Brodie is a better player by several dozen light years. I've been a fan since he made the team, and I strongly believe that he's going to have an excellent back half of his career. It'd be great to retain him, but it may not be possible.
I'm at the point with this group that I'm willing to make major moves across the board. I think this franchise has had an obsession with overstacking their blue line since Chicago fed them their lunch in 2009, and they need to break themselves of it.
Gio, Rasmus, Hanifin, OK and Vali is not the greatest blue line ever assembled, but I don't want a coach who can't make the playoffs without that top-5. It's perfectly acceptable.
Put the money you save on defense into an elite forward. The goaltending is fine. If you're potentially trading Johnny, that gives flexibility as well.
This would be less murky without expansion. As it stands, Seattle probably forces the Flames to let both explore UFA.
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