Quote:
Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy
Gaudreau - 25 - signed for 3 more seasons
Monahan - 24 - signed for 4 more seasons
Lindholm - 24 - signed for 5 more seasons
Tkachuk - 21 - RFA, will probably be extended for 6 to 8 more seasons
What a combination of age, contract situation and performance level
Forward core is in great shape going forward.
Oh yeah, by the by did anyone mention we are regularly dressing 3 Dmen who are 21 years old???
...and that doesn't even include 20 year old Jusso Valimaki, who probably has the highest ceiling of the bunch.
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This is a good justification for the Flames going all-in over the next 3 years. Their window to contend is now.
I'd still like to see goaltending shored up and a touch more muscle in the lineup (my hopes for Reaves disappeared when Vegas decided they were still a good team though). Otherwise there's already enough depth on the back-end with Stone and Valimaki coming back for the playoffs, and enough top-end talent to get the job done. Neal returning to decent would be huge.
At this stage, the Flames should be setting their sights on Tampa, and looking to ensure they can beat that team in a 7 game series. They're in a great position to do that without mortgaging anything for at least the next few years. And as fun as a long playoff run would be, I would hate to lose to those ba$tards again.