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David Rittich

The 2021 NHL Trade Deadline Deals That Didn’t Happen

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The 2021 NHL Trade Deadline came and went with relatively little fanfare. Deadline day saw just 17 trades made (a new 8-year low) that involved only 26 players (a new 20-year low). The obvious downside to a quiet deadline is that it’s not very exciting to follow and doesn’t create the same number of stretch run storylines to follow. The upside? With so little news to cover, nothing slipped through the cracks. Insiders, such as Elliotte Friedman, have come out with more “almost-trades” than in most years and they have been compiled below. Enjoy reveling in what could have been:

Nicolas Deslauriers to the Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins and Anaheim Ducks came so close on a trade for Deslauriers that an article was published on the topic. Friedman reported that a deal was done, but then backtracked as talks fell apart. Pittsburgh ended up adding experience to their bottom-six from another West Division source, adding Jeff Carter from the Los Angeles Kings.

Jamie Oleksiak to the Edmonton Oilers

In the middle of the deadline day chaos, several pundits reported that Dallas Stars defenseman Oleksiak was on his way to Edmonton. Yet, as time ticked by and there was no announcement, it became clear that a deal had not been completed. Oleksiak had been linked to both Edmonton and the Toronto Maple Leafs but stay put, with the speculation now being the the Stars hope to re-sign him. The Oilers, who also missed out on Patrik Nemeth, ended up finding their stay-at-home defenseman in the New Jersey Devils’ Dmitry Kulikov.

Alex Goligoski, Vladislav Gavrikov, or Nikita Zadorov to the Winnipeg Jets

One of the biggest misses of the deadline was the Jets’ failure to add an impact defenseman. Winnipeg did add Jordie Benn late, but that hardly fills their gaping hole in the top-four. In retrospect, the mistake may have been focusing too much on defensemen who weren’t truly available. Friedman believes that the team tried to acquire either Gavrikov or Goligoski, or perhaps even both. Gavrikov would have been a very nice addition for the Jets, but by all accounts the young Columbus Blue Jackets defender was not really for sale. And while the Arizona Coyotes were expected to listen to offers for their expiring contracts, they ended up standing pat and not moving the veteran Goligoski. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Chicago Blackhawks were at least listening to offers for RFA blue liner Zadorov as well and the Jets made a push, but to no avail.

Taylor Hall to the New York Islanders or Vegas Golden Knights

Friedman began his post-deadline “31 Thoughts” by confirming the suspicions that Hall left the Buffalo Sabres little choice but to trade him to the Boston Bruins, stating that Hall had decided that was where he wanted to go and used his No-Movement Clause to make it happen. However, two other teams made a strong push and that was the Islanders and the Golden Knights. Hall was even open to joining New York, but once they acquired Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac he turned his focus to Boston even though the Isles maintained interest. The Sabres were seemingly very interested in making a deal with Vegas, as Friedman notes that multiple teams were contacted about acting as a salary cap broker for a potential deal. In the end, Hall preferred Boston and that is all that mattered.

Daniel Vladar or Jeremy Swayman to the Buffalo Sabres

Many have been critical of the Sabres’ return for Hall – a Boston second-round pick and forward Anders Bjork – but they tried their best to get more. Friedman reports that Buffalo asked Boston about moving one of their promising young keepers, as both Vladar and Swayman have shown NHL ability in recent weeks as the injury replacements in the Bruins net. However, once Boston knew that Hall wanted to go there and could control the decision, they held all the leverage. The team easily declined moving either talented netminder.

Conor Garland to the Toronto Maple Leafs or Vegas Golden Knights

While the team ended up acquiring Nick Foligno instead, Friedman notes that the Toronto Maple Leafs did express interest in affordable Arizona Coyotes forward Garland. Garland would have fit nicely under the cap, but would have been expensive to require and near impossible to re-sign for the cap-strapped Leafs. The team thus went in a different direction. The Golden Knights were also linked to Garland, but could not make a deal work with their division rival. Garland remaining with the Coyotes could be what is best for both parties in the long run anyhow.

Ryan Getzlaf to the Vegas Golden Knights or Montreal Canadiens

The Golden Knights just missed out on seemingly everyone, huh? Friedman notes that the team was close to adding Anaheim captain Getzlaf and the career Duck was open to the nearby move. However, Vegas allegedly was unwilling to meet the trade demands for the veteran center. For the same reason, the Canadiens likely missed out. Friedman notes that they had serious interest, but talks never got far. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now adds that the Penguins kicked the tires on Getzlaf as well, but never made a serious offer. Anaheim clearly put a high price tag on the face of the franchise and never even approached him about waiving his No-Movement Clause.

Travis Zajac to the Pittsburgh Penguins

While it’s easy to lose track of when trades were made and talks were had around the deadline, per Friedman it seems the Penguins had their sights first set on Zajac from New Jersey, then Getzlaf, and finally Carter. The Kings veteran is not a bad acquisition for a third choice. The Penguins do have to face Zajac on a fellow East Division contender the rest of the way though and surely hope that Carter proves to be the superior player head-to-head.

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Injury Notes: Gallagher, Tanev, Eichel, Andersen

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Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin spoke with the media today following the passing of the trade deadline and did not parse words when asked about injured star Brendan Gallagher. Bergevin does not believe that Gallagher has a chance to play prior to the conclusion of the regular season, he openly admitted. This would align with the six-week timeframe that Gallagher received after fracturing his thumb this past week. There was some optimism that Gallagher could return before the Canadiens’ season is currently scheduled to end on May 11, but Bergevin either does not see this as realistic or simply will not rush Gallagher back to play regular season games. With the North Division playoff teams all but set, Montreal faces little risk of missing the postseason so the priority with Gallagher is only to get him as healthy as possible for the playoffs.

  • Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ron Hextall had similar things to say about one of his own players today. Hextall told the media that the move to acquire Jeff Carter was at least partially influenced by the belief that Brandon Tanev will not play again in the regular season. He stated that Tanev’s upper-body injury, which landed him on Long-Term Injured Reserve, is a “tough injury to judge” but that he does not believe the rugged forward can return before the playoffs. Tanev has been a scoring presence and a physical presence for the Penguins this year and the team will have to replace his output in a number of areas. Fortunately, Hextall at least noted that Kasperi Kapanen is expected back in 10-14 days and Evgeni Malkin is likely to play again before the end of the regular season.
  • The Buffalo Sabres’ season is obviously lost and the team will not rush injured superstar Jack Eichel back into action to play meaningless games. GM Kevyn Adams spoke to the media today and stated that Eichel has not officially been shut down for the year, but he is at least out for a while longer. The superb center has missed 18 games since suffering a neck injury in early March and has only made “slight improvement” in that time per Adams. He did not rule out Eichel playing in some of the Sabres’ final games, but by that point it seems even more unlikely that the team will see any value in putting him back in the lineup.
  • One GM did share some optimism with the media today regarding a key injury. Toronto’s Kyle Dubas made it clear that he does not consider starting goaltender Frederik Andersen to be done for the season. Andersen’s has been struggling with a nagging injury and to this point there has been no timetable for his return. As a result, Dubas made a major addition in net by trading for David Rittich to pair with the red-hot Jack Campbell, but he did not rule out Andersen taking his job back at some point. Dubas did not try to guess as to whether Andersen would be able to return before the end of the regular season or if he would instead be active for the playoffs, but he simply believes that Andersen will play for the Maple Leafs again this year. For the impending free agent, pushing through the pain to get back on the ice may be Andersen’s last chance of suiting up for Toronto again.

Trade Deadline Summary: North Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the North Division.

Calgary Flames
Status: Neutral

In – F Emil Heineman, 2022 second-round pick (FLA), 2022 third-round pick (TOR)
Out – F Sam Bennett, G David Rittich, 2022 sixth-round pick

Edmonton Oilers
Status: Buyer

In – D Dmitry Kulikov
Out – conditional 2022 fourth-round pick

Montreal Canadiens
Status: Buyer

In – F Eric Staal, D Jon Merrill, D Erik Gustafsson
Out – F Hayden Verbeek, 2021 third-round pick, two 2021 fifth-round picks, 2022 seventh-round pick

Ottawa Senators
Status: Seller

In – F Ryan Dzingel, F Michael Amadio, D Brandon Fortunato, 2022 third-round pick (BOS), 2022 seventh-round pick (NYI), 2023 seventh-round pick (NSH)
Out – D Mike Reilly, D Erik Gudbranson, D Braydon Coburn, F Cedric Paquette, F Alex Galchenyuk, D Christian Wolanin, 

Toronto Maple Leafs
Status: Buyer

In – F Nick Foligno, G David Rittich, D Ben Hutton, F Alex Galchenyuk, F Riley Nash, F Stefan Noesen, F Antti Suomela, G Veini Vehvilainen
Out – F Alexander Barabanov, D Mikko Lehtonen, D David Warsofsky, F Yegor Korshkov, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2021 fourth-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick, conditional 2022 seventh-round pick

Vancouver Canucks
Status: Neutral

In – F Matthew Highmore, D Madison Bowey, 2021 fifth-round pick (CHI), 2021 sixth-round pick (WPG)
Out – D Jordie Benn, F Adam Gaudette, 2021 fourth-round pick

Winnipeg Jets
Status: Buyer

In – D Jordie Benn
Out – 2021 sixth-round pick

Maple Leafs Acquire David Rittich

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have added some goaltending depth to the fold, acquiring David Rittich from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick. Both teams have confirmed the move. The Flames will be retaining 50% of what remains on Rittich’s $2.75MM cap hit.

Toronto already swung a deal for Nick Foligno earlier today, meaning it’s quite the active Sunday for GM Kyle Dubas. He’s now bolstered his forward depth (the team also acquired injured center Riley Nash recently) and has added a goaltender to help out what has become an unclear situation in the Maple Leafs crease.

Frederik Andersen, who started the season as the team’s no-doubt starter has struggled all season and is now dealing with a mysterious injury. He hasn’t played since March 19 and in his absence, Jack Campbell has put his name forward as the team’s better option. The 29-year-old Campbell is 11-0 so far on the season and has posted a .934 save percentage, giving the Maple Leafs steller goaltending on a nightly basis. With his injury history though, Toronto was in a precarious spot that could have forced Michael Hutchinson back into the crease.

With Rittich, the team is bringing in an experienced veteran, but one that has had a rocky season of his own. The 28-year-old goaltender is sitting on a .904 save percentage with the Flames so far, which actually isn’t all that much worse than the .907 he put up last season. Perhaps Dubas is hoping for the goaltender who he has seen dominate in person, as Rittich holds a .929 in seven career appearances against the Maple Leafs.

While Rittich doesn’t have much of a chance to unseat Campbell at this point, he does offer some extra depth for a Toronto team that is hoping to go on a long postseason run. What this means for Andersen’s health isn’t clear, but the team seems to be using up the extra cap space provided by moving him to long-term injured reserve. That would suggest he won’t’ be back before the end of the regular season, but at this point, nothing has been announced.

For the Flames, adding a third-round pick for the expiring contract of Rittich is a pretty substantial win, even if they did need to retain salary to do it. The team has their starter in Jacob Markstrom locked up and a capable backup already in Louis Domingue who has been recalled from the taxi squad with Artyom Zaigidulin being promoted to the taxi squad from AHL Stockton. Though they’re not exactly out of the playoff race, the idea of this Flames team competing for the Stanley Cup is a distant one.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jacob Markstrom, Frederik Andersen Scratched Late Due To Injury

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Monday night’s match-up between the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs has not one but two unexpected twists, both revealed in the hour leading up to puck-drop. The Flames first announced that starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom would not dress tonight and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Minutes later, the Maple Leafs announced that their own starter, Frederik Andersen, also would not dress due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. It is not clear at this time how or when either injury was sustained.

In the long-term, the loss of Markstrom, possibly for multiple games, is the bigger story. A talented Flames roster has underachieved so far this season and are currently outside of the playoff picture. In a competitive North Division, Calgary is relying on major free agent acquisition Markstrom to help them battle back into postseason position. For the time being though, they will have to lean on incumbent David Rittich who has been serviceable in the past but is a notable downgrade from Markstrom. The team also used an emergency recall to add Artyom Zagidulin to the roster to dress as the backup tonight and possibly longer. The former KHL standout has a chance to make his NHL debut if his stay in Calgary is extended.

In the short-term though, the loss of yet another goalie in the Toronto organization is a major concern, especially if Andersen misses multiple games. The Leafs sit comfortably atop the division and can rely on the experienced Michael Hutchinson for a while. However, Hutchinson began the season as the Leafs’ fourth-string goalie. It has taken the waiver departure of Aaron Dell and injuries to Jack Campbell and now Andersen to boost Hutchison to the interim starter role. Behind him, untested Joseph Woll has been recalled to dress as backup and was the only choice, as the only other pro goalie under contract – Ian Scott – is also injured. The Leafs are an extended absence for Andersen or another injury in goal away from having to acquire another net minder.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/15/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad, and although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.  The last five bullets are all courtesy of CapFriendly’s transactions log.

  • The Nashville Predators have placed Luca Sbisa on the active roster after being claimed off waivers earlier this week. To make room, Cole Smith has been moved to the taxi squad. Smith made his NHL debut last night but received just six shifts and failed to record a point. Sbisa, who signed a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets in October, has more than 500 games of NHL experience.
  • As it is an off day for the Calgary Flames, the team has moved Derek Ryan to the taxi squad in order to continue banking some cap space. Louis Domingue has also been placed there, suggesting that David Rittich will return from his family emergency in time for tomorrow’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Artyom Zagidulin, who had been recalled to the practice squad, has been reassigned back to the AHL.
  • As expected after the Winnipeg Jets claimed Anton Forsberg, the team has moved both Kristian Vesalainen and Logan Stanley to the taxi squad. The team must keep Forsberg on the active roster until he clears waivers, something that doesn’t seem possible at the moment with teams looking for goaltending depth.
  • The Canucks have recalled Loui Eriksson from the taxi squad and replaced him with Justin Bailey, the opposite of a move they made just yesterday. Though it may seem counterintuitive, keeping Eriksson on the active roster and Bailey on the taxi squad during off days actually saves the Canucks money. The team is already in LTIR relief meaning they can’t bank cap space and have to pay Eriksson his one-way NHL salary regardless of where he plays. Bailey on the other hand earns less on his two-way deal whenever he is assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.
  • The Bruins have made a trio of moves.  Forward Karson Kuhlman has been assigned to AHL Providence while wingers Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic were both sent to the taxi squad.  Studnicka played just under 12 minutes in Boston’s season opener while Frederic saw just under 11 minutes of ice time.  Chances are at least one will be recalled on Saturday.
  • With Cory Schneider being moved onto the Islanders’ roster giving them three goalies, they don’t have to carry one on the taxi squad.  As a result, they’ve shifted Jakub Skarek to Bridgeport.  He is their only other goaltender that isn’t currently up with the Isles.  Defenseman Thomas Hickey has also been shifted to the taxi squad after being scratched for their opener.
  • The Sharks have shifted four players around.  Defensemen Nicolas Meloche and Nikolai Knyzhov were both sent to the taxi squad after serving as their third pairing in their opener.  Meanwhile, wingers Jeffrey Viel and Fredrik Handemark were both sent to AHL San Jose.  With five healthy blueliners on the roster, at least one of the blueliners will soon be recalled again.
  • The Maple Leafs recalled Alexander Barabanov from their taxi squad prior to tonight’s game against Ottawa.  Defenseman Mikko Lehtonen was sent to the taxi squad, making the swap a cap-neutral move as both players are receiving the maximum entry-level salary.
  • Tyler Johnson is back on the NHL roster after being recalled from the taxi squad, as is defenseman Luke Schenn and both are in their lineup against Chicago.  Meanwhile, blueliner Andreas Borgman was loaned to the taxi squad.  He cleared waivers back on Tuesday but had remained on the Lightning’s roster until now.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/14/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad, and although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of news each day.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have sent Loui Eriksson to the taxi squad and recalled Justin Bailey. Given Eriksson didn’t play last night for the Canucks this doesn’t come as much of a surprise and it will allow the team to bank slightly more daily cap space. Eriksson previously cleared waivers and could also be assigned to the AHL once it gets started.
  • Stuart Skinner has been recalled from the Edmonton Oilers taxi squad under emergency conditions, giving the team an extra goaltender for tonight’s action. Evan Bouchard meanwhile has been sent to the taxi squad, while Tyler Benson, who had previously been there, has now been assigned to the AHL.
  • Staying in Western Canada, the Calgary Flames have activated Derek Ryan from the taxi squad as expected, but he’s coming with some company. The team has also activated Louis Domingue who will serve as backup this evening while David Rittich deals with a family issue. With the extra space, Artyom Zagidulin has been added to the taxi squad from the AHL roster.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Cole Smith from the taxi squad while sending Lukas Craggs to the AHL. Craggs already played in eight games for the Florida Everblades, recording nine points early in the season but will now compete for playing time with the Chicago Wolves. Smith, who also played a handful of games for the Everblades to start the year, is in his first season of professional hockey after being signed out of the University of North Dakota.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have brought up a pair of players as Mathieu Perreault and Logan Stanley were recalled from the taxi squad.  Perreault cleared waivers earlier in the week so they will have the ability to shuffle him back and forth until he plays in 10 NHL games or is on the NHL roster for 30 days.  Stanley, meanwhile, was a first-round pick back in 2016 but has yet to suit up with the Jets.  Winnipeg also recalled defenseman Leon Gawanke from his loan to Berlin of the DEL.
  • The Montreal Canadiens assigned Jake Evans to the taxi squad.  He played a little under nine minutes in last night’s season-opener but with them off until the weekend, they’ll shuffle him down and bank a little bit of cap space.  The team has already announced its intent to recall him for their next game on Saturday.

Calgary Flames Sign Garret Sparks To PTO

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When the ECHL’s daily transactions today listed Orlando Solar Bears goaltender Garret Sparks as being recalled by the Calgary Flames, it left many puzzled. After some digging, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was among those to clarify that Sparks has signed a PTO with the Flames and will join the team for training camp.

Sparks, 27, spent this past season with the Vegas Golden Knights and even made an appearance with the team. However, he otherwise spent the entire season in the AHL and had fewer starts and lesser numbers than starter Oscar Dansk. A former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and occasional backup, Sparks actually has nearly 40 NHL games on his resume as well as very strong career AHL numbers. Yet, in recent years he has failed to capitalize on his NHL chances and has outgrown the prospect label, leaving few options for the unrestricted free agent this off-season. Sparks signed with Orlando earlier this month without any better opportunities at the time.

Sparks now has a second chance to get back into the NHL this season as he is set to attend camp with Calgary. The Flames are set in the NHL with big free agent addition Jacob Markstrom and incumbent David Rittich, but Sparks could still be of value in some other roles. Sparks is likely to compete with fellow veteran Louis Domingue to get the nod as the team’s taxi squad goalie this season. The new roster fixture allows a select group of players to travel and practice with the NHL roster without counting toward roster limits  and with salary being treated as if they were in the minors. However, these players – and especially the No. 3 goalie – may not see much game action this season, so the slot is better used on a veteran than a prospect in need of appearances like Artyom Zagidulin or Tyler Parsons. Even if the Flames opt to go with Domingue for the taxi squad, they may still want to sign Sparks as a second AHL goalie. It is still unclear if Zagidulin will be recalled from his loan to the KHL to play in the AHL this year, but if not there will be a hole alongside Parsons for the Stockton Heat.

Calgary Flames Seeking Right Side Defenseman

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The Calgary Flames addressed the right side of their blue line in a big way earlier this off-season, stealing free agent Chris Tanev from the rival Vancouver Canucks. Tanev is a solid two-way defenseman who has earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike over his career. He should settle in nicely as the replacement for T.J. Brodie in the top-four for Calgary, with young Rasmus Andersson beginning a new contract of his own that comes with higher expectations. Someone from the left side can slide over as well, with captain Mark Giordano, young standout Noah Hanifin, top prospect Juuso Valimaki, and recent import Nikita Nesterov under contract and restricted free agent Oliver Kylington awaiting a contract extension.

However, that apparently isn’t enough for the Flames on the right side. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that GM Brad Treliving is still actively seeking another right side defenseman, evaluating both the free agent and trade markets. Whether this is due to Tanev’s injury history or Andersson’s inexperience, it is believed that Treliving would like to add another established right-handed defenseman. However, that may be easier said than done given Calgary’s salary cap situation. The aforementioned six defensemen under contract are part of a group of CapFriendly’s current roster projection of 21 players that comes in just about $1MM under the salary cap ceiling. With Kylington in need of a new deal and one more body required to round out the roster, the Flames don’t have enough cap space as is. Adding a significant name will be difficult without moving out considerable salary.

Ironically, the remnants of the free agent market at right side defense includes a number of familiar names. First and foremost, Travis Hamonic is the exact veteran defenseman that the Flames are trying to replace. Hamonic spent the three seasons with Calgary and alongside Brodie and Andersson made for a solid starting group on the right side. While it was seemingly a done deal that Hamonic would be leaving Calgary, emphasized by his opting out of the postseason, Hamonic’s name has not made much noise this off-season and he could decide to return to the Flames for another year if there are no superior options. Of course, Hamonic will not come cheap. Michael Stone was another member of the Flames’ right side this past season (and for parts of the past four seasons) and could make the easy transition back to the team. Veteran Deryk Engelland is also still available and could return to Calgary after three years with the Vegas Golden Knights, while Dalton Prout could return as a depth option after a one-year hiatus with the San Jose Sharks. If the Flames can move some salary to add a legitimate starter, the top free agent target would be Sami Vatanen. However, more realistic free agent options for Calgary’s budget in addition to Stone, Engelland, and Prout include Jan Rutta, Korbinian Holzer, Yannick Weber, Christian Folin, and Cody Goloubef.

Of course, if the Flames need to move out salary anyhow, the trade market may make more sense than merely signing a free agent. With a number of teams still scrambling to get their rosters set for next season under the shadow of the flat salary cap, there could be plenty of willing partners who might have a right side defenseman to spare in exchange for a similarly priced forward. Backup goaltender David Rittich, whose $2.75MM cap hit reflects a greater role than he will likely play behind big free agent addition Jacob Markstrom, could also be attractive to a number of teams still seeking a reliable backup.

One way or another, don’t be surprised if the Flames are not done making moves this off-season. Between their desire to add to the right side of the blue line and their need to clear cap space in order to complete the roster, Calgary is bound to be scouring the trade and free agent markets for a while longer.

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.

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