2016 NHL offseason outlook: Calgary Flames

Free Agents

Priority number one for the Flames this offseason is to lock up Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan for as long as possible. Usually, young players don’t want to sign the huge seven to eight-year deals. Gaudreau and Monahan could be the exception. They are both important building blocks for the Flames moving forward. Their chemistry is outstanding. The agents for Gaudreau and Monahan might want to get together and try to keep their clients together for as long as possible. This could be similar to when Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews signed similar contracts. Works well for both sides.

Joe Colborne is another restricted free agent. He had a breakout year with 44 points and 19 goals, setting career highs in both. Colborne is a potential answer to the question of who plays alongside Gaudreau and Monahan. He might lack the ideal speed, but Colborne does have a knack for winning puck battles and for crashing the net. Expect him to sign a two-year deal.

Josh Jooris, a restricted free agent, will need a new contract. A one or two-year deal makes sense, but he’s not a long-term piece because bottom six forwards aren’t worth committing much in terms of contract length. Drew Shore is in a similar situation.

All of their goaltenders could be gone next season. Ramo and Backstrom are unrestricted free agents while Ortio is a restricted free agent. Ortio is a backup goalie at best so the Flames will likely search for a starter.

Next: Offseason Questions