Bidding Farewell But Looking Ahead

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the recent passing of Greg Mellon. His infectious laugh and great sense of humor will always stay with us. Greg was an amazing color commentator, and he will truly be missed.

Sending my heartfelt warmth, thoughts, and prayers to Greg’s family during this time.

The NHL has lost another legend this week with the passing of Ray Shero. Ray was truly one of the classiest individuals in hockey. He dedicated 13 seasons to the league, making his mark with three different organizations. He kicked off his career in Pittsburgh, where he helped bring home the Stanley Cup, and then moved on to New Jersey and later the Minnesota Wild. I always admired him during his time in Pitt—he had that warm smile that could brighten anyone’s day. Now, he’ll be reunited with his father, the legendary Flyers coach Fred Shero. My thoughts and prayers are with the Shero family during this difficult time.

Now, on to the Flames blog. I had to address my love to two hockey legends who will be sadly missed. 

The Calgary Flames have shown massive interest in University Forward Carter King lately. I did not know much about the Calgary native, so I did some digging and asked about this young prospect.

Carter is a high-energy forward who won’t back down from anyone. He goes all out in the corners for the puck and doesn’t shy away from a challenge. While he might not rack up a ton of points, his leadership and tenacity make him a valuable asset to any team. Furthermore, he attended the Calgary Flames development camp and showed great potential. 

One of my absolute favorite people to follow is Steven Ellis—he’s a true expert on hockey prospects. If you want the inside scoop on up-and-coming talent, he’s the best in the game! I often turn to his insights as part of my research for my mock blogs. Steven is the Associate Director at Daily Faceoff, which you can check out at https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/. I just learned that he also covers Leafs content for Leafs Nation, which is pretty awesome! If you’re looking for reliable info on prospects, follow him on Twitter @SEllisHockey. You won’t be disappointed!

I asked Steven for his thoughts about Calgary native Carter King. Here is what he had to say:

“King has received much attention from NHL scouts the past few years due to his work ethic. He plays on both special teams while doing an especially good job as a penalty killer. King is a decent enough skater that can throw some solid hits for a 5-foot-10 forward. I can see him being a third or fourth-liner in the NHL who can feed off energy.”

I really hope the Flames can get Carter to sign on the dotted line!

Randy

The Road Ahead: What Changes Are Coming For The Flames?

I know some folks might not like what I'm about to say, but hear me out. The Flames are three points out of the playoffs, and I know the natural instinct is to go all-in for that final push. But honestly, I believe that if they play their game right, the Canucks will get the final spot. 

That being said, if the Flames remain in a close battle for the playoffs, I am not so  Naive enough to think the Flames won't get after a dman and a center. I have already been informed they will. I would prefer the Flame do a little house cleaning and set up nicely into the next season. 

So, the next step would be who to build this team around. It goes without saying that the young guns—Zarry, Frost, and Farabee—are staying put; they're the core of our future. They are the foundation for this team's future. Flames had three objectives that I know of: add one more vet dman, sign Ramus Andersson, and, of course, the addition of a young centre. One down, two to go. Flames' GM Craig Conroy has said he's all in on extending Rasmus Andersson during the offseason. 

As for that center spot, we snagged Morgan Frost from the Flyers—that's a solid addition. My source says the Flames are going after a big-name, number-one centre. I hope we see that happen before the start of next season. The Flames also acquired Farabee to boost the offense and make them more competitive.

So, that being said, how can the Flames trim the deadwood? The Flames have seven defencemen who are actually of NHL quality, and three are part of the future—Weeger, Andersson, and Dahl. That leaves us with four others: Brayden Pachal, Daniil Miromanov, Joel Hanley, and Jake Bean. They could definitely look to trade a couple of those guys and bring in some prospects to mix things up.

As for the forwards, a few names come to mind. Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman, and, of course, Nazem Kadri are the vets to watch. All three could be big assets for teams chasing the Cup.

The last move they could achieve is in the net. Dan Vladar is a UFA and could be a valuable asset. He'd be a solid option for any team looking for a backup goalie. 

This is all probably moot; as of this moment, the Flames are not in any rush to make a deal.

Will Calgary Keep Their Star Defenseman?

The Calgary Flames have a significant decision coming up in the next few weeks. When it comes to signing Andersson, it just boils down to how much cash they’re willing to offer. That’s what my sources are saying, at least.

Rasmus is the most gifted d-man on our team. He has a sneaky slapshot from the blue line during power plays that can catch everyone off guard. He has excellent vision and is always aware of where his teammates are. I’ve heard that teams need to recognize and build around their core players, which is why it is so vital that they lock him down for as long as they can. 

Rasmus plays with his heart on his sleeve and really cares about winning or losing. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, just like the rest of the team. He’s all about getting that win, and you can definitely see it in his game. His accurate passes often get him out of danger in their zone. A great skater who does not shy away from the physical game. He may not be the greatest at one skill, but he is good at all the skills, making him a terrific all-around defenceman.

In conclusion, I will close with a quote from one of my sources on Andersson staying with the Flames.

“Rasmus Anderson does everything. He plays offense, he plays defense, and he can be physical when called upon. Andersson’s most significant asset, which surprises many people, is a physical game. Every team in the league needs physical defencemen who do what it takes to win.”

I never considered Andersson’s physical game his best asset. But people in the game think it is a huge asset. 

Another source tells me: When this team is expected to be good in three years, they will trade for a defenseman like Rasmus Andersson. So, I understand the argument that you should trade Rasmus to gain assets to make this team good in three years, but mark my words that in three years, we will be talking about the Flames needing to trade for a defenseman like Andersson if they decide to move instead of extend him.

Andersson is the glue that holds this team together. Losing him on the back end would be a huge blow. Sure, we could land a big return for him, but as the source mentioned, finding a replacement would take us three years.

And, of course, Andersson himself declared that he is a Flame. He bleeds Flames, which means he hates the Oilers and Canucks. :)

Randy