FlamesNation mailbag: Big moves ahead

Well what else is there to look forward to besides the alluring promise that this is all going to get blown up?

Yeah, probably. I’ve moved from “hard no” to “understanding, but skeptical” and now “just do it.” I really like Sam Bennett, and it would still hurt to trade him, but it’s clear that he’s not much help with the Flames.

He’s stuck in first gear when the team really needs him to get going now. I figure the Flames bet a lot of their secondary scoring woes would be fixed if he got slightly better circumstances and better linemates (which is still up for debate). They bet wrong, which is fine given they didn’t invest much into the bet, but the question becomes where do they go from here?

Bennett is mostly name value at this point, because his stats (both conventional and advanced) have gone south since his rookie season. A second round pick sounds like an underpayment, but seems to be the going rate for reclamation projects (Frank Vatrano, Michal Kempny, Nick Holden all got a third this season, and they hold way less value than Bennett). Perhaps the trade partner throws in a sweetener pick or prospect, and that seems like the deal you can get for Bennett. I think teams will lowball the hell out of the Flames, so not any deal is going to work.

The nagging point that restrains me from pulling the trigger is the fact that Bennett seems to at least be functional when moved away from the third line. The Bennett-Monahan-Gaudreau line clocked in at just under 60 CF% and 60 FF% (57% shots for, for what it’s worth) over 74 minutes of play. I feel that the team would’ve stuck with them if their on-ice shooting percentage wasn’t 6% and the save percentage not .882. Bennett’s likely the passenger on that line, but he’s a hell of a passenger. If he can be a functional top six winger in that regard, I don’t mind him sticking around.

Also, can the Flames find a replacement for under $1.95M that can contribute 30-ish points? An internal solution could be Andrew Mangiapane, but that’s still optimistic (besides, don’t the two seem complementary to each other?). Free agents who produce around 30 points tend to want more than Bennett’s salary, and those who will take less are over 30 and will likely not be contributing 30-ish points next year. If you can remove the fourth overall expectations, Bennett is an alright player and that’s something you can work with.

So I guess I’ve just convinced myself that it’s still not time yet. Oh well.

Unlike above, I don’t think I’m circling around on this one. I think it would be smart to move T.J. Brodie. Again, this stings, but Brodie was clearly the benefactor from playing next to Norris-level Mark Giordano on a team with no other defensive depth. He was once an incredibly valuable asset, and now he isn’t. That happens in the NHL. With a plethora of prospect defensive depth, you can easily sacrifice Brodie for some return on investment.

Optimistically? You get a Hamonic return. Brodie’s also a big name who’s had a fall from grace but is under 30 and on a cheap enough contract that the chance you get him back at his peak justifies the price. If the Flames can get a deal like that, I’m not sure they turn it down. A top six winger will also get it done.

Joel Quenneville will make me happy. He’s one of the best coaches in the NHL, and if the Blackhawks are willing to let him go, let them make that mistake. However, his love for older, dependable guys like Brent Seabrook concerns me. Given that he also won a Stanley Cup with Troy Brouwer on his first line, perhaps he might try that again for old time’s sake.

Otherwise, Darryl Sutter seems interesting. If he comes in cheap (another thing to watch out for: Flames ownership is certainly not going to splash the cash on a coach), I think that the team constructed as it is will play to his strengths. He can seemingly turn any team with a few strong pieces into a juggernaut, provided he isn’t GM of that team.

Otherwise, no names really intrigue me.

This rumour pops up over and over again so I’m going to say it again: no.

The Flames do some frustrating things with Dougie Hamilton (i.e: not putting him on the powerplay after 50 games even though the entire thing pretty much bottomed out), but I feel they recognize his value relative to the team. He’s certainly the best right-handed defenceman on the Flames, and probably one of the best offensive defencemen in the league. Perhaps his defence isn’t solid (more solid than it looks), and his penalty uptick a bit annoying, but overall he provides more good than bad. We haven’t even mentioned that he’s 24 and just about to enter his prime.

If they ever move Dougie, the first thing they would go looking for is another Dougie to replace him. That pretty much is why they shouldn’t trade Dougie.

If you want meaningful hockey in these upcoming months, make sure you check out Glenn Gawdin and the Swift Current Broncos. With the CHL’s best line, they’ll probably be the best chance to make the Memorial Cup. Second place is Juuso Valimaki and the Tri-City Americans, who are already up 2-0 on the Kelowna Rockets after two very strong performances.

Aside from them, hopefully all of the prospects lose early so we can see them in professional action sooner. Sorry, not sorry.

If they’re going to be utterly disappointing with a very young roster, they could at least look the part and wear the pedestal jerseys.

It’s a cat.

I don’t know much about Marvel movies, so sorry if this answer provokes a lot of nerd rage because of ignorance. Thanos would be any non-playoff team. The Flames are those henchmen that you see for five seconds, say one witty line, and then instantly die.

Blog overlord Ari, who has just finished a marathon of all the Marvel movies [ed. – Actually I haven’t rewatched Black Panther yet. Might have done this a little too early…] and certainly more qualified to speak on this subject, says Thanos is Ken King.

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I see it.