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Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan
Thanks to everyone for the analysis and updates last night and this morning. Apparently Florida is outside of the Flames region.
Sounds like Ferland is making the most of his opportunity to make this team. Others like Shore, Granlund, Nakladal, Wilson, Kylington, and Anderson looked solid, but do we think they will actually take jobs from anyone this year?
On defense, there really only seems to be an opening at #6/7 unless Smid makes a miraculous comeback. Engelland is a limited player, but the Flames management seems to like him and the role he plays, so I don't see him going anywhere right away. The top 5 look really good already, and are only going to get sharper as time goes on, so I imagine most of those other guys will start in the AHL or junior.
Forward is more interesting. Shore or Arnold might actually take Stajan's job away. Stajan is a solid all-around player, but he doesn't do anything at a particularly high level, making him expendable if Shore or Arnold can do the same at less salary. Experience is the only thing saving his job at the moment. Raymond obviously needs to be jettisoned, but who's gonna take him? He might get buried to start the year or bought out. Does anyone else see any of the veteran forwards as vulnerable?
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I would argue that Stajan may be a bit of a special case. I don't think he will get replaced if someone cheaper provides an equal performance. I think whomever replaces him will have to provide much more on the ice than Stajan does. I think Stajan is now what Ference was back in the day for the Flames - that guy in the dressing room that was sort of the 'glue' or the 'heart' of the team. That team was never the same after that trade (though I acknowledge that Ference's discount in exchange for his 'handshake no-trade clause' may have had something to do with it).
If that really is the case, then I can assume the Flames would replace Stajan only if someone (looking at Arnold here - not as high on Shore as others are, but Arnold I think is the heir-apparent) provides a substantial increase on the ice, not just an 'equal performance but for much less money'. I could be wrong and may be overvaluing what Stajan means to the team, however. Just what I think anyways.