<p>We&#8217;re now very much into August and in just five weeks, the Calgary Flames&#8217; youngsters will report for prospect camp (and then head to Penticton for the rookie tournament). The summer is winding down.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s check in with the mailbag.</p>
<p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What do you see in terms of expedited development of some young kids now that the <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLFlames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLFlames</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/AHLWranglers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AHLWranglers</a> will be roommates? Gotta think it’ll be a big advantage being able to see them almost daily</p>
<p>&mdash; v5 Calgary Flames (@v5FlamesGM) <a href="https://twitter.com/v5FlamesGM/status/1556373879341273088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The travel won&#8217;t be great for the team, but when they&#8217;re home, they&#8217;re going to get much more exposure to the Flames&#8217; management and their development staff than they would have in Stockton (or elsewhere). Heck, they&#8217;ll have exposure to all the NHL resources, which could be massive for preparing them for NHL duty or even just figuring out what parts of their game need refining.</p>
<p>From a developmental standpoint, it should be a big, big plus.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey Ryan. What are the odds of Darryl Sutter sticking around after this season?</p>
<p>&mdash; The Anvil (@Michael28011649) <a href="https://twitter.com/Michael28011649/status/1556418634448310273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">In your opinion, how do you see the coaching/GM staff looking next season? Does Treliving or Sutter get extensions? If Sutter leaves, do you feel Muller or Huska step up?</p>
<p>&mdash; Rob Trevisan (@rtrevy) <a href="https://twitter.com/rtrevy/status/1556369450865070081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>It&#8217;ll be status quo for 2022-23, obviously, but both Darryl Sutter and Brad Treliving are now in the final seasons of their current contracts.</p>
<p>From a coaching standpoint, it&#8217;ll probably be up to Sutter. If he wants to stick around, he&#8217;ll probably be allowed and/or encouraged to do so. If he wants to go back to the farm, Ryan Huska was nearly hired away by Detroit this off-season and could be a candidate to succeed him. (Kirk Muller would also be a contender for that gig.)</p>
<p>From a management standpoint, if ownership and/or Flames CEO John Bean think he&#8217;s still the right man for the job, it would be easy to imagine Treliving getting a new deal based upon how well he&#8217;s navigated a really tough off-season.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Where would Treliving have to take Kadri for a meal and what would they order in order for him to sign with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a>?</p>
<p>&mdash; Upside Hockey™ (@UpsideHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/UpsideHockey/status/1556408188437639168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>According to a few articles I found online, Nazem Kadri is apparently a big fan of steak. So I imagine Treliving would probably take him to the best steakhouse he could find in London or Toronto, and then try to convince Kadri to sign for millions of dollars below market value to fit him in under the salary cap.</p>
<p>It would have to be a really, really good steak.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Where would you slot in Pelletier if he were to make the team? Do you think Phillips is actually going to get a legit chance at making the team as well? Or are we doomed to lose him later when he says F Cgy and bolts?</p>
<p>&mdash; McPuffin (@McPuffi03177250) <a href="https://twitter.com/McPuffi03177250/status/1556352382748860418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Will the Flames give a legit chance to Phillips? We were all spouting off on FN saying Kyl needed a chance and voilà!! Now lots of people saying he needs his shot.</p>
<p>&mdash; Richard Junkar (@RichardJunkar) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardJunkar/status/1556386915766571008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the thing about Jakob Pelletier and why hockey people have confidence in his ability to transition. He&#8217;s been a really, really good two-way player dating back to when he broke into the QMJHL years back. He&#8217;s been a really good player at the QMJHL level and at the World Juniors, and he managed to translate what made him effective into the AHL without really changing much of his game.</p>
<p>So based upon the entirety of what&#8217;s made Pelletier effective (and occasionally excellent) at what he does at lower levels of hockey, you don&#8217;t need to do a ton of mental gymnastics to imagine him doing it at the NHL level, too. (And if it doesn&#8217;t work out right away, you can flex him back to the AHL for a spell because he doesn&#8217;t require waivers to go the minors. There&#8217;s a safety net built in.) He seems like he could fit onto a two-way third line role fairly readily because of his tools and experience thus far.</p>
<p>With Matthew Phillips, the issue is that his ability to translate his play is easier to doubt because of his size. Now, he&#8217;s always been smaller than just about everybody else in his league dating back to his WHL days, but he&#8217;s been good enough that it hasn&#8217;t really mattered. But his size and his waiver status – he requires waivers to go to the AHL – provide room for doubts to grow.</p>
<p>Granted, I think those doubts are a bit misguided, but let&#8217;s face facts: he&#8217;s small. He&#8217;s two inches and 15 pounds smaller than Pelletier, who isn&#8217;t a large man. If I were in charge, I would play the heck out of Phillips in pre-season just to get a real sense of what he is (and isn&#8217;t). If he&#8217;s awesome, they can either play him or move him along.</p>
<p>He&#8217;s a year away from being a potential Group 6 free agent, so the Flames will need to make a decision on him soon or cut him loose.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is Valamaki on the outside looking in? Would calgary be able to get anything for him at this point</p>
<p>&mdash; K⃞ o⃞ K⃞ o⃞ b⃞ e⃞ b⃞ e⃞. 🦫👹🐄 (@Kobe_BBTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kobe_BBTG/status/1556389619318394880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>It depends on his training camp. The big challenge for Juuso Valimaki is that the Flames simply have five incumbent blueliners who were very good in their roles last season, plus the arrival of MacKenzie Weegar for the sixth spot. It&#8217;ll be extremely challenging for him to displace somebody for a regular NHL gig right now. But with a strong training camp and pre-season, perhaps another team sees his promise and makes a deal with the Flames for him rather than gamble on getting him off the waiver wire.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Do you see the Flames NEEDING to make another move to bolster forward depth and make noise in the playoffs, or could some prospects be brought up for real success?</p>
<p>&mdash; Kevin Musial (@kevinmusial) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinmusial/status/1556416806151106560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>I think the Flames need one more top nine forward to (a) push both Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan to the fourth line group and (b) give the coaching staff a bit more versatility and ability to mix and match. As it stands, their existing forward group looks a bit static for my tastes.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Does Wolf see some action for the Flames this year?</p>
<p>&mdash; Kyle Wilson (@kyle55wilson) <a href="https://twitter.com/kyle55wilson/status/1556356944776110082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>I imagine Dustin Wolf is the first man up in case of injuries or illness in net. He dressed twice last season and I imagine he probably gets a little bit more action, probably including an NHL in-game appearance. They&#8217;re taking it slow with him (and with Jacob Markstrom under contract, they&#8217;re afforded the luxury of not having to rush Wolf into the NHL).</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Who could we go for next free agency with looch and Monahan&#39;s contracts up</p>
<p>&mdash; KylingtonSZN#58 (@HaddadRhys) <a href="https://twitter.com/HaddadRhys/status/1556403490607419392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The cap space freed up by Sean Monahan and Milan Lucic&#8217;s deals expiring is probably eaten up by the increased cap hits for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar for 2023-24.</p>
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<li><a href="https://flamesnation.ca/2022/07/25/biggest-trades-in-flames-franchise-history/">Looking back on the biggest trades in Flames franchise history</a></li>
<li><a href="https://flamesnation.ca/2022/07/24/what-can-mackenzie-weegar-bring-to-the-calgary-flames/" rel="v:url follow" data-wpel-link="internal">What can MacKenzie Weegar bring to the Calgary Flames?</a></li>
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We're now very much into August and in just five weeks, the Calgary Flames' youngsters will report for prospect camp (and then head to Penticton for the rookie tournament). The summer is winding down.

Let's check in with the mailbag.



https://twitter.com/v5FlamesGM/status/1556373879341273088

The travel won't be great for the team, but when they're home, they're going to get much more exposure to the Flames' management and their development staff than they would have in Stockton (or elsewhere). Heck, they'll have exposure to all the NHL resources, which could be massive for preparing them for NHL duty or even just figuring out what parts of their game need refining.

From a developmental standpoint, it should be a big, big plus.

https://twitter.com/Michael28011649/status/1556418634448310273

https://twitter.com/rtrevy/status/1556369450865070081

It'll be status quo for 2022-23, obviously, but both Darryl Sutter and Brad Treliving are now in the final seasons of their current contracts.

From a coaching standpoint, it'll probably be up to Sutter. If he wants to stick around, he'll probably be allowed and/or encouraged to do so. If he wants to go back to the farm, Ryan Huska was nearly hired away by Detroit this off-season and could be a candidate to succeed him. (Kirk Muller would also be a contender for that gig.)

From a management standpoint, if ownership and/or Flames CEO John Bean think he's still the right man for the job, it would be easy to imagine Treliving getting a new deal based upon how well he's navigated a really tough off-season.

https://twitter.com/UpsideHockey/status/1556408188437639168

According to a few articles I found online, Nazem Kadri is apparently a big fan of steak. So I imagine Treliving would probably take him to the best steakhouse he could find in London or Toronto, and then try to convince Kadri to sign for millions of dollars below market value to fit him in under the salary cap.

It would have to be a really, really good steak.

https://twitter.com/McPuffi03177250/status/1556352382748860418

https://twitter.com/RichardJunkar/status/1556386915766571008

Here's the thing about Jakob Pelletier and why hockey people have confidence in his ability to transition. He's been a really, really good two-way player dating back to when he broke into the QMJHL years back. He's been a really good player at the QMJHL level and at the World Juniors, and he managed to translate what made him effective into the AHL without really changing much of his game.

So based upon the entirety of what's made Pelletier effective (and occasionally excellent) at what he does at lower levels of hockey, you don't need to do a ton of mental gymnastics to imagine him doing it at the NHL level, too. (And if it doesn't work out right away, you can flex him back to the AHL for a spell because he doesn't require waivers to go the minors. There's a safety net built in.) He seems like he could fit onto a two-way third line role fairly readily because of his tools and experience thus far.

With Matthew Phillips, the issue is that his ability to translate his play is easier to doubt because of his size. Now, he's always been smaller than just about everybody else in his league dating back to his WHL days, but he's been good enough that it hasn't really mattered. But his size and his waiver status – he requires waivers to go to the AHL – provide room for doubts to grow.

Granted, I think those doubts are a bit misguided, but let's face facts: he's small. He's two inches and 15 pounds smaller than Pelletier, who isn't a large man. If I were in charge, I would play the heck out of Phillips in pre-season just to get a real sense of what he is (and isn't). If he's awesome, they can either play him or move him along.

He's a year away from being a potential Group 6 free agent, so the Flames will need to make a decision on him soon or cut him loose.

https://twitter.com/Kobe_BBTG/status/1556389619318394880

It depends on his training camp. The big challenge for Juuso Valimaki is that the Flames simply have five incumbent blueliners who were very good in their roles last season, plus the arrival of MacKenzie Weegar for the sixth spot. It'll be extremely challenging for him to displace somebody for a regular NHL gig right now. But with a strong training camp and pre-season, perhaps another team sees his promise and makes a deal with the Flames for him rather than gamble on getting him off the waiver wire.

https://twitter.com/kevinmusial/status/1556416806151106560

I think the Flames need one more top nine forward to (a) push both Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan to the fourth line group and (b) give the coaching staff a bit more versatility and ability to mix and match. As it stands, their existing forward group looks a bit static for my tastes.

https://twitter.com/kyle55wilson/status/1556356944776110082

I imagine Dustin Wolf is the first man up in case of injuries or illness in net. He dressed twice last season and I imagine he probably gets a little bit more action, probably including an NHL in-game appearance. They're taking it slow with him (and with Jacob Markstrom under contract, they're afforded the luxury of not having to rush Wolf into the NHL).

https://twitter.com/HaddadRhys/status/1556403490607419392

The cap space freed up by Sean Monahan and Milan Lucic's deals expiring is probably eaten up by the increased cap hits for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar for 2023-24.
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