Update: Nikita Zadorov has resigned for 3.75x2. Zadorov-Meloche should be a very physical third pairing.
First thing’s first.
Johnny Gaudreau is signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 12x7 contract. To be a fly on the wall during this process would be invaluable, but here we are. Johnny is an hour and 30 minute flight from Philidelphia, so there’s that at least. Doubtful Columbus was where he was thinking when he committed to leaving the Flames. The rumoured offer of 12x7 amounts to 84 million before taxes. 10.5x8, the Flames’ final offer is also 84 million before taxes. Best wishes to Johnny and best wishes to the Blue Jackets fans. They deserve a star after such a painful lack of talent since their inception.
Update: Elliotte Friedman is now saying he suspects the contract is 9.7x7. 67.9 million. Wow.
Johnny and Laine will be an exciting mix. Cheers to them.
That said.
It’s fair to say that the four Flames signings weren’t the free agent signings most were hoping for. Defenceman Nicolas Meloche, fourth line center Kevin Rooney, likely AHL defenceman Dennis Gilbert and the re-signing of the venerable Trevor Lewis.
The common theme here is players that could be brought in regardless of whether the Flames had broken the bank on Gaudreau, Tkachuk, and Mangiapane.
Listening to general manager Brad Treliving in the two media availabilities since the announcement of Gaudreau’s choice to sign out East for family reasons; it doesn’t sound like Brad has had much time to tamper with the agents of unrestricted free agents. Which might not be the worst thing.
Let’s look at one example of this management group reverting to a plan B. The 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The rumoured offer coming from Calgary for goaltender Freddy Andersen was the 35th overall pick, and another second, likely the 56th overall pick in that same year.
Toronto managed to slightly gain the edge by offering the 30th overall pick and a 2017 second round pick. A fun aside to that situation was that if the Dallas Stars had reached the Conference Finals that year, a condition would have been met to upgrade the second round pick coming back into a first round pick in the 27-29 range, this beating Toronto’s offer. That didn’t happen, but fun to think about what might have been.
After all was said and done, Treliving lost out on Andersen. On to plan B. A very ugly plan B.
The Calgary Flames traded their second, 35th overall, for a year of Brian Elliott.
Elliott put up a very solid post-season months prior, but clearly benefited from the support of a veteran lineup fully bought into a heavy trap system enforced by Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock.
His results with the Flames were less than ideal. While his .910 save percentage and 26 wins in 49 games that season looked alright on paper, those statistics don’t tell the whole story. Elliott had a serious lack of resilency. He became known for allowing the first shot on goal. His first three months of poor play, three wins and nine losses in 12 games to go with a .885 save percentage put the Flames in such a hole that the team as a whole needed to re-fit their style to accommodate Elliott’s weak early game presence.
It only got worse in the playoffs. Elliott played a solid game one before completely falling apart as the series went on.
The entire situation boiled up prior to game four as a few veterans insisted to head coach Glen Gulutzan that Elliott start game four. Despite Brian’s confidence being already shot, Glen acquiesced. A decision that contributed to Glen’s termination. Elliott allowed one goal on three shots in that game and was pulled 5:38 into the game.
That 35th overall became Jordan Kyrou, who ranked 15th overall in even strength points per 60 minute of play with 2.93. 50 points at 5v5 this season. A player that many Flames fans would consider trading RFA Matthew Tkachuk for if it became apparent the Flames star was moving on too.
All of this because of a rash decision to revert to a plan B.
Maybe it’s not the worst that Brad Treliving isn’t rebounding as hard as most expected him to. Maybe promoting prospects and demanding more of the supporting cast will fill the hole that Johnny is leaving— at least in terms of team success.
On the New Guys
Kevin Rooney
Stats nerds aren’t a big fan of Rooney. Mostly due to a lack of diligence. Rooney did things right as a fourth line center handed primarily defensive assignments.
5v5 Stats
GP: 61
TOI: 687:46
CF%: 37.81
GF: 15
GA: 20
Zero chance Rooney was a Brad Treliving Select™. This one has to have been Darryl.
On the positive end, Rooney ranked third among Rangers in hits per 60 minutes of play. 12.74. His faceoff percentage needs work as a center: 43.5% overall. Sutter will demand more, but his 6’2” 201lbs frame provides a physical presence that pays dividends in the playoffs. At 29 years in age, he’s a physically mature grinder with tread on his tires.
Nicolas Meloche
Meloche has played fourth or fifth fiddle his entire career in San Jose. 6’3”, 211lbs is a solid size and his 158 hits in 50 games ranks him second on the Sharks despite playing a limited role. This is a clear replacement for one of the two bottom pairing defencemen leaving. At 24 and with only one full season played, there is room to grow for the Montreal native.
It’s tough to gauge offensive production from defencemen on the Sharks. Any real offensive start was handed out to one or both of Erik Karlsson or Brent Burns. Meloche wasn’t anywhere near consideration for deployment in that regard. Even in junior, his production never found it’s self above a point per game.
Still, solid add given his age and style of play.
Trevor Neufeld
@Trevor_Neufeld
Stats via naturalstattrick.com, moneypuck.com, and nhl.com.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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