The Calgary Flames Of Things To Come: Part One

After my last post on who contract is up this summer, I couldn’t help but start dreaming with some of my friends on what could be in store for the Calgary Flames this summer.  Of course in my fantasy world, Jay Bouwmeester wouldn’t wear a Flames sweater next season and some how the Flames could net Steven Stamkos.  Obviously I live in a fantastic fantasy world where magic can happen, but it did lead to a trip over to CapGeek.com to see who is available for the Flames to pick up this summer.

I’m going to take this over the course of a few nights.  Really dig into each position and what the Flames could do about it.  Sure, this is going to change as teams clench playoff berths and resign their own UFAs, but it’s still nice to dream, no?

Centers:

Flames are knee deep in third and fourth line solid centers, however there is a severe lack of Flames who can play on that first line and be productive.  Problem is, who’s out on the market this summer who is a solid center? The biggest name being shopped around is Rick Nash and while his list of desired cities was never released nor is he a center, I think it’s pretty safe to say Calgary was not one of them.

Who else is an option?  Daymond Langkow (been there, done that for six miserable seasons), Jarret Stoll (with a stellar 19 point season), Jochen Hecht (who is closer to retirement than not), or Olli Jokinen (who will hopefully be resigned sooner rather than later).  Not exactly the best pickings when it comes to finding a solid first line center.

Which means the Flames will have to trade for a center.  Flames aren’t exactly in a position for all star bartering.  Who are you going to offer up?  Yeah sure, looking at JBou’s numbers before his arrival in Calgary, he’s an impressive defensemen (not worth his contract but still 15 goals for a dman isn’t bad) but can he repeat something like that?

Who else could you give up?

Jarome Iginla isn’t going to command the kind of trade he could have a few seasons ago.  Do you really want to give up your prospects or draft picks?  The team saw what a player like Sven Baertschi can do, do you hold on to him or do you chance it and pick up an already established player, like Nash?  If it were me, I wouldn’t touch the prospects.  Take a look at teams who have pulled from their drafting skills, Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, and now the New York Rangers.  It takes some time, but developing the prospects is worth it.

I don’t see the Flames picking up a center this summer in the Free Agency or through trades.

What about you?  Who would you pick up this summer as a center?  Leave your choices in the comments.