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Old 07-04-2018, 05:30 PM   #1
TheScorpion
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Icon48 Former Flame UFA Watch

It's July. Here are some former Flames who remain available on the UFA market despite July 1st having passed. Think anyone will sign these players? (I'm not including the Flames' current UFAs like Versteeg and Shore.)


Mike Cammalleri
2017-18 (LA/EDM): 66 GP, 7 G, 22 A, 29 P, -2.6 CF% rel


Cammalleri spent the majority of last season setting up Connor McDavid while suffering through an awfully unlucky season. He's 36 years old but still put up nearly 0.5 points per game while shooting just 5.5%. Sure, he's slow, but for name recognition alone, he should wind up somewhere. He may never score 39 goals in a season again, but he can still probably contribute to a powerplay on a bad team. Perhaps a team that could use some jersey sales.

Pick: Ottawa


Lee Stempniak
2017-18 (CAR): 37 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 P, 0.3 CF% rel


Stempniak always struck me as being "vaguely disappointing" while he was with the Flames, but he's managed to carve a long career as a hired gun for ten teams. After missing the first half of the season due to injury, Stempniak returned and posted the most woeful numbers of his career. He simply failed to mesh with anyone upon returning, despite having success with Carolina in 2016-17. At age 35, Stempniak could have a season or two left in him. Will he ever lead a team in scoring like he did with the Flames in 2012-13? Probably not. But he could still be an appealing depth option to a team weak on the wings.

Pick: Edmonton


Derek Grant
2017-18 (ANA): 66 GP, 12 G, 12 A, 24 P, -1.0 CF% rel


Shown here rocking the Michael Frolik special, Grant finally scored his first NHL goal last year at age 27. Maybe the La Brea Tar Pits occasionally spit out random doses of good fortune instead of lava? Anyway, Grant was finally given his first prolonged chance in an NHL top-six last year and actually made the most of it, but he still remains unsigned. He continues to be very good at faceoffs but seems to have been replaced in Anaheim by fellow 2017-18 surprise Brian Gibbons. Who will, ahem, take a chance on him?

Pick: Vegas


Alex Chiasson
2017-18 (WAS): 61 GP, 9 G, 9 A, 18 P, -4.6 CF% rel


Did anyone really think last year that, in a year's time, Alex Chiasson would be a Stanley Cup champion? Heck, it wasn't a given that Chiasson would even have a team last summer until the Caps finally signed him as a training camp walk-on. And then he helped them win the Cup. His one playoff goal was assisted by an Australian. What a world. Despite his success, it doesn't look like the Caps will retain Chiasson, and after posting similar numbers in Washington as what he did in Calgary, his continued NHL presence is, once again, not guaranteed.

Pick: Toronto


Lance Bouma
2017-18 (CHI): 53 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 P, -4.1 CF% rel


HOW did Lance Bouma score 16 goals in a season? Seriously, HOW? Seriously, in his six other NHL seasons, Bouma has collected 14 total goals. And yet, in one season, playing with the likes of Joe Colborne and David Jones, Lance Bouma put up 16 goals! Anyhow, after being bought out in 2017, Bouma played one season in Chicago where he was used more sparingly than vitamins in Guy Fieri's kitchen. At age 28, he doesn't look to have much more upside than what he's shown over the course of the last three seasons. If he scores 16 more goals in his career, it'll be a miracle.

Pick: somewhere in the AHL


Freddie Hamilton
2017-18 (CGY/ARI): 16 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 P, -1.7 CF% rel


Oh, c'mon. Isn't it obvious?

Pick: Charlotte Checkers
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