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.