Quote:
Originally Posted by Ezio
In all honesty, I wonder what the Flames approach is during FA. Don't they need to add to the cap to reach the floor with Bouw, Iginla and Kipper retiring?
Some targets for next season are Streit, Clowe and Morrow.
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Not really, if Kiprusoff does retire (which I'm not sure is certain) then they got about 10M to spend on 11 players to reach the floor. Brodie, Backlund and likely whoever they pick up with their first pick will all need contracts and could take up a big chunk of that 10M. Even if they bring up Baertschi, sign Ramo or Berra cheaply and fill the rest of the roster with league minimum players, they'll pass the floor with ease.
However, doing that wont allow them to move Cammalleri right away without taking back some salary, if they decide to go that route.
But yeah, certainly doesn't hurt to grab some FA's. I could see, depending on what happens in New York, Clowe signing a 1 year deal with a team like the Flames. He probably wanted that last long term contract as he's about to turn 31. But with the cap going down can teams really afford to give him 20 goal scorer money and term if he's coming off a 2 goal season? Might be best to take the highest 1 year contract he can get and prove his worth.
I also wouldn't mind them targeting Connolly. He's not worth what he's getting paid this year, or anywhere close to it. But he's only two years removed form his 65 point in 73 game season. A cheap, 1 year contract isn't going to hurt the Flames. Worst case is he ends up back in the AHL. For him, if he wants to get his career back on track there's not many teams that could give him the chance to fight with a rookie (assuming the Flames even get a rookie center) and Stajan for ice-time in the top 9. If he works out at all, another tradechip on deadline that any team can fit under their cap.
Other than 1 year contracts with any one really, I wouldn't be too opposed to the Flames throwing money and term at Clarkson. He's not a skilled guy, wont be the answer for the Flames to turn into a contender and he's likely worth less than what he's going to get on the openmarket (if he reaches it this year). But with the Flames rebuilding, they could use another player who gives it his all every shift, let that attitude rub off on the youngins. He's also not going to let his linemates get pushed around, put him opposite of Baertschi and he'll give him the room to develop. The exact type of player Feaster needs to be looking at this off-season, unfortunately I doubt he makes it to the UFA period.
Filppula for the Hudler connection, and Bozak and Roy for being young enough to be transition players during the rebuild are also not terrible candidates.