CALGARY – Simply put, now isn’t the time for the Calgary Flames to make a big free agency splash.

Despite having a boatload of cash and a need to improve at several positions, the focus continues to be on leaving spots open for youngsters to break through and develop.      

At some point, Craig Conroy will dig into that big bag of cash to make a Canada Day splash, but it will likely be much closer to the opening of the new arena in 2027.

For now, the goal is to let the kids play, opening the door for ongoing revelations like Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka to emerge.  

That said, there are definitely some holes to fill, and with a mandate to make the playoffs while simultaneously rebuilding, you can bet the Flames will sign at least two or three lads as early as Tuesday.

The pending trade of Rasmus Andersson and the expected departures of Joel Hanley and Dan Vladar will prompt Conroy & Co. to land a lefty and a righty on the blueline, as well as a backup for Dustin Wolf.

The goalie piece is a tricky one, as the Flames have 28-year-old minor leaguer Devin Cooley on a one-way contract, with hopes he can fill in for the 15 or 20 starts Wolf doesn’t make. Cooley was all-world the first half of last season with the Wranglers, but with only six NHL starts to his credit, the Flames would like to have a proven NHL veteran who can provide insurance of sorts.

The team is also still looking to find a centre, preferably a right-shot, who can grow with the team.

Those are the priorities.

The Andersson deal should theoretically help address at least one of those needs, but given the unknowns involved with when and who the return will involve, you can bet the Flames will add bodies via free agency.

“I think we’ve targeted some players we’d like to talk to and see if they’d be willing to come to Calgary,” said Conroy, whose club has plenty of momentum after a surprise season in which his club missed a playoff spot via tiebreaker.

“We have some money to spend, and we’d love to improve our team and make it better. But it’s one of those where you don’t have to spend assets now just to spend some money.”

They’ll aim to add players who can continue to grow with Calgary’s core and be part of a team that values the work ethic, tenacity and forechecking that propelled the Florida Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup.

 “Everybody right now wants to be the Florida Panthers,” smiled Conroy.

“That’s the ultimate goal, is to be like them. For us, we might just be at the bottom rung. We’re at the starting point and we want to get to where they are.

“We’re trying to build a culture where we want people who want to be here.”

We’ll find out as early as Tuesday who that will be. 

Salary cap space: $19.82 million
Roster size: 22/23
Salary committed to forwards: $50.12
Salary committed to defence: $22.05
Salary committed to goalies: $1.62
Salary committed to retention: $1.875 million

The Flames so desperately crave a right-shot middleman, and with 19 goals last season, only nine pending UFAs filled the net more times than the well-travelled native of Braintree, Massachusetts. Given his career-high in goals, he’s in for a raise from last year’s league minimum, but he can add depth to what is still the most glaring deficiency on the Flames roster.

A signing like this would be pricey, as the long-time Rangers depth piece is a solid defensive-type who has posted a career plus-99 over his seven NHL seasons.

The six-foot, 194-pound lefty would likely be asked to play more than the 19 minutes he’s averaged over his career.

Alex Lyon, 32, G, Detroit Red Wings, $900,000

The goal here is to find a competent veteran who can provide mentorship and stability behind the Flames’ two youngsters. Following a stellar career at Yale, the undrafted Minnesotan has played 113 games over eight seasons in the NHL, posting a .902 career save percentage.

Nick Perbix, 27, D, Tampa Bay Lightning, $1.12 million 

The Flames need to add size to their back end, and the six-foot-four, 206-pound righty is an attractive package. After four years at St. Cloud State, the sixth-round pick has done well to add a little bit of everything in Tampa where he averaged less than 15 minutes a night last season on a deep blue line.

With an increased role, the offence that saw him get a point a game in his senior year could evolve.

Jack Roslovic – Another right-shot centre who tied a career-high with 22 goals last season in Carolina, where he won 54 per cent of his draws.  

Nikolaj Ehlers – Listen, the Flames need more goals and Ehlers is one of the best at it amongst all UFAs. He’s going to make a boatload of money on Tuesday, and while it’s early in the Flames’ retool, he’s an asset worth kicking tires on. If he’s at all interested in playing in Calgary, they have the money to make it happen.

Joel Hanley – Yes, I know Conroy intimated it was unlikely Hanley was coming back, but he was such a great fit in Calgary late last season that perhaps the 34-year-old would consider circling back to the Flames if he isn’t thrilled with offers/opportunities elsewhere.