Barring a sudden change of heart, it appears that Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy is set to begin the 2023-24 season with his roster the way it is. Despite numerous reports that several players entering the final year of their respective contracts are strongly considering heading elsewhere, Conroy doesn’t seem to be willing to move them, at least not yet.
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Based on what has transpired, it seems that Conroy is hoping to change the minds of some of these pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) as the year goes on. It may not be the worst idea ever given the fact that on paper, this team is loaded with talent. With a new voice behind the bench in Ryan Huska, perhaps the Flames can get back to their winning ways of two seasons ago and have players realize what a fun market it can be to play in.
As talented as this Flames team is, they could still use some help, particularly on the wings. They had an opportunity to address that early into free agency but elected not to, likely due to the fact they were unsure which direction they wanted to head in. Lucky for them, one very good option up front remains on the free agent market, and at this point could be signed for pretty cheap.
Tatar Would Help Replace Toffoli’s Production
That winger is Tomas Tatar, who is coming off a 20-goal, 48-point season with the New Jersey Devils. The 32-year-old has been pretty consistent when it comes to finding the back of the net throughout his career, as he has scored 20 or more goals in seven seasons.
Tatar is an easy player to fit into a lineup, as he is capable of playing on the top line but has also spent plenty of his career in more of a middle-six role. He is comfortable on both the left and right side, which would give Huska plenty of options for where he would want to insert him into the lineup.
What Tatar would also help with is replacing the offence the Flames lost in the Tyler Toffoli trade. Conroy’s first trade as the Flames’ GM saw him ship Toffoli to the Devils in exchange for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick. Moving the 31-year-old undeniably hurts the Flames offensively, as his 31 goals and 73 points led the team last season.
While Tatar isn’t likely to match those totals, he should have no problem scoring 20-25 goals for the Flames. Factor that in with what Sharangovich is able to get and you likely have a wash, if not a slight surplus for the Flames in that regard.
Tatar Explains Signing Hold Up
Given that we are already over a month removed from the opening day of free agency, the fact that Tatar hasn’t been signed yet has been questioned by many. Speaking with Czech outlet Sportsnet.sme.sk recently, he explained that he was simply wanting more term than teams were willing to give him. As the season nears, he admits that he is now open to the idea of a one-year contract.
“Yes, today it is moving more towards a one-year contract,” Tatar explained. “That was the obstacle at the beginning. I wanted at least two years, because if something doesn’t work the first year, success can come only after that. The [Devils] lined up similarly. If I had left after the first year, I would have been disappointed with how it all turned out.”
It seems strange that teams are being so hesitant to sign Tatar to a multi-year deal given how consistent of an offensive producer he has been for the majority of his career. Perhaps age is playing a bit of a factor, but at 32, he should still have plenty in the tank. He is a player that is worth considering for Conroy if he does indeed plan to keep this current roster intact.