Random thoughts & speculation:
- Some of the Flames' strengths: B & C-type forward & goalie prospects (quantity vs. quality), good young NHL D, a hell of a first line outperforming their contracts, 2/3 of a potentially dangerous 2nd line, a goalie outperforming his contract, decent bottom-6 forwards.
-Weaknesses: a 2nd-line RW (except in the unlikely event Neal gets going); lacking elite prospects; they have barely any D prospects at all, and none on the right side; Mike Smith's dreadful performances; cap space; no 2nd-round pick this year, a veteran rugged LD.
Obviously none of the first line, Rittich, Tkachuk or Gio are getting traded. Other contracts are immovable objects, ie. Smith & Neal. That's at least 8 regulars who are staying with the organization this year one way or another. And then it's really improbable they move either good contributors like Andersson, Backlund, Ryan, Hamonic, Hanifin, Brodie or players with little to no value like Peluso.
Forward prospects like Ruzicka, Koumontzis and Bread Eater or tweeners like Foo won't yield much on their own, although it may be possible to package them to get veteran D depth or maybe even a backup goalie.
That leaves:
-Bennett, who I don't see them moving since he's still developing and provides good physicality.
- Hathaway, who is also worth more being in the lineup than he would in a trade.
- Frolik, whose contract may be prohibitive to buyers.
- Valimaki or Kylington. I don't want to see them go, and Treliving is probably either reluctant or totally unwilling to part with them.
-Dubé, their best prospect.
- Stone. He's hurt and I honestly have no idea whether other clubs would be interested in a 3.5 M 5th D.
- Draft picks. I don't want to lose the 1st-rounder without getting at least a high 2nd, which would take a separate move. Next year's 1st could be in play, although dealing it's a gamble I'm not sure is worth taking.
One of the B/C prospects and, say, a 3rd could land a backup goalie or veteran D help. The 2nd-line forward would cost at least Dubé or Valimaki/Kylington + a 1st or 2nd. I don't see that happening.
Frolik is a bit of a wild card. He has his uses and is apparently disgruntled, but he's got a pretty high contract with still a year left, and other GM's will want some assurance that he'd become relatively gruntled upon being dealt.
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