Calgary Flames: Top 3 questions that remain to be answered in 2020
2. The Future Of The Blueline
The Calgary Flames only have three of their eight defensemen on their roster signed through next season. T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic, Erik Gustafsson, and Michael Stone will all be unrestricted free agents. Moreover, young defenseman Oliver Kylington will be a restricted free agent. Only Mark Giordano, Noah Hanifin, and Rasmus Andersson have a contract past this season.
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Of course, Juuso Valimaki could fill one of those spots. But he’s coming off a serious knee injury. Returns from those kinds of injuries aren’t always smooth. Still, Valimaki remains at the very least a viable option.
Kylington will likely be re-signed as well, probably to a short-term deal seeing as how he hasn’t proven too much in the NHL. In 87 games (a shade over a full season), he has 15 points. But Kylington is still young, so there’s certainly room and time for him to grow.
That leaves at least one spot wide open, and that’s assuming Valimaki is capable of handling a regular spot in the lineup following his injury. This is also assuming the Flames are fine with having a blueline with four left-handed options. The Flames need to add at least one right-handed defenseman. Maybe even two.
Complicating the matter is Giordano’s down season. After winning the Norris Trophy last season, Giordano has taken a clear step back this season. The Flames must figure out if this season is merely a blip on the radar or if it’s a sign Father Time is finally catching up to the soon-to-be 37-year-old defenseman.