With Neal having that $5.75M cap hit along with Tkachuk, Bennett and Rittich needing new deals trying to fit in the $9.5M for Stone and keeping all of those players would have been very challenging. Frolik and Brodie’s contracts could be moved but not sure if there would be enough to go around.
If the Flames could have included Neal in the deal with Valimaki and the 1st then it probably would have been worth it because keeping Stone becomes a possibility.
Now Stone is in the Pacific division for the next 8+ years. It is going to be a tough road through the west. The Flames need to keep their lead on the Pacofic and avoid having to beat Vegas and San Jose
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