Let's play with the 2017 Roster

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

-Bouma's gone next year and I doubt many teams are interested in a guy with 0 goals who does nothing other than throw a hit or two and block shots. AHL guys can do it cheaper
-Don't trade Ferland, that would be a mistake. I'd try re-sign Engelland too but cheaper, if not trade him. Agreed with the rest of the guys you trade.
-Don't expose Brouwer, he's a perfect middle-6 guy. He won't be exposed though so pointless argument.
-Signing Oshie is a fantasy but one that I'm on board with. I'm fine signing Johnson too. Del Zotto and Eaves aren't upgrades on anyone we're trading though. I'd sign Alzner before them.
-You can't rely on winning a lottery to build your team. If it happens, great but that shouldn't be something they hang their hats on.
-If you think Gulutzan is boring, wait until you get a load of Tippett. Laviolette would be better but if (and that's a big if because I think Gulutzan is here next year too) we hire a new coach I'd love Gerard Gallant. Florida made a huge mistake there.

FYI, Patrick Eaves would be our leading scorer right now. Also, last year Del Zotto led all Flyers defensemen in ice time and was only behind Streit the year before. This year only N.Schultz has faced more quality competitions has less offensive zone starts. Del Zotto is highly leaned on by the Flyers. He would immediately be better than all our D not named Hamilton

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Sign
-- Del Zotto 4 yrs, 5.5m AAV

Do you know something about Del Zotto that I don't?
That price-tag strikes me as outrageous.

[devo22]

Del Zotto has been really solid in Philly. But yeah, no way I'd want the Flames to pay him 5.5 over 4 years.

[Poe969]

If Del Zotto s worth 5.5 for 4 years, I'd want them to sign me to 1 year 1 mil. Not that I'm even remotely good enough to be the top tier of beer league but because if they're handing out terrible contracts, I want one too.

[MarkGio]

UFA dmen who play on lousy teams always get paid. Russell during this last free agency is the only exception I can think of. Hell Wideman got close to 6 million and Engelland got close to 4, both of which got some term.

Maybe 5.5 million x 4yrs is a bit excessive tho.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

FYI, Patrick Eaves would be our leading scorer right now.

FYI, Patrick Eaves is playing out of his mind right now and getting every single bounce.

He's 32 years old and has scored 108 goals and 206 points in 560 games. He has hit 20 goals once, 30 points once, and never played a full season in 12 years.

Let's not decide who to sign based on 20 games this year. I like him, but as a third line guy.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Hell Wideman got close to 6 million and Engelland got close to 4, both of which got some term.

Wideman got 5.25M, and Engelland got 2.92M.

Del Zotto has shown he can put up points, but aren't there attitude problems there? I could be confusing him with someone else, but I thought the Rangers couldn't give Del Zotto away a few years ago, and then Nashville didn't re-sign him either.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

FYI, Patrick Eaves would be our leading scorer right now. Also, last year Del Zotto led all Flyers defensemen in ice time and was only behind Streit the year before. This year only N.Schultz has faced more quality competitions has less offensive zone starts. Del Zotto is highly leaned on by the Flyers. He would immediately be better than all our D not named Hamilton

Philly has a terrible blue line right now. Del Zotto most certainly would not be an upgrade on Giordano or Brodie. That's a bit much. He MIGHT be the #4 guy here but like I said earlier I think Alzner is a better option and a legitimate #4 guy.

Him and Eaves aren't bad players, but we don't need to be going after more bottom pairing defenseman and 3rd liners.

[Harry Lime]

Yes, Del Zotto has been scratched multiple times in Philly this year. I think that next year he will have to sign a 'show me' contract, to see if he can get his head on straight. If that would teach him humility, he could turn into a fine defenceman.

I would look at Drew Stafford on a reasonable contract, and of course I'm first in line for a Jagr jersey. That's about as far as I would go in free agency. I agree with others here that the future of this team is either through trade or on the farm.

[bigrangy]

The most important things will be getting the goalies figured out (Johnson + who), Bennett's extension (bridge or long term), and a plug for the #4D hole (I'm going to be promoting Oduya all year for this position)

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by bigrangy

The most important things will be getting the goalies figured out (Johnson + who), Bennett's extension (bridge or long term), and a plug for the #4D hole (I'm going to be promoting Oduya all year for this position)

I would like that rather than Alzner because we can sign Oduya to a 1-2 year deal and wait for Andersson or Kylington and not be stuck on a 7 year term with Alzner.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

MarkGio with abysmal suggestions as usual. Trade Ferland? Lay off the drugs bro

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Do we think Johnson is riding a hot streak when his numbers this season are not an outlier from his career averages?

Flames/Career
.922/.917 - SV%
2.23/2.37 - GAA
.583/.570 - Win%

His career would suggest that this is the level he plays at. I suppose the test is can he sustain this level for 60GP? The most he's played in 1 season was 45GP, last year with Buffalo, and his numbers were basically identical to the career averages above (.920 SV% + .550 Win%).

Johnson was my pick to be the boom in 2016/17 and Elliot the bust

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Boom Johnson - played well on a young Sabres team that had a Flames-like awful even strength goal differential.

Bust Elliott - He is supposed to be ultra competitive. It will be interesting how he adapts gong from a veteran Hitchcock coached team focused on team defense to a team that will be learning team defense. I am afraid he will have trouble adjusting to the team in front of him.

Almost certainly he will be considered a bust as the expectations set for him are unbelievably off the charts high.

----

The Flames are not going to have 3 D-men with over 40 pts and 3 in the top 22 scoring d-men.

The boom level for Hamilton should be 30 pts and plus 10.... Turning his +/- around by 25 really turns the Flames back into a playoff contender.

as of today Hamilton is tied for 19-26 in d-man scoring and has played more games than anyone else... #31 in ppg of all d-men who have played 17 games or more

[keenan87]

Assuming we can get rid of Stajan and Bouma to sign Radulov.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Radulov
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Brouwer
Ferland-Hamilton-Hathaway/Shinkaruk

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Alzner
Kylington-E.Gelinas
Kulak

Ben Bishop
Chad Johnson

[sureLoss]

Besides UFA Alzner, I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Stone is pursued.

The GM and Assistant GM that drafted and developed him are with the Flames. He, like Alzner, has a history with the city.

[spuzzum]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Assuming we can get rid of Stajan and Bouma to sign Radulov.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Radulov
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Brouwer
Ferland-Hamilton-Hathaway/Shinkaruk

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Alzner
Kylington-E.Gelinas
Kulak

Ben Bishop
Chad Johnson

Do you know which route the Brinks truck is taking today?I like all of those signings but unfortunately wouldn't have enough cap room. Radulov is an interesting suggestion for RW.