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1) It's no secret the Calgary Flames need to find a second pairing defenseman to pair with T.J. Brodie.
Bringing back Michael Stone still seems like a possibility but I wouldn't say it's likely to happen and, quite frankly, I don't think it should.
Stone is definitely a serviceable player but I think he's playing over his head in the top-4 and it wouldn't make sense to pay him a good chunk of money to play in a depth role.
I think a free agent target that makes a ton of sense is Brendan Smith, however, after a solid showing with the New York Rangers, his price may be a little high.
One player who could potentially fill the top-4 void without costing a lot: Chris Lee.
The 36-year-old defenseman, who turns 37 in October, is coming off a ridiculous season in the KHL where he put up 65 points in 60 games. Most recently, he played a regular shift for Canada at the World Hockey Championships and didn't look out of place.
He's a good skater, puck mover, and the numbers suggest he could be a productive player in the NHL.
He wouldn't tally as many points as he did in the KHL, obviously, but you don't put up numbers like that without a lot of talent so I'm sure he could handle himself in a depth role, if not anything else.
2) Flames prospect Nick Schneider will be playing his hockey in Calgary next season.
The 19-year-old netminder, a free agent signing in 2015, has been traded from Medicine Hat to the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for a 4th round draft pick.
Schneider posted an impressive 32-11-1 record with the Tigers last season, however, his save percentage of .886 was the lowest of his career.
This will be Schneider's last year in junior before the Flames determine the next step. Given he'll be playing in Calgary, the organization will have every opportunity to see him up close before making that decision.
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