Quote:
Originally Posted by Eb0la11
The flames highest paid player in Tkachuk is something like 62nd highest paid player in the league. Somehow other teams are making it work.
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Well the flames have a very large group of middle-of-the-pack contracts in the 4-6mil range.
On forward - Monahan, Backlund, Lucic, Coleman. All players that I am glad are on our team, but are some combination of underperforming, overpaid, or somewhat overpaid for their current contributions. Lindholm would be the antithesis - in this range but underpaid.
On D, Zadorov, Hanifin, Andersson, Tanev. Nobody making crazy money, but a lot of decent sized contracts.
I don’t think any Flames fans are regretting the Markstrom contract right now, but it’s another one in this range.
Contrast it to the salary structures of most teams with players getting top-10 salary, and the wealth is much more concentrated on the top lines. They don’t have 10 players around 4-6 mil. Other teams make it work by paying their bottom 6 and bottom pairings peanuts, and finding a few young gems that can play top minutes before they get their payday. Mangiapane and Kylington are the only two players who are truly getting peanuts for playing top minutes, but they are both due for a raise this summer. That leaves Lindholm as the only player inked for next year who is playing significantly beyond his contract.
I think this plan suits the Flames well right now, as our top players are excellent but still need a strong supporting cast. It allows Sutter to roll lines and in particular it means we often have genuine NHL skill on the ice at all times, which allows Sutter to employ this relentless wave of checking. I don’t think many other teams have B-level skill throughout their lineup that could sustain the type of game that Sutter wants, which I believe is the main reason for our success so far. The coaching plan reflects the horses in the stable. But there’s a reason the Flames are in a pinch this summer and other teams aren’t.