Quote:
Originally Posted by calgaryblood
Actually, it does.
You can pretend it doesn't but when most of the team's bottom forwards were available and some prospects as well and Vegas decided they'd rather take no one, that does tell you a little about our depth.
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The Flames were lucky. This expansion draft caught them just at the right moment. If it happens a year from now or two years from now, they would be one of the teams making deals with Vegas.
Aside from the players they protected, Tkachuk and Jankowski were ineligible, Versteeg is a UFA, and they have not signed/traded for a top line winger yet. Next year, conceivably Calgary would have Jankowski, Versteeg, and a top line winger they would have to consider protecting and Lazar and Ferland/Frolik would be possibly exposed.
On defence, Stone was a UFA, so was DE, so was Wideman. Andersson is ineligible. Kulak and Wotherspoon are both waiver eligible so are difficult picks to make. Again, one more year and the Flames would have many defence options for Vegas to choose from.
In goal, they traded away Chad Johnson. Elliott is UFA. Gillies is ineligible. And again, another year and Gillies and a backup signed to more than one year would be available.
Flames lucked out. And Brad Treliving was smart not to commit to any players knowing this was coming.