[Sylvanfan]

How did you define the top 4 forwards? Top 4 paid or top 4 scorers? The current Flames top 4 forwards pay wise would be Jones, Hudler, Stajan, Raymond combine for under 15 million. The Flames have to be considered at least a playoff contender. I get the idea that the current top 4 guys in play are Gaudreau, Monahan, Hudler, Backlund who last year combined to make under 8 is going to get substantially more expensive and will get a makeover in terms of personell.

I know I would want to get certainty on the costs of Monahan, Gaudreau, and Giordano before I started to add higher cost players with termed contracts, or at least the riskier style ones. As an example Kessel and Phaneuf I consider as higher risk contracts than say Cory Schneider.