According to the latest NHL rumors, the Calgary Flames are will pursue forward Patrick Maroon once he becomes a free agent.
The Calgary Flames are looking to add some size and grit to their forward group after a disappointing exit in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. According to the latest NHL rumors, the Flames are one of the several teams linked to Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Maroon.
This report comes from Ryan Rishaug from TSN. Pat Maroon had seven points, including two game-winning goals, during the 2019 postseason, helping the St. Louis Blues win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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Last year, he decided to take a hometown discount to play for his hometown team, the Blues. This was primarily done so Maroon could spend more time with his family. It’s a gamble that paid off for him, as he’ll be a legend in St. Louis forever now.
It appears Maroon is prepared to cash in once he becomes a free agent on July 1. Last season, he had 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 74 games. However, before last season, Maroon had two consecutive seasons with at least 40 points.
Now, it’s fair to question how the Flames will be able to afford him without him taking another discount. Calgary has $13 million of cap space, but must re-sign restricted free agents Matthew Tkachuk and David Rittich.
On top of that, they have to make a decision about forward Sam Bennett, who put up similar numbers to Maroon, but much younger than him. So to accommodate Maroon, they’d probably need to convince him to take a discount, get rid of a player making a significant salary, or convince someone else to take a discount.
Regarding that second option, that could be the most likely option. Reportedly, the Flames have had talks about trading T.J. Brodie or Travis Hamonic. Both have just one year left on their respective deals. Also, Michael Stone could be an option, as he has just one year left on his contract as well.