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I think Pirri is the type of guy the Flames should be looking at for their top 6, as opposed to re-signing a guy like Hudler or another expensive UFA vet.

What they need is a young cost controlled top 6 core piece to complement Johnny, Monahan, and Bennett, but that is only going to come through the draft or some Treliving wizardry.

In the meantime, they should be trying out youngish cost effective secondary complements like Pirri. They don't necessarily profile as core guys due to certain weaknesses in their game, but they are still young enough to develop and you hope that can hit the jackpot.

The Flames did this with Huselius and it worked out well for a few years. Patrick Sharp is another example of a guy who wasn't necessarily highly regarded but ended up developing later in his career. The Hawks identified potential in Sharp and acquired him for a low cost from the Flyers after he toiled in their minor league system for years.