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Which pending free agents should the Calgary Flames re-sign?

May 3, 2018, 12:32 PM ET [23 Comments]
Todd Cordell
Calgary Flames Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving will be a busy man in the coming weeks.

On top of preparing for the upcoming draft, and trying to find a way to recoup some picks, he has to decide what to do with the team's 10 pending free agents (six unrestricted, four restricted).

Some players are much more likely to return than others but, with the off-season yet to really get going, I wanted to go player by player and share my thoughts.

Matt Stajan (UFA)

Stajan has been a loyal soldier to the Flames for a lot of years but it's time to cut the cord. He has tallied less than 20 points in three of the last four seasons and averaged less than one shot on goal per game in each of them. His defensive game has also fallen off. He's not a possession driver and, analytically, he might have been the worst penalty killing forward on the roster last season.

Kris Versteeg (UFA)

I think the Flames should move on here as well. Versteeg has always had difficulty staying healthy and it's unlikely that will change as he gets deeper into his 30s. An injury prone winger who lost his fastball, and struggles defensively, is probably not worth keeping around.

Chris Stewart (UFA)

Claiming Stewart off waivers didn't seem like a great idea at the time and, well, that proved to be true. He is a big time defensive liability and possession anchor, in large part because he doesn't have the foot speed to keep up in today's NHL. Simply put, there's not enough offense in his game to compensate for that.

Nick Shore (RFA)

I thought Shore played very well during his short tryout period with the Flames. He was defensively responsible, he drove possession, and he consistently made smart decisions with the puck to help move play in the right direction. I think he's a solid depth player and an ideal fit to replace Stajan as the 4th line center next season.

Mark Jankowski (RFA)

Jankowski is clearly a lock to get a new contract. He scored 17 goals as a rookie and, based on his pace, would have reached 20 had he played in all 82 games. What once felt like a reach now appears to be a pretty good pick.

Garnet Hathaway (RFA)

For a few weeks Hathaway looked *really* good on a line with Jankowski and Sam Bennett. The rest of his season was a mixed bag. Still, he brings a physical element to the team and has shown he can at least hold his own as a role player at the NHL level. I expect he'll be re-signed, as he should be, and compete for a depth spot in camp.

Tanner Glass (UFA)

With all due respect to Glass – the role he plays is obviously very hard on the body – I don't think there's a place for players like him in the game anymore. He can't skate, he can't defend, and he can't score. The Flames need to modernize their bottom-6, which means focusing more on youth, speed, and skill and less on grit and intangibles.

Marek Hrivik (UFA)

He's a very good AHL player and has shown he is at least capable of treading water as a rotational player at the NHL level. That appears to be his ceiling, though. I think re-signing him for organizational depth makes sense but losing him wouldn't be a big deal. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably try and get a contract with a rebuilding team where it'd be easier to get an NHL job.

Brett Kulak (RFA)

Through 101 games, Kulak owns a 52.09 Corsi For% and 51.41 Expected Goals For% at 5v5. He will not provide much offensively but he's shown he can handle himself more than adequately in a depth role. Whether he remains on the 3rd pairing, or moves down to the 7th defenseman, there's no reason not to re-sign him – especially given the cost.

Matt Bartkowski (UFA)

Bill Peters talked about how he wants his team to put a premium on puck possession. If you've ever seen Bartkowski play, you know he doesn't exactly do that. Bartkowski handles the puck like a grenade at times and constantly throws possessions away by firing the puck off the glass or dumping it away – even when he has teammates open.



Even if Bartkowski is re-signed, I simply can't see him making a Bill Peters team.

Recent posts:

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