Retaining Jarome’s Setup Man Is Crucial
Apparently this much talked about Alex Tanguay deal is still coming.
Jay Feaster came out again today and told the Calgary Herald they believe the deal will get done. Well, at least he’s still confident, which must be difficult considering the Flames have their backs against the wall with minimal cap space.
Yes, I know, it’s getting sickening consistently hearing about the Flames’ cap situation. Frankly, I’m tired of piling on, so I’ll keep it snappy.
Here’s the situation: As of today, the Flames have about $55.8 million dedicated to 17 players. That’s roughly $3.5 million left in cap space (keeping in mind the cap is expected to rise from $59.4 million to around $62 million).
Tanguay was cheap this year at $1.7 million. That was before he put up 22 goals and 69 points, so he’s going to get a raise. My guess is he’ll be in the $3-3.5 million/year range with a three-year deal, which will put Calgary right up against the cap. They still need to sign a few role-players and lock up backup goalie, Henrik Karlsson.
Do they really need Tanguay? To put it simply, yes. At least for the next couple seasons, I would say the Calgary Flames need Alex Tanguay’s services in the same way a dog needs its fourth leg.
He’s one of the NHL’s purest passers and serves as setup man for Jarome Iginla. When they play together, they’re performing at maximum efficiency. In fact, Iginla even went on record saying how much he’d like to see Tanguay back next year. Tanguay expressed the same desire.
When you have two players with this much chemistry, and one of them is the face of the franchise, you have to find away to keep them together. Iginla makes Tanguay better and vice-versa.
Feaster says, “It hasn’t mattered a whole lot who has been the centre iceman with them.” Whoever centers the first line is almost guaranteed to benefit from this chemistry.
Without Tanguay, the Flames lineup would get a lot weaker than most people assume.
What needs to happen for this to work? Unless Feaster can trade contracts between Matt Stajan and Tanguay, he’s going to have to ship some guys out. They’ve already got Ales Kotalik and his ridiculous $3 million contract in the minors (doesn’t count against the cap). Good start. Now it’s time to part ways with some veterans
A top option for salary dumping is Niklas Hagman. Coming off a 27-point campaign. Hagman is set to make $3 million in the final year of his contract. His numbers have been consistently declining over the past three years even though he’s been playing on Calgary’s top lines. Teams with a lot of cap space might find Hagman worthwhile for a playoff-run, maybe in exchange for a 2nd or third round draft pick.
Moving Robyn Regehr would free up more than $4 million. While he’s been a stalwart on Calgary’s blue line for the better part of a decade, they have to move him while he’s still worth something. Regehr doesn’t exactly fit the mold of today’s smooth skating two-way style of defensemen, but the man can still play D. He would be more than worthwhile for a team with money, who is on the verge of playoff contention.
Those, of course, are only my suggestions. While it is certain the Flames need to move some money around, it’s anyone’s guess how they’ll do it.
Who else deserves a contract?
Anton Babchuk – Believe it or not, Babchuk seemed to have played his way into some money this year. The former Blackhawks first-round bust, who played in the KHL in 2009, had a nice little season registering 11G and 24pts and a plus-14 rating.
Babchuk was actually one of the Flames’ steadier defensemen this year, while playing mostly on the first power play unit.
Brendan Morrison – This guy showed the Flames he still has something in the tank. In 66 games, Morrison put up 43 points and a plus-13 rating. He’ll come at a relatively cheap price (my guess: 1 $million a year) and makes a reliable third or fourth line centre.
Henrik Karlsson – They call him ‘The Calgary Tower.” The 6-5 Swedish netminder had a decent rookie season backing up the busiest goalie in the league, Miikka Kiprusoff.
Although he posted a 4-5-6 record in 17 starts, the Flames like this kid. He also registered a .908 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average. That should be reason enough to sign your backup to an extension.