Enlargement Plan: Projecting the Calgary Flames’ safety record for the 2021 enlargement draft

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Conserving the offense collectively is not any concern, however the blueline and crease current some tough selections for the Flames, who would possibly must take a calculated threat with a purpose to preserve one notable identify in Calgary.Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm|Gerry Thomas/NHLI through Getty ImagesWelcome to the Enlargement Plan, our summer season collection projecting the protected lists for the 30 NHL franchises who will take part within the June 2021 Enlargement Draft.
Over the subsequent two seasons, each group – save the Vegas Golden Knights, who shall be exempt – shall be planning for the arrival of the NHL’s 32nd franchise and Seattle GM Ron Francis will start to contemplate the choices for his inaugural roster. As such, over the course of the subsequent 30 days, we are going to profile one group, in alphabetical order, and forecast their potential record of protections and exposures, in addition to handle every group’s enlargement technique, no-brainers, robust selections and what classes they discovered from the 2017 enlargement course of.
This train requires some vital floor guidelines. The 2021 Enlargement Draft will comply with the identical guidelines because the 2017 Enlargement Draft, however some assumptions are essential. These are the rules adopted:
No pre-draft trades
All no-movement clauses are honored
Gamers who will change into restricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 stay with present groups
Gamers who will change into unrestricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 both stay with present groups or are left off lists completely (eg. Nicklas Backstrom protected by the Washington Capitals, Tyson Barrie not protected by Toronto Maple Leafs or some other group.)
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There are just a few causes Flames followers had been properly inside their proper to have gripes concerning the Milan Lucic commerce with the Edmonton Oilers, not least of which was the truth that the veteran winger carries a no-movement clause that can nonetheless be in place comes the 2021 enlargement draft. Meaning Lucic is a participant Calgary shall be pressured to guard – assuming, after all, that he’s nonetheless on the roster.
That’s the unhealthy information. The excellent news, although, is that Lucic’s pressured safety shouldn’t show to be all that nice a hindrance to the Flames’ plans on the draft or to their success past that time. Calgary has constructed a basis on its offensive stars, led by Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, however final season was proof constructive that the assault is even deeper. Elias Lindholm was a standout and Matthew Tkachuk staked his declare as one of many vivid younger stars within the sport.
One attention-grabbing word concerning the Flames within the lead as much as the 2021 enlargement draft is that three of their big-name blueliners will come off the books after this season. T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone can all hit the open market subsequent summer season, so Calgary may have to choose about which rearguard, if any, to maintain on the town.
PROTECTED (7F, 3D, 1G):
Forwards:
Milan Lucic (NMC)
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Mikael Backlund
Elias Lindholm
Matthew Tkachuk
Dillon Dube
Defensemen:
Noah Hanifin
Juuso Valimaki
Rasmus Andersson
Goaltenders:
NOTABLE EXPOSURES: Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski, Mark Giordano, Oliver Kylington, David Rittich
STRATEGY: The large selections aren’t up entrance. These are on the again finish. You’ll word Giordano isn’t protected – extra on that beneath – however Hanifin, Valimaki and Andersson are. The three younger rearguards have been heralded as the way forward for the protection in Calgary and retaining the trio in place will make sure the Flames aren’t scrambling to plug spare elements onto the protection in an try to compete. Even when Calgary does re-sign a few their pending UFA rearguards, that is nonetheless the trio of protected defensemen that makes probably the most sense.
In the meantime, goaltending presents one other quandary. Does Calgary guarantee Rittich sticks round or do they as an alternative go along with Gillies? We went with the latter due to his pedigree. The NCAA standout was thought of one of many Flames’ high prospects at one level and may very well be an NHL common briefly order. It may not matter both method, although. Seattle can pluck one other worthwhile participant from the Calgary roster.
THE NO BRAINER: Selecting to go the seven-forward safety route is as apparent because the day is lengthy, significantly given the breadth of offensive expertise in Calgary. By utilizing the seven-three-one scheme, the Flames preserve nearly their whole high six collectively and be sure that the assault will proceed to be one of many league’s most deadly. Having the ability to preserve Dillon Dube within the combine is an additional advantage, too, because the teenager had a particular AHL marketing campaign that introduced with it promise for a vivid NHL future.
THE TOUGH DECISION: Sure, Mark Giordano is left unprotected, however a minimum of hearken to the reasoning. In June 2021, Giordano shall be months away from his 38th birthday and one 12 months away from unrestricted free company. Regardless of his growing old like a high-quality wine, likelihood is he’s going to have misplaced a step by that time and received’t be well worth the close to $7-million cap hit Seattle must incur. Some would possibly see it as of venture, however there shall be sufficient expertise uncovered elsewhere that Giordano ought to stay a Flame.
LESSON LEARNED: The Flames shouldn’t count on Seattle to do their soiled work for them. Left uncovered on the 2017 enlargement draft had been Troy Brouwer, Brandon Bollig, Michael Stone and Brian Elliot, however the Golden Knights took Deryk Engelland and left Calgary to cope with a few of these robust contracts.
Up Subsequent: Carolina Hurricanes
Earlier: Anaheim Geese | Arizona Coyotes | Boston Bruins | Buffalo Sabres |
(All wage cap data through CapFriendly)
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Tags: calgary flames, expansionConnect: Concerning the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and internet editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the group since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he will be discovered lacking the web on outside rinks throughout city.