Post by Calgary Flames on Apr 25, 2024 15:49:50 GMT -6
With the Flames crushing elimination from the play-offs it is time to start planning for the off-season. With 99 points last season, there may not be a lot they have to do to get over the hump but complacency in the front office simply cannot set in and the team will continue to look to improve. With that said, let’s have a quit look at their current roster:
Debrincat – Trocheck – Nylander
Tolvanen – Lindholm – Necas
Zadina – Texier – Sherbak
Hawlyuk - Cogliano - Poturalski
Dahlin – Heiskanen
Timmins – Bear
Juolevi – Butcher
DeSmith
Wedgewood
Looking at the line-up above, the top 6 forwards and the defensemen are more or less set. Tolvanen excelled once he was promoted to the 2nd line after the Evander Kane trade, Lindholm has had a change of heart and will return to the Flames, and Necas is a young improving player. The top line is likely to stay intact unless anyone gets off to a slow start next year but there is no reason to expect that. The big issue is the bottom 6. Zadina and Texier are almost guaranteed opening day roster spots with their excellent AHL seasons and continued development. Sherback and Hawlyuk had outstanding seasons in the AHL and could make the pro-roster despite be veterans with somewhat limited upside. Cogliano, Poturalski, and Clifford could fill out the bottom 6. However, aside from Texier and Zadina, there is certainly room for improvement. Expect the Flames to be active in free agency looking to acquire a scoring winger to go with Tex and Zads and at least one quality PK specialist.
The defensive group is likely to all return. If there is room for improvement Will Butcher did hit waivers at one point last season and would be the bubble guy but there could be other priorities ahead of the 6th defenseman given the quality of the rest of the group.
Moving on to the goaltending. If there was one area the Flames could have improved last season, it was in net. Kuemper was reasonable providing around league average goaltending but in the tough Pacific Division league average may not be good enough, and was not in hindsight. To make matters worse, Kuemper is not coming back leaving the Flames with DeSmith and Wedgewood. Woof. DeSmith was the lesser of a 2A and 2B tandem and Wedgewood needs a good re-rate to even be in the conversation. Clearly goaltending will be the main target in free agency or trade. Goalies tend to be a bit of voodoo in the PFHL but this is clearly an area where the Flames need to improve.
Moving on from the current roster, let’s talk draft, shall we? The Flames have STL’s first which will be a low percentage lottery pick and two 2nds. Looking at the current Flames prospects there is a nice balance between defensemen and forwards but no true blue-chippers despite a number of players having excellent years in their respective leagues. On defense Morin, Salomsson, Cagnoni, Pourier, Soloveyov, and Bernard-Docker are all having significantly successful seasons with the latter two likely to open the season in the AHL. Marc-Andre Gaudet also had a tremendous season in the AHL and could be in the running for the pro-roster. At forward the team’s top prospects outside of Tex and Zads are Fisker-Molgaard, Ziemmer and Cataford so a little thinner than the D. In goal, the only prospect of note is Chechelev who had an outstanding AHL season and could have an outside chance of pushing for a backup role in the NHL but, as mentioned, the Flames are likely looking for a starter which would almost certainly ensure he has at least one more year in the minors.
With all of the above, the Flames would likely be looking to forward in the draft to restock the forward pipeline with the promotions of Texier and Zadina. The problem? This year’s draft is extremely defense heavy at the top end. There is a reasonable chance that 5 of the top 6 players could be D. There is a pretty good chance the Flames will not be picking in the top 6 so it may not be an issue. While the Flames will certainly take the best player available, forwards like Catton (fantastic skater), Helenius (high end compete and hockey sense), Demidov (great puck skills), and Lindstrom (high rev engine) could be in play. Arguably none of these guys may be true blue-chippers but they would certainly bolster the Flames forward pipeline. Don’t expect the Flames to pick a goalie early but they could take a flier later in the draft.
That's all for now!
