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A snapshot of the Flames organizational depth chart
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Ryan Pike
Jun 30, 2016, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Invalid DateTime
The Calgary Flames have done some moving and/or shaking over the past week, adding and subtracting a few players from the organization. With a bit of a brief lull before Friday’s free agent insanity (at least for the Flames, so far…), we felt it would be helpful to present a brief overview of the organization’s assets as of right now.
All tables below are sorted by age.

Under Team Control (Signed or RFA)

Left Wing
Age
Centre
Age
Right Wing
Age
Brandon Bollig
29
Matt Stajan
32
Michael Frolik
28
Lance Bouma
26
Mikael Backlund
27
Alex Chiasson
25
Micheal Ferland
24
Freddie Hamilton
24
Garnet Hathaway
24
Johnny Gaudreau
21
Sean Monahan
21
Daniel Pribyl
23
Hunter Shinkaruk
21
Mark Jankowski
21
Austin Carroll
22
Morgan Klimchuk
21
Sam Bennett
20
Emile Poirier
21
Andrew Mangiapane
20
Brett Pollock
20
Hunter Smith
20
The Flames are reportedly negotiating with RW Joe Colborne and RW Josh Jooris. Most likely leaving the organization are wingers Drew Shore, Kenny Agostino and Bryce van Brabant, and centers Derek Grant, Turner Elson and Bill Arnold. Four of the six jettisoned players got NHL time in 2015-16, which may have been one last audition for them. Fundamentally-speaking, Pollock and Jankowski joining the pro side of the organization pushed out Elson and Arnold. Mason Raymond’s exit leaves the Flames with just one forward over the age of 30.
The right side is still pretty gnarly, even with the Flames adding Chiasson and Pribyl since the end of the regular season. If they try to do anything in free agency, the goal will probably be to beef up that right wing depth.
Left Defense
Age
Right Defense
Age
Goaltenders
Age
Mark Giordano
32
Deryk Engelland
34
Brian Elliott
31
Ladislav Smid
30
Dennis Wideman
33
David Rittich
23
Jyrki Jokipakka
24
T.J. Brodie
26
Jon Gillies
22
Tyler Wotherspoon
23
Kenney Morrison
24
Mason McDonald
20
Ryan Culkin
22
Dougie Hamilton
23
Nick Schneider
18
Brett Kulak
22
Rasmus Andersson
19
Keegan Kanzig
21
Oliver Kylington
19
The Flames are reportedly still negotiating with Jakub Nakladal and Joni Ortio. But aside from that, the primary change for the Flames has been in goal. Of the five goalies under NHL deals last season that the Flames and Heat used, four of them (Jonas Hiller, Karri Ramo, Kevin Poulin and Niklas Backstrom) are likely done with the organization. And possibly Ortio as well.
I guess that’s what happens when both the NHL and AHL clubs have rough goaltending.
Smid, Engelland and Wideman have contracts that expire following the 2016-17 season, and then the team’s defense gets quite young in a hurry (and if you compare the blueline group to basically every other position, it’s markedly older). Presumably, the goal for the developmental side of the organization will be to get some of those younger defenders ready for NHL duty by the time they get rid of that 30+ trio.

Unsigned Draft Picks

Left Wing
Age
Centre
Age
Right Wing
Age
Matthew Tkachuk
18
Pavel Karnaukhov
19
Tim Harrison
22
Matthew Phillips
18
Eetu Tuulola
18
Linus Lindstrom
18
Mitchell Mattson
18
Dillon Dube
17
The Flames have many, many unsigned centers. It’s unclear precisely what Karnaukhov’s return to Europe does in terms of his progression. Harrison probably isn’t a prospect of note anymore. Matthew DeBlouw is most likely leaving the organization, as he’s aged out of the NCAA and won’t be offered a contract.
Left Defense
Age
Right Defense
Age
Goaltenders
Age
Rushan Rafikov
21
Stepan Falkovsky
19
Tyler Parsons
18
Brandon Hickey
20
Riley Bruce
18
Adam Ollas Mattsson
19
Adam Fox
18
Rafikov’s likely not a prospect of note anymore. Hickey and Fox are generally the standouts in this group – one good college player on either side. Ollas Mattsson is a wild-card, as he was quite good in SHL and at the World Juniors but might be a victim of the organizational defensive depth, particularly on the left side. John Gilmour may be going down the same path as DeBlouw.

Sum It Up

The Flames have 35 contracts on the books for 2016-17 out of their 50 contract limit, though Schneider will almost definitely be in the WHL and so his contract won’t count against the limit. In terms of the salary cap, the Flames have committed $52.7 million (including bonuses) on a goalie, seven defensemen and eight forwards.
So the Flames have roughly $20.3 million to re-sign Gaudreau and Monahan, secure a back-up goalie, and then add four other forwards.