Re-tool After Playoff Disappointment

Équipe: 2019-20 Flames de Calgary

Date de création initiale: 2 mai 2019

Publié: 2 mai 2019

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

The 2018-2019 season began with a learning curve. The team was mediocre while getting used to the way new coach Peters wanted to play. Over the middle of the regular season, the Flames were one of the best teams in the league. After the all star break they cooled off, and were playing like a playoff team, but not nearly as dominant as they had been between November - February. This culminated in a disappointing early exit from the playoffs, losing to a team that was playing their best hockey at the right time and seemed to find the formula that completely shut down the Flames by about midway through the second game.

So where do the Flames go from here, and are they really as good as they were in the regular season, or as bad as they were in the playoffs? In my opinion, this team is one that can absolutely compete for the division title again next year. The playoffs exposed their lack of talented puck carriers as all the offense seems to flow through Gaudreau, who had his time and space cut down by the Avs.

For next season, the Flames will look to sign their key RFA's, and perhaps will need to free up some cap space to do so. Going forward the team can move its defensive depth to find the help at top 6 forward that previous season's UFA signing James Neal was supposed to provide. Additionally, the Flames need to find a solution in net for the 2019-2020 season. If the right deal exists out there to bring in another core piece for the Gio & Johnny 3 year window, then I think the team is willing to spend its draft currency to acquire it.

RFA's
Tkachuk - Signs to about the same % of cap as Monahan & Johnny did at the time of their deals (9%).
Bennett - Bets on himself with a medium term deal for a reasonable raise (to about 3% of cap) after his solid work in the playoffs.
Rittich - Similar to Bennett's deal (short term, about 3% of cap) but a bit more money as he established himself as at least a platoon level starter.
Mangiapane - One year deal with the expectations he wants to build on his solid back half of the year for a larger raise after next season (about 1% of cap)
Valiev - Re-signed for AHL due to all of the recent D graduations (league min, 1 year)
Quine - Moved to / signs with another a team with less depth
Lomberg - Not qualified
Rychel - Qualified
Lazar - Moved to / signs with another a team with less depth
Foo - Qualified
Healy - Not qualified
McDonald - Not qualified
Pollock - Not qualified

UFA
Fantenberg - Only still in Calgary if both Brodie and Stone are moved out otherwise signs with team where he'll be an everyday player.
Varlamov - Signs a 1 year show me deal where he will parlay playing behind a solid team into a long term deal with another team next season (<6% of cap)
Smith - A good plan B on a 1 year @ 2.75M deal (about <4% of cap)
Hathaway - kept unless another team blows away what the Flames can afford to pay him (1% of cap)
Everyone else is gone to the FA pool.

Trades
Described in the individual trade comments.

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