Calgary Flames In Bounce Back Mode After Missing Playoffs
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Flames are 31.00 to win the Stanley Cup and 13.00 to win the Western Conference at BetMGM Sportsbook
This typically is the time during the NHL offseason where team managers turn off the phones, shut down the laptops and head to the cottage.
Typically, the business of free agency is done and completed during a short window.
However, you are not getting that sense this off season.
Just recently for example, the Ottawa Senators traded F Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings for F Dominik Kubalik, prospect Donovan Sebrango and two draft picks.
The salary cap hasn’t gone up that much over the past few years — it’s at $83.5 million for the upcoming season — and that has forced players to take shorter-term deals and general managers to get more creative in how they shape their rosters in a run at the Stanley Cup Final.
Calgary Betting Odds
In Calgary, the Flames are trying to bounce back after a disappointing season where they missed the playoffs and fired their coach and general manager.
Currently, BetRivers Sportsbook has the Flames at 31.00 to win the Stanley Cup and 16.00 to win the Western Conference.
Also, BetMGM Sportsbook has Calgary at 31.00 and 13.00, respectively.
Media Focuses On Players Who Want Out
The Flames are tight against the salary cap — $2.4 million in space, according to CapFriendly -- for a team that last season finished 38-27-17, for 93 points, missing the playoffs by two points.
There have been more media reports about players looking to get out of Calgary than reports detailing players looking to sign with the team, or so it seems.
In June, new GM Craig Conroy traded RW Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils with C Yegor Sharangovich and a draft pick.
Other players rumoured to be looking for a ticket out include D Noah Hanifin and F Elias Lindholm.
Milan Lucic, a former Calgary player who just signed with the Boston Bruins, said in a news conference that while he loved the fan base there, the cold weather, tough travel, small city and lack of entertainment options make it a challenge for the organization to attract players.
Troy Stecher and Trevor Lewis also moved on as free agents.
Flames Need Productivity From Key Players
So Conroy had a quiet free agency period. In a news conference, he said there wasn’t a lot of money to spend.
The Flames are going to need to see lot more out of LW Jonathan Huberdeau, their top salary player at $10.5 million per year, who delivered just 15 goals and 55 points last year (after a 115-point season with the Florida Panthers the previous year).
At $7 million per season, C Nazem Kadri was OK, with 24 goals and 56 points, but the team will need more out of him, as well.
According to CapFriendly, the Flames have nine forwards under contract, seven defencemen and two goalies.
That opens up three spots to depth players, unless there’s a trade coming. Five defencemen are entering the final year of their contract, as are C Lindholm and C Mikael Backlund.
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