With the agency free less than a week away, the most important question in National Hockey League circles is whether the Calgary Flames can re-sign star striker Johnny Gaudreau.
Brad Treliving, the general manager of the Flames, hopes that an agreement can be reached. Gaudreau has had a contract offer in the eight-year range and $ 9.5 million a year for a month. While pessimists would say Gaudreau still doesn’t put pencils on paper is a sign that he ultimately won’t, Treliving had a different view of the NHL Draft in Montreal while reiterating that the team’s highest priority is to close Gaudreau and line mate Matthew Tkachuk, he also needs a new deal as a long-term restricted free agent.
“We remain optimistic,” he said.
“They are important players and we will focus on that in the coming days … I am always optimistic until they say otherwise.”
Treliving also said that both he and Gaudreau’s agent, Lewis Gross, were really working to reach an agreement. Gaudreau has said many times how much he loves Calgary, and so has his family. The reality, though, is that the Flames must have a game plan if their end of the franchise tests the free agent market on Wednesday.
Having to replace Gaudreau would almost certainly take a step backwards offensively.
Few NHL strikers possess the combination of Johnny Hockey’s creativity, maneuverability and sense of hockey. With Darryl Sutter, Gaudreau, who racked up 115 points last season, also took numerous steps away from the record. His defensive play grew by leaps and bounds and Gaudreau was often on the ice protecting a goal advantage at the end of matches. Gaudreau finished fourth in the Hart Trophy (MVP of the league) voting and won votes for the Lady Byng (most senior player) and Selke (best defensive striker) awards.
“Johnny has been very good in the playoffs,” Sutter said in May.
“For me, he has taken this step. You can see it during the season and now during the playoffs. I’m proud of Johnny. “
While the Flames will almost certainly not recover from Gaudreau’s attack if he leaves, there are ways to mitigate his exit and still freeze a very good top line without taking a big step back.
1. Large game
Calgary has indicated it is willing to spend to the limit in recent years, and if Gaudreau leaves, the Flames will have nearly $ 27 million in space to work on as they not only try to replace him, but they show Tkachuk and others who want to. to remain competitive right now. One way is to replace a high-end player with another.
Nazem Kadri, who just won a Stanley Cup with Colorado, may be the next biggest name on the market and would fit in well with Sutter. Kadri is one of the best double-sided midfielders in the league and comes in with 87 points, the highest of his career. His combination of skill and tenacity is rare. Kadri vetoed a business in Calgary three years ago, but that had more to do with family motives than with Calgary or the Flames organization. The Flames, without Gaudreau, still have a good team, and Kadri as a 1-B center-back with Elias Lindholm could put them very dangerous in the spring.
Evander Kane brings a toolbox similar to Kadri as a robust forward with skill who can excel in an important role. After a tumultuous period with the San Jose Sharks, Kane proved to Edmonton that he can be the best striker in the league. Tampa Bay Lightning striker Ondrej Palat is another name to consider.
Treliving has proven to be a good shutter in recent years. James Neal, Blake Coleman, Trevor Lewis and Jacob Markstrom had different options in the free agent market, but chose to come to Calgary.
2. Bet on a non-traditional front-line player and reinvest maximum space in a different way
An exit from Gaudreau would open up fascinating possibilities for composing the list for Treliving. Do they spend the space of the lid assigned to Gaudreau for another star, as indicated above? Or, instead, do they fundamentally change the way they build their team?
Throughout the National Hockey League, there are players on the front lines who don’t have the statistics or pedigree of the project on paper, but they fit well into those roles. Zach Hyman was a fifth-round pick for Florida, was acquired by Toronto for a seventh-round pick and started alongside Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, becoming a versatile striker who can play in all situations. . Hyman, now with the Edmonton Oilers, had a maximum of 54 points last season and, by most accounts, is a good leader. Michael Bunting, Bryan Rust, Valeri Nichushkin, Jake Guentzel and Alex Killorn are similar: relatively unannounced, but able to play on the front lines.
They all have similar traits: they can play with highly skilled players, they have tenacity and courage and they drive the net and they have a certain ability to finish. None of them would have Gaudreau’s $ 9 million more, and Calgary could reinvest that maximum space to cover other needs on the list.
Without Gaudreau (and assuming Tkachuk returns), Calgary’s front line is made up of one of the best defensive forwards in the league to Elias Lindholm and a skilled 100-point power forward to Tkachuk. Many of Gaudreau’s goals last season are the result of Lindholm’s hard work in his defensive zone winning one-on-one battles and finding his two ends extremely talented. Lindholm has its own final capacity with 82 points last season. Any winger who plays on Calgary’s top line will likely have every chance of success given Lindholm’s two-way elite ability and Tkachuk’s attack.
Given the free agent market, there are a few candidates that Calgary might find for far less than it would pay Gaudreau (let alone offend), but who have a good chance of getting top-notch results.
Max Domi has a 72-point season in his belt and can play with skilled players, and Andrew Copp is a proven, capable and versatile striker who also has tenacity. Ilya Mikheyev arrives from a 21-goal season and could also come in well. Vincent Trocheck could fit in well, and Michael Raffl opened his eyes to the league this season with his game against the Flames in the Dallas first-round playoff series.
With extra head space, the Flames could reclaim both Erik Gudbranson and Nikita Zadorov in the third pair or aim for a more expensive improvement on the blue line of the top four instead of bringing in replacement level players if they have limited space. of head.
3. Allocate the top line space for an internal promotion
Without Gaudreau, Calgary still has a group of deep strikers. In case they follow the path of promotion from within, there are several options: Andrew Mangiapane comes out of a 35-goal campaign, Dillon Dube has shown flashes of potential and Tyler Toffoli is a proven scorer.
A wildcard option would be Calgary’s best prospect, Jakob Pelletier. The 26th 2019 national team finished third in the AHL standings with 62 points in 66 games and has received favorable reviews from coaches and teammates for their talent, work ethic and willingness to learn.
Similar to the second scenario, this would open up Calgary’s boundary space and allow them to spend in different areas.
Other needs
Beyond Gaudreau and Tkachuk, Mangiapane has an increase, as does Oliver Kylington. Calle Jarnkrok has been decently shown to be the center of Calgary’s third line since joining the team during the business deadline, but is likely to look for a bigger payday after signing a long-term deal and with less dollars in their previous negotiation.
An intriguing name is Paul Stastny. The Winnipeg Jets center went out of their way to praise the Flames for their availability in the middle of the end of the year, saying:
“I look at Calgary this year and his coach there, and I don’t know what people are saying about him, which might be tough, but it makes the guys responsible. Look at these guys there, they play a completely different game than they did it last year. They are a more dangerous team and they play a complete team game. When a good team game follows, all individual success is accompanied by it. “
If Gudbranson and Zadorov walk, the Flames will need at least two deep defenses. Justin Braun and Matt Benning would make sense. Calgary values size and physique, and if the price is right, Ilya Lyubushkin would also be an interesting fit.
Treliving’s job is done for him, but he has a sales pitch that no other general manager can counter: last season under Sutter, half of Calgary’s roster reached maximums in goals, assists and / or points.