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Free Agent Focus: Calgary Flames

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With free agency now less than a month away, many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  While the Calgary Flames have one or two key restricted free agents to deal with, they may have quite a few questions that will need answering among their unrestricted free-agent defensemen.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Andrew Mangiapane – Throughout his career, Mangiapane has done everything right and only continues to get better. A former sixth-round pick in 2015, he worked his way into permanent role in 2018-19 and solidified himself as a top-six forward this year and it showed, posting career highs in his second full season, scoring 17 goals and 32 points. He added another three goals in 10 playoff games this year. The 24-year-old is likely to get a raise after making $800K on his now-expiring entry-level deal. He has proven his value as a key future forward on this team.

F Mark Jankowski – There was a lot of hope for Jankowski, the team’s first-round pick from 2012, but his third season in the NHL was a bit disappointing. In fact, after his rookie campaign in 2017-18 in which the 26-year-old tallied 17 goals, he has seen a continual decline, posting 15 goals in 2018-19 and followed that up with just five goals this year and has seen his playing time continue to drop as he played just 11:06 of ATOI. And at 6-foot-4 and a bottom-line player, he doesn’t play much of a physical game with just 80 recorded hits over three full seasons. However, the team has to decide whether he is worth the $1.75MM qualifying offer to retain his rights.

Other RFAs: F Justin Kirkland, D Oliver Kylington, D Andrew Nielsen, G Tyler Parsons.

10.2(c) Players: F Glenn Gawdin, G Nick Schneider (ineligible for arbitration or an offer sheet)

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Travis Hamonic – The Flames gave up quite a bit to bring in the defensive-minded Hamonic back in 2017. While not particularly much of an offensive player, the 30-year-old blueliner is quite a defensive player and was second on the team in ATOI this season at 21:11. Of course, the team was without his services in the playoffs as he opted out due to COVID-19 and family concerns. His daughter has had a significant battle with a life-threatening respiratory virus in the past while Hamonic has a new baby boy as well. However, the blueliner also was dealing with an upper-body injury for a large chunk of the regular season as well. Will the team bring him back? He was quite an affordable commodity at $3.86MM for the last few years, but undoubtedly will be looking for a raise and how many years is Calgary willing to offer to someone who is already 30 years old? With a team as cash-strapped as Calgary, Hamonic may be too pricey to keep.

D Erik Gustafsson – With five unrestricted free-agent defensemen, the team is likely to have to make some tough decisions in the near future. The Flames picked up Gustafsson for just a third-round pick at the trade deadline, which looked like a steal when Hamonic opted out of the playoffs. The team was expecting to lean on the once-high scoring defenseman. Instead, Gustafsson got just third-pairing minutes and wasn’t a big contributor down the stretch, suggesting the team may move on from him. While the 28-year-old’s price tag likely has dropped since posting a 17-goal, 60-point season back in 2018-19 and then following that up with a six-goal, 29-point season this year, a reunion would seem less likely considering the team has limited means as it is.

D T.J. Brodie – A constant trade-rumor candidate last summer, Brodie has found a way to remain with the team and produce quality minutes and may be the best option for Calgary if they were able to re-sign just one starter in the offseason. While his minutes have declined significantly since 2014-15, he still can put of solid defensive numbers and potentially provide solid play for less than the cost of either Hamonic or Gustafsson. He is capable of playing either side of the ice and plays a game that might suggest he could play deeper into his career than other defensemen.

G Cam Talbot – The Calgary Flames added Talbot to their roster as a veteran backup for young David Rittich and instead, Talbot walked away with the starting job, playing in all 10 of the team’s playoff games with Rittich getting just 16:35 of ice time in the final game before they were eliminated by Dallas (he gave up three goals on six shots). Talbot, who posted solid numbers this year, with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 26 regular season games, put up even better numbers in those 10 playoff games, including a 2.42 GAA and a .924 save percentage. The 33-year-old UFA made it clear he is looking for a starting job, but is Calgary willing to give up on Rittich just yet? And are they willing to pay up to keep Talbot, who could have quite a few suitors after his impressive season?

Other UFAs: F Austin Czarnik, D Derek Forbort, F Byron Froese, G Jon Gillies, F Ryan Lomberg, F Alan Quine, F Tobias Rieder, F Zac Rinaldo, F Buddy Robinson, D Michael Stone, D Rinat Valiev.

Projected Cap Space

The Flames only have about $16MM in available cap space and plenty of players they need to sign, including at least one or two defensemen and a starting/tandem goaltender. That doesn’t leave much money left for the team to spend on potential free agents unless the Flames find a way to move out some salary or some key players. Of course, with several rumors spreading about the availability of Johnny Gaudreau, it could be an interesting offseason for the Calgary Flames.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Henderson, UAH, Lizotte

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The Vegas Golden Knights new AHL affiliate will announce their team name on Thursday night, revealing the logo they will use for the 2020-21 season (should it happen) as well.  The team, which will eventually play out of Henderson, Nevada is expected to be named the Henderson Silver Knights (although Murder Hornets was also a popular choice).

The Henderson City Council recently approved $42MM in funding for a new arena to house the AHL franchise, though it is not expected to be ready until 2022. For now, they will play games at Orleans Arena just a few blocks away from T-Mobile Arena, the home of the Golden Knights.

  • If you’re one of those fans disappointed by the recent news that the University of Alabama-Huntsville had canceled their men’s hockey program due to financial concerns, you have a chance to help. The hockey community has started a GoFundMe to try and save the Chargers, working out a deal with the school to keep the program in place if it raises $1MM by the end of the week. Cam Talbot, the school’s most notable hockey alumni, is even spreading the word in hopes that his former program won’t be shut down.
  • Jon Lizotte has re-signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2020-21, returning on an AHL contract after starting his professional career this season. The former St. Cloud State defenseman scored 17 points in 59 games for WBS but still won’t be on an NHL deal when hockey kicks back up. The 25-year old would need to take a substantial development step to really challenge for an NHL roster spot in the future.

Snapshots: Pominville, Leivo, Red Wings Goaltending

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He hasn’t played in a game since the 2018-19 season ended and it now looks like Jason Pominville’s NHL career is officially over. The veteran forward hasn’t made a formal announcement regarding his retirement, but accepted a coaching position with the Lanaudiere Pioneers, a youth hockey team near his hometown of Repentigny, Quebec, according to the Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski.

Pominville, who said he had hoped he would be signed by an NHL team at the trade deadline, will be an associate coach at the pee-wee and midget levels, but is also expected to serve as a special adviser and a skills trainer within the organization. The 37-year-old spent last season training, but also serving as an assistant coach, coaching his son Jayden with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.

The veteran played 1,060 games in his 15 years in the league. He spent the majority of that time with the Buffalo Sabres where he ranks eighth in franchise history in games played with 733.

  • Many teams might be able to take advantage of the suspension in play if/when the NHL continues. Several players, who were expected to miss most or all of the 2019-20 season, are now expected to be ready to return to duty when play resumes. However, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre writes that Vancouver Canucks forward Josh Leivo isn’t currently one of those players. Leivo, who fractured his kneecap during a game on Dec. 19, was expected to miss the 2019-20 season. However, the Canucks always stated that if they could go deep into the playoffs, Leivo might be able to return. However, MacIntyre adds that if the playoffs started today, Leivo would not be ready. The 26-year-old already passed his career high in points, posting 19 points in 36 games.
  • While there has been plenty of talk about what the Detroit Red Wings intend to do about their goaltending situation, MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that the team will be looking for a veteran backup in free agency this offseason. The team believes that goaltender Jonathan Bernier is their starter and likely was the team’s most valuable player despite average numbers of a 15-22-3 record, a 2.95 GAA and a .907 save percentage. However, Khan notes, his numbers look pretty good when you look at the goalie numbers when he wasn’t playing: 2-27-2, 4.33 GAA and a .875 save percentage. With a price range likely under $3MM, the best fits might include Cam Talbot, Thomas Greiss and Aaron Dell.

 

Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Stamkos, Romanov

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With plenty of cap room and a major need in the net, many feel that the Detroit Red Wings and general manager Steve Yzerman might make a splash into the free-agent market this offseason. Longtime goaltender Jimmy Howard is 36 years old, coming off his worst season and is an unrestricted free agent, meaning that a return is extremely unlikely. Throw in the fact that there are several big names that could become available at the time, including Braden Holtby and Robin Lehner, and it’s very likely the Red Wings will be exploring that market.

However, the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes neither Holtby or Lehner are likely candidates to come to Detroit next season. Holtby might not be too interested in joining a rebuilding team and the scribe believes that both players’ price tags are likely to be too rich for what the Red Wings are going to be interested to pay. Holtby is currently making $6.1MM per season, while Lehner is currently on a one-year deal at $5MM. Neither is likely to be willing to take much of a pay cut.

James suggests the team is likely going to look for a player to join Jonathan Bernier in more of a tandem role on a short-term deal, including players like Cam Talbot, Anton Khudobin and Jaroslav Halak.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a major loss back in early March when it was announced that captain Steven Stamkos would miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The recovery time would likely have forced him to miss at least the first-round of the playoffs. However, the suspension of play due to COVID-19 has allowed Stamkos the time he needed to get healthy and recently told Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription required), that he’ll be ready to go when play resumes. “With the timing of all this, it was devastating at the beginning because I thought I would possibly be missing some playoff games,” Stamkos said. “And the stoppage happened, and we didn’t know how long it was gonna be. So the silver lining in that was I’ll be ready when we resume. So I’ve been able to still use this time to rehab. I’ve been going to the rink … about three times a week to skate and just start feeling normal again.”
  • Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that while Montreal Canadiens fans are waiting for top prospect Alex Romanov to sign on the dotted line in the next few days, that might have to wait. Despite that fact that his KHL contract will expire on April 30, Romanov doesn’t intend to sign a contract until he knows what is happening in regards to the NHL’s 2019-20 season. He does intend to sign once play is expected to resume, but the 20-year-old wants to make sure he doesn’t sit for a lengthy amount of time. The defenseman has already played two full seasons in the KHL and many hope that Romanov is ready to step into Montreal’s lineup as soon as next season.

West Notes: Pietrangelo, Talbot, Gagner

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The season isn’t even over yet, but the St. Louis Blues have been busy adding talent to their future with two signings on defense. The team extended defenseman Marco Scandella, while agreeing to term with collegiate Scott Perunovich on a contract. That leaves quite a bit of depth on the Blues’ blueline and leaves even more questions on whether St. Louis intends to sign pending unrestricted free agent Alex Pietrangelo to a long-term deal.

In his most recent mailbag, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that he believes the Blues continue to prioritize signing Pietrangelo and believes that his $9MM AAV asking price might now be too high and he might have to accept less or a short-term deal as the NHL deals with the effects of COVID-19. Regardless, the Blues will likely have to unload some contracts to make a deal possible as Rutherford suggests the team is likely going to have to move backup goaltender Jake Allen or buying out forward Alex Steen. Allen, in particular, could have some value after posting a 2.15 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 24 appearances, and could attract some teams looking for help in net as he will have one year remaining next year at $4.35MM.

  • Speaking of goalies, Calgary Flames veteran Cam Talbot, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, that he is looking for one more chance to be a starting goaltender again and that will be his basis for signing with a team. “I wouldn’t rule out coming back, but, obviously, my goal coming here was to show the rest of the League that I still have it in me to be a starting goalie and I think I accomplished that,” Talbot said. The 32-year-old had a bounce-back season in Calgary after signing a one-year deal with the Flames with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 26 appearances as the backup to David Rittich.
  • In his most recent mailbag, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector suggests that there is a strong likelihood that the Edmonton Oilers will re-sign fourth-line center Sam Gagner to another short-term deal. He believes that Edmonton general manager Ken Holland looks at Gagner as a future member of his front office in the same way he looked at Dan Cleary, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby when he was with the Detroit Red Wings. On top of that, Gagner is likely looking for a one-year deal at under $1MM, a contract that a team like Edmonton would value considering how top-heavy the team is in expensive contracts. Edmonton is also Gagner’s family’s home, suggesting that is where he would prefer to stay.

Pacific Notes: Meruelo, Frolik, Talbot

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Arizona Coyotes fans got good news last week when Alex Meruelo closed on his sale of the franchise and the expects to keep the franchise in Arizona. The new owner must still figure out whether the team can get a new arena and make his claim to keep the team in the state of Arizona a reality.

Arizona Sports 98.7’s Matt Layman notes five takeaways from his press conference last week, including the owner’s desire to win. However, perhaps the most interesting fact is that Meruelo is known for buying failed businesses and making them viable once again. While Arizona isn’t a failing franchise, the team has been losing money and Meruelo might be the perfect owner to take over a struggling franchise that many feel cannot survive where it is, hence the rumors that the team will eventually make its way to Houston.

At the end of the day whether you’re flipping pizzas or you’re hitting hockey pucks, it’s a business and it must be treated as one. Hockey is a sport, but it’s also a business. I’ve had a lot experience growing businesses and turning them around. For 40 years I’ve been doing this. I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve got good people that I work with that I consider to be my team and my family and that makes me who I am today.

  • The Calgary Flames may have $7.76MM in projected cap room still, but with Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane still unsigned, the team will be forced to offload a contract to bring both forwards, especially Tkachuk under contract. While there has been plenty of talk of Calgary trading away a defenseman such as T.J. Brodie or Travis Hamonic, The Athletic’s Kent Wilson (subscription required) writes that another option would be Michael Frolik. The middle-six forward is still just 31 and is coming off a 16-goal season, which might make him more palatable than many of the veteran free-agent options remaining on the market. Frolik has one year remaining at $4.3MM. Wilson suggests that Ottawa might make a good fit. The Senators are way under the cap, but Frolik will actually be paid just $3MM in salary despite his cap hit number, something that the budget-focused Senators love to acquire. The scribe adds the New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers as alternative options for Calgary.
  • Sportsnet’s Luke Fox writes that Calgary Flames new goaltender Cam Talbot hopes to prove his value to his new team. Talbot, who signed on to be a veteran backup to David Rittich this summer, struggled in his final two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers before finally being traded at the trade deadline. Talbot said he hoped that a trade to Philadelphia would be the reset of his career that would allow him to bounce back. However, Talbot played just three and a half games with Philadelphia as the backup to Carter Hart and never got a chance to prove his value. Now in Calgary, Talbot said he hopes to be more than just a backup to Rittich and hopes to split time with him evenly. “[Rittich] played extremely well last year and kinda took that spot and earned his right to battle for it. I’m going in. I want to complement him,” says Talbot.

Calgary Flames Re-Sign David Rittich

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After a hot start to salary arbitration season with three hearings, things have cooled off of late with a slew of contract resolutions. Add another to the list, as the Calgary Flames and goaltender David Rittich have come to terms on an extension. The team announced that the 26-year-old net minder has signed on for two years at an AAV of $2.75MM. Rittich will be an unrestricted free agent when the deal expires after the 2020-21 season.

The Flames now have their 1A goalie back under contract, as Rittich outplayed veteran Mike Smith last season, earning 42 starts to Smith’s 40. Rittich posted career-high numbers in his second season as a Calgary regular, recording a .911 save percentage and 2.61 GAA. Not only were these numbers a personal best and substantially better than Smith’s, they were also top-20 marks among goalies with appearances in at least half of their team’s games, showing that Rittich could hold his own as the Flames’ top option. Given his age and level of play, albeit in limited appearances, it still seems like Calgary got a good value on this $5.5MM pact.

Still just 26 and without a lot of tread on the tires as timeshare goalie in the Czech pro ranks for many years, Rittich has the potential to continue improving as well. He will certainly be pushed in the upcoming season, as Smith has been replaced by the younger and arguably more talented Cam Talbot. Talbot signed a one-year deal this off-season with a $2.75 AAV that matches Rittich’s. The salaries would suggest an even split in net, but the incumbent Rittich has the advantage in familiarity and longer-term investment and should get the preference early on. If he can again prove that he is the superior option to a respected veteran, Rittich could see even more appearances in 2019-20 than he did last year, and perhaps another career performance as well.

The Rittich deal, although more than fair, does add more pressure to the Flames’ salary cap conundrum. CapFriendly currently projects the team to have $4.67MM in cap space. With Matthew Tkachuk still unsigned, as well as Andrew Mangiapane, that simply won’t be enough. Since Rittich had filed for arbitration, the Flames’ second case after their recent resolution with Sam Bennett, the team will be afforded a second buyout window, a 48-hour opportunity to rid themselves of a large contract that could help them sort out their financials. However, there is no obvious candidate for such a move and the team could instead continue shopping defensemen Travis Hamonic and T.J. Brodie and forward Michael Frolik in hopes of opening up more space.

Anaheim Signs Anthony Stolarz

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After standing pat on day one of free agency, the Anaheim Ducks have come alive today with their third signing. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, a Group 6 unrestricted free agent, has signed with the team, reports TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. It is expected to be a two-year, one-way contract for Stolarz worth $750K.

After parts of five seasons in the Philadelphia Flyers organization to begin his pro career, Stolarz finally got a change of scenery when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in February for Cam Talbot. Stolarz was immediately considered a likely backup candidate for Edmonton moving forward, but failed to impress in six appearances with the team down the stretch and by all reports the Oilers made no attempt to keep him.

Stolarz now joins yet another team in Anaheim and hopes he can get his career back on track. Stolarz was a second-round pick in 2012 and injuries have prevented him from playing up to the expectations of his high draft price. Still just 25 though, Stolarz still has upside and his underlying numbers, in both the NHL and AHL, have been good when healthy.

Managing their depth in net could be tricky for the Ducks, however. Anaheim re-signed Ryan Miller to a one-year deal and may see Stolarz as the future backup to John Gibson after that deal expires, but in 2019-20 the team will either have to carry all three goalies or risk losing Stolarz on waivers. How it all plays out will be interesting to watch.

Flames Sign Brandon Davidson, Byron Froese

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After adding goalie Cam Talbot earlier, the Calgary Flames have addressed their depth at the other two positions, signing defenseman Brandon Davidson and forward Byron Froese, per team releases. Both veteran players have signed one-year, two-way contracts with NHL AAV’s of $700K.

Both Davidson, 27, and Froese, 28, have bounced around the hockey world of late and are hoping to find more stability by landing in Calgary. Davidson, an Alberta native, has spent two stints with the Edmonton Oilers, as well as time with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Chicago Blackhawks in the last four years alone. Davidson has struggled to score at the NHL level, but has shown that he can be a dominant physical force at times. Froese, from nearby Manitoba, did not see any NHL action last year, but was traded nonetheless from the Montreal Canadiens to the Philadelphia Flyers. It was the second time in three years he had been traded and Philly became his fourth team in that span, joining Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Toronto. Like Davidson, Froese has really never been more than a part-time player at the highest level due to concerns about his offensive ability. However, he has established himself as a solid two-way forward.

Given the depth that the Flames have on both the blue line and up front, the odds are the Davidson and Froese will spend much of next season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. However, their NHL experience and reliable defensive ability should make them top call-up options for Calgary when injuries strike.

Cam Talbot Signs With Calgary Flames

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As has been rumored for some time, the Calgary Flames have pegged former rival goaltender Cam Talbot as the newest addition to their goalie tandem. The team has announced a one-year deal worth $2.75MM for the former starter, who should compete for the same role in Calgary. With Mike Smith headed to the Edmonton Oilers, it only seems fitting that Talbot land with the Flames to share the net with David Rittich. 

Talbot, 31, isn’t necessarily coming in to steal the starting role for the Flames, but GM Brad Treliving has tried to have competition in the net for the last several years. Rittich will almost surely get the first crack at the job, though given he only has 58 NHL starts under his belt the team needed to bring in a little more experience just in case. Talbot will be that experience but he too has something to prove coming off a dreadful season with the Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers. In 35 appearances he recorded a .892 save percentage, easily the worst number of his career.

Even if Rittich is the starter heading into the season, the Flames would obviously love to see Talbot rediscover his game and become the goaltender that finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting in 2017. That season he went 42-22-8 for the Oilers and posted a .919 save percentage, starting an incredible 73 games. With a reduced load and better defensive unit, perhaps he can get back to that level again and help the Flames as contenders in the West.

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