Next Years Roster

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

A lot depends on the UFAs. If the Flames get an indication that a player won't resign then they might move him in the off-season.

That said, I think that the most likely candidates to move are:
1. Zadorov
2. Vladar
3. Mangiapane

Mangiapane has 34 points in 70 games. He makes 5.8 mill for two years after this season.
In a league where cap efficiency is everything and where memories are short, I think it would be very difficult to offload Mangiapane.
Few teams have cap space lying around, and those who do would have better options.

I don't think the Flames should/would spend assets on trading him away. Mangiapane will rebound. Might as well not trade at a low point. If could be the difference between a negative first and a positive first.

I would agree with Zadorov and Vladar. I think both have value and would be easy to move.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Of the 7 key free agents
Lindholm - possible extension but if price is above 8.5 then trade should be the way to go
Backlund - re-sign to a 3 year deal hopefully at a discount. Would go 4-5 years if the discount is steep. Trade only if he doesn’t want to sign
Dube - sign to a long term deal this summer
Toffoli - should sell high this summer
Hanifin- same as Lindholm. If he wants more than 8 then I would look to trade him but would be okay at a 7x7 type deal
Tanev- maybe trade this summer or maybe re-sign if there is a discount and it is short term
Zadorov - trade, sign, walk to free agency are all options I would consider.

It’s too bad all of the players on this list are key parts of the team and for all intents and purposes want to be here. They are probably going to have to be moved due to two contracts.

[Strange Brew]

Good things happen when Mangiapane is on the ice so I don't want to see him go. But that AAV is just another example of where Flames just don't have enough good value cap deals.

Kudos to Mangiapane and his agent for leveraging a 19% shooting percentage into a big money.

For fun I decided to look at the top 50 in career shooting percentage among active players. Mangiapane would make the list but he doesn't have enough career shots (800 shots required).

The only current Flame on the list?
Milan Lucic at #50.

Monahan and Tkachuk do make the list, which is filled with all stars and future HHOFers.

[bubbsy]

Only player actually cheer for individually is backlund. Drafted, developed by the flames, and stayed here his entire career. I’d like him to retire a flame.

Is he potentially the best drafted player to play this long for this franchise??

He showed he’s better than basically all of the overpaid forwards on the team.

[Sylvanfan]

I think that Vladar extension is not looking so good right about now.

Flames have too many guys in the 4.5 to 7 million dollar AAV range who are good players but not necessarily difference makers.

I honestly would move on from every single pending UFA they have. Not panicing to trade them all by the draft and reload. But by the deadline they're all gone. Only way I see to break this cycle. Don't be paying more to keep good but not great players who are all on the back half of their career.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Goriders

It’s too bad all of the players on this list are key parts of the team and for all intents and purposes want to be here. They are probably going to have to be moved due to two contracts.

Choosing between the team's two players currently tied at 46 points on the season, I would rather keep the guy who bleeds Flames red, has captained his national team and isn't going to be getting paid 10.5M per season. It would be tragic to part ways with the former as a result of keeping the latter.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Choosing between the team's two players currently tied at 46 points on the season, I would rather keep the guy who bleeds Flames red, has captained his national team and isn't going to be getting paid 10.5M per season. It would be tragic to part ways with the former as a result of keeping the latter.

This is a team that tossed Iginla aside for next to nothing and let Giordano go for nothing. At least in moving Backlund they might salvage a useful future asset.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Mangiapane has 34 points in 70 games. He makes 5.8 mill for two years after this season.
In a league where cap efficiency is everything and where memories are short, I think it would be very difficult to offload Mangiapane.
Few teams have cap space lying around, and those who do would have better options.

I don't think the Flames should/would spend assets on trading him away. Mangiapane will rebound. Might as well not trade at a low point. If could be the difference between a negative first and a positive first.

I would agree with Zadorov and Vladar. I think both have value and would be easy to move.

I didn't think that the Flames would need to combine Mangiapane with a sweetener. He's not that far removed from a 35 goal season. He also works his ass off all the time, and consistently pushes play. The reason I said Mangiapane was mostly due to a process of elimination, in terms of the forwards:

• Huberdeau/Kadri would be unmovable without a sweetener.
• The UFAs are very case dependent but will most likely be kept until at least the trade deadline.
• Coleman has a NTC, has a contract for 4 more years, and is unlikely to garner any interest.
• Dube is pretty cost efficient next year, so you're unlikely to save any cap there.
• Everyone else makes less than $1M.

[Naitix]

Wolf needs to be the back up

[FlamesAddiction]

If it is at all possible, I would try to move Markstrom as long as the sweetener isn't a 1st or top prospect.

I don't think there is a consequential difference between Vladar and Markstrom at this point, and the former is much cheaper. Considering that Markstrom is in his late to post-prime and Vladar is in his early prime, I would bet on Vladar to be putting in better performances over the next few seasons. Wolf can be auditioned to back-up.

Markstrom might still have more in the tank, but I think a fresh start somewhere else might get him back mentally.

[Goriders]

The math based on salary increases (huberdeau, weegar) isn’t quite offset by the subtraction of Lucic.

The Kadri and Mangiapane contracts don’t help either.

This offseason won’t be as bad as next year when a bunch of key parts will be looking for raises. I wouldn’t want to have to navigate that mess as a GM.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

If it is at all possible, I would try to move Markstrom as long as the sweetener isn't a 1st or top prospect.

I don't think there is a consequential difference between Vladar and Markstrom at this point, and the former is much cheaper. Considering that Markstrom is in his late to post-prime and Vladar is in his early prime, I would bet on Vladar to be putting in better performances over the next few seasons. Wolf can be auditioned to back-up.

Markstrom might still have more in the tank, but I think a fresh start somewhere else might get him back mentally.

If they could move Markstrom it would definitely help. We have a surplus of goaltending. But a huge roll of the dice on Wolf. If they are going to do that they should give him a run of games at the end of the season.

I doubt this one would happen though.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Wolf has nothing else to prove.

Either you trade Vladar for the best pick or trade Markstrom for a struggling middle 6 forward with the same cap hit in hopes he can regain his form. I personally feel more comfortable with Markstrom here than Vladar, especially with the past month. Vladar deserves ice time, but I think he would be better off going to a team in need of a 1B. We’re better off with Markstrom as a perfect stopgap while Wolf figures it out in the NHL to eventually become our starter.

I also think Hanifin or Tanev might need to go. Grab a 1st and a D-ready prospect. We need to get younger but still maintain a decent blue line. I think we would be fine with Zadorov in the top 4 as the #4 guy, me thinking that it would be best if Tanev was the guy that stayed to be able to shelter Zadorov while he free skates. Weegar and Anderson have been a great top pairing. Hanifin imo needs to be the guy to go. As for Kylington, I don’t even know what to think of him right now.

[Goriders]

I think your take on the Hanifin situation might be accurate. He’s going to be asking for a raise a year from now.

The Flames salary summary can’t afford any raises due to the ones coming to Huberdeau and Weegar next year.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Wolf has nothing else to prove.

Either you trade Vladar for the best pick or trade Markstrom for a struggling middle 6 forward with the same cap hit in hopes he can regain his form. I personally feel more comfortable with Markstrom here than Vladar, especially with the past month. Vladar deserves ice time, but I think he would be better off going to a team in need of a 1B. We’re better off with Markstrom as a perfect stopgap while Wolf figures it out in the NHL to eventually become our starter.

I also think Hanifin or Tanev might need to go. Grab a 1st and a D-ready prospect. We need to get younger but still maintain a decent blue line. I think we would be fine with Zadorov in the top 4 as the #4 guy, me thinking that it would be best if Tanev was the guy that stayed to be able to shelter Zadorov while he free skates. Weegar and Anderson have been a great top pairing. Hanifin imo needs to be the guy to go. As for Kylington, I don’t even know what to think of him right now.

I remember Zadorov in the top 4 and I'd rather we didn't. Zadorov - Tanev has no chemistry whatsoever. Zadorov - Andersson was also quite disappointing. Personally I think that even on the 3rd pairing a lot more bad than good happens when he's on the ice. He is entertaining, and I love the hits and goals, but watching him defend is just such a rollercoaster.

[Flamesfan05]

Nobody is going to give a top pick or prospect for Mangiapane . Too much cap space, not enough production

But some team may take a chance if it’s a swap of similarly struggling players. Something like a Neal for Lucic deal. Sound appetizing lol

[Mindtravellee]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I remember Zadorov in the top 4 and I'd rather we didn't. Zadorov - Tanev has no chemistry whatsoever. Zadorov - Andersson was also quite disappointing. Personally I think that even on the 3rd pairing a lot more bad than good happens when he's on the ice. He is entertaining, and I love the hits and goals, but watching him defend is just such a rollercoaster.

Didn't Zad - Weegar show chemistry?

I don't know what that would mean for the other pairing though

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Mindtravellee

Didn't Zad - Weegar show chemistry?

I don't know what that would mean for the other pairing though

They did, and this season though in a small sample size Zadorov - Tanev was pretty good(the best defensively in fact).

Here are the analytics:


That said, they don't match my eye test. Here's the bad:

• The way Z plays looks extremely lazy
• The way he defends a 2 on 1 or an odd man rushes essentially make them a 2 on 0
• He has a very slow first stride, despite having a good overall speed
• He usually waits for his teammates, mostly D partner and center to retrieve pucks along the boards
• He has a lot of trouble maintaining a good gap on players that can stop or change direction on a dime
• He's not great at tying up sticks when boxing out the front of the net(like the Ben deflection goal).
• He takes a lot of penalties, but he's doing better this year
• He tries to act tough, but he's not a fighter - that's not really a bad thing, but he shouldn't be used as Lucic/Gudbranson etc.

The good:

• One of the best open ice hitters in the game
• He has a very good shot when he can sneak into the slot
• He can lead the rush, and has a good top speed
• He has a very good stick, and he's good at preventing zone entries
• He seems to be a good teammate, and an awesome interview
• He has an edge when it comes to protecting the goalie

That's why, for me, if he's in your top 4 D you're not a playoff team. He is too erratic to be relied on to shut down the best players on a continuous basis. He's still only 27, and can improve various aspects of his game, but I just don't see our team outscoring Zadorov in the top 4.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Either you trade Vladar for the best pick or trade Markstrom for a struggling middle 6 forward with the same cap hit in hopes he can regain his form. I personally feel more comfortable with Markstrom here than Vladar, especially with the past month. Vladar deserves ice time, but I think he would be better off going to a team in need of a 1B.

Do you think anyone trades Vladar for a 3rd? That's basically what Korpisalo went for and he's better.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I didn't think that the Flames would need to combine Mangiapane with a sweetener. He's not that far removed from a 35 goal season. He also works his ass off all the time, and consistently pushes play. The reason I said Mangiapane was mostly due to a process of elimination, in terms of the forwards:

• Huberdeau/Kadri would be unmovable without a sweetener.
• The UFAs are very case dependent but will most likely be kept until at least the trade deadline.
• Coleman has a NTC, has a contract for 4 more years, and is unlikely to garner any interest.
• Dube is pretty cost efficient next year, so you're unlikely to save any cap there.
• Everyone else makes less than $1M.

Mangiapane would not be an easy trade with his salary. He's a 20 goal guy who's waaay overpaid.