cross16

I think if you don't feel like Hanifin is a top pairing dman then you will fall out of favor quickly with Provorov. I get the idea of potentially turning a player around and I like elements of his game but I think it's very debatable to say he is an upgarde to Hanifin. There is little that points that that either based on how his career is playing out, and i'm not even a person that likes Hanifin that much. I would not do that deal.

He is UFA in 3 years, already not that happy with the team and direction, and on a team taking it down to the studs. I don't think Arizona plans on being good in 3 years so why is Chychrun going to stay? On top of that why wait another year or 2 to delay the inevitable when you can get pieces now that help you meet that 3-4 year rebuild window instead of waiting and then getting pieces that are another few years away. I still don't think they trade him without a haul so it won't shock me if it takes until next summer but I think the idea of trading him makes perfect sense to me.

I'm a little surprised. For a team low on picks this year and low on RS in the system I would have kept him and taken a flyer. But at the same time I don't think it's a terrible decision. Plenty of valid reasons to be concerned as well or question the upside.

As a follow up... Promising year between the pipes for this organization

No. He gets billed at a defensive dman but he really doesn't back that up in his play. He'd be a horrible add. Be better off giving Z that contract and i'm not even a fan of that decision.

That isn't my personal opinion that they should or not sign him. I just think the writing is on the wall. Didn't sign him last summer, seemed to not want him in the A and he's still unsigned 1 day before the deadline. Not adding up for me. Perhaps its the negotiation but to be unsigned at this point is a red flag I think in terms of how the team views him.

I don't know if it tired him out but I do agree the playoffs exposed the Flames lack of depth at center. Power on power favored the Oilers and the McDavid line dominated the Gaudreau line. Backs and co did a great job. Now this is McDavid and the standard can't be having 3 lines all capable of shutting him down but you need another line to fill the gap somewhere. Either another good shut down line (to free up more opportunities for offence from the top line) or a line capable of winning more matchups would have gone a long way in the series. The wingers are here I think, the centers are just lacking.

I think the Flames need to be open to everything so I don't think the list of players they can't or shouldn't trade should be very long. Provided they get Gaudreau signed there is a real solid base here and a key move or 2 could put them right there so I don't think you close your doors to that. The only players I'd be uncomfortable moving are: Gaudreau Tkachuk (unless the return is huge) Lindholm (see above) Backlund (unless another center is on his way here) Andersson Mang is really close to being in this list for me. I think they need to retain him but I also could see a scenario where you could swap him for an equal talent so it's worth considering. Would need to be a pretty attractive piece though. Everyone else I don't have fear in moving it just depends on the return.

Going to be surprised if they sign him. I think there is something there they are not liking because I was pretty surprised when they sent him back to junior this year. Even more surprised when he didn't play in junior at a high level. His D+2 season was stellar but he's flatlined every since.

Personally I think there is a ton of reaching going on here. The entire series is going to change based on 1 game and the first game on top of that?? I have a hard time buying that It is just 1 game in a 7 game series. I just don't think anyone is willing to give the oilers credit but you should, they adjusted. They saw what didn't work in game 1, changed their game plan and played much better from there on in. I don't think that changes whatsoever if they don't come back in game 1. I also don't think the story here is they abandoned their structure. The Flames lost the series due to puck management and sub par goaltending. The puck management a result of them not being able to find a comfortable way to beat how Edm was playing them. But it's time to give the Oilers more credit. I actually do think they outplayed the Flames the majority of this series. It was a closer series than 5 games for sure but I think after game 1, Edm was the better team.

No. I'd be interested in moving Toffoli to get better at center but not for Z. Z is a solid bottom 3 dman who I think has a high potential of getting overpaid this offseason. id be intersted in Z coming back but not at his current contract or a raise. Don't think that is worth it.

Well I think something worth pointing out is part of the reason Z and Gudbranson were good is they were heavily sheltered and managed by the coaching staff. Z was still decent in the playoffs, actually pretty good, but Gudbranson was not. So part of this is what is the starting benchmark for improvement.

This is a balancing act for sure but one thing I wish we could embrace more is the potential to get better internally. why does improvement always have to come externally and cost money? Small sample size but why can't Ruzicka replace what Monahan gave them last year? Why can't he give them an affordable but good top 9 center. Pelletier is one of the best players in the AHL this year. That doesn't add secondary scoring that was a problem in the playoffs? Valimaki/Kylington as options on defence. Mackey Dube doesn't have potential to get better? Andersson? Coleman has his first UFA season under his belt and now understand his role/team. He doesn't have room to grow next year? Don't get me wrong I acknowledge the cap is going to make things tough and there are still a few key area the Flames need to improve upon to move forward. But for a team that put up over 100pts and was a few breaks/better play away from the conference finals I'm not sure going backwards should be assumed just because those 2 need new deals

I don't. Jets have Wheeler, Connor and Ehlers all down the wings and Perfetti coming. I'm not sure i'm seeing the benefit for Winnipeg to move Schiefele for Tkachuk and take on more money on the cap. I think if they move him it's for younger players or a Dman.

That's a lot of things having to fall into place to make that happen. Feels highly unlikely the NHL would approve that. NHLPA would probably have something to say too.

That is 100% cap circumvention.

Not to mention if it takes 2-3 mill to sign him (which I agree it will) you are really negating the cap savings done by buying him out. At that point you'd be better off trying to trade him with retained salary or taking a player back in the deal.

This is the year last of Monanan's deal. he is UFA next summer which is why the buyout actually does make quite a bit of sense as a potential option. Backlund was the Flames best player in the playoffs, their best two way and defensive center (playing for a coach who demands 2 way center play), and honestly right now if I were to put betting odds down on the next Flames captain it would be Backlund in the lead. I wouldn't expect Backlund to go anywhere.

I would never want Kane playing for me either so I get it. but it is really tough to find players who can play at McDavid speed. Kane has really helped moved that line forward so if he is willing to stay there I think they will push hard to keep him.

Can’t hang everything on what a player says but Gaudreau giving no indication today he wants to leave

Koskinen is UFA. They also have the Klefbom situation to sort out. If he can’t plan they’ll gain 4mill in LTIR, if he can well then they don’t need Kulak. it’s tight but it’s not horrible. Kane is the real wildcard. Does he take another discount to rebuild his value alongside McDavid or does he go to the highest bidder (which likely can’t be Edmonton).

The Kucherov story is getting really miss understood. He didn’t even start skating until a few eeeks before he came back, he had a legitimate injury. I’m sure thr lightning held him back a couple of weeks to align with the playoffs by this idea that they say him for months and months while he was healthy to play is just not accurate. unless their is a huge setback in his surgery or recovery I don’t see how the Flames can hold Monahan out for an entire season. He and his agent would sure have something to say about that.

not really. It’s not a good free agent crop this year for dmen . Josh Manson is probably the closest you’ll find. It’s also very unlikely the Flames can afford a dman like that in FA this year unless they don’t resign Gaudreau or Tkachuk.

Interesting to point out that NJ actually has less cap space than the flames for next year with some key players to sign. Now they don’t have a Tkachuk to worry about but I don’t think they can throw whatever it takes at Gaudreau. im still of the belief he stays because I do think the Flames can, and very likely will, offer him the most total dollars. Other teams can give him a better AAV but with the flames having the 8 year option I think they hold the advantage in terms of total dollars. really the only reason for Gaudreau to leave is he wants to play out east. The teams that can sign him I don’t think are as good as Calgary and they can’t pay him more money so it really is just the pull to play out east. Im not sure that pill is as strong as we think for Gaudreau. You could make a case New Jersey has a better long term future than Calgary but I’m not sure I’d agree. That d core is still a work in progress, I’m not sure they have a goalie and I don’t think Ruff is that good a coach.

I think it gets done too and I’m honestly not that concerned. but if I’m wrong I’m just saying I’m with Peeps. Might as well rebuild because I do think the flames take a step back with Gaudreau gone. Just such a drop off in talent that j don’t see how they fill