23/24 Flames

[Scrambler]

I like the idea of Mitch Love, but if the Wranglers go on a long Calder Cup run that goes deep into June do the Flames wait till then to announce a new coach?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

Vladar is as good as gone. No way Flames can keep him and not promote Wolf. Running with Wolf/Vladar is too risky

I would prefer that combo, to be quite honest

Marky got the softball starts too, Vladar’s average quality of opponent was higher

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by prizefighterinferno

Promote Conroy to GM...

Hire coach (Brunette? Love?)

Decide if you’re going to be able to/want to retain Lindholm/Hanifin.

Give Backlund the C already.

Re-sign Lindy, Stecher, Backlund, Tanev, Kylington and Phillips on a one-way league minimum
Hanifin, Toffoli, Vladar traded (separate deals) for Konecny and prospects/futures:

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Coronato
Pelletier-Kadri-Konecny
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Ruzicka-Dube-Deuhr
Phillips

Weegar-Andersson
Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov-Stecher
Gilbert

Wolf
Markstrom

Agreed on most fronts. Minor additions in red.
If Konecny doesn't work out...see if we can use our cap space to retain players and get more picks

[Bingo]

It's a messy situation.

They could "luck" out and bring back all 6 UFAs, sputter and get a great haul at the deadline. But it's more likely they're on the bubble and walk whoever they don't sign to free agency.

I don't see this team as a contender, and I don't think they'll be a contender in the next five years.

Hope the new guy has the stones to trade two for futures this summer and get ahead of it. They need to build a younger core to work with Kadri and Huberdeau ... almost like Dallas these days.

I'd keep Hanifin and Lindholm, trade Toffoli and Tanev, and roll the dice on Backlund staying on a Thornton year to year contract.

[Harry Lime]

Wolf should play, and the most logical piece to move is vladar, who has value in a weak goalie market. Weegar looked great with Anderson, and plays offside as a preference. Zadorov as a 5th that can jump up and kylington tanev back together. Hanafin odd guy out with tones of value. Look hard at toffoli as a product of meshing with Sutter, move at peak. Those are the 3 I'd move. All potential good return.

Have serious talks with lindholm and backs, and react to that.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's a messy situation.

They could "luck" out and bring back all 6 UFAs, sputter and get a great haul at the deadline. But it's more likely they're on the bubble and walk whoever they don't sign to free agency.

I don't see this team as a contender, and I don't think they'll be a contender in the next five years.

Hope the new guy has the stones to trade two for futures this summer and get ahead of it. They need to build a younger core to work with Kadri and Huberdeau ... almost like Dallas these days.

I'd keep Hanifin and Lindholm, trade Toffoli and Tanev, and roll the dice on Backlund staying on a Thornton year to year contract.

When you say "keep Lindholm and Hanifin", do you mean sign them to long term contracts? Becuase they are by far your best trade chips.

I don't think there is any chance that Backlund signs for one year. He just had a very good year. I expect the Flames would gladly give him 3-years at the same money he's been making. I expect some team would make him a better offer. No idea if he'd take it. Was it just Sutter, or is he simply tired of spinning his wheels here? It certainly did not effect his play this year, he is quite the warrior.

[Sylvanfan]

I don't think Vladar has any value with this extension. To me he's pretty dime a dozen, and many teams have a guy like him in the AHL for like 800k. Extending him when they did was a big mistake by Treliving in my opinion.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I don't think Vladar has any value with this extension. To me he's pretty dime a dozen, and many teams have a guy like him in the AHL for like 800k. Extending him when they did was a big mistake by Treliving in my opinion.

There are almost no UFA goalies available this year, and a few teams like LA and Ottawa seriously looking.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

When you say "keep Lindholm and Hanifin", do you mean sign them to long term contracts? Becuase they are by far your best trade chips.

I don't think there is any chance that Backlund signs for one year. He just had a very good year. I expect the Flames would gladly give him 3-years at the same money he's been making. I expect some team would make him a better offer. No idea if he'd take it. Was it just Sutter, or is he simply tired of spinning his wheels here? It certainly did not effect his play this year, he is quite the warrior.

Hanifin will be 27 at the start of the 24-25 season...so giving him 8 years isn't crazy IMO. If it were for around $6.5M then I'd be okay with re-signing him.

Lindholm is tougher...he will be 29 by the start of the 24-25 season...and 8 years would take him to 37 years old. But 200ft centers that can be a PPG with the right linemates are probably the hardest thing to find in the NHL. If you can re-sign him for around $8.5M then I don't think that is the worst - but anything more starts to become questionable.

Zadorov is interesting because he's probably cheaper in both term and contract length to re-sign. But with 14 goals last year you might never have a better chance to move him for a good return.

Toffoli is 32 by the time his extension kick in...he should be moved.
Backlund is 35 by the time his extension kicks in...he should be moved.
Tanev is 34 by the time his extension kicks in...he should be moved.

All three of those guys have been great Flames, and I would love to see Backlund be a career Flame, but honestly you can't sign guys into their mid-30s out of attachment to them. If they can bring you back 1st & 2nd round picks then you have to move them.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

There are almost no UFA goalies available this year, and a few teams like LA and Ottawa seriously looking.

You think either of those teams sees Vladar as an option? LA extended Copley and might make a play for Korpisalo even though he was not good in the last three playoff games.

For Ottawa I doubt they view him as an upgrade on Forsberg who is signed for two more years.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

When you say "keep Lindholm and Hanifin", do you mean sign them to long term contracts? Becuase they are by far your best trade chips.

I don't think there is any chance that Backlund signs for one year. He just had a very good year. I expect the Flames would gladly give him 3-years at the same money he's been making. I expect some team would make him a better offer. No idea if he'd take it. Was it just Sutter, or is he simply tired of spinning his wheels here? It certainly did not effect his play this year, he is quite the warrior.

I think the core four are all good trade chips.

Lindholm and Hanifin greater for sure with age, but also the most attractive to sign if they want to lock up two.

Didn't mean Backlund would sign for a year this summer (as an extension), just suggesting you could risk that into his free agent summer and see what he has planned.

[Sylvanfan]

The free agents are tricky because I do think come deadline with 50% salary retention they are all very tradable. You try and trade them now, I don't think you get as much as it's still tough to fit 5 million dollar cap hits on teams.

For me Hanifin is the one I might keep due to age and the fact that he plays a lot of minutes and has been pretty durable. But he's a good and not great player...so I don't know how many 6.5 D you can have who are in that class.

The other guys should go. Either too old, or won't really do enough to justify the salary they will command. Not the difference makers you need to drive your team.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

You think either of those teams sees Vladar as an option? LA extended Copley and might make a play for Korpisalo even though he was not good in the last three playoff games.

For Ottawa I doubt they view him as an upgrade on Forsberg who is signed for two more years.

Maybe Gaudreau puts in a good word and Columbus decides they want to try a tandem of Vladar and Merzļikins.

[DJones]

Rittich is still getting jobs, Vladar should be able to be moved.

Can't really answer this question until they know about Lindholm. If hes not resigning what we get back in return is a huge deciding factor.

Still think Hanifin is the odd man out on defense though. I like him but Weegar took his payday.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The free agents are tricky because I do think come deadline with 50% salary retention they are all very tradable. You try and trade them now, I don't think you get as much as it's still tough to fit 5 million dollar cap hits on teams.

For me Hanifin is the one I might keep due to age and the fact that he plays a lot of minutes and has been pretty durable. But he's a good and not great player...so I don't know how many 6.5 D you can have who are in that class.

The other guys should go. Either too old, or won't really do enough to justify the salary they will command. Not the difference makers you need to drive your team.

I see Hanifin in a better light.

Top four guy with speed, youth, durable, and looked to be popping a bit last season on the offensive side of the puck.

27th league wide in xGF%
81st xGA60
18th xGF60

That's a top 2-3 guy on most teams and worth the money.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

You think either of those teams sees Vladar as an option? LA extended Copley and might make a play for Korpisalo even though he was not good in the last three playoff games.

For Ottawa I doubt they view him as an upgrade on Forsberg who is signed for two more years.

It will be more a non-playoff team that thinks he could help longer term...not a team looking to contend now.

San Jose, Arizona, Buffalo, Philly, Pittsburgh...that would be my guess.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I see Hanifin in a better light.

Top four guy with speed, youth, durable, and looked to be popping a bit last season on the offensive side of the puck.

27th league wide in xGF%
81st xGA60
18th xGF60

That's a top 2-3 guy on most teams and worth the money.

Not that different than how I see him.

It's more a question of can your defence suffice with 3 guys in Anderson, Weegar, and Hanifin who all sort of fit that profile making 6 to 7 each but no true leader. Anderson isn't at that price point yet, but he'll be there too soon enough.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I see Hanifin in a better light.

Top four guy with speed, youth, durable, and looked to be popping a bit last season on the offensive side of the puck.

27th league wide in xGF%
81st xGA60
18th xGF60

That's a top 2-3 guy on most teams and worth the money.

I personally think I might like Hanifin more than Andersson.

Andersson is good but IMO his skating holds him back and this past season his pinches were atrocious and left his partners out to dry a lot.

But I also think that if you have Hanifin, Andersson, and Weegar for around $17.5M combined long term that it's a pretty good framework for a d-core.

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Not that different than how I see him.

It's more a question of can your defence suffice with 3 guys in Anderson, Weegar, and Hanifin who all sort of fit that profile making 6 to 7 each but no true leader. Anderson isn't at that price point yet, but he'll be there too soon enough.

I think you can.

In a league where top d-men are going to be making $10+ million if you have three guys that can play top 4 minutes locked up for under $18M for the three of them for at least 3 more seasons then I think you are laughing. Think if you get Kylington into that group for around $4M too then you could really be in good shape.

Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington - Weegar

If you lock that up for around $22M long term then I think you are actually in pretty good shape for your d-core. Right now the contenders in the league are spending about $25-$30M on their d-core, as the cap grows over the next 5 years that probably becomes more like $30-$35M. So if you have those 4 locked up for around $22M I think that puts you in pretty good shape.

[Teroy]

I think if we move Vladar we'll look back on it as a mistake. Those of you who are supporting Markstrom are doing so on a hope and a prayer. Sutter just dumped Vladar in when Makstrom pooped the bed and you expected him to stand on his head and spit pucks. Given a proper chance, shown some confidence in him, Vladar would be a very good goaltender.

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's a messy situation.

They could "luck" out and bring back all 6 UFAs, sputter and get a great haul at the deadline. But it's more likely they're on the bubble and walk whoever they don't sign to free agency.

I don't see this team as a contender, and I don't think they'll be a contender in the next five years.

Hope the new guy has the stones to trade two for futures this summer and get ahead of it. They need to build a younger core to work with Kadri and Huberdeau ... almost like Dallas these days.

I'd keep Hanifin and Lindholm, trade Toffoli and Tanev, and roll the dice on Backlund staying on a Thornton year to year contract.

This has to be one of the most dysfunctional organizations I have ever been a fan off. Press conference declaring "we want to be a championship team". Complete lip service to try and get fans to the dome.... championship teams are built through the draft, you have to go through painful years, draft high and sign your young core players to long term commitments, this team has none of those key ingredients

Just complete lip service...this team actually has no intention to be a championship team. Murray Edwards clearly only cares about misleading his fan base so that he can sell tickets...because they might get into the playoffs...

Hope all you season ticket holders are excited