Please do absolutely nothing.

[Rick M.]

Treliving commented during one of the post-draft interviews that the Flames learned from the Anaheim series that they needed to get bigger AND faster. We're lacking a Corey Perry not a Westgarth. Big without skill and speed is useless.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

I love what Treliving has done lately, but he didn't show the best judgement in UFA season last year, with the Engelland, Raymond, and Setoguchi moves all on the poor side to varying degrees. The Hiller singing was good.
I have more faith in BT than I did last year, but am a little worried when we continue to hear chirpings from Burke about getting bigger, which often time leads to signing or trading for terrible hockey players ( like Bollig for example)

There is nothing wrong with what Treliving did with free agency last year. I'm as big of a Raymond critic as anyone, but when you look back at the position he was in it made total sense. Team predicted to be in lottery contention, not enough NHL bodies in the lineup, and he needed to get to the cap floor. It's not his fault that the Flames far exceeded even the wildest predictions for them and accelerated the rebuild by several years

The Setoguchi was one of those low risk/high reward single year deals so absolutely nothing wrong with it, and if you somehow think Engelland was a bad signing after what he did after Gio went down then there's something wrong with you

[Gaudfather]

Size, speed and skill - both Burke and Treliving fully understand you need to balance all three - and that is precisely what they are doing.

The fact that they still drafted a player like Mangiapane shows they are not solely focussed on brute strength and size.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

There is nothing wrong with what Treliving did with free agency last year. I'm as big of a Raymond critic as anyone, but when you look back at the position he was in it made total sense. Team predicted to be in lottery contention, not enough NHL bodies in the lineup, and he needed to get to the cap floor. It's not his fault that the Flames far exceeded even the wildest predictions for them and accelerated the rebuild by several years

The Setoguchi was one of those low risk/high reward single year deals so absolutely nothing wrong with it, and if you somehow think Engelland was a bad signing after what he did after Gio went down then there's something wrong with you

Agreed. Actually, the funny thing was that the Raymond contract looked good at first. But as time wore on, it looked bad. Egg's contract looked bad from day 1, but right now, it's looking better than Raymond's contract. Setoguchi was a "at least we tried to address the RW issue" contract.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

As much as I dislike him, I think Martin St. Louis might be the perfect fit.

He's a high scoring RW that would be perfect to play on the 2nd line with Bennett and he'll only require a 1 year contract.

Spot on. Cheapish 1 year deal, will still get top 9 minutes and probably a little PP time which is something not a lot of other teams will have to offer. He may be 40 y/o but he is also a fitness freak. Can't say I've loved his attitude the last couple years but I think Hartley and Gio will help with that.

[ricardodw]

The Flame window (with the signing of Hamilton) just became 2015-2017 (when Wideman needs replacing and Bennett's ELC ends)


Matt Beleskey 3 years @5M gives the Flames what they are lacking ... a big aggressive talented player

[skudr248]

^no

[SuperMatt18]

He's not completely wrong. Their window doesn't close after that, but that window might be their best shot.

In the Salary cap era good teams tend to win when their good young players are on ELCs.

Pittsburgh's cup came on Malkin/Staal ELC.
Chicago's on Toews/Kane (and on this recent one Saad, Tervainen, etc)
Boston won on Seguin/Lucic/Marchand ELC.
Anaheim on Getzlaf/Perry/Penners ELC
Carolina on Staal/Ward/Laad

If Flames really want to be a powerhouse they need to aim to win a cup before Bennett/Poirier ELC expires.

Doesn't mean that their window closes after that but huge benefit to build a deep and powerful team when your young guys are still on ELCs.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

If Flames really want to be a powerhouse they need to aim to win a cup before Bennett/Poirier ELC expires.

Bennett's ELC expires in just two years. That's just a tiny window if you get too hung up on it. He's a core player though, so treating him as a core player means his cap value will be worth his performance.

Regardless, lots of ELCs ahead of him:

Caroll/Jankowski/Poirier/Klimchuk ELCs should end in 2018
Smith/Hickey ELC would presumably end 2019
Kylington/Andersson ELC would presumably end 2020

The key is to get some consistent high value and not lose our first rounders in the next few years trying to win within some definite window.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Spot on. Cheapish 1 year deal, will still get top 9 minutes and probably a little PP time which is something not a lot of other teams will have to offer. He may be 40 y/o but he is also a fitness freak. Can't say I've loved his attitude the last couple years but I think Hartley and Gio will help with that.

Byron also gets a close up on a player he can model his career on?

Immediate whipping boy though if acquired.