In terms of they upcoming UFAs on the team, I think only Vladar at this point holds value. Kuzmenko may rebuild some value if he gets on a roll, especially for a team that needs a bit of help on the PP due to injury, or simply having a disappointing 2nd unit heading into the playoffs. After those two names, I have given up on accumulating any further assets from the upcoming UFAs. Mantha's season is over, Barrie hasn't nearly enough to have a team toss a low pick for him, and Hanley is just filler and may bring in a 7th.
If the Flames continue losing more than they win, I imagine the focus will shift from 'competing' to 'development'. That's what it was in 2013-14. The org then cycled through a lot of guys, and Hartley did a solid job of creating a good environment for these kids. I remembered that team played really well (especially in the 2nd half of the year) and kept the scores close, but still finished drafting 4th overall. I think that season should be the 'goal' for the year - just cycle through a lot of players from the farm, play hard, but not really pile on the wins. Not tanking. Just shifting the focus from 'competing' to 'development'. Tough job to do if you are Huska, and Conroy will have to clear up some room for them.
Defence in general has some work to be done. Solovyov is having a good season and already went through waivers once - will he pass again? Kuznetsov will be waiver eligible, as will Poirier too. To make things even more interesting, Parekh will probably be on the team next season - I can't imagine he goes back to junior for another year, and he won't be eligible for the AHL (IIRC) until the season after next, so it is the Flames or back to the CHL for him. One interesting option would see him go to the NCAA for a season or two now - IMO, that's the best path for him, but unless he wants that, I expect him to be on the Flames next season, making it difficult to rotate all the D. Grushnikov becomes waiver eligible after next season. Brzustevicz will probably be ready for some NHL time next season (if not by the end of this season already - he looked good in preseason after all). That's a lot of names to cycle through on defence in the next two seasons. Most of these will fail (and Jurmo looks like someone who is failing, but too early to say), but they are probably deserving of an NHL look at least.
On forward in the next couple of years, you have Honzek, Stromgren, Morton, Pelletier (getting a look now again), Ciona, Bell and Kerins. Plus if the Flames draft high enough, there is a strong chance that the 1st round pick this year will be too good to send down. It isn't as pressing as defence seems to be, however.
I am just starting to develop a completely irrational level of waiver wire angst for next season already, sorry. Regardless of my own state of mind, it certainly feels like the Flames will probably be changing some of the focus for the remainder of the season, probably starting in January, barring another segment of games this month where they greatly exceed expectations again.
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