1st Line Right Winger

[Da_Chief]

Jagr would be a long-term solution.

[Gaudfather]

nm

[codynw]

How many teams even have a full line with 3 genuine top line forwards? It's really not that many. Most teams, even cup contenders, only have one or two per line with a middle 6 type guy that's capable of keeping up with the elite players.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by codynw

How many teams even have a full line with 3 genuine top line forwards? It's really not that many. Most teams, even cup contenders, only have one or two per line with a middle 6 type guy that's capable of keeping up with the elite players.

Exactly this. Even the elite teams only have 4 true top 6 forwards. They tend to pair them up and then rotate other guys through. It's unrealistic to say that we still need 3 top 6 guys. We need 1. It's a cap league.

Gaudreau
Bennett
Monahan
x (this year's draft pick)

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I think "pinning our hopes" is a bit of a skewed way of talking about it.

Is it easy to find 1st line RWers? Nope. This is a thread talking about how we find one. What's the easiest way to find one? Draft #2 or #3 this year and draft Laine or Puljujarvi. How realistic is that? Actually its fairly realistic. We should have a 25-33% of drafting top 3 most likely if you consider the standings and how the lottery works. And Treliving may be able to trade up into the top 3 if we end up drafting 4th or 5th.

It's also possible that one of Laine or Puljujärvi is still available at 4th or even 5th.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by heep223

Exactly this. Even the elite teams only have 4 true top 6 forwards. They tend to pair them up and then rotate other guys through. It's unrealistic to say that we still need 3 top 6 guys. We need 1. It's a cap league.

Gaudreau
Bennett
Monahan
x (this year's draft pick)

but what if the Flames draft Chychrun with their first pick? I would probably put him as the #4 pick after the top 3 then Dubois. If that happens, they'll need a top 6 winger. Even if they get a forward with their first, that player may not be in the league for a year or two, I think it's a good idea to have someone who can make an impact and improve the young players already on the team.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

An interesting question worth asking, though. If we somehow win the lottery, will/should the Flames draft Matthews or go for positional need with a Finn? The three are ahead of the pack and in their own class. One potential franchise center and two potential franchise wingers.

Based on how Matthews is thriving as a rookie in the Swedish men's league though I think he's far too enticing, despite being a center. I guess depends on whether Brad and co. think he's the clear cut BPA or not. But one of our centers would have to convert to wing. Logic says Bennett, as he's already played a fair amount at LW.

Scenario a:
Gaudreau - Monahan - ?
Bennett - Matthews - Frolik

Scenario b:
Gaudreau - Monahan - Laine
? - Bennett - Frolik

Thought there was an interview with Burke was saying always BPA and then work from there.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Poe969

but what if the Flames draft Chychrun with their first pick? I would probably put him as the #4 pick after the top 3 then Dubois. If that happens, they'll need a top 6 winger. Even if they get a forward with their first, that player may not be in the league for a year or two, I think it's a good idea to have someone who can make an impact and improve the young players already on the team.

Yeah I'm not saying they shouldn't add a free agent or two if they can.

Just that it's not realistic to have 6 real bona fide top 6 forwards on an NHL team in a capped league. Like if we have Johnny, monny, Bennett and Matthews, it's pretty ridiculous to say "ok we just need two more top 6 forwards and the rebuild will be complete".

In a cap world, teams have 4 true top 6 forwards (I would consider 60pt+ as top 6).

2015
Chicago: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Saad
TBL: Stamkos, Johnson, Kucherov, Palat

2014 (anomaly because both teams were very defensive - only 1 60pt guy in Kopi)
Kings: Kopitar, Carter, Williams, M Richards
NYR: Zuccarello, Stepan, B Richards, Brassard

2013
Chicago: much the same as 2015
Boston: Marchand, Krejci, Bergeron, Seguin

So there's 4 top 6 forwards getting around 55pts+ and then the 3rd and even 4th lines are filled with guys who are producing 25-45pts pretty consistently, and who rotate up getting time with the big guys.

When the Flames draft one of the top 3 forwards this season, the rebuild is looking really, really good. Need to continue to build the forward depth. D looks great, lots of angles there to build on Gio-Brodie-Hamilton with some cheaper options. I would be pretty disappointed if the Flames drafted a d-man because we have great d-corps and good prospects already. We still need that 4th top 6 forward from within.

I'll say it again, the real long term question mark continues to be goaltending. If Gillies pans out and becomes a rising star in 2017-18, one word look out the boys are going to be contending for a cup.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by heep223

Yeah I'm not saying they shouldn't add a free agent or two if they can.

Just that it's not realistic to have 6 real bona fide top 6 forwards on an NHL team in a capped league. Like if we have Johnny, monny, Bennett and Matthews, it's pretty ridiculous to say "ok we just need two more top 6 forwards and the rebuild will be complete".

In a cap world, teams have 4 true top 6 forwards (I would consider 60pt+ as top 6).

2015
Chicago: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Saad
TBL: Stamkos, Johnson, Kucherov, Palat

2014 (anomaly because both teams were very defensive - only 1 60pt guy in Kopi)
Kings: Kopitar, Carter, Williams, M Richards
NYR: Zuccarello, Stepan, B Richards, Brassard

2013
Chicago: much the same as 2015
Boston: Marchand, Krejci, Bergeron, Seguin

So there's 4 top 6 forwards getting around 55pts+ and then the 3rd and even 4th lines are filled with guys who are producing 25-45pts pretty consistently, and who rotate up getting time with the big guys.

I don't see Patrick Sharp anywhere. Or Rick Nash. Or Milan Lucic. Or Nathan Horton. So most of these teams have at least 5 guys that produce.

60 points is a pretty high bar for top six player in today's NHL as well. Only about half of first line players hit that mark last season.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

I don't see Patrick Sharp anywhere. Or Rick Nash. Or Milan Lucic. Or Nathan Horton. So most of these teams have at least 5 guys that produce.

60 points is a pretty high bar for top six player in today's NHL as well. Only about half of first line players hit that mark last season.

The point is, no team has 6 great forwards in their top 6. It's usually 4-5, and the rest are just guys that are good enough to keep up.

I think finding a winger for Bennett should be more of a priority than finding a second one for Monahan.

[Red Menace]

In Jagrs entire NHL career he has played almost exclusively in the eastern conference (and in the USA). He played 34 games in Dallas, and the rest of his career out east.
I'd say the chances of him signing in Calgary are extremely low.
I'm all for trying it though.

[H2SO4(aq)]

What would people give up for Simmonds? He would be a perfect fit

I assume the asking price is sam Bennett

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

What would people give up for Simmonds? He would be a perfect fit

I assume the asking price is sam Bennett

Why ask when you know the answer.

[T@T]

My top target would be Kevin Hayes, 6'5 - 230lb RW that obviously would work well with Johnny but should be a great fit for Monahans game as well.

As usual the Rangers have a lot of work to do with little cap space, this problem and if rumors of a rift between Hayes and Vigneault are true maybe a top prospect and a 2nd might get him.

[Poe969]

If target Hayes too if available but he still wouldn't be the top flight RW I think the team needs. I think he'd be great on this team but I still think the team needs a legit too 6 RW. I just don think we can have only star players at c and lw

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Poe969

If target Hayes too if available but he still wouldn't be the top flight RW I think the team needs. I think he'd be great on this team but I still think the team needs a legit too 6 RW. I just don think we can have only star players at c and lw

The team needs 2 top 6 RWs.

Hayes would be an excellent add as one of them.

I think the Flames should call up Poirier and put him either with Gaudreau or Bennett and just see what he looks like.

They have a massive gaping chasm at RW and need to find some answers. Who knows, maybe Poirier, like Wotherspoon and Ortio, just looks better this time.

Nothing to lose.

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Why ask when you know the answer.

This honestly is just a bad term to use...Many times the ask is less than what the fans think. Look at Hamilton.

[cannon7]

Obviously drafting any of Matthews, Laine or Puljujarvi would be awesome. Realistically though, Matthews and Laine are arguably the only guys you could slot onto the top line without them looking out of place next season. I would still like the Flames to add a hard nosed guy like Backes or Lucic, as I think its too easy to shut down our top line right now. They'd be expensive and demand a term the Flames likely won't want but I think this roster desperately needs that type of player in the top six.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Backes
Bennett-Matthews-Frolik

or

Gaudreau-Monahan-Laine
Lucic-Bennett-Frolik

[Harry Lime]

Re-sign all of our RFAs, and let Frolik, Hathaway, Shore, Porier, Agostino and Ferland duke it out during the season, until the cream rises to the top.

Personnally, I'm kind of over the Colborne and Jooris experiments, and wouldn't mind trading them to bring in an expiring contract as a 'mentor' or player/coach type of guy.

[powderjunkie]

Simmonds might be on one of the best 5 contracts in the league (3.975 for 3 more years).

If Hornqvist really didn't want to leave Pittsburgh, then he'd be strategic in his NTC selections. After the Oil, Jets, Leafs, (Columbus/Buffalo?) I'd look at the crappy teams that have the most need for a RW, and Calgary would be near the top of that list, as would Vancouver.

Toffoli is 3.25 for one more year. Hard to see the Kings ditching him instead of paying to get rid of Brown or Gaborik (or including one of those contracts in a deal), but he'd be my next choice after Simmonds in a perfect world.