Offseason Changes - What will they look like for Calgary?

[moon]

Originally Posted by FAN

How is he improving? Butler sucks.

I guess he went from god awful horrible last year to just very horrible this year. It is an improvement but since he is still terrible not sure it means much at the end of the day.

[Roof-Daddy]

It sure is going to be interesting to see how things shake down this off season. Looking at the roster, there really isn't much room for too many additions without trading some bodies out of here. Too many guys that are either signed, or RFA.

For instance:

1. Without trading anyone
2. Kipper not retiring
3. Sign RFA's Backlund, Butler, Bouma, Brodie
4. Young guys like Horak, Reinhart, Baertschi make the team
5. Sign Ramo (or Berra)

We'd have a roster of 21 guys with about $15 million in cap space. That's without signing one UFA, either from another team or our own. Plus there would be other young guys pushing for jobs, like Breen, Cundari, Wotherspoon and Byron......and probably our first prospect selected in the upcoming draft.

Here's what the five points above look like, depth chart wise. Bolded are signing estimates.

FORWARDS

Mike Cammalleri ($6.000m) / Matt Stajan ($3.500m) / Lee Stempniak ($2.500m)
Alex Tanguay ($3.500m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.200m) / Tim Jackman ($0.613m)
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Blair Jones ($0.650m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Max Reinhart ($0.870m)
Sven Baertschi ($1.425m) / Lance Bouma ($0.578m)
Roman Horak ($0.800m)

DEFENSEMEN

T.J. Brodie ($1.500m) / Dennis Wideman ($5.250m)
Mark Giordano ($4.020m) / Cory Sarich ($2.000m)
Chris Butler ($1.200m)
Derek Smith ($0.775m)

GOALTENDERS

Miikka Kiprusoff ($5.833m)
Karri Ramo ($1.500m)


SALARY CAP: $64,300,000
CAP PAYROLL: $50,263,750
BONUSES: $996,250
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $15,032,500


Like I said, will be interesting to see which players they trade out of here, and how they attempt to replace/upgrade those spots after said players are gone.

[Ped]

The Flames problem on D isn't that they have Butler or Sarich or Smith.

It's that they have Butler AND Sarich AND Smith.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Interesting that Feaster says if Gaudreau was willing to sign a contract right now, he would play out this season with the Flames.

I don't like that. Don't see a purpose in burning a year on his ELC.

Remember Feaster is in a "Marketing" Mode which is designed to be young player friendly.......

Of course the Flames are going to say that.

I would not read to much into it.

[Zulu29]

As long as they somehow get rid of Tanguay, Butler and Babchuk(is his contract up this year?) I'll be happy. Cammy might be a good role model for Sven, both smaller guys but great work ethic. Butler just doesn't have any strong points so I'd rather have a kid with potential take his spot. The roster won't be that much different come October I don't think barring a trade or we draft one of the wunderkids.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

As long as they somehow get rid of Tanguay, Butler and Babchuk(is his contract up this year?) I'll be happy. Cammy might be a good role model for Sven, both smaller guys but great work ethic. Butler just doesn't have any strong points so I'd rather have a kid with potential take his spot. The roster won't be that much different come October I don't think barring a trade or we draft one of the wunderkids.

Babs is a UFA, so he's gone.

Butler is an RFA, so he'll likely be resigned, as he's still an asset they could look to flip to another team.

Tanguay will be here next year, unless Feaster can find a taker for him.

I desperately want to Niederreiter in Flames' silks, but I'm not sure the Flames have the assets to acquire him.

I've got to believe that Tanguay, Cammalleri, Sarich and Butler are all pieces Feaster is looking to move this offseason, and none of them get a Nino deal done, IMO.