2020/2021 Trade Speculation and Rumours

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Nelson

So, I think this is the most likely lineup based on currently signed players:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Mangiapane
Lucic - Bennett - Dube
Nordstrom - Ryan - Simon
Rinaldo

Gio - Andersson
Hanifin - Tkachuk
Valimaki - Nesterov
Petrovic

Markstrom
Rittich

Reading the number off CapFriendly, that lineup leaves cap space of $485,834. The Flames need to re-sign Kylington, but I don’t expect that re-signing to change the cap space all that much.

Looking at that roster, I want another top 9 forward, top 6, even better. The reason is I want more skill and speed on Bennett’s LW. Pretending that a good trade will not materialize for the purposes of this post only, the Flames would have a budget of $1,185,834 to buy a forward in FA (by taking out a $700K F and using the cap space).

Harman Dayal recently put out the top 10 UFAs for The Athletic. The forwards on the list were: Hoffman, Granlund, Duclair, Kahun, Soderberg, Leivo, Haula. Dayal stated that there were tiers to his list: Hoffman to Kahun and Soderberg to Haula. The Hoffman group contains a pretty strict order, while Soderberg, Leivo and Haula are pretty much of interchangeable quality.

Having outlined Dayal’s list, I’d look to the Flames options.
—I don’t think Hoffman, Granlund or Duclair are realistic at $1,185,834.
—Kahun is therefore the best, realistic option for the Flames on Dayal’s list. I personally think he’d be an excellent fit with Bennett and Dube. Here is what Dayal had to say about Kahun:

“Dominik Kahun can be an effective middle-six presence much in the same way that Duclair can but he garners that value in a very different way. What he lacks compared to Duclair in flash and scintillating offensive tools he makes up for with two-way substance and versatility.

Kahun has scored at a 40-point pace prorated over 82 games in his two NHL seasons. That’s remarkably efficient considering virtually all of that production comes at even strength. In fact, his 5-on-5 points per 60 rate ranks top 75 among all forwards in the last two years.”

To me, that sounds like a great option for Bennett’s LW.
—Of the last three options, I like Leivo best. This is some of what Dayal had to say:

“Leivo was counted on as a strong two-way presence who could play both wings while shuffling up and down every line in the top nine. The 27-year-old isn’t dynamic enough to help in transition — he’s very much a complementary winger — but he’s a beast at winning board battles and was really effective on the forecheck which quietly helped him drive excellent 5-on-5 results.”

Dayal goes on to suggest that because of Leivo’s knee injury, he should be in line to sign for close to $1 million. Oh, and he’s also a right shot....

Sounds like we’re getting Leivo: https://twitter.com/realkyper/status...507403266?s=21

Needless to say, I think this is a good decision.

875K...seems like a good deal: https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/stat...775956992?s=21

[DionTheDman]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Last but not least... Troy Ward.

It was all great until here. Only thing Troy Ward will be coaching anytime soon is little league baseball!

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

It was all great until here. Only thing Troy Ward will be coaching anytime soon is little league baseball!

Your avatar is fantastic.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

It was all great until here. Only thing Troy Ward will be coaching anytime soon is little league baseball!

Pretty sure the only thing he will be coaching soon is the Flames.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Pretty sure the only thing he will be coaching soon is the Flames.

Troy Ward was fired years ago as the Heat coach

Geoff Ward is the coach of the Flames

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Troy Ward was fired years ago as the Heat coach

Geoff Ward is the coach of the Flames

D'oh!

I fell for it too

[TheSkinner]

There are a lot of trade Hanifin for a top 6 forward proposals. That seems very unlikely to me based on Tre’s past moves. He gets extra defensemen every year at the deadline... Going forward with a top 4 of Gio and Valimaki on the left seems very unlikely. One defender that is likely past his prime and one that is well before his.

So if Hanifin gets traded, a LHD needs to be coming back. So my intuition, not my proposal, is that if Hanifin gets moved its for a different LHD... OEL comes to mind.

Hanifin+Ryan for OEL is the basis of what I think could happen... pluses on one side or the other. OEL only makes 1.5 more than Gio... once Gio is done our next highest paid defenceman will make 4.55... Even if valimaki is amazing he won’t get a contract that high.

Most will hate it for the contract... But OEL scores about 13 goals per 82 game season for the last 5 years.

And for those that are obsessed with the last cup winners and their centres... they’ve also had 29 yo first pairing defenders... Hedman, Pieterangelo and Carlson... All 29! Amazing stat. OEL is 29 right now.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Troy Ward was fired years ago as the Heat coach

Geoff Ward is the coach of the Flames

[Nelson]

After the Leivo signing, a lot of people posted this lineup:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Mangiapane
Dube - Bennett - Leivo
Lucic - Ryan - Simon
Nordstrom

Giordano - Andersson
Hanifin - Tanev (not Tkachuk)
Valimaki - Nesterov
Petrovic (so the young guns can play games on the farm)

Markstrom
Rittich.

I agree it’s unlikely the Flames make more signings. But the one change I really want is for Kylington to have an amazing training camp and beat out Nesterov so the bottom pairing is Valimaki - Kylington.

I think that would give the Flames their best possible lineup.

Regardless, I think the Flames are better up front and in net than they were last year. They’re probably also better on the blue line. Valimaki will make that 3rd pairing a good one (especially because I think they have good options for his right hand man). Tanev is an upgrade on Hamonic on the 2nd pairing.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by JurassicTunga12

It's going to really interesting and fun to see how guys like Mangiapane and Dube take their game to the next level in the upcoming season. I have a decent level of hope.

I’m especially excited for Dube. It always seems the off-season is a major part of young players having some time away from the game to work on some things and reset. It’s amazing how a young player will often come to training camp looking like a completely different player from the year before in terms of improvement. I feel we got a “preview” of things to come with Dube’s play in the play in round, he looked entirely more confident and dangerous.

[GranteedEV]

I see a lot of people putting Lucic on the fourth line.

Even if that's the best fit for him, do you guys actually see Ward demoting him? Do you see him accepting that demotion and not sulking?

Will be curious to see how that situation goes.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I see a lot of people putting Lucic on the fourth line.

Even if that's the best fit for him, do you guys actually see Ward demoting him? Do you see him accepting that demotion and not sulking?

Will be curious to see how that situation goes.

I'm hoping Ward can give them the special responsibility of being a defensive line, starting with the low ground because of their veteran wile and proven defensive results. I think that could make it feel okay to Lucic, and I legitimately think that both Lucic and Ryan could thrive in a defensive line. As well, I believe Nordstrom and Simon could both help.

[rogermexico]

I think they take a load management approach with Lucic. Manage his ice time and save him for the playoffs. I think he’d buy into that.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I see a lot of people putting Lucic on the fourth line.

Even if that's the best fit for him, do you guys actually see Ward demoting him? Do you see him accepting that demotion and not sulking?

Will be curious to see how that situation goes.

Yeah I don’t quite get it.

Lucic - Bennett - Dube was a strong, producing line for us - why would they break that up?

Tkachuk - Backlund - Mangiapane
Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Lucic - Bennett - Dube
Simon/Nordstrom - Ryan - Leivo
Nordstrom/Simon

That’s what makes the most sense.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I see a lot of people putting Lucic on the fourth line.

Even if that's the best fit for him, do you guys actually see Ward demoting him? Do you see him accepting that demotion and not sulking?

Will be curious to see how that situation goes.

I don't see Lucic on the 4th line as a demotion. I see it as managing the ice-time of a veteran player.

Lucic would be the first to admit that he is no longer capable of bringing what he brought to the playoffs every night for an 82 game schedule.

If I am Ward, I explain to him that they want to manage his ice-time through the regular season, moving him up and down as needed and as he feels, with the purpose of having him fresh for the playoffs, where his role will increase as it did this year.

I don't see how Lucic would disagree with that.

[Enoch Root]

The hockey season has different phases where different types of players excel.

From October to Christmas, the vets are playing at 80%. And fans talk about some of the vets being washed up. Meanwhile, the kids are flying at 100%, and usually dominating. Lots of rookies and fringe players look great.

Then from Christmas to the all-star break, things ramp up considerably, and the vets start to look more like themselves. And some of the young guys start coming back down to earth.

Then from the all-star game to the finish line, things are fully ramped up. Suddenly the washed up vets are leading the way, and some of the young guys that were dominating in October are eating popcorn.

It happens every year, yet it seems to take many people by surprise as it plays out, each and every year.

Lucic is now one of those guys that is all but useless in phase 1, and doesn't really start carrying his weight until after the all-star break. I believe, as a coach, you have to expect this seasonal rhythm, and you have to manage it. And the veterans understand it.

[dammage79]

I hope they at least don't try to fix what ain't broken and leave the Bennett line alone. A stronger and more experienced Dube with Bennett and Looch should/could be a massive leg up.

Besides , I dont think Tree is done tooling around this roster. So who knows what we will see at camp.

[Calgary4LIfe]

With a condensed schedule, maybe you will see 4th lines around the NHL getting more ice-time to give the other lines a break. Flames certainly have the ability now (at least in appearances - let's see how it translates on the ice).

[TheScorpion]

Lucic was extremely good defensively and on the powerplay last year — I hope his deployment is heavily centred around those two facets.

[GioforPM]

Dube and Mangiapane were both .5 PPG in the post season. But Dube got more points in the actual POs, and with less ice time and a lesser line. I think he’s going to take a big step this year.