What’s on Treliving’s to-do list?

8 years ago

We’re in the waning days of the 2015-16 Calgary Flames season. The playoffs aren’t going to happen this season for this group, but the ongoing business of trying to improve the hockey club is still a top priority for general manager Brad Treliving.

As we’re going to detail here, he’s got a lot of work to do before the 2016-17 season commences.

WHO’S SIGNED?

Here’s everybody under team control for next season, along with their bonuses-included cap hits.

Goaltenders: (5)

Jon Gillies – $925,000
Mason McDonald – $925,000
Nick Schneider – $625,000
Joni Ortio – RFA
Kevin Poulin – RFA

Defenders: (15)

Mark Giordano – $6.75 million
Dougie Hamilton – $5.75 million
Dennis Wideman – $5.25 million
T.J. Brodie – $4.65 million
Ladislav Smid – $3.5 million
Deryk Engelland – $2.917 million
Keegan Kanzig – $925,000
Patrick Sieloff – $925,000
Kenney Morrison – $925,000
Oliver Kylington – $925,000
Rasmus Andersson – $925,000
Jyrki Jokipakka – $900,000
Ryan Culkin – $817,000
Brett Kulak – $817,000
Tyler Wotherspoon – RFA

Forwards: (25)

Michael Frolik – $4.3 million
Mikael Backlund – $3.575 million
Sam Bennett – $3.225 million
Mason Raymond – $3.15 million
Matt Stajan – $3.125 million
Lance Bouma – $2.2 million
Joe Colborne – $1.275 million
Brandon Bollig – $1.25 million
Hunter Shinkaruk – $1.076 million
Brett Pollock – $925,000
Hunter Smith – $925,000
Morgan Klimchuk – $863,000
Emile Poirier – $863,000
Micheal Ferland – $850,000
Garnet Hathaway – $775,000
Kenny Agostino – $735,000
Austin Carroll – $707,000
Johnny Gaudreau – RFA
Sean Monahan – RFA
Josh Jooris – RFA
Bryce van Brabant – RFA
Drew Shore – RFA
Bill Arnold – RFA
Freddie Hamilton – RFA
Turner Elson – RFA

Based on that count, that’s 45 players under contract (or control) for next season. (That said, the Flames have until June 27 to qualify their pending restricted free agents, so depending what happens on draft weekend they might not re-up everybody.) Nick Schneider will still be 19 next season, so unless he plays in the NHL his contract will slide for a year and not count against their 50-deal limit.

Oh, and the Flames have a few players that they need to make decisions on…

WHO NEEDS TO BE SIGNED?

There are a lot of restricted free agents in the organization, but there are also a lot of players the team needs to act on now or risk losing their rights.

The Flames have until July 1 to sign pending unrestricted free agents Karri Ramo, Jonas Hiller, Niklas Backstrom, Jakub Nakladal and Derek Grant.

The Flames have until August 15 to sign pending college free agents Mark Jankowski, John GIlmour and Matthew Deblouw. (If Jankowski becomes a free agent, though, the team gets a compensatory draft pick.)

The Flames still have a lot of time to sign Andrew Mangiapane and Brandon Hickey, but given each player’s performance thus far, you’d imagine the clubs want to get them locked up sooner rather than later. Because Mangiapane turns 20 in April, if he signs an entry-level deal it’ll start running next season regardless of whether he plays pro or not (and count against their 50-contract limit), while Hickey will necessarily turn pro by signing a pro contract.

WHAT ABOUT THE CAP?

Based on cap hits on NHL players with NHL salaries (meaning Mason Raymond is included), the Flames have $51.4 million committed to eight forwards, seven defensemen and zero goaltenders. Presuming the cap barely moves, the Flames have roughly $20 million to use on re-signing their restricted free agents (including Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan) and somehow obtaining an NHL-caliber starting goaltender.

WHO WILL NEED WAIVERS?

In addition to the contractual juggling they’ll do this summer, the Flames will also potentially have waiver concerns. Here’s a handy table.

	Waivers	Waiver Exempt
Goalies	Ortio Poulin	Gillies McDonald
Defenders	Giordano Hamilton Wideman Brodie Smid Engelland Jokipakka Wotherspoon	Kanzig Sieloff Morrison Kylington Andersson Culkin Kulak
Forwards	Frolik Backlund Raymond Stajan Bouma Colborne Bollig Ferland Agostino Gaudreau Monahan Van Brabant Jooris Shore Arnold Hamilton Elson	Bennett Shinkaruk Pollock Smith Klimchuk Poirier Hathaway Carroll

SOME DATES TO THINK ABOUT

Later of June 15 or 48 hours after end of Stanley Cup Final: First buy-out period begins
June 25 & 26: 2016 NHL Draft
June 27: Deadline to qualify restricted free agents
July 1: Beginning of free agency
August (dates TBA): Salary arbitration (and second buy-out period with teams with arbitration cases)