Quote:
Originally Posted by Caged Great
The Flames are hamstrung by having 15 million dollars tied up in players that could be replaced by AHL talent and you wouldn't notice much difference in the ability of the group.
Because of that, the team cannot field a team with then proper depth, which affects everyone else.
Looking at next season.
Gaudreau-Monahan-UFA/Trade
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
UFA/Trade-Bennett-Brouwer
Ferland-Stajan/Jankowski if the former is dealt-Hathaway
Giordano-Brodie
UFA/Trade-Hamilton
Kylington/Andersson-Kulak/Cheap Vet UFA
Johnson + young goalie or veteran UFA/trade
If the Flames fall hard in the standings, they will be getting another high end player like Tippett, who may be able to slide into the NHL lineup. Calgary can easily use 8-10 million on two of those three main holes in the lineup, the other may need to be filled via a prospect making the NHL.
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This is exactly correct. BT will finally be free of Wideman and Smid contracts.
1st line right winger biggest hole in lineup sure to be filled by free agency or trade for picks/prospects. Gaudreau needs playmaking or sniper winger.
2nd pairing defenseman not too difficult to fill by FA (Russell siging by Oilers is an example).
Call up Riddich and see what he is made of. We must know if Johnson/Riddich is a viable tandem next year. Otherwise we focus one of our two major FA signings on 1A goalie and hope a prospect graduates to 4th Dman.
My great fear right now is that panic sets in with ownership and they clean house including GM. The Friedman thread is frightening if real. Stay the course with BT/BB. Anyone on CP with a direct line to ownership needs to say that. 88% approval rating for BT this week says it all. Especially when you consider how critical a crowd CP can be.
Figure out quick why GG seems passionless and cannot keep the team psyche positive. This team lacks emotion and crumbles too easily. Not the case in 2014-15. Different leadership, just luck with all those last second heroics, Hudler?
Also do not like how this team does not rally around one another when wronged (Gaudreau headshot)? Do we not enough big guys who can stand up for team?
Silver lining for this increasingly likely nonplayoff season is an affordable bridge contract for Bennett; selling a trade deadline where we add 3 or more draft picks (Versteeg, Engelland, Wideman, and maybe Elliott); high 1st rounder. We need a 40 goal RW sniper to complete our core group!