If positional need is the top priority for Calgary in the offseason

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Created by: sensonfire

Team: 2021-22 Calgary Flames

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 21, 2021

Published: Apr. 21, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Description

My views on drafting Luke Hughes and him becoming Quinn Hughes 2.0 are well documented and have been critiqued ad nauseam.

I can not emphasize this enough:

Position should matter little when it comes to drafting, even if you have 20 left-handed defensemen.

If the best player available is a left-handed defenseman, you either pick him or trade the pick.

No ifs, ands or buts about it.

This is my criteria for drafting in order of importance:

1. Best Player Available (BPA)

2. Safest Player Available (SPA) or the player that is least likely to turn into a bust.

3. If there is still no clear cut favourite on the BPA or SPA, then you draft by position.

If you only draft based on positional needs, then you'll be missing out on some really good players.

Guaranteed :)

Aside from that, I decided to make a post on a plan for the offseason that places a greater emphasis on positional need, particularly when it comes to drafting.

Because I'm nice ;)

Down below, you'll see my personal list of the top draft-eligible prospects that best address Calgary's positional needs IMO.

Notice that Luke Hughes isn't in the top 3 :D

Let me know what you think of all this and I'll see you in the comments :)

Free Agent Signings

RESERVE LIST		YEARS	CAP HIT
Heineman, Emil		3	$900,833

RFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Dubé, Dillon	3	$2,600,000
Välimäki, Juuso	1	$1,300,000
Kylington, Oliver	1	$800,000
Simon, Dominik	1	$750,000
Zagidulin, Artyom	1	$750,000
Parsons, Tyler	1	$750,000

UFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Hakanpää, Jani	1	$1,250,000
Brassard, Derick	1	$1,000,000
Ritchie, Brett	1	$1,000,000

CREATED		YEARS	CAP HIT
Guenther, Dylan		3	$925,000

Trades

CGY

Here are the most pressing positional needs Calgary should address at the right opportunity.

1. A 1st line or 2nd line RW that shoots right and is either a power forward or can score goals in bunches.

2. A mobile, shifty and fast-skating LW that shoots left, has an offensive flair in his game and can play with pace. He needs to be able to put up points and play on the 1st or 2nd line. This need will become more important if Johnny Gaudreau is going to sign with another team or be traded next year.

3. A top 4 LD that shoots left, has the potential to be a team leader and can play well in a pairing with Andersson or Tanev if Valimaki isn't ready. This need will become more important if Mark Giordano is going to be exposed to Seattle.

OTT

Top targets for Calgary in the 1st round ranked in order of importance if addressing positional need is the main objective:

1. Dylan Guenther (RW) Edmonton Oil Kings

2. Fabian Lysell (LW/RW) Lulea

3. William Eklund (LW) Djurgardens

4. Luke Hughes (LD) University of Michigan

5. Owen Power (LD) University of Michigan

6. Simon Edvinsson (LD) Frolunda

CGY

Fehérváry, Martin
McMichael, Connor
Sutter, Riley
2022 1st round pick (WSH)
2023 3rd round pick (WSH)

Additional Details:

Both picks are conditional.

The 2022 1st would move to 2023 if Washington's 2022 1st is in the top 3.

The 2023 3rd would upgrade to a 2023 2nd if Washington wins a playoff round in 2022.

The 2023 3rd would upgrade to a 2023 1st if Washington wins the Stanley Cup in 2022.

WSH

Gaudreau, Johnny ($3,375,000 retained)

Additional Details:

Trade is made if Gaudreau is not staying with the Flames long-term.

Washington considers this trade if they lose Ovechkin in the offseason. If Ovi comes back, we can always find another team that would take Gaudreau :)

This trade is modelled off of the Taylor Hall trade between the Devils and the Coyotes.

CGY

Holtby, Braden ($2,150,000 retained)

Additional Details:

Calgary needs an adequate backup goalie for Markstrom, preferably a seasoned NHL veteran.

VAN

2023 5th round pick (CGY)

Additional Details:

This trade is modelled off of the Devan Dubnyk, Michael Hutchinson and Keith Kinkaid trades within the last 3 years.

Buyouts

Troy Brouwer: $1,500,000

Retained Salary Transactions

Johnny Gaudreau: $3,375,000 (50%)

Draft	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
2021
2022
2023

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
20	$81,500,000	$61,981,667	$0	$0	$19,518,333

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Tkachuk, Matthew $7,000,000$7,000,000 RW UFA - 1	Lindholm, Elias $4,850,000$4,850,000 C, RW UFA - 3	Dubé, Dillon $2,600,000$2,600,000 LW, RW, C RFA - 3
Mangiapane, Andrew $2,425,000$2,425,000 RW, LW UFA - 1	Monahan, Sean $6,375,000$6,375,000 C, LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 2	Guenther, Dylan $925,000$925,000
Lucic, Milan $5,250,000$5,250,000 LW, RW M-NTC, NMC UFA - 2	Backlund, Mikael $5,350,000$5,350,000 C M-NTC UFA - 3	Ritchie, Brett $1,000,000$1,000,000 RW UFA - 1
	Zary, Connor $894,167$894,167 LW, C RFA - 4	Simon, Dominik $750,000$750,000 RW, LW UFA - 1
Brassard, Derick $1,000,000$1,000,000 C, LW UFA - 1

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Giordano, Mark $3,375,000$3,375,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 1	Andersson, Rasmus $4,550,000$4,550,000 RD UFA - 5	Markström, Jacob $6,000,000$6,000,000 G NMC UFA - 5
Hanifin, Noah $1,237,500$1,237,500 LD UFA - 3	Tanev, Christopher $1,125,000$1,125,000 RD M-NTC UFA - 3
	Hakanpää, Jani $1,250,000$1,250,000 RD UFA - 3	Holtby, Braden -$150,000-$150,000 G UFA - 1
Välimäki, Juuso $1,300,000$1,300,000 LD RFA - 2

Taxi Squad
Pelletier, Jakob $863,333$863,333 ($0$0$0$0) LW RFA - 3
McMichael, Connor $863,333$863,333 ($0$0$0$0) LW, C RFA - 3
Ruzicka, Adam $801,666$801,666 ($0$0$0$0) ($15,000$15K) LW, C UFA - 1
Kylington, Oliver $800,000$800,000 ($0$0$0$0) LD/RD UFA - 1
Zagidulin, Artyom $750,000$750,000 ($0$0$0$0) G UFA

Apr. 21, 2021 at 6:33 p.m.

#26

Alfie11

Joined: Aug. 2020

Posts: 9,527

Likes: 8,968

Quoting: sensonfire

Mackey, Kylington and Poirier are not ready to play LD in the NHL full-time.

Only Kuznetsov might but he will need at least a couple of years in the AHL and even him playing in the NHL full-time is a bit of a stretch.

Giordano will very likely be picked up in expansion by Seattle and that will leave a huge hole.

LD is not the "last thing" Calgary will need help with.

It will be one of the first.

Also, Pelletier likely won't be our 3LW and it will be even less likely if Gaudreau is still here next season.

kylington was a full time 3LD last year lol, just because valimaki is better than him doesn’t mean he isn’t a capable 3rd pair guy. And Mackey is probably ready for a full time 3rd pair role next year as well, the organization is really high on him. Poirier and Kuznetsov are probably 2-4 years away but they were included to show the depth calgary has at LD in the pipeline (the only position where calgary has 2 prospects of some note lol, our pipeline is barren af). I kinda doubt seattle takes gio anyway because of his contract. As for Pelletier, I think it’s pretty likely he makes the team out of camp next year, and if he does he’ll likely be put on the 3rd line with some slightly more skilled players. If you want to pencil him in on the 4th line then that’s fine I guess, but I think he’ll get more opportunity than that and earn his role. Zary is likely to need another year of development either way, and isn’t exactly cut out for a 4th line role anyway so he should definitely not be there

Apr. 22, 2021 at 8:16 a.m.

#27

grobkenwood

Joined: Mar. 2018

Posts: 162

Likes: 48

Quoting: sensonfire

Dumping Panik should not cost a fresh 1st round pick by any stretch of the imagination.

If it cost only a 1st round bust to dump Brett Connolly on the Blackhawks, then it shouldn't cost a 1st with no lottery protections to dump Panik.

I see Carl Hagelin has regressed significantly from when he was in his prime and has the same cap hit and term as Panik.

Would you pay the Flames a 1st to dump Hagelin as well?

I didn't think so :P

Hagelin has more value to the Caps than Panik did. Hagelin actually leads the Caps forwards in penalty killing time on ice per game and still has very solid speed. He also has committed only 6 minor penalties all year and is one of only 4 forwards to play every game for Washington. Panik had already lost his job to Sprong so the comparison is beyond ridiculous.

Capitalfail67 liked this.

Apr. 22, 2021 at 11:45 a.m.

#28

Capitalfail67

Caps fan idk why

Joined: Dec. 2016

Posts: 11,265

Likes: 4,354

Quoting: grobkenwood

it cost Toronto a first-round in 2020 to dump 6.25million Marleau contract. that was before COVID/ flat cap. Panik deal after this year is 2.75 x 2y = 5.5million in cap during a flat cap era. it would absolutely cost a 1st in a terrible draft to move that type of contract. Leafs moved a 1st in a great draft to dump 6.25m in total dollars. Capitals would more than likely need to add a 1st to move Hags also if they felt the need to trade him. He currently has a role and plays it really well so no reason to move him at all.

grobkenwood liked this.

Apr. 22, 2021 at 1:18 p.m.

#29

sensonfire

Thread Starter

sensonfire

Joined: Feb. 2021

Posts: 11,786

Likes: 4,439

Quoting: grobkenwood

The comparison between Panik and Hagelin was an exaggeration, not a serious statement of fact.

If you couldn't tell the difference, then I'm terribly sorry :/

A more accurate comparison involving Panik would be with Brett Connolly.

Like I said, if it cost only a 1st round bust to dump Brett Connolly on the Blackhawks, then it shouldn't cost a fresh 1st round pick to dump Panik.

I know it's hard to admit the Caps got fleeced in the Mantha trade.

I felt the same way when the Sens got fleeced in other blockbuster trades as well.

But, sometimes, overpayments happen because a particular GM is in love with a particular player.

You can't change the past.

So, it's just best to admit that it happened and move on

Apr. 22, 2021 at 1:42 p.m.

#30

grobkenwood

Joined: Mar. 2018

Posts: 162

Likes: 48

Quoting: sensonfire

I know it's hard to admit the Caps got fleeced in the Mantha trade.

Actually it's not hard to admit. I agree it was an over payment but not a fleecing as you suggest. Mantha has scored in every game so far as a Capital. Both picks will be low in their respective rounds and this years draft is the biggest unknown in NHL history. The Capitals still have their 1st next year and are known for finding great players late in the 1st round.

sensonfire liked this.

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