[united]

I think the Flames are in the two-year transition period from end of rebuild to start of contender. I expect them to contend and probably make the playoffs this coming season, as a low seed, but it's the season after when I think we really see the team take off and become a contender for a number of years. They have too many anchors to juggle the roster enough this year to make the moves required to launch them into contenders right now.


After this season, the team gets some addition by subtraction in losing Bollig, Wideman, Smid, and Engelland, and gains almost $13-million in cap space as a bonus. Whether you include Smid's cap hit in there is unknown, but even without him the team gains roughly $9.5-million in space. All four (or three) roles can be drastically improved in terms of bang-for-buck.

Granted the team will need to re-sign Bennett and once again find a starting goaltender, which will take much of if not all of that money, but it's certainly better spent on Bennett+G than those four. Jokipakka will either be lost to Las Vegas or in need of a new contract which is another significant spot to fill.

At that point the only big red flag is Stajan, at $3.125-million...what happens with him will be tough decision, but he is overpaid considering where he will sit in the roster and his age.


Looking another season ahead, with Stajan off the books, Jokipakka re-signed or replaced with an equal or better #4, and the youngsters reaching the start of their prime years, the Flames should be in the fight for the top seed in conference and remain at that level for a number of years. The key pieces are here, at this point the priority has to be not over-spending on depth players in my opinion.


So I see the long-term priorities as:
Starting goalie - Love Elliott but after this coming season we are back to where we started.
#4 Dman - It could be Jokipakka, but if he's lost to Las Vegas, the team will need to make a prudent acquisition to replace him (or hope a youngster is ready)
#5-7 Dmen - The team needs to fill these spots with cheap but serviceable players. Absolutely cannot be paying $9-million+ combined for these guys. Likely one or all are filled by prospects or cheap veterans.
4th line - Like depth defencemen, the team cannot be paying anyone on this line over $1.5 or 2-million, and certainly not in the 3s. Preferably all are under $1-million, whether that's via cheap veterans or youngsters.