The player that I would be looking to extend is Tanev.
Lindholm and Hanifin are both good players (even if Lindholm is having a pretty miserable season) and they both seem to carry enough value around the league that 1st round picks + is the expected return, could be huge for drafting potential stars or in trades for young established guys that aren't fitting into some teams cap structure.
Tanev is different in my mind though. He's important for development. If Kylington comes back then that is a top 4 pairing right there or if Poirier is on the team next season, Tanev is probably the ideal partner for him to develop with the first couple of seasons as a pro.
Amassing prospects is important, but it is only one part of building a good team. I don't see the Flames wanting to sink into the gutter for multiple seasons to land a star in the draft. This season is probably going to be the one where they accept it and then they will reload to compete next year, so a guy like Tanev is still going to matter in the next 2-3 seasons.
Winnipeg and Nashville both looked like teams destined for a rebuild last season, but with some tweaks to the roster were able to compete at a higher level. I'd be willing to bet that is the blueprint the Flames are looking at.
|