Calgary Flames Monday Roundtable: Expansion Draft

It’s time for another edition of our virtual roundtable. This week, we talked about the expansion draft surrounding the Calgary Flames!

Welcome to another edition of Calgary Flames Monday Roundtable! The segment we bring you every Monday where I ask the other writers here at Flame for Thought questions regarding a topic and we all give our take on it. Last week, we talked about the Flames defencemen. This week, let’s talk about the expansion draft.

An exciting time and a terrifying time for hockey fans everywhere. An expansion happening. It’s exciting because we all get to see a new team be born for the first time. But terrifying because this team will steal your players.

The last time an expansion happened, I was five or six years old, so I don’t quite remember. So this will be fun! Or scary, I haven’t decided yet. It could be fun if the Flames can rid some of their dead weight (as mean as that sounds). But again, it could also be very scary.

That being said, let’s have our virtual roundtable discussion.

Question 1: Calgary Flames fans are desperately hoping that Troy Brouwer gets picked up in the expansion. Realistically, do you think Vegas will pick him up?

Jonathan Boulanger

I wouldn’t mind. I’m not a huge fan of Brouwer and I don’t think he would be missed; he also has a pretty hefty contract that seems in hindsight to have been a bad decision. Any way the Flames could grab a get-out-of-jail free card for him would be welcome. I would much rather Vegas pick Brouwer than say Bennett or Lazar.

Alex Hoegler

If he’s left exposed, then I do think Vegas will take Brouwer. Sure, his contract may be a cause for concern — but the Golden Knights need to select a 15-20 goal scorer while he’s available. It’d be wrong of them to take a fourth-liner when they can take Brouwer without giving up any key assets in return.

Related Story: Flames should trade Troy Brouwer, not expose him

Dan Raicevich

I think there is a chance. He could provide them the cap hit in order to reach the cap floor. He can also mentor a young player on an expansion team with his leadership he brings. I feel like the familiarity of George McPhee and Brouwer can play a role too. After all, McPhee did trade for the gritty winger a year after Brouwer won the 2010 Stanley Cup with Chicago.

Calgary got the winger at the cost of no assets last summer in free agency. If they lost him in the expansion draft, I don’t think the team would be at a loss.

Ramina Shlah

I would personally love to see it happen, but I don’t think he’ll be picked up. As it stands right now and how he played this past season with the Flames, he’s a bottom-six guy. And like Jonathan said, his contract isn’t great, especially for the production he put up this season. He’s a solid bottom-six guy right now, but not for that price.

Question 2: There are many talks about how the Calgary Flames should protect Sam Bennett. If they don’t, he may not even be picked up in the expansion anyways. But, do you think he should be protected?

Jonathan Boulanger

110% yes. Vegas would be stupid not to pick him up and I hope the Flames would be smart enough to protect him. I think he will become a core piece of the team and a solid #2 or even #1 centre. He is developing and if the team is patient they will reap the rewards.

Alex Hoegler

There should be no second guessing this. Why do some people think a 21-year-old should be exposed? I understand Bennett hasn’t progressed as quickly as expected. Neither did Mark Giordano or Mikael Backlund. Next question.

Dan Raicevich

Sam Bennett will get protected. Next question.

Ramina Shlah

A little aggressively blunt there Dan and Alex, hey? But I agree. He’s still young with lots of potential and he hasn’t played with great linemates to help him with his game. I would like to see him play on the wing instead of the center and try that out, but nonethelesss, he should be protected. It just makes sense.

Question 3. In the expansion, the team can protect 7 forwards. We already know Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and most likely Mikael Backlund will for sure be protected. Who do you think will end up being the last four forwards? This isn’t who you want, it’s who you think will be protected. (keep in mind Matthew Tkachuk is exempt from the draft because he’s only a first year professional in his ELC).

Jonathan Boulanger

Sam Bennett, Michael Frolik, Micheal Ferland and Curtis Lazar.

Alex Hoegler

I believe the Flames will protect Bennett, Michael Frolik, Micheal Ferland and Curtis Lazar. Bennett is still young and has plenty of upside, while Frolik and Ferland bring plenty of grit and 20-goal potential. Those two players also have team-friendly contracts, so the Flames should prioritize them over the likes of Troy Brouwer and Alex Chiasson.

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Dan Raicevich

My protected forward list is as follows:

1. Sean Monahan
2. Johnny Gaudreau
3. Mikael Backlund
4. Michael Frolik
5. Sam Bennett
6. Michael Ferland
7. Curtis Lazar

The first two are obvious, these are your franchise players. Backlund is one of the most underrated forwards in all of hockey with his stellar two way ability. Frolik is a great two way player who can chip in on the offensive front and score. Sam Bennett is a lock to be protected as he is a very talented forward who had a rough year in Calgary. Bennett as a third line center? That shows the depth of the Calgary Flames, I like it. Michael Ferland locked himself into that position because of his stellar second half of the season. Not to mention, Ferland is a big and physical presence, similar to Patrick Maroon.

You will need guys like that. Curtis Lazar is a player who unfortunately had his protected spot locked on Trade Deadline Day, as the Calgary Flames coughed up a second rounder for him. I don’t think he will pan out, but time will tell.

Ramina Shlah

Wow guys, we all agree on something here! There’s no question about Monahan and Gaudreau. And with Backlund finally getting the recognition he deserves this year, there’s no question about him either. Him and Frolik together have been insane this past season. They compliment each other well in every aspect: Even strength, powerplay, on the penalty-kill. They’re a dynamic duo and along with Tkachuk, this trio is fun. Then we have Lazar who, like Dan said, is most likely going to be protected since the Flames gave up a pick for him. And I’d like to see Lazar stay anyways. Like Bennett, he’s has a ton of potential, but just hasn’t quite gotten there yet. He’s very young and has plenty of time to develop. The Calgary Flames should keep him and see how things turn out.

Question 4: The Calgary Flames will need to expose a goaltender, but Gillies, Rittich, and Parsons are all exempt because they’re first or second year professionals (or prospects). Luckily for the Flames, Tom McCollum was signed just for exposing purposes. But now the Flames have the risk of heading into free agency with no goaltender that has valuable NHL experience. Do you think Flames will make a move for a goaltender this month before free agency?

Jonathan Boulanger

Yes I do. They should consider someone like Marc-Andre Fleury or Jimmy Howard. It’s a good idea to lock one down before free agency so they can focus their attention on other less obvious holes on the team that will propel them into contention. Strengthening the defense with one more piece and the forward core with a crafty winger.

Alex Hoegler

No, I believe the Flames will wait until after the expansion draft to get a goalie. As I’ve written on here before, they have plenty of options in Jimmy Howard, Marc-Andre Fleury, Antti Raanta and others. Wait until after the expansion draft and then find your goalie.

Related Story: Flames Monday Roundtable - Goaltending Edition

Dan Raicevich

There are three goalies who the Calgary Flames could look to adding via a trade. Jimmy Howard, Jaroslav Halak and Marc-Andre Fleury. While Howard and Fleury have two years left on their deals, Halak only has a year left on his. All three of these guys can benefit from a change in scenery, and they can provide mentorship to a young goaltender in the Flames system. Gillies or Parsons can learn a lot from these seasoned veterans.

Ramina Shlah

Sorry Alex, but I agree with Jonathan and Dan. I don’t think they should wait until after free agency to sign someone. That being said, I think an option they could go for is to sign Chad Johnson and protect him since, like we’ve talked about in a different roundtable, he’s a solid backup goaltender. This is hard to predict though, because none of us will know what’ll happen. But whatever Brad Treliving does, I trust it.

Question 5. In your opinion on the entire roster, who are the 7 forwards, 3 defencemen (we already know who the defencemen are, lets be real), and 1 goaltender, who should be protected?

Jonathan Boulanger

Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, Backlund, Frolik, Ferland and Lazar for forwards. Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, TJ Brodie for the D and Chad Johnson for the goalies.

Alex Hoegler

Monahan, Gaudreau, Lazar, Backlund, Bennett, Frolik and Ferland are my forwards. Defencemen are Dougie Hamilton, Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie.

Dan Raicevich

Here is my protected list:

Forward

1. Sean Monahan
2. Johnny Gaudreau
3. Mikael Backlund
4. Michael Frolik
5. Sam Bennett
6. Michael Ferland
7. Curtis Lazar

Defense

1. Mark Giordano
2. Dougie Hamilton
3. TJ Brodie

Goaltender

1. (Jimmy Howard)…or whoever the Flames acquire before the expansion draft

Ramina Shlah

Well all of our forwards and defencemen list look the same. But for goalies, I think a big possibility is keeping Chad Johnson. He’s already expressed interest in staying in Calgary as well, I think his agent will try to make something happen.

Question 6: Ideally speaking, who do you hope Vegas picks up?

Jonathan Boulanger

Brouwer or Matt Stajan.

Alex Hoegler

I think it’s best for the Flames if Vegas takes Brouwer. Per CapFriendly,com, he has three years left at $4.5 million a season. Given all the depth they have at forward, it’s best if Vegas simply takes his contract off their hands. Life is like a box full of chocolates, you never know when saving $4.5 million can be helpful.

Dan Raicevich

Troy Brouwer, Lance Bouma or Matt Stajan. Any of these three would be ideal if they can go to Vegas. All three are great guys in the locker room, but they do not provide much upside for this team.

Ramina Shlah

Ideally, no doubt is Troy Brouwer. With him being in a bad contract right now, it’ll be good to get him off the Flames hands (sorry Brouwer).