There may not be a team in the NHL with more questions heading into the 2023-24 season than the Calgary Flames. At this time a year ago, many believed they would be Stanley Cup contenders, though things quickly fell apart. They missed the playoffs, which resulted in the departures of both head coach Darryl Sutter and general manager Brad Treliving and left several players hesitant to sign extensions.
While they still have a roster that should contend this season, they will need a bounce-back year from many. That in itself is cause for concern, as they have several contracts that could turn ugly if last year repeats itself. That said, it isn’t all bad for the Flames, who also have some very talented players on inexpensive deals. Here are some of the best deals they have on the books heading into the 2023-24 season.
Elias Lindholm
One Year, $4.85 Million
One of the best contracts on the Flames, and in the NHL, belongs to Elias Lindholm. The 28-year-old is heading into the sixth and final year of a deal that pays him $4.85 million annually. During that time, he has amassed 139 goals and 325 points in 369 games. He also finished in the top 10 in Selke Trophy voting in three of those seasons.
While Lindhom’s contract should continue to look great this season, it’s uncertain whether or not it will be the Flames paying it. He is one of several players hesitant to sign an extension, even with the Flames prepared to do whatever it takes to keep him around.
Dillon Dube
One Year, $2.3 Million
Dillon Dube has driven many people nuts throughout his 282-game career. The skill has always been there, but the consistency has been lacking. Given the promise he showed early on, many believed that by this point, he would have already been a fifty-point player.
Related: Flames’ 5 Worst Contracts for the 2023-24 Season
Though Dube may never turn into the player some had envisioned, he took a big step forward this past season. He tied his career high in goals with 18 while setting a career-high in points with 45. If he is able to improve on that or even put up a similar stat line in 2023-24, that will be extremely good value for a player with a cap hit of $2.3 million.
Noah Hanifin
One Year, $4.95 Million
Much like Lindholm, there is serious doubt that the Flames will be paying Noah Hanifin’s contract this season. While Lindholm hasn’t said no to a possible extension, Hanifin supposedly has, and it’s believed he would rather play in a market south of the border.
That said, the Flames could choose to hold onto him until the trade deadline if they don’t get any offers they feel are suitable. Who knows, if that were to happen and they find themselves in a playoff spot, they could hold onto him past the deadline and hope he has a change of heart about an extension. Regardless of what happens, having a defenceman that can log the minutes Hanifin does on a contract worth under $5 million is terrific value.
Rasmus Andersson
Three Years, $4.55 Million
Rasmus Andersson‘s development since his rookie season in 2018-19 has been a treat to watch. The 26-year-old is an undisputed top-four NHL defenceman who continues to get better. His defensive game has always been pretty solid, but over the last two seasons, he has really started to develop his game offensively.
Last season saw Andersson score a career-high 11 goals in 79 games, and his 49 points were just one shy of the career-high of 50 he set a season ago. Unlike the others on this list, Andersson still has term left on his deal and seems to genuinely want to remain in Calgary. There is a very good chance that he could be named captain before the 2023-24 campaign gets underway.
Flames May Have Missed Window of Opportunity
Looking at some of these contracts and realizing how long the Flames have had them, I can’t help but think they may have missed their chance to do something special. Many thought that was going to happen in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they instead laid an egg in the second round versus the Edmonton Oilers. Their roster has changed in a major way since then, which could result in a re-tooling before or during this upcoming season.