Wednesday came and went without the Flames making any real splash in free agency, and that was by design.
Calgary’s front office never viewed July 1 as the day to pile up veteran signings and force an immediate climb in the standings. The idea, from the start, was to let the roster they already have take the next step.
“We’ve had a plan the whole time, it’s still the same,” said Flames GM Craig Conroy. “If something made sense or there was an opportunity … but to be honest, we’ve got to stick to the plan so I told (the media) we wouldn’t be doing much going into free-agency.
“A lot of teams have jumped in, but with us and with who we have on the roster and the opportunity we want to give those guys, it just made more sense to go with what we have right now.”
That approach lined up with what was happening Wednesday at Winsport, where the Flames opened their annual development camp. The real story in Calgary right now is the young talent moving closer to NHL jobs, especially the 18- and 19-year-olds who are expected to be central to the team’s next push.
There were still a couple of notable departures. Ryan Lomberg’s second stint with the organization is done after he signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets worth US$1.3-million per season. Depth centre Justin Kirkland also moved on, landing a one-year, two-way deal that will pay him $850,000.
Outside of that, the day was quiet. Mace’o Phillips, Calgary’s third-round pick last year, is headed to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers for next season, and that was about the extent of the major news.
The Flames could still add a depth piece or two later, but the roster is already fairly crowded as the organization looks ahead to training camp in September.
Conroy said Calgary is keeping openings available for players such as Cole Reschny, Carson Carels and Cullen Potter when they are ready to take the next step into pro hockey. Bringing in more bodies now would only make that path harder.
That doesn’t mean the Flames are looking to clear out veterans just to make room.
“I don’t think we have to move guys out,” Conroy said. “It will be a competition coming into camp but that’s why i think by not adding more bodies early today, it makes more sense. Make it a competition, let them come in and battle for spots.”
At some point down the road, Calgary will likely turn back to free agency as a tool to improve. Wednesday just wasn’t that day.
The plan stayed the plan, and Conroy didn’t budge from it.
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