With the Calgary Flames set to have almost $20 million in cap space this summer, many anticipate it’ll be a busy off-season for the club. From signing pending RFAs to filling holes on the team, GM Craig Conroy will certainly have his hands full.
There’s no doubt that the Flames will look to improve their team, and with how much cap space they have, the team has been connected to many high-profile pending UFAs across the league. There were rumblings that the Flames were heavily interested in Mikko Rantanen if he tested free agency, but since he signed his extension with the Dallas Stars, there could be another player the Flames set their target on, and that’s Mitch Marner.
Marner would be a hot commodity if he tested the market
Following the trade deadline, reports surfaced that the Toronto Maple Leafs approached Marner with plans that he would be included in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. He would’ve needed to waive his no-movement clause for the trade to happen, and Marner rightfully exercised his protection, nixing the deal.
It now seems more and more likely that Marner may test the free agency market this summer, as contract negotiations with the Leafs haven’t been going anywhere. Therefore, if he does become a free agent, there’ll be no shortage of teams that would line up for his services, the Flames included.
Calgary would be able to give Marner the money he’s looking for likely, but it would be a huge price to pay. Still, if the Flames are looking to speed up this retool, adding a player like Marner would certainly be an idea they consider.
Would Marner be a fit with the Flames?
While the idea of adding Marner could be a possibility, would the 27-year-old be fit in Cowtown? For starters, his contract would be quite expensive, and Calgary would likely have to pay a premium to land a player of Marner’s caliber. Would adding another expensive contract to this team’s books really be the smartest idea?
He would certainly help with this team’s scoring, as he’s been a perennial 80-90-point guy the last few seasons. However, there also needs to be the consideration of how he would be surrounded by much less talent in Calgary, and those could take a hit at his numbers.
Here’s what the current Flames lineup would look like if they added Marner into the mix:
Huberdeau – Kadri – Marner
Zary – Frost – Coronato
Farabee – Backlund – Sharangovich
Lomberg – Rooney – Coleman
Pospisil
As you can see, Marner’s addition would result in a logjam at the wing, which is an issue the Flames have had for some time. For the team to add another winger, they would have to subtract one as a result. For me, I don’t see how a lineup with Marner would work unless the Flames sold-off more players in the offseason.
Final thoughts
The Flames aren’t in the position to go hunting for big names just yet. The team has massively over exceeded expectations due to their goaltending, as their offence all year has been mediocre. Adding a player like Marner would help with that, but the last thing the Flames need is the potential for another overpaid player to not live up to his contract. It’s likely that if Marner even considered Calgary as a possible destination, the team would have to pay him considerably more compared to a US market for example.
There isn’t much incentive to come to Calgary if you’re Marner. Yes, it’s another Canadian market with passionate fans, but the team right now is in no man’s land. The Flames also don’t have the star power to complement Marner, so there would be the potential for another Jonathan Huberdeau 2.0 situation to occur.
While the Flames could be aggressive in free agency, it isn’t in their best interest to go all in, despite predictions claiming that the team could make a big splash. Instead, sign players who fit an organizational need and continue to think about the future by adding smartly.
