CALGARY, Alberta – After a one year hiatus from the NHL playoffs, the Calgary Flames returned in grand style with a 107 point season and the league’s 2nd best record overall. It was their best point and win (50) totals since their Stanley Cup Championship season in 1988-89 when they had 117 points and 54 wins.
For the fourth year in a row, Johnny Gaudreau led the team in points with 99. This season he also led the team in goals with 36 goals and in assists with 63. Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan also eclipsed the 30 goal mark with 34 goals each. Garnet Hathaway is the only forward who is an unrestricted free agent this year. In the system eight of top 10 prospects are forwards, five of them are centers.
On defense, Mark Giordano led the blueline with 17 goals, 57 assists, and plus/minus with +39. Oscar Fantenberg and Dalton Prout are unrestricted free agents. In the system, Juuso Valimaki is considered the Flames top prospect. No other defenseman is considered in the top 10 list of prospects in the system.
In net, David Rittich and Mike Smith shared goaltending duties but in the end Rittich came away as the starting goalie. Rittich is an RFA so signing him to a contract is the Flames top priority where the 37 year old Smith is a UFA. Jon Gillies is 25 and has one more year left to go on his contract. Tyler Parsons is the #3 prospect in the system.
In the draft, the Flames have taken either a center or a defenseman four of the last years but keep in mind last year Calgary did not have a pick until round four and they did not have a first round pick in 2015. Also the Flames have not selected a right winger in the first round since 2005. This year Calgary holds the 26th overall pick in the draft.
In PHN’s mock draft, the Flames feel the need for defense. Calgary was 2nd in the NHL in goals for and 8th in goals against. Moritz Seider and Tobias Bjornfot are the top European defensemen on the board. Bjornfot is the more offensive minded of the two. Lassi Thomson is the top North American blueliner still on the board.
Some scouts feel Seider can go as high as #11 to the Flyers but Germany does not play an offensive minded game so his stats are not going to be as high as Bjornfot or Thomson. Seider is built one could make the argument that Bjornfot plays a more complete game. At the end of the day the Flames should come away with a solid pick and PHN expects Calgary to make the following announcement in Vancouver.
“With the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames are proud to select from Djurgarden, Sweden, Tobias Bjornfot.”
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