Flames getting ready to make cost-cutting trade!

The Calgary Flames bought out defenseman Michael Stone’s contract last week, freeing up $2.33 million, giving the Canadian team $7.75 million in salary-cap space.

They still need more… The money left in their pockets isn’t enough to re-sign RFAs Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane.

According to Kent Wilson of The Athletic, the Flames will have no other choice to make a cost-cutting trade. The insider believes right winger Michael Frolik could be aggressively shopped to free up sufficient room for Tkachuk’s new contract.

The fact that Stone’s deal was bought out seems to make trading a defenseman like T.J. Brodie or Travis Hamonic less likely. Therefore, Frolik remains the top option that could help out the Flames this summer. 

The 31 year-old forward is in the final year of his contract with a $4.3-million cap hit ($3 million in actual salary) with a 10-team no-trade list.

He was rumoured to have been almost shipped out to the Minnesota Wild last year before the trade was aborted. While some rival teams might be more inclined to acquire Brodie, who is too in the final year of his contract and carries an eight-team no-trade lis at an affordable $4.65 million, the Flames might do all they can to move Frolik and save some cash for the young players. 

Let’s see what they can manage to do that. The Flames have said they are hoping to re-sign Tkachuk before the team’s training camp, so… the clock is tickling!