Building the Flames Top 6

[Mattman]

So it appears that CP is in somewhat of a concenus that the Flames should pursue a C and RW to upgrade the top 6, which in turn fills out the bottom 6 with current roster players. But now the question remains, who do you take?

Center
UFA and RFA
UFA/RFA PLAYER - AGE GP - G - A - PTS
UFA John Tavares - 27yrs 81 - 36 - 47 - 83
UFA Paul Statsny - 32yrs 81 - 16 - 37 - 53
UFA Tyler Bozak - 32yrs. 80 - 11 - 32 - 43
UFA Riley Nash - 28yrs. 76 - 15 - 26 - 41
UFA Joe Thornton - 38yrs. 47 - 13 - 23 - 36
UFA Derek Ryan - 31yrs. 79 - 15 - 23 - 38

RFA Dylan Larkin - 21yrs. 81 - 15 - 47 - 62
RFA JT Miller - 25 yrs. 81- 23 - 34 - 57
RFA Tomas Hertl - 24yrs 78 - 22 - 24 - 46
RFA Kevin Hayes - 26yrs 75 - 25 - 19 - 44
RFA Ryan Spooner - 26yrs. 58 - 13 - 28 - 41

Notable Centers with contracts
Derek Stepan - Arizona
Ryan O'Rielly - Buffalo
Jordan Stall - Carolina
Nick Foligno - Columbus
Mikael Grandlund - Minnesota
Mika Zibanejad - NYR
Kyle Turris - Nashville
Alex Galchenyuk - Montreal
Sean Couturier - Phillidaphia
Brayden Schenn - St. Louis
Nazem Kadri - Toronto
Brayden Point - Tampa Bay
Tyler Johnson - Tampa Bay

Right Wing
UFA and RFA
UFA/RFA PLAYER - AGE GP - G - A - PTS
UFA David Perron - 30yrs. 70 - 16 - 50 - 66
UFA T. Vanek - 34yrs. 79 - 24 - 32 - 56
UFA James Neal - 30yrs. 70 - 25 - 19 - 44
UFA M. Grabner - 30yrs. 79 - 27 - 9 - 36
UFA Rick Nash - 33yrs. 71 - 21 - 13 - 34

RFA Mark Stone - 26yrs. 58 - 20 - 42 - 62
RFA Jason Zucker - 26yrs 81 - 31 - 31 - 62
RFA W. Nylander - 21yrs. 81 - 20 - 40 - 60
RFA Sam Reinhart - 22yrs. 81 - 24 - 25 - 49
RFA A. Mantha - 23yrs. 79 - 24 - 23 - 47
RFA O. Bjorkstrand - 23yrs. 81 - 11 - 29 - 40
RFA Bryan Rust - 26yrs. 69 - 13 - 25 - 38
RFA Ondrej Kase - 22yrs. 65 - 20 - 18 - 38

Notable RWs with contracts
Rikard Rakell - Anaheim
Jacob Silvferberg - Anahiem
Kyle Okposo - Buffalo
Cam Atkinson - Columbus
Ellias Lindholm - Carolina
Gustav Nyquist - Detroit
Nick Bjugstad - Florida
Brendan Gallagher - Montreal
Jordan Eberle - NYI
Mats Zucarrello - NYR
Bobby Ryan - Ottawa
Wayne Simmonds - Philadelphia
Phil Kessel - Pittsburgh
Vladimir Taresenko - St. Louis
Ryan Callahan - Tampa Bay
Mitch Marner - Toronto
Alex Tuch - Vegas

This is a place to dicuss who the Calgary Flames should target this off season to improve our top 6, and mainly the idea that it should be a C and RW.
Just wanted to create a thread where this idea can be debated and found in one place, without clogging up threads like "Trade Rumours and Speculation".

[Phaneuf_Phan]

That Tavares kid looks interesting.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I think if the Flames get the right upgrade they only need at add one more C/RW.

For example if you get Tavares (best case scenario) you can go
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Tavares-Bennett
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Dube-Shore-Lazar/Foo

I dunno even know how'd you fit in another top 6 forward without dealing 1 or 2

Or imagine we get O'Reilly, very similar

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-O'Reilly-Bennett
Jankowski-Backlund-Frolik
Dube-Shore-Lazar/Foo

Or imagine we get a RW like a Kessel instead. Then we'd need either Janko or Bennett to step up but if they do we're fine.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Jankowski/Bennett-Kessel
Jankowski/Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Dube-Shore-Lazar/Foo

IMO they need one serious impact forward added. The rest should be able to be filled by the progression of youngsters under the new coach IMO. You don't even have to bank on both Jankowski and Bennett turning themselves into top 6 players, if even one does we're looking just fine.

Driving top 6 players: Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk
Complimentary top 6 players: Ferland
Youngsters with top 6 possibility at some point in their career (highly unlikely all of them achieve it though): Bennett, Jankowski, Foo, Mangiapane
Elite two-way checking line players: Backlund, Frolik

I think we only need to add one more driving top 6 player to round things out. I think Jankowski or Bennett or both can be top 6 calibre in the near future.

[Husky]

How many seoarate top 6 threads does CP need? This is getting insane.

[nik-]

I'm excited for the "Building the Flames Top 3" thread.

[PegCityFlamesFan]

Well the rumour thread is pretty much this exact same thing.

[Mattman]

Originally Posted by Husky

How many seoarate top 6 threads does CP need? This is getting insane.

I guess there's always gonna be someone to complain, but the Trade Rumour page should be for Trade rumours shouldn't it?

Are you not on board with the Flames picking up a C and RW to create a lethal top 6? If so, I'd love to hear your input on this.

[Husky]

Theres a building 2018/19 established roster thread already.

[Huntingwhale]

If the Flames somehow got Mark Stone, I would be pleased

[Bingo]

There is no way the Flames are going to add TWO top six players in that ilk.

I honestly don't see them aiming that high. Re set your goals to one player, and said player doesn't have to exceed the current top three, but ease into the Mikael Backlund range of the current top six.

That's how I see it.

The Tavares thing is in all our heads and I get that. I do see Calgary on a top five list, but I also see the pie being split to the point that the 5th team in that top 5 only has about a 5% chance.

[SeanCharles]

I agree with Bingo grabbing one top 6 forward should remedy most of our issues because we should also see less of Hathaway, Stajan and Brouwer next season.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jankowski
Tkachuk-Tavares-Ferland
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
4th line: Dube, Foo, Mangiapane, Shore, Lazar, Hathaway, maybe a FA, maybe Brouwer

Man we need some right shots that can play in the top 9..

[EVERLAST]

My delusions want Kessel and Gallagher please.

My delusions.also want to see the knights win the cup.

[Moneyhands23]

Johny-Monahan-Gallager
Tkachuck-Jankowski-Bennett

[spuzzum]

Flames certainly need more production and improvement from the bottom 6. Generate 20 to 30 more goals from those six individuals and the team improves leaps and bounds.

[Finger Cookin]

I guess I'm in the minority in my thinking that the Flames should not be pursuing a center to add to the top 6.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Johny-Monahan-Gallager
Tkachuck-Jankowski-Bennett

If we can get a line like this producing, literally every problem the Flames have would be solved.