offseason through free agency, through the organization (Ferland, Tkachuk), or through trade is yet to be seen. But an injection of top 6 skill is needed to help this line be a game breaker in the upcoming seasons, or at the very least for the time being.

Who will occupy this spot in 17/18? Who is a realistic stop gap if we can't address this long term?

Discuss.

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Top 2017 RW Free Agents:

[Par]

We also need some to play with Sam Bennett.

[robaur]

Radulov. 1 year 8 million contract offer.

[ComixZone]

Ferland or....

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by robaur

Radulov. 1 year 8 million contract offer.

what

[GoJetsGo]

Riding on the high of getting Hamonic leaves me wanting more this weekend.

Would love to see us try to pry Neal away from Vegas for a couple prospects and a moderate cap dump. Wishful thinking as the ask will probably be too high, but adding Hamonic on the blueline and Neal up front would have us looking pretty good going into next season.

[Roof-Daddy]

I wouldnt cry if they snagged Williams on a 1 year deal. Hes probably going to end up staying in the east though I imagine

Would be a decent stop gap while the Flames give Shinkaruk Poirier Klimchuk and Pribyl one more year to show their worth on the farm.

[Matty81]

Wouldn't like to see them go after a UFA although I am a bit interested in Weal. I think the trade cupboard is pretty empty unless someone is interested in a B prospect like Mangiapane or Klimchuk for an older RW.

With Ferland having good chemistry with them to end the year that is where I'd start out. I think Lazar should be the next person who gets a shot, he can skate with them although I don't know if he has the hands, he sure seems to have great upside and you turn him into a real valuable asset to boot if he rides shotgun with those guys and picks up 40-50 pts.

Go with an internal option to start the year as the UFA list is horrible.

Next year Mark Stone, Hornqvist and Atkinson are all UFAs and I think better options.

[timbit]

IMO, NOT one of those UFAs is more appealing and or financially feasible than Ferland.

Radulov is a pipe dream.

[TheScorpion]

Marleau, please and thank you.

2 years, 11 million

[robaur]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

what

why not? only thing that matters is if we have the cap space. its only money out of owner's pocket. I don't think Radulov would be interested to come to Calgary unless he gets overpaid...

[djsFlames]

Neal
Marleau
Williams
Radulov
Ferland/Tkachuk

Would be my preference in order.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Marleau if you're going after a free agent. 2 year deal max. Williams if you can get him on an affordable contract. I would even stomach Vanek on a show-me contract.

That's about it for me. None of the other names out there seem like great options. I'd much rather fill the position internally. If that doesn't work out and we still don't have a decent option by halfway through the year, see what's available as a trade later in the year.

[Roof-Daddy]

Also I would bet Tre sees back up goalie as a more pressing need than adding a winger right now.

[Matty81]

Yeah internal makes way more sense... as you said if the internal options don't work waiting gives you cap space and there will be better options at Xmas/trade deadline because that UFA list is garbage.

[JurassicTunga12]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Neal
Marleau
Williams
Radulov
Ferland/Tkachuk

Would be my preference in order.

probably my list too.

[Allos]

Troy Brouwer!

[indes]

I think we roll with what we have until the deadline or next offseason when Stajan and Bouma come off the books

[driveway]

Based on the last two seasons, there are 20 RW's in the league who score 50 points or more, which is what I think everyone is looking for in a "top line" right winger to play with Monahan and Gaudreau. If you ask for 20 goals, the list stretches to 26 skaters in 16-17 and 28 in 15-16. Granted, this is going off NHL.com's positions, not an in-depth look at overall usage and scoring, but I think it's pretty clear: There are fewer "top line" right wingers than there are teams in the NHL.

Looking at the crop of UFA's this season and next season, there's not a lot out there: Radulov, Vrbata this year, Atkinson next year are the only 50+ point scoring RW's coming up as Free Agents.

This leaves us the route of either developing or trading for that guy. We've got Ferland, Lazar, Shinkaruk in the system right now - any one of whom could be the answer - though none jump out as more than (in my mind) a 10-15% chance of really being the answer.

Which leaves trading. We're rich in D, D prospects, Goalie prospects, and Centres. We're poor in forward prospects, and draft picks.

So, how many of us are okay with sending Bennett or Fox or Andersson out of the organization in order to bring back that fifty-point Right Winger?

[Zoller]

RW will be next year after Stajan and Bouma are gone.

Put Ferland up there for a full season and see if he can find consistency.