The Calgary Flames have been gifted exactly zero first-overall draft picks in the history of their franchise, and that run will continue as the club netted the sixth-overall pick in the league’s recent draft lottery.
But the Flames’ current position leaves them in an interesting spot. While Calgary could benefit from some improved secondary scoring, the club still managed to finish with the 10th-best offense in the league in terms of total goals. Adding a talented offensive prospect may not be high on their list of tasks this summer, especially when there remains a glaring hole in net.
With a dire need to acquire a strong starting goaltender, the Flames’ sixth-overall pick may wind up being more valuable to them as a trade chip. It seems the Flames’ options boil down to a few different scenarios.
First off, Calgary could simply use the pick to draft a forward and improve their secondary scoring – something that will be crucial next season in case Johnny Gaudreau doesn’t post another superhuman campaign. Calgary would likely be choosing between one of Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matthew Tkachuk, and Alexander Nylander, the three skaters widely regarded as the next tier of forwards in the 2016 draft’s top 10.
Olli Juolevi celebrates a goal with his teammates (Photo Credit: @GoLondonKnights, Twitter)
The Flames’ choice hinges on what exactly the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks decide to do at fourth and fifth-overall. If Edmonton keeps their pick, they would likely choose to add a defender in either Jakob Chychrun or Olli Juolevi.
Vancouver also needs a defenseman to build their back-end around, however, meaning they could very well choose whichever of the two previously mentioned rearguards that Edmonton leaves on the board.
Of course, given Oilers General Manager Peter Chiarelli’s desire to add more size to his forward corps, and the fact that the Canucks are in need of some strong offensive prospects as well, there remains a chance that Dubois and Tkachuk could hear their names called in the top-five as well.
Regardless, it seems the Flames will likely have Nylander as an option either way, while Dubois and Tkachuk could wind up being available as well, if Edmonton and Vancouver are set on bringing in blue-line help.
That fact is crucial for the Flames’ trade hopes as well, as the above possibilities suggest that the value of Calgary’s sixth-overall pick is the chance to add any of either Dubois, Tkachuk, or Nylander. All three are promising offensive talents, and if Calgary’s pick guarantees a shot at least one of them, then General Manager Brad Treliving should be able to swing a deal if he chooses.
In terms of what an actual trade would look like, history suggests Calgary’s pick could be all that is required to land a new starter in net. That was the case in 2013, when the New Jersey Devils traded their ninth-overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in a straight swap for goaltender Cory Schneider.
The Canucks used the pick to draft Bo Horvat, while Schneider has become one of the game’s top netminders, finishing among the league’s top five in terms of save-percentage for the past two seasons.
Calgary’s current pick is more desirable than New Jersey’s was – not only because it is simply higher but because it leaves open the possibility for a higher calibre of player. If the Flames’ trade partners agree, then there’s a chance Calgary could pull off a similar pick-for-player deal to fill their cage.
April 21, 2016: Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (31) makes a save on Nashville Predators left wing Viktor Arvidsson (38). (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)
The most obvious possibility is the Anaheim Ducks. We wrote earlier this season about the Flames’ chances at netting Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen, and the 26-year-old (who’s set to become a restricted free-agent) could be a prime target for Treliving.
The Ducks are in need of an offensive boost after finishing in the bottom half of the league in goals-for this season, and the chance to add a player like Tkachuk, whose physicality and offensive acumen would allow him to fit in perfectly with the Ducks’ roster, might just be enough to lure Andersen out of Anaheim.
If the sixth-overall pick isn’t enough on its own, past deals suggest that a few throw-in picks should do the trick. Semyon Varlamov was dealt from Washington to Colorado in 2012 in such a deal, as Colorado sent over a first-round pick (which became Filip Forsberg at 11th-overall), as well as a second-round pick. Sergei Bobrovsky was dealt to Columbus back in 2012 for just one second-rounder and two fourth-rounders.
That shouldn’t be an issue for the Flames, as the club stockpiled a few extra picks via their late-season trades. Heading into the draft, Calgary owns their sixth-overall selection alongside three second-round picks (one of which may become a first-rounder if the Dallas Stars reach the Western Conference Final), one third-rounder, two fourth-rounders, one fifth-rounder, two sixth-rounders, and one seventh-rounder.
A package including the sixth-overall selection and one or two of these subsequent picks seems adequate enough to land a bona fide starter, and Treliving will undoubtedly be working the phones trying to get such a deal done.
If Anaheim doesn’t bite, then Tampa Bay may be another option for Calgary, as Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy both look like viable starters for the Lightning. Tampa isn’t anywhere near Anaheim when it comes to needing offense, as the club boasts a plethora of young scorers currently thriving, but if General Manager Steve Yzerman begins feeling like Steven Stamkos could legitimately sign elsewhere this summer, then shipping out a goalie to add some more offensive depth may not seem like a bad option.
However it shakes out, it seems Calgary is set to benefit greatly from their top-10 selection, even if it wasn’t as high as the organization was hoping. As long as Treliving can continue his recent trend of astute asset management, the Flames should begin 2016-17 either with another offensively-gifted winger in the organization, or with a bona fide starting goaltender.
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