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TSN's Frank Seravalli recently published a trade bait board that looked at 25 players, or draft picks, that could be moved in the coming weeks.
Some players Philipp Grubauer, for example, are more likely to be traded than others – *cough* Dougie Hamilton *cough* – but I thought it'd be fun to look at a few names who could be of interest to the Calgary Flames.
Mike Hoffman
The Flames were interested at the deadline and there's no reason to believe anything has changed.
They need to add more scoring punch on the wing. Hoffman would certainly provide that. He has averaged 26 goals over the last four seasons. During that time he's tied for 27th in 5v5 goals and ranks ahead of notables like Cam Atkinson, Johnny Gaudreau, Blake Wheeler, and Jonathan Toews, among others. Simply put, he's quite good at filling the net.
Hoffman would fill a big time need and he still has two years remaining on his deal at a reasonable price of $5.18 million per.
I think he's a guy worth dipping into the defense pool to acquire, be it someone at the NHL level (T.J. Brodie), or in the system (Adam Fox, Oliver Kylington, etc.).
Max Domi
As a rookie, Domi averaged .22 goals per game. As a sophomore, Domi averaged .15 goals per game. This past season, Domi averaged .11 goals per game. Shooting luck, or a lack thereof, played a big part in scoring nine goals over 82 games but the 23-year-old would probably benefit from a change of scenery.
Even though his goal scoring has dried up, he's still proven to be a capable offensive player. Over the last two seasons he has put up 83 points in 141 games, which equates to 48 per 82. He'd give the offense a boost while providing some of the sandpaper and fight the Flames seem keen on adding this summer.
Perhaps a package including Sam Bennett, another guy who could probably use a change of scenery and more opportunity, would be enough to get the Coyotes' attention.
Andre Burakovsky
If the Washington Capitals are going to make it work with John Carlson, they need to clear some money.
The only non core players who are remotely costly are Brooks Orpik ($5.5M), Lars Eller ($3.5M) and Burakovsky ($3M, then a restricted free agent in 2019).
Orpik only has one year left but I doubt teams will be lining up to pay that kind of money for a 37-year-old. Eller *just* re-signed and had a killer playoffs – I doubt he's going anywhere. That leaves Burakovsky.
He's skilled, he's fast, he's an efficient 5v5 producer, and his underlying numbers are impressive. With more opportunity, I think he could be a difference maker.
The Caps won't give him away – he'll probably be off the market entirely if Carlson walks – but maybe a cheaper player like Bennett or one of their defense prospects is enough to get the Flames at the table.
Philipp Grubauer
The Flames don't really have a goaltender of the future. They're hoping Tyler Parsons can be that but he just posted a .902 save percentage in the ECHL, and an .856SV% in seven AHL games, so he clearly has a long way to go.
Among 45 eligible goaltenders (2,400+ minutes), Grubauer ranks 1st in 5v5 save percentage over the last couple years. His dSV%, which is the difference between actual save percentage and expected save percentage, is 2nd to only Sergei Bobrovsky during that span. The numbers suggest he can be a No. 1.
Mike Smith is 36 and, again, the Flames don't have a heir apparent, so Grubauer would be a great addition for them.
In saying that, scoring is a more pressing concern in the immediate future and I don't think the Flames have the assets to address both problems. I think Grubauer ending up with a team like the Islanders is more likely.
Recent posts:
On Mike Hoffman
Flames Q&A: On the Ward hiring, Brodie, Hamilton, Roussel and more
Don Maloney hints at Flames' off-season plans
Revisiting my 2017-18 Western Conference predictions
The Flames should avoid Jay Beagle in free agency
Dynamite U21 seasons from Andersson + Kylington put them in good company
The Brodie - Hamonic pairing was a disaster in Year 1
The Flames should not trade Dougie Hamilton
The Flames should make a play for Ilya Kovalchuk
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