This Season & What Need's To Be Accomplished In The Off Season

[Harry Lime]

Right Wing
Move on from Jooris and Colborne and run with Frolik, Hathaway, Grant (who can slide into centre in case of injury) and a fourth line/one year contract vet (can Jason Chimera still skate?) Let Hathaway and Grant prove that they should be on the club. Right wing will be a full year project.

Or simply trade Jooris and Colborne (who I think have value) for a Alex Chaisson type, saving us from signing a Chimera.

Centre
Status Quo

Left Wing
Let Agostino play. Run with Johnny, Bouma, Ferland and Agostino. Bollig is the fifth.

Defense
Trade Wideman. It's not that I don't think that he can play, but the bottom 3 should be making 5.5M between them. Englland and Smid play out their contracts, probably. Don't trade for Harmonic. Simply can't afford him, long term.

Goal
Elliott and Ortio. Blues are going with Allen.

Overall
If we end up going into 17/18 (2 years from now) with three right wing we can trust and three left wing we can trust, and one high calibre rookie on each side along with Jokipakka and Nakladal with a full year with Calgary under their belts and one rookie D, we can make some noise. Next year should be our last complete rebuilding year.

Let's not forget a 1A/1B tandem featuring the comedy styling of John Gilles. And the potential rookies being Laine, Jankowski and Kylington. May 2018 we scare teams in the playoffs.

[TheScorpion]

I'd like this to be our 2016-17 roster:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Okposo
Lucic - Bennett - Perron/1st Round Pick
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Bouma - Jooris - Colborne
Agostino

Giordano - Brodie
Hamilton - Goligoski
Jokipakka - Nakladal
Wotherspoon

Elliott
Ortio

TRADE Stajan
BURY/TRADE Bollig
TRADE Wideman
TRADE Engelland

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd like this to be our 2016-17 roster:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Okposo
Lucic - Bennett - Perron/1st Round Pick
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Bouma - Jooris - Colborne
Agostino

Giordano - Brodie
Hamilton - Goligoski
Jokipakka - Nakladal
Wotherspoon

Elliott
Ortio

TRADE Stajan
BURY/TRADE Bollig
TRADE Wideman
TRADE Engelland

I think even one of Lucic/Okposo is a pipe dream, but both? That's not happening. I also don't see anyone trading for Stajan. He's a great guy but his contract is awful and he's not that good.

[driveway]

I think we're probably looking at a year like Colorado's next year where we take a step in the right direction, but are on the outside looking in at the end. I think we did a great job last offseason shoring up the defence and defensive prospects (Hamilton, Andersson, Kylington). I this offseason, based on our contract situation, I think we've got the opportunity to add one significant piece, and personally, I kinda want us to go back to the same well we went to last year.

Here's the moves I'd like to see:
Qualify: Colborne, Agostino, Ortio, Wotherspoon

Trade Dallas 1st/2nd round pick + Either our or Florida's 2nd depending on if Dallas is a 1st or 2nd + Wideman to NYI for Travis Hamonic.

Sign: James Reimer (2 years/3.5 million), Troy Brouwer (5 years/2 million)

Gaudreau (7.5) - Monahan (6) - Brouwer (2)
Poirier (.825) - Bennett (.925) - Frolik (4.3)
Bouma (2.2) - Backlund (3.6) - Ferland (.825)
Bollig (1.3) - Stajan (3.1) - Colborne (1.5)

(35 million on forwards)

Call ups:
Hathaway
Agostino
Shinkaruk
Klimchuk
Grant
Jankowski

Defense:
Giordano (6.75) - Brodie (4.65)
Hamonic (3.85) - Hamilton (5.75)
Jokipakka (.9) - Engelland (2.9)

(24.8 million on Defence)

Call ups:
Nakladal
Wotherspoon
Smid

Goaltending:
Reimer (3.5)
Ortio (.8)

(4.3 on goaltending)

This would leave us at a cap hit of 63.175 million. Still plenty of room to add players during the season, no stress about signing Bennett, or we can act as a place for teams to cap-dump during the year. The one thing we wouldn't have is any significant expiring UFA contracts to trade at the deadline (Wideman).

Long term I clearly don't think Brouwer is the answer on 1st line RW, I hope we find that in the draft this year or next year, but I would love to have him in our line-up for the next few years as a solid veteran presence who can slowly slide down the depth chart as he ages at not too outrageous a cap hit. Even 3.5 for 4 years or something like that would be fine to pay him, I think.

The following offseason we get Engelland, Smid, and Raymond off the books, hopefully slot this year's 1st overall into the right side of the lineup and make a decision about whether to keep or cut bait on Colborne and/or Ferland, and are talking about how to get Jankowski ice-time with our awesome centre depth and one of Kylington/Andersson/Hickey into our rock-solid defence while Gillies annihilates the 'A' and we wait for Reimer's contract to end to get him starter's minutes in the Show.

[Vinny01]

Get a good goalie is obviously the top priority. I like Andersen out of Anaheim and hope that the Dallas pick turns into a 1st and we use that to acquire him.

This team could use 3 top 6 forwards. Fingers crossed one of those will be with a top 3 pick to play with Bennett on the second line. If we could free up some cap space adding Okposo would be ideal for the Johnny/Mony line. Perhaps a guy like Porier, Shinkaruk, Agostino could fill in the last spot on the Bennett line?

I think the Flames have 2/3 of what could be an amazing 3rd line (albeit expensive) with Backlund and Frolik. Hopefully Bouma can bounce back and fill that line out. The 4th line we could go big and have Ferland with Colborne and Hathaway? I also am intrigued by Arnold or Grant getting a shot at that position

On the back end I would love to see the following pairings
Gio-Brodie
Schlemko-Hamilton
Jokkipakka-Nakladal
Wotherspoon
I would be okay with Engellend in place of Nakladal but would hope to move his contract.

In order for this to happen the Flames need to somehow some way dump Raymond, Stajan, Wideman, Bollig, Smid and possibly Engellend and Colborne (as mentioned above those last 2 could stay)

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd like this to be our 2016-17 roster:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Okposo
Lucic - Bennett - Perron/1st Round Pick
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
Bouma - Jooris - Colborne
Agostino

Giordano - Brodie
Hamilton - Goligoski
Jokipakka - Nakladal
Wotherspoon

Elliott
Ortio

TRADE Stajan
BURY/TRADE Bollig
TRADE Wideman
TRADE Engelland

The salary cap and the current market make this pipe dream. It is going to be tough to move any one of our bad contracts, let alone all of them. We're likely screwed until those contracts expire.

[Roof-Daddy]

With the cap going up to $74 million, I'd offer Stamkos the max of 7 years @ $9 million per. $63 million total.

My bet is he turns it down, but I'd take a run at him.

I imagine many of you are glad I don't run the team haha.

Seriously though, this guy with Johnny for the next 7 years would be fantastic, and he could play center or RW.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

who else is in the market for a starting goaltender this offseason?

Carolina and Toronto look to be the two teams that will be competing most with the Flames.

[Lanny_McDonald]

@driveway

Good plan as it also takes future growth into consideration. Just a couple observations on your post. Why do you think Brouwer would take a huge cut in pay to play for Calgary? He's making $3.6M right now and is headed to free agency. He's going to cost a lot more than $2M per.

You're counting on certain players reaching UFA status but signing back with the Flames for marginal dollars in hopes of getting a shot to play in the NHL. Grant and Nakladal will both be UFAs come the end of this season. I doubt either of them would sign with the Flames if there was any chance of them being sent to the AHL and making chicken scratch. This is just minor stuff, but unless the Flames make a commitment to these guys I think they will move on to greener pastures. I think Nakladal has shown he is worthy of the bottom pairing contract, so hopefully that will resolve itself.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by New Era

The salary cap and the current market make this pipe dream. It is going to be tough to move any one of our bad contracts, let alone all of them. We're likely screwed until those contracts expire.

Here's our salary situation:

2016-17 Salary Cap: $74 million

2016-17 Player Salaries:

M. Frolik: $4.3 million
M. Backlund: $3.575 million
M. Stajan: $3.125 million
L. Bouma: $2.2 million
B. Bollig: $1.25 million
S. Bennett: $0.925 million
M. Ferland: $0.825 million
G. Hathaway: $0.690 million

M. Giordano: $6.75 million
D. Hamilton: $5.75 million
T. Brodie: $4.650,400
D. Engelland: $2,916,666
D. Wideman: $5.25 million
J. Jokipakka: $0.9 million

Total salary committed: $48,807,066
Projected cap space: $19,942,934

Projected players to re-sign:

J. Gaudreau: $7.5 million
S. Monahan: $6.5 million
J. Nakladal: $1 million
J. Colborne: $1.3 million
K. Agostino: $0.9 million
T. Wotherspoon: $0.9 million

Total: $18.1 million

That leaves: $1,842,934 to spend.

Now, how much of this dead contract space:

D. Wideman: $5.25 million
M. Stajan: $3.125 million
D. Engelland: $2,916,666
B. Bollig: $1.25 million
Totalling $12.52 million – can we free up?

Dennis Wideman should be tradeable for a 3rd-round pick, but take what you can get to rid that contract.

Matt Stajan, if possible, should be traded for a 7th or future considerations.

Deryk Engelland could probably get a 5th.

Brandon Bollig? Future considerations.

DO NOT RETAIN SALARY.

That frees you up 12.52 million - you likely got $14 million of space.

Sign Okposo. PLEASE! 6 x 6.
That leaves you with 8 million in cap space. Trade Ortio + the Wideman return to Pittsburgh for Fleury.

There's your team.

[Erick Estrada]

I don't know if Okposo is a player that you sign to one of the typical UFA contracts in the neighborhood of $5x5 as he seems like an okay winger in a good situation playing with an elite center. Every time I watch him play I come away unimpressed with what he brings to the table. Flames are getting to that stage where they have to be very careful about how much money and term they give out in free agency to supplemental players.

Regardless signing a guy like Okposo will be looked at as secondary to finding a goaltender or two.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

What do those three examples have in common: they're all names that the media personality in question recognizes.

Those guys aren't going to do the necessary homework to dig up some uncut diamond buried in the Columbus or Nashville organizations.

They are throwing names out there to generate discussion.

They are also names that are likely available.

[Strange Brew]

We just have to grit our teeth and ride it out next year. Let the overpaid guys on expiring contracts hang around until the deadline at which time they should have some trade value.

What is the point of making trades just to clear space this summer? It's not like the team is a UFA signing away from contending next year.

Put a decent goalie behind the team and let's see how good they are.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by New Era

@driveway

Good plan as it also takes future growth into consideration. Just a couple observations on your post. Why do you think Brouwer would take a huge cut in pay to play for Calgary? He's making $3.6M right now and is headed to free agency. He's going to cost a lot more than $2M per.

Yeah, I hope that Nakladal and Grant can be resigned, though it wouldn't surprise me if they move on. Jokipakka and acquiring Hamonic would be pretty good insulation against losing Nakladal though, and would provide an opportunity for one of the younger guys; Wotherspoon, Kylington et. al.

As for Brouwer, the reason I think we could get him for less than what he's making now is by stretching out the term of the contract. Also, I'm hoping for the Glencross effect. Glencross and Brouwer have very very similar stats from ages 26-30, 31 is when Glencross started declining and he couldn't get a contract at all at 32.

Well, Brouwer is going to be 31 next year, so I figure, if we can stretch the term of the deal, we can really drop the cap hit. 2 mil/per might be a little optimistic, but say we do 2.5 for 5 years, that's a 12.5 million dollar contract. For a team to top that and give him a raise they're going to have to throw him 4.25 for 3 years, is there a team out there who's willing to throw that much money at a guy who's only topped 20 goals 3 times? Career high 43 points and is on the steep-side of 30? If there is, they're welcome to him.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by driveway

Well, Brouwer is going to be 31 next year, so I figure, if we can stretch the term of the deal, we can really drop the cap hit. 2 mil/per might be a little optimistic, but say we do 2.5 for 5 years, that's a 12.5 million dollar contract.

And then, for the last two or three years of that contract, he'll be the new Stajan, and everybody will be complaining about his cap hit and calling management stupid for not buying him out.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

And then, for the last two or three years of that contract, he'll be the new Stajan, and everybody will be complaining about his cap hit and calling management stupid for not buying him out.

True, but 2.5 is both easier to swallow and easier for the organization to handle burying in the minors a la Mason Raymond than the 3+ that Stajan is making.