Looking at the team, aside from the potential changes in net, there aren't a ton of spaces:
Gaudreau - Monahan - Hudler
Bouma - Backlund - Jones
Ferland - Bennett - Colborne
Bollig - Stajan - Jooris
Granlund, Shore
Trade: Raymond
Up front, unless you are getting a good deal that fits the structure of the team going forward at 2nd line RW, you leave the team as is. Bringing in a forward via UFA necessitates a trade, but if you can get a guy now to fill that hole when Jones is let go, rather than waiting for next year, you consider it.
Raymond is an odd man out, and needs to be traded, as is Byron (let him walk).
Guys like Granlund, Jooris and Shore are vulnerable if a guy like Agostino or Hathaway has a great camp. They could also become trade bait. Bollig is worth keeping around IMO based on his experience and playoff play, but maybe management sees him as a guy to move as that bottom 6 is VERY crowded.
Giordano - Wideman
Brodie - Hamilton
Russell - Engelland
Wotherspoon
Smid = LTIR
Those pairings are guesses - IMO it will break down to seeing the top 3 guys logging 24 mins in all situations, Russel (PK) and Wideman (PP) logging around 18 and Engelland coming in around 12.
Wotherspoon is vulnerable to a guy making a push (Nakladal, Ramage, Culkin).
Hiller
Ortio
This would be the tandem, barring a move to add another. I would expect a more experienced AHL guy to back up Gillies, so he can get his starts, but not be thrown to the wolves. Ortio is ready to be a 1B IMO, and as many have pointed out, it makes sense to plan beyond this year - so Hiller may be best to be replaced now, rather than waiting until next offseason.
Of course the other deals to watch for will be AHL deals, but those don't usually happen day 1.
So the Flames have no urgent need to make a big UFA splash (nor is it the right time) but they may be looking for through UFA/trade:
2nd line RW with size (if the right fit is there)
Steady starting goalie (approx 3 year deal)
AHL veteran goalie
Maybe a veteran skater or two for the AHL team also
|