The Calgary Flames had high expectations for the 2017-18 season and to say those expectations weren't met would be an understatement. A team that had aspirations of making some noise in the Stanley Cup playoffs failed to qualify for them, missing the mark by 11 points due to a very flat last two months of the season.
In keeping with the club's high expectations, general manager Brad Treliving has been one of the busiest executives in the entire National Hockey League this summer. It's said that coaching changes often happen because a GM can't turn over his entire roster, but Treliving has made significant changes with his players and coaching staff at the same time.
Flames Offseason Goals
Heading into the summer, the Flames' to-do list included shaking up the coaching staff, signing forward Matthew Tkachuk to a contract extension in advance of his final entry level season, adding a top six winger and looking at upgrading the club's backup goaltending situation.
Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason Report Card
Flames Offseason Acquisitions
Head coach Bill Peters (and associate Geoff Ward and assistant Ryan Huska), Noah Hanifin, James Neal, Derek Ryan, Elias Lindholm, Austin Czarnik
Flames Offseason Departures
Head coach Glen Gulutzan (and assistants Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard), president of hockey operations Brian Burke, Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, Troy Brouwer, Kris Versteeg, Matt Stajan
Flames Free Agency/Trades
Treliving's first major move was axing Glen Gulutzan and his entire staff, replacing him with Carolina's Bill Peters, New Jersey's Geoff Ward and minor league coach Ryan Huska. The Flames had challenges with defensive zone structure and effective power play deployments, and adding Peters and Ward seem like direct responses to those issues.
At the 2018 NHL Draft he made another splash, sending Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and college prospect Adam Fox to Carolina for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. He followed that move with a busy July 1, bringing in Derek Ryan, James Neal and Austin Czarnik via free agency.
The summer moves aimed to address the club's lack of depth and versatility at forward. Case in point: Troy Brouwer was the Flames' third or fourth-best right wing in 2017-18 and frequently saw power play time. After the offseason swaps, he was pushed far enough down the depth chart that he was bought out rather than hang around as a healthy scratch. After having zero right-handed centers for faceoffs last season, Treliving added three such options. With more players that can do more things, line juggling will be much easier for Flames coaches.
The Flames aren't necessarily a better team than they were last winter, and their goaltending represents a big question mark if Mike Smith suffers another injury, but they're going to be much tougher to match lines with or game-plan against due to their newfound versatility.
Edmonton Oilers Offseason Report Card
Neal's addition brings a consistent veteran goal-scorer to a team that struggled outside of its top line to fill the net a year ago. However, Calgary dealt its top defenseman, and needs Hanifin to take a major step in his development to offset the loss of Hamilton.
Flames 2018 Draft
Without a first, second or third round selection due to past trades, the Flames came to Dallas and aimed to add to their future depth. They selected USHL forward Martin Pospisil (105th overall), Minnesota high schooler Demetrios Koumontzis (108th), Vancouver Giants forward Milos Roman (122nd), USHLer Emilio Pettersen (167th) and Rimouski Oceanic import Dmitry Zavgorodniy (198th). Much like in 2017, the Flames opted for a depth approach and drafted five raw forwards with high projected offensive upside. Most of them are longer-term projects, though: three of them are bound for college.
Flames Offseason Grade - B+
Time will tell if Treliving's moves will spark the Flames or just end up being a shuffling of the deck.