I think the best solution for the time being is just ride this out, let Backlund return and see what happens. Trading assets for mediocre centermen isn't the answer, if the Flames want to continue to "rebuild" through the draft while remaining competitive then they should hold onto their picks and address the issue the best they can via free agency since there are no young centers in the system that are all that close to NHL ready.
Come summertime there are a few centermen available that could be attractive to the Flames and they are centermen of many different types.
Ryan Getzlaf is obviously the big fish everyone wants. He is a big center that can produce offensively, play physical and can play in every situation. I don't know if this year his faceoff percentage is a sign of things to come or not but historically Getlaf has been fairly poor in the faceoff department.
Stephen Weiss is a clear cut #2 option. He can play in every situation, he is basically a younger version of Daymond Langkow that can win faceoffs. The problem of course like Daymond, while he is an excellent #2 center he is not quite good enough to be a #1 and like Daymond he doesn't offer much in the size department.
In a perfect world the Flames find a way to sign both Getzlaf and Weiss, then retain Stajan and Backlund and laugh all the way to the playoffs with their new found center depth..... but reality is a cruel mistress and getting one of those players is unlikely, let alone both.
There are alot of 2nd and 3rd line centermen available on the market this summer though. All of whom bring different things to the table. If I resign myself to the fact that we won't get Getzlaf or Weiss I would actually target 3 lesser centermen (and move Backlund to the wing).
The trio I would go after are Tyler Bozak (young in UFA years, produces offensively and wins faceoffs), Matt Cullen (old but kills penalties, wins draws and provides some offense) and Jerred Smithson (big, physical and wins draws). While it would be far from an elite group of centermen I think a quartet of Stajan, Bozak, Cullen and Smithson with Backlund as a backup of sorts playing on the wing would be a vast improvement on our current situation. Then with Backlund moving to the wing and the cap dropping the question would be who stays and who goes on the wing?
|