1st Line Right Winger

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by 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.

Personally, 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.

I think Colborne is a little underrated. He has more points that Jooris, Ferland, and Bouma combined. But he has only played half as many minutes (833) as those forwards combined.

In order for the Flames to rely less on their top 2 lines, I think Colborne should be kept around for his consistent depth scoring. His size and positional versatility are bonuses. He has downfalls, but I don't think he's as bad as the actual 4th liners on the team. He'd be cheap to re-sign and is a great character off the ice.

But for Jooris, I agree. We have too many "effort" experimental guys that haven't benefited the team enough.

[The Fonz]

For as long as we're hand-cuffed by the Wideman (5.250), Stajan (3.125), Smid (3.500), Engelland (2.917), and Raymond (2.200 while in AHL) cap hits, we won't be signing a UFA RW to play on our top 2 lines.

Treliving will need to be real creative this summer in order to address our RW. Barring something magical happening (drafting Laine/Pulj)... I can see that side looking like:

Frolik
Colborne
Hathaway
Poirier

In no particular order.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

For as long as we're hand-cuffed by the Wideman (5.250), Stajan (3.125), Smid (3.500), Engelland (2.917), and Raymond (2.200 while in AHL) cap hits, we won't be signing a UFA RW to play on our top 2 lines.

Not necessarily true. If, as speculated, the cap stays flat or declines slightly, UFAs are going to be fighting for scraps this summer. It might be possible to sign a surprisingly good player at a decent price in a soft market.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I've been mildly disappointed with Frolik.

He's not underperforming by much. He's basically what he was for his previous two seasons in Winnipeg, a 0.5 PPG right-winger.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Not necessarily true. If, as speculated, the cap stays flat or declines slightly, UFAs are going to be fighting for scraps this summer. It might be possible to sign a surprisingly good player at a decent price in a soft market.

I could be wrong, but when I look at what we'll be spending on RFAs and in goal next year, I see next to no cap space remaining.

[Flamefan1]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

For as long as we're hand-cuffed by the Wideman (5.250), Stajan (3.125), Smid (3.500), Engelland (2.917), and Raymond (2.200 while in AHL) cap hits, we won't be signing a UFA RW to play on our top 2 lines.

Treliving will need to be real creative this summer in order to address our RW. Barring something magical happening (drafting Laine/Pulj)... I can see that side looking like:

Frolik
Colborne
Hathaway
Poirier

In no particular order.

We need to by out Wideman,Stajan,Smid, Bollig and Raymond or bury them in the minors. None of them have any trade value imho.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Flamefan1

We need to by out Wideman,Stajan,Smid, Bollig and Raymond or bury them in the minors. None of them have any trade value imho.

I could see Wideman having value with 50% retained. $2.6 million is not a bad cap hit for a power-play specialist.

Stajan is handy to have because he can move up and down the lineup and fill any centre spot.

I agree with you about the others.

[Poe969]

If not in the off season, then Wideman will have value at the deadline. I dont think it would be good to buy him out or give an asset/retain salary to get rid of him. Stajan is somewhat in the same boat too. I think Smid is done, he'll retire after the season because of injuries. Raymond and Bolig need to go at any cost. Engelland will have some value too and I think he has a place on the team even though he's over paid.

Use the money saved to get either okposo or lucic and draft one of the Finns then profit!

[Lanny_McDonald]

The Flames will come away from this draft with a top end RW with size and skill. They will take one of Finns, and if they aren't available they'll jump on Gauthier. I can't see them passing up that package of skill and size.

I also expect them to collect a few guys with on the right side with size. I would not be shocked to see the Flames pick Nathan Bastian in the 2nd round. The Flames like to pick players they watch while scouting others. I suspect they have been watching the Steelheads to see Nylander (pass) and McLeod (possible) and will come away impressed with Bastian's size and willingness to go to the dirty spots and collect the garbage around the net. This kid plays truculent hockey and will attract their attention. Same can be said for Taylor Raddysh in Erie. Could be a good pickup in the 2nd round.

The kid doesn't play RW but watch out for Riley Tufte. Huge kid on the left side with some serious skills. A drawback is his diabetes and whether he can manage that and the grind of playing in the NHL. Still, a very interesting player that checks a lot of boxes the Flames usually like.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by New Era

The Flames will come away from this draft with a top end RW with size and skill. They will take one of Finns, and if they aren't available they'll jump on Gauthier. I can't see them passing up that package of skill and size.

I also expect them to collect a few guys with on the right side with size. I would not be shocked to see the Flames pick Nathan Bastian in the 2nd round. The Flames like to pick players they watch while scouting others. I suspect they have been watching the Steelheads to see Nylander (pass) and McLeod (possible) and will come away impressed with Bastian's size and willingness to go to the dirty spots and collect the garbage around the net. This kid plays truculent hockey and will attract their attention. Same can be said for Taylor Raddysh in Erie. Could be a good pickup in the 2nd round.

The kid doesn't play RW but watch out for Riley Tufte. Huge kid on the left side with some serious skills. A drawback is his diabetes and whether he can manage that and the grind of playing in the NHL. Still, a very interesting player that checks a lot of boxes the Flames usually like.

Unless they have a pick outside the top 10 I can't seem them going for Gauthier . Just because he has a RW/R shot on his scouting card doesn't mean you pass up on 10 other better players.

[badger89]

Originally Posted by FlamingHomer

We know Hudler works well there. Not the glamorous choice but if it ain't broke...

Yes

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Unless they have a pick outside the top 10 I can't seem them going for Gauthier . Just because he has a RW/R shot on his scouting card doesn't mean you pass up on 10 other better players.

I would be very interested to see the Flames draft list. I suspect Gauthier is high up on that list. He checks so many boxes that Calgary needs and likes. Just because Bob McKenzie tosses out a list doesn't mean that is what the Flames list is going to look like that. Central Scouting had Gauthier as the 4th ranked North American skater, behind Tkachuk, Chychrun and Nylander mid-term. I'd take Gauthier over Nylander on the Flames, in a heartbeat. Nylander is the antithesis of what Burke and Treliving have talked about over the past couple of years. The Flames need size and skill. I just can't see them picking another undersized player in this draft. I also can't see them ignoring a player that addresses the pressing need.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by New Era

I would be very interested to see the Flames draft list. I suspect Gauthier is high up on that list. He checks so many boxes that Calgary needs and likes. Just because Bob McKenzie tosses out a list doesn't mean that is what the Flames list is going to look like that. Central Scouting had Gauthier as the 4th ranked North American skater, behind Tkachuk, Chychrun and Nylander mid-term. I'd take Gauthier over Nylander on the Flames, in a heartbeat. Nylander is the antithesis of what Burke and Treliving have talked about over the past couple of years. The Flames need size and skill. I just can't see them picking another undersized player in this draft. I also can't see them ignoring a player that addresses the pressing need.

BBPA - Best Big Player Available

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by New Era

I would be very interested to see the Flames draft list. I suspect Gauthier is high up on that list. He checks so many boxes that Calgary needs and likes. Just because Bob McKenzie tosses out a list doesn't mean that is what the Flames list is going to look like that. Central Scouting had Gauthier as the 4th ranked North American skater, behind Tkachuk, Chychrun and Nylander mid-term. I'd take Gauthier over Nylander on the Flames, in a heartbeat. Nylander is the antithesis of what Burke and Treliving have talked about over the past couple of years. The Flames need size and skill. I just can't see them picking another undersized player in this draft. I also can't see them ignoring a player that addresses the pressing need.

Mostly agree. However Nylander is taller than his brother and I think will end up average sized, not below average. But yes, its hard to imagine them taking an average sized player when there are many skilled big players to pick from. I think Nylander will end up bigger and stronger than a guy like Baertschi for example. He does have elite skill but its hard to turn down the big, skilled forwards at the top end this year.

I don't think they'll force a right shooter but its a nice to have. Dubois is ahead of Gauthier for many despite being a left shot. Gauthier did receive a top 6 vote from one of the scouts Bob MacKenzie talked to so its not outrageous to think he could be in our top 7.

It kind of depends how they view the defensemen. If they think Chychrun is a top pairing guy then I would think he'd have to be in our top 5. If they think he's a #3 guy then maybe they bump him down below a lot of the forwards and guys like Dubois and Gauthier could be as high as the 4-6 range on our list.

It's really hard to know. Dubois seems more universally admired and seems to be rising on all sorts of lists. Gauthier seems to average out into the 10ish range but certainly opinions will vary and some will have him top 8. He does seem like a great fit with his size and scoring ability and him being a right shooter but I think we may end up drafting ahead of where the Flames slot him in.

Certainly the CHL playoffs may help provide some separation for some of these guys. It'll be interesting to see how the draft eligibles fare.

[Teroy]

A little side story:
Back in 1985 I was involved in the Mac's Tournament. Nedved and Litvinov was in the tournament that year. As impressed as we were with Nedved, the Czech coaching staff told me that Yagr was the player the Flames should be looking at. I passed that along but nothing ever came of it. It would be great to see him finally in a Flames' jersey.

[saXon]

I don't see the Flames as being lucky enough (ala Edmonchuck) to get Matthews. The more I see of Laine, the more he gets me excited. I would relish seeing him on the Flames' top line for years to come. Helluva shot and kid can skate.

[dammage79]

Nylander is about 5-8 pounds lighter than Tkachuk and the same height. He plays in the dirty areas in front of the net. There's a reason he is ranked so high.

[driveway]

I was pretty high on Boedker for a while, but fancy stats and watching some AZ games turned me off him as a UFA target. He's a perimeter player.

Okposo is the guy I'm interested in, though Isles fans on HF are damn near certain he's signing for north of 6.5 per season. I think that's too rich for our blood.

[Buck Murdock]

Backes would be great.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I could be wrong, but when I look at what we'll be spending on RFAs and in goal next year, I see next to no cap space remaining.

It looks something like this to me.

Two 13 &14 forwards- $2.00M
Frolic - $4.3
Backlund - $3.575
Stajan - $3.125
Bouma - $2.2
Colborne - $2.0 ?
Bollig - $1.25
Jooris - $1.1 ?
Bennett - $.925 + bonus?
Gaudreau - $6.5 ( stay under Giordano's salary)?
Monahan - $5.5?
Ferland - $.825
Hathaway - $.690

Hamilton - $5.750
Wideman - $5.250
Brodie - $4.650
Giordano$- $6.75
Engelland - $2.917
Jokipakka - $.900
Nakladal - $1.00?

Goalies - $7.00 ? (or re-sign Ramo and Ortio for about $4.8)

Smid - $3.5 (IR ?)
Raymond - $2.2 (buried)
---------------------
Total - $73.907

If Smid is on LTIR for the season that would put us close but without any other moves we don't have room for a top RW. The good news is probably a number of teams will have little room to sign UFAs either so they may come cheap. Going with 13 forwards would also save us up to $.900.