These are the following Flames who will become UFAs in 2025: -Sharangovich, -Mangiapane, -Kuzmenko, -Vladar -Rooney -Duehr -Hunt -Hanley
Out of this list, what do you think will happen to each of them (ie. trade, re-sign, let go to free agency, etc.)
Please comment down below as well as your reasoning…
I was at the game last night and all of our players looked average at best but watching kuzy in warm ups last night that guy has got the skill for sure. Amazing player, lots of talent for sure. Warm ups gives you a great clue about what they can do with the puck and their skating ability.
Basically all top 6 forwards have the skill to look impressive in warmups. You learn more about their skating ability and puck skills when they have defensive pressure on them and they have to maintain control while rolling off body contact and open up lanes for shooting
Yup you’re right, I would say it’s a combination of both but it’s also why he’s not making 10 million yet because I’m saying the skill set is there. He’s obviously not translating that into games yet because like I said, they were average in game.
My only point was that people skating uncontested doesn’t mean much for a players in game performance. He is also 28 years old, if he were to become a game breaker he would already be one. He should realistically be a 4-5 million dollar top 6 complimentary piece.
He was definitely a game-breaker last year. He has vision that only Huberdeau possesses. I feel like they're having similar problems.
I would love to have him back on a contract in the 4s. Would be a dream.
He played first line with two 100 (Pettersson last year and Miller the year before) point scorers and had 79 points. He was outscored by a Hughes while getting optimal opportunities on the same team. He wasn’t shouldering the load in Vancouver, he was just a benefactor of playing with immensely talented players.
When he was taken off the line he ended up not being able to produce
Sharangovich is the only one on this list that I think they’ll extend. Maybe Mangy, but I could see both sides wanting a fresh start
I like the idea of keeping Sharky - he’s been a great fit for this team and he’s still young enough to be effective when our “retool” is hopefully complete in a few seasons.
Mang I would trade - as much as I like him, if he’s playing on a checking line and not in the top 6 and scoring, his skill set is replaceable by young prospects coming up.
Vladar I think we’ll be keeping only because Marky is likely gone in the summer so we need someone to tandem with Wolf, and fingers crossed Vladar’s stats improve if he was playing hurt for a few seasons and his hip surgery actually fixes things and he gets back to what he’s capable of.
Kuz I’m in favor of selling high if he heats up. Great person but he’s likely getting overpaid if we resign him.
Hunt I’m ok with him being kept due to his versatility and ability to play up and down the lineup.
Rooney, Duehr, and Hanley I’m ambivalent on - can resign or trade depending on price, these are replacement level players anyways so wouldn’t think too hard on these.
I'm thinking Conroy will try to lock Sharangovich up this offseason. Something like 5.5x6 would be great. His value continues rising if he has an even better next year, and I'm betting he very well could.
I'm not sure Kuz will demand a high signing. I'll be curious to see how his season starts off after an off-season with a new team.
Mangiapane will net us very little in a trade. Over priced and under performing, but I do hope Conroy gets something out of him!
I agree with everything else. Very much matched my feelings. We'll have to see how Conroy feels about all of it to know for sure. Exciting times to say the least.
Totally agree on Mang. I'm over him. Another UFA banner year then F-all once he gets paid. Guy can't hit the side of a barn atm.
I don’t know why I’m so emotionally attached to mang, but I know he’s capable of being a quality player, just wish he could pick it up. Sharky I think is worth keeping for sure, love Kuz but if we can ship him for a haul I’m absolutely on board.
He lost his bulldog attitude and isn't shooting like he used to.
Can you try to explain the attachment to mange? I'm personally very much looking forward to not overpaying him to lose his footing and miss nets...
I think it just has to do with remembering all the big plays and moments he’s been apart of. Obviously he needs to be better on his feet and work on his shot if he wants a big payday, but realistically he doesn’t deserve a big contract based on his recent play. But I’ll always remember the year he scored 30+
Everyone over performed that year, career highs for Lindholm, Gaudreau, it's a shame Mange got paid based on that year. I wouldn't want him gone nearly as much if it wasn't for his $5.8m
Me too. I swear he gets more high quality scoring chances than anyone on the team and misses the net most of the time.
Take my upvote. So much this
Man I will miss mang lots when he’s gone. Feel a little numb after these past few years though with players leaving. But agreed mang had some big plays and showed up in big games (avs series, 2nd Dallas series). I definitely thought his contract was longer tbh
Protect sharky at all costs .. the rest can go
Sharangovich, hunt,and kuzmenko if he can start to play better defence.
Sharangovich - if he wants to stay, sign the fuck out of him.
Mangiapane - he isn't up for a pay raise but he's great with Backlund and Coleman. I'm not sure how competitive the Flames are in contract conversations with him, but if he can make similar with his current contract, I wouldn't break that line up. Term will be tricky and he isn't worth breaking the bank over. But, I also think he knows his production isn't going to get him a huge increase on the open market, so the Flames might get lucky. I also don't think he's a particularly interesting trade piece (unless his shooting percentage skyrockets again).
Edit: I also see a lot of people in this thread thinking that Mangiapane is supposed to be a pure offensive player, which is objectively not true. He plays on a shut down line and had a career year based on an unsustainable shooting percentage. That Mangiapane isn't a liability when playing shutdown against some of the top lines in the league is a testament to his tenacity and the intangibles that he brings to the lineup. You aren't getting anything better than him in a deadline trade.
Kuzmenko - I don't think Kuzmenko wants to stay here, which I totally don't blame him for. If he rebounds, I'd love to see him flipped next deadline. However, I also wouldn't be surprised if he went back to Russia sooner rather than later. If he's willing to give it another try and the coaching staff can change his game a bit next training staff, I'd love to see a pure offense player on the team.
Vladar - the market for goalies with Vladar's stat line is ripe for the picking. I don't think we'd get anything for him on the trade market, so I think it is smart to let his contract run its course and evaluate if a more veteran backup is available for Wolf to learn from. This is assuming Markstrom is traded this summer. If he isn't, you may have to beg someone to take Vladar for like a fifth or something.
Rooney - I was a big Trevor Lewis fan and I'm a big Kevin Rooney fan for the same reason. The current PK units are a bit shallow. Having said that, he's getting older. I'd be thrilled to extend him on a two way contract. I know that's my most controversial opinion, but he's what you chase in FA anyways.
Duher - he has one more year to prove that this year was an outlier. I wouldn't be surprised if he is shipped off next deadline but he'll need to rebound for his value to be worth anything. He's very replaceable at his current production. Wouldn't be super disappointed if we let him go and gave someone like Klapka a shot in his position.
Hunt - decent tweener that's been traded a ton in recent years. I'm all for him continuing to fill the role he's in with both the Flames and Wranglers. We have in our benefit that he has family in Calgary and owns his own place here. No reason to not extend him with the expectation that he'll continue to move between the leagues. It was also helpful that he could play up and down the lineup and is a solid C.
Hanley - just way too soon to tell. If he's okay with splitting time between leagues and likes Calgary, sure I'll keep him at less than 1 mill. As an older guy, maybe give him a one way contract so he has incentive to stay and be a mentor on the Wranglers. We have a lot of young Dmen coming up that'll need veterans.
If management wants to continue to give young guys reps then I think two top-nine wingers need to be traded this off-season. This year, Zary and Pospisil earned their spots and Pelletier and Coronato should do the same next year.
Mangiapane and Kuzmenko would be fairly easy to trade I think, just need to retain some salary. I'm sure there would be plenty of suitors for Coleman as well, and likely at a higher return than anyone else. If Coleman is traded this off-season I'd like to see Mangiapane stick around.
I think the Flames need to keep Sharangovich mostly because he plays centre. Unless Zary moves to centre next season there won't be anyone coming in to snag a spot there for a while.
Rooney, Duehr, and Hunt are all serviceable fourth liners/extra forwards. I wouldn't be surprised if Greer is brought back on a one-year deal this year, so lump him in this group too. Hopefully someone like Klapka or Schwindt can push them for ice time next season and make them redundant.
Hanly should be let go after his contract. By then one of Solovyov, Kuznetsov, or Grushnikov should be in his spot.
Vladar should be traded this off-season for sure, and I think there's a team out there that would take on his contract with the hope he can pick up his play again. Even if Markstrom is traded, I'd try to bring in another veteran goalie to mentor Wolf rather than him run with Vladar.
Pelletier and Coronato have had the chance to earn a spot similar to Zary and Pospisil, and neither have. Too many have been eager to gift these guys top 6 roles but they have to earn it, and neither have yet.
That said I agree with the rest. I think we have to come to terms with the fact that Vladar likely plays for the Wranglers. I don't think other teams are looking to pick up a guy who is 3x the league minimum and can never play over .900 goaltending. There are as good if not better goalies available for minimum contracts most years, Big Save Dave as an example this year.
I’d keep Sharangovich and the rest I don’t feel too strongly about.
Kuzmenko intrigues me. I’m okay if they decide to move on from Mangiapane.
Mang gets traded, kuzy and Sharky get extended, the rest expire (vladar spends next season mostly in the A after not being claimed on waivers)
They may keep Rooney longer too. But not sure
Sharangivich is all I'd be trying hard to get re-signed. Mangiapane would be nice, but it'd have to be low 4s if it were me managing the team. He's just not productive enough to get his current contract
Resign Kuz, Sharky and Rooney, he has been a nice fit on the 4th line as a center. Hunt I'm not sold on quite yet and Vladdar hasn't been himself for a long time. I'm sad to say it but Mang has to go, he's not the guy I thought he was. And for that $ we will not be getting much from him, maybe he just needs a change.
Sharangovich, trade mangiapane before then and Kuzmenko. Rest can walk or sign league minimum.
Trade Mange.
Sign Sharky.
I don’t think Kuz wants to be here, find a way to prop his numbers and trade him at the TDL next year.
Has Duehr played for the Flames this year? I can’t remember. Did he like playing for Sutter that much more? He had been invisible. Trade him.
As far as the 4th liners, keep Rooney and trade Hunt.
I think Conroy will try to extend Mangiapane, Sharangovich, and Kuzmenko but will offer limited AAV and term. I think signing all 3 is extremely unlikely, and the Flames will likely trade at least 2 of them.
Edit: I don't understand why people are downvoting. Based on reports, Conroy tried to sign most/all of his free agents this season and ended up trading most of them. There were apparently players who were willing to sign but not to deals Conroy would accept ($9 million AAV on an 8 year term for Lindholm).
I see these players being offered deals in the 4 year range. Mangiapane and Kuzmenko will be offered a salary in the $4 million range, Sharangovich closer to $5.5 million, and I would expect at least two of them to think they can do better in free agency.
Mang deserves 8 years with a raise
Yeah 7.5 at 8 years
That's the minimum. Guys a 35 goal scorer
Sharangovich (re-sign)
Mangiapane (trade at next years TDL)
Kuzmenko (traded in the off-season)
Vladar (TBD on Markstrom and who the goalie coaching staff thinks is best to be Wolfs partner)
Rooney, Dueher, Hunt (Trade at next years TDL if possible)
Hanley (Keep for the vibes depending on D prospects)
Ideally we trade Sharangovich, Mangiapane, and Kuzmenko but we will probably end up signing all 3 to long and expensive contracts
Sharo will be 27 starting his next deal and be looking for a big raise. Yes he's been great for us this year but his shooting percentage is not realistically sustainable. I think there will be a lot of interest in him due to his cheap contract and he will easily return a 1st+. Not to mention he is a serviceable player at center, but is a good complimentary winger. The thing with complimentary wingers is you need talent they can compliment, and outside unless Huberdeau goes back to 115 point status we have no one close to that. I view it as similar to why LA opted to trade Toffoli at 27.
That is not remotely realistic for Mange, he's very fairly paid currently. 40 EV points a year do not come cheap. If our power play was half decent he would have 50 points this year
Mange will almost certainly be traded. Love him to death but we simply can't be signing more guys (especially wingers) in their late 20's or early 30's to lucrative long term deals. Mange probably had his highest trade value 2 years ago but we weren't rebuilding at the time and trading him in the offseason after losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk seemed irrational. In hindsight I'm happy we didn't sign him for too long because it would probably hinder our "rebuild," but with only 1 year left we have a chance to trade him with retention to a contender for max value. I also think Pelletier is a similar style player to Mange and can slide into his role on that Backlund line eventually.
Kuzmenko's interesting. He's crazy talented, but hasn't had success to justify his contract yet. It would be really cool to bring him back on a reasonable contract if the points are not there next year. He's just fun to watch.