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The Calgary Flames entered this off-season with big time cap issues but to this point GM Brad Treliving has navigated around them masterfully.
There is still some work to be done but the Flames are sitting pretty as they have just under $15 million in cap space with 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract.
Obviously Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan will eat a significant portion, if not all, of the money remaining but when they are re-upped the Flames' roster will essentially be complete.
The biggest reason the Flames managed to keep their roster in tact without losing anyone notable (Joe Colborne aside) is because Treliving was able to significantly upgrade the goaltending without spending a lot of money.
Brian Elliott played in 41 games last season, led the league with a .930 save percentage and finished 3rd in quality start percentage. He is under contract for $2.5 million this season.
Chad Johnson played in 45 games, tied John Gibson, Henrik Lundqvist and Jake Allen for 11th in the league in save percentage (minimum 40 games), and was 12th among 29 eligible goaltenders in quality start percentage. He is under contract for $1.7 million this season.
So, the Flames have two of the top-12 goaltenders in the league last season signed for a combined $4.2 million.
If I'm not mistaken only the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks, who have just one goaltender signed, have less money tied up in goaltenders next season.
A good case can be made the Flames have the best tandem of the bunch, too.
Treliving's penny pinching when it came to goaltending saved him and the rest of the Flames' management team a lot of problems this summer. He deserves credit for what he has been able to accomplish.
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