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Calgary Flames: Summer To-Do List

By Tomas Oppolzer

SYLVAN LAKE, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 24: The Calgary Flames locker room prior to facing the Arizona Coyotes during Day 4 of NHL Kraft Hockeyville at Fox Run School on September 24, 2014 in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
SYLVAN LAKE, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 24: The Calgary Flames locker room prior to facing the Arizona Coyotes during Day 4 of NHL Kraft Hockeyville at Fox Run School on September 24, 2014 in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – MARCH 31 2018: (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – MARCH 31 2018: (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Stabilize The Crease

The most pressing issue for the Flames now and in the future is the uncertainty in the crease. While Mike Smith wasn’t awful for the most part, his late-season struggles clearly illustrated the Flames need to find a new answer. While you hope this could come in the form of a prospect like Jon Gillies or Tyler Parsons. The truth is that the Calgary Flames can’t afford to wait for one of those two to be the answer. Not when the primes of players like Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are being wasted on non-playoff years.

Instead, what the Flames need to do is follow in the example of Edmonton, Arizona, and Buffalo and trade for a young-ish backup who looks ready to take on a bigger role on a team with an established starter. One place to looks is in Washington. Backup Philipp Grubauer has been an exceptional goalie for the Capitals for a few years now. However, with him being an RFA this summer and Washington needing to almost entirely rebuild their defensive core this summer, they most likely can’t afford to keep him.

Washington’s loss, however, can be the Flames gain. While the Calgary Flames don’t have the 1st round pick that most other goalies in Grubauer’s situation have been traded for, they do have a deep well of good prospects. They could move One of their big four defensive prospects and a future 1st or 2nd to get the deal done. That would be a deal that would work out great for the Flames.

Next: Former Flames Bench Boss Joins Provincial Rival

While the future of the Flames is a little uncertain right now, one thing will also stay the same, the Flames absolutely love to roast one another.

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