[CP Story] Reactionary Roster Management

[GullFoss]

It's a good piece with logical analysis. My only point of contention is your assertion to leave the core intact, while dealing defencemen. There is another option - combining a defenceman with a core piece to get an core upgrade.

For example: Say the flames want to trade Hanifin (and I'm not sure that's the answer)

Option 1 - trade Hanifin for a top 6 forward, which should be doable (as you mentioned)
Option 2 - trade Hanifin AND a top-6 forward for top-2 forward.

Option 2 is somewhat akin to what the hurricanes did last year - combine a top-4 defenseman and a top-6 winger for a top-2 defenseman (in theory). Could the flames do something similar - trade a top-6 forward and a top-4 defenseman for a top-3 piece with franchise potential?

I'm not sure they would, but is that a possibility? They could target a team in cap trouble with high end pieces but limited depth (like the leafs, oilers), a team that needs a shake up (Buffalo, Philli, Florida, Nashville), a team looking to retool to get over the hump (tampa, winnipeg) or a team looking to rebuild.

[GullFoss]

Im going to add that IMO the easiest option for the flames is to make their middle six better and hope it helps with match-ups and momentum next playoffs. Make your second line more of a scoring threat and make the third line the shutdown instead of the second. And then hope that Monahan comes back bigger and faster. And hope Neal is rejuvenated after a long off-season.

Johnny Monahan Lindholm
Tkachuk Kadri Bennett
Dube Backlund Neal
Mangiapane Ryan Hathaway

Giordano Andersson
Valikmaki Hanifin
Kylington Hamonic

One trade: Brodie for Kadri

[PugnaciousIntern]

Based on the season, I am not expecting many big changes.

Then I look at the D depth and I think there's no way we enter next year with Gio, Brodie, Hamonic, Hanifin, Valimaki, Andersson, Kylington, and Stone. Not to mention Treliving has always liked having a big D as an extra, so I imagine he'll either bring Prout back or his equivalent.

But then, Treliving brought IN Fantenberg at the trade deadline. I am still confused by that move. In my eyes we have a glut of defencemen, but apparently we needed to add defensive depth for these playoffs. Does Treliving still believe the current list of D contracts headed into the next season are not enough?

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

An Oilers fan picking at a Flames scab seems a little troll-like. You've brought up the Monahan thing a couple of times now. Are you really that invested in our team?

When on your board, sometimes I engage in the hockey conversation. I don't do it too often and I'm not being disrespectful or taking shots at anyone.

Seems to be a legitimate debate in the last two months and worth discussing. I think this time you're trying to paint me as something I'm not.

To the point of the conversation. Is wondering about a player actually being injured or not picking at a flames scab? He could have played better. At least injuries could help explain why.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Im going to add that IMO the easiest option for the flames is to make their middle six better and hope it helps with match-ups and momentum next playoffs. Make your second line more of a scoring threat and make the third line the shutdown instead of the second. And then hope that Monahan comes back bigger and faster. And hope Neal is rejuvenated after a long off-season.

Johnny Monahan Lindholm
Tkachuk Kadri Bennett
Dube Backlund Neal
Mangiapane Ryan Hathaway

Giordano Andersson
Valikmaki Hanifin
Kylington Hamonic

One trade: Brodie for Kadri

Dube might end up there by the end of the season, but I can't imagine Janko, Frolik, and Czarnik all losing their spots to Dube, Maniapane, and Hath.

[SeanCharles]

Sometimes I wonder if we have the least RHed top9 forwards in the league.

I feel that should be the number one priority for Treliving as we only have one in Lindholm.

Everyone throwing out names like Zucker and Kadri is all fine and dandy but I'd be trying to get guys like Kapanen instead.

With Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Backlund, Bennett, Mangiapane and Dube all as current and future top 9 players it would be nice to add at least one other Rhed shot to go along with Lindholm.

Ryan and Hathaway are good pieces but Ryan is 32 and Hathaway is a career 4th liner.

I feel like this is more of an issue than we realize as only having one right shot on our top 3 lines IMO makes us easier to defend.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

It's a good piece with logical analysis. My only point of contention is your assertion to leave the core intact, while dealing defencemen. There is another option - combining a defenceman with a core piece to get an core upgrade.

For example: Say the flames want to trade Hanifin (and I'm not sure that's the answer)

Option 1 - trade Hanifin for a top 6 forward, which should be doable (as you mentioned)
Option 2 - trade Hanifin AND a top-6 forward for top-2 forward.

Option 2 is somewhat akin to what the hurricanes did last year - combine a top-4 defenseman and a top-6 winger for a top-2 defenseman (in theory). Could the flames do something similar - trade a top-6 forward and a top-4 defenseman for a top-3 piece with franchise potential?

I'm not sure they would, but is that a possibility? They could target a team in cap trouble with high end pieces but limited depth (like the leafs, oilers), a team that needs a shake up (Buffalo, Philli, Florida, Nashville), a team looking to retool to get over the hump (tampa, winnipeg) or a team looking to rebuild.

Why are we trading Hanifin? He had arguably as good a year as Hamilton, except he's 22 And under contract for five more years at under $5M. Giordano isn't going to be a Norris level player forever.

Hanifin:

5G 28A 33 pts +18 12 PIM (???) 116 shots CF 52.8% oZS 49.9% 20:46 TOI

Hamilton:

18G 21A 39 pts Even 54 PIM 259 shots CF 58.1% oZS% 55.6 19:40 TOI

Hanifin doesn't even play on the powerplay. In Brodie's absence, I expect he will next season, and I bet he pushes 50 points.

We can't trade him because he didn't have an answer for Nathan MacKinnon.

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Why are we trading Hanifin? He had arguably as good a year as Hamilton, except he's 22 And under contract for five more years at under $5M. Giordano isn't going to be a Norris level player forever.

Hanifin:

5G 28A 33 pts +18 12 PIM (???) 116 shots CF 52.8% oZS 49.9% 20:46 TOI

Hamilton:

18G 21A 39 pts Even 54 PIM 259 shots CF 58.1% oZS% 55.6 19:40 TOI

Hanifin doesn't even play on the powerplay. In Brodie's absence, I expect he will next season, and I bet he pushes 50 points.

We can't trade him because he didn't have an answer for Nathan MacKinnon.

It's not about trading him for the sake of it.

The Flames have to get faster, more dynamic and more physical up front. Fast, physical (or at least mentally tough), productive forwards on reasonable contracts don't come cheap. It's not far-fetched to think Brodie, Frolik and/or Janko won't yield a 1A or good #2 C or RW on the right side of 30 or 31. Enter Hanifin, for all the strengths you mentioned. GMs covet younger D with upside who don't have boat anchor contracts. Most of all, D is our strongest position outside of maybe LW.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Monahans injuries are concerning. The man is made of glass imo.

Just like Backlund from years ago, if the injuries aren't connected it's bad luck.

Kind of unfair to call a guy glass that's been hacked in the hands and wrist as many times as he has.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Im going to add that IMO the easiest option for the flames is to make their middle six better and hope it helps with match-ups and momentum next playoffs. Make your second line more of a scoring threat and make the third line the shutdown instead of the second. And then hope that Monahan comes back bigger and faster. And hope Neal is rejuvenated after a long off-season.

Johnny Monahan Lindholm
Tkachuk Kadri Bennett
Dube Backlund Neal
Mangiapane Ryan Hathaway

Giordano Andersson
Valikmaki Hanifin
Kylington Hamonic

One trade: Brodie for Kadri

Exactly ... that's why I had forward 6-7 on the list of summer shopping.

If they think Sam Bennett is the guy, that's fine, but then they need a new "best player on line three" for the roster as well.

Either way they need a player to slide in just after Backlund in the pecking order to give their line rolling more depth.

[Stanley]

I like good skaters.
I like Noah Hanifin

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Stanley

I like good skaters.
I like Noah Hanifin

I like Noah Hanifin too ... but if you have more than two top four left shooting defenseman and another one in Kylington that has nowhere to play you have to consider strength for weakness trades.

Giordano is a lock.
Valimaki is making a move.

So I do think we see Kylington moved this summer if they don't make room for him by moving another left side D.

It's Hanifin (bigger return) vs Kylington (more ideally suited for third pairing).

Happy to keep him though.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I like Noah Hanifin too ... but if you have more than two top four left shooting defenseman and another one in Kylington that has nowhere to play you have to consider strength for weakness trades.

Giordano is a lock.
Valimaki is making a move.

So I do think we see Kylington moved this summer if they don't make room for him by moving another left side D.

It's Hanifin (bigger return) vs Kylington (more ideally suited for third pairing).

Happy to keep him though.

It was wonderful to watch the organization develop Rasmus and Kylington over the years. I'd feel a tinge of sadness if we traded Kylington now.

But business is business and moves need to be made to get to the next level.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I like Noah Hanifin too ... but if you have more than two top four left shooting defenseman and another one in Kylington that has nowhere to play you have to consider strength for weakness trades.

Giordano is a lock.
Valimaki is making a move.

So I do think we see Kylington moved this summer if they don't make room for him by moving another left side D.

It's Hanifin (bigger return) vs Kylington (more ideally suited for third pairing).

Happy to keep him though.

Agreed, on paper as of this morning Hanifin is the better D man. Which is why his value would be more than Kylington, but I too think Kylington could become a stud left side D.

If there's an offer out there which greatly improves our scoring depth or something I think you have to consider it.

Say something with Toronto for Nylander perhaps..

[Toonage]

I think Hanifin's ceiling is higher but I was left more impressed with what I saw from Kylington this season, even if it was a much smaller sample size. Hanifin's hockey IQ concerns me, but I don't see anything that can't be coached into or out of him.

Gio has 3 years left on his deal, and we don't know when Father Time will come knocking on his door. H could hurt himself training, he might hurt himself in a game or he just might lose a few steps. In any event we'd be foolish to move Kylington or Hanifin in the event this happens, but I get why this could happen.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Sometimes I wonder if we have the least RHed top9 forwards in the league.

I feel that should be the number one priority for Treliving as we only have one in Lindholm.

Everyone throwing out names like Zucker and Kadri is all fine and dandy but I'd be trying to get guys like Kapanen instead.

With Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Backlund, Bennett, Mangiapane and Dube all as current and future top 9 players it would be nice to add at least one other Rhed shot to go along with Lindholm.

Ryan and Hathaway are good pieces but Ryan is 32 and Hathaway is a career 4th liner.

I feel like this is more of an issue than we realize as only having one right shot on our top 3 lines IMO makes us easier to defend.

Kapenen would be a fantastic add, and instantly be our top line RW. He is the type of player Johnny needs, excellent shot and loads of speed.

I don't think it would be too far fetched to think Brodie + could land you him. The Leafs are in cap hell, 73 million tied up next year and still have to replace both Hainsey and Gardiner on D and sign Marner, Kapenen, Johnsson.

Brodie + Jankowski for Kapenen

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Exactly ... that's why I had forward 6-7 on the list of summer shopping.

If they think Sam Bennett is the guy, that's fine, but then they need a new "best player on line three" for the roster as well.

Either way they need a player to slide in just after Backlund in the pecking order to give their line rolling more depth.

Is it not abundantly clear by now that Springtime Sam Bennett is not the same player as Winter Bennett? We have seen this now each and every season the Flames have played in the playoffs since 2015—Bennett plays fine in the regular season, but then turns into a post-season monster. Yeah, he is still young and maybe there is some room to grow, but I am today fairly unconvinced that he will be a viable second-line option for the Flames in September. He remains a VERY important player for this team because of what he brings when the playoffs start, but I still believe what we see from him each regular season is what we will get in the future, and that's okay.

[Strange Brew]

Eventually have to decide what you’re willing to pay for Sam Bennett though. It’s nice to have a guy who picks his game up in the playoffs but we also haven’t seen that over much of a playoff run either.

[activeStick]

Smith was enormous in the playoffs but it's time to move on from him.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Is it not abundantly clear by now that Springtime Sam Bennett is not the same player as Winter Bennett? We have seen this now each and every season the Flames have played in the playoffs since 2015—Bennett plays fine in the regular season, but then turns into a post-season monster. Yeah, he is still young and maybe there is some room to grow, but I am today fairly unconvinced that he will be a viable second-line option for the Flames in September. He remains a VERY important player for this team because of what he brings when the playoffs start, but I still believe what we see from him each regular season is what we will get in the future, and that's okay.

To some degree Sam benefits from lax reffing in the POs. The stuff he gets nailed for in the offensive zone especially is the stuff they let go in the POs.