The Dismantling of the Calgary Flames has begun...

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Kiss Craig Conroy goodbye[/u][/color]
By RANDY SPORTAK -- Calgary Sun
source: CANOE.COM

The dismantling of the Flames has begun.

Craig Conroy, through his agent Lewis Gross, informed the club yesterday he'll be testing the market when he becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.

"Craig just decided he's going to move forward to July 1st," Gross said yesterday. "It's a culmination of a lot of different issues. At some point, you just have to make those decisions."

As recent as Wednesday, the fan favourite maintained his desire to stay in Calgary. That hasn't really changed for the affable centre, who's spent the past few seasons on a productive line with Jarome Iginla.

However, with the Flames adamantly sticking to a budget of roughly $36 million US -- which will be squeezed tighter because of expected raises for Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, as well as Roman Turek's onerous salary ($5 million) -- Conroy is a casualty.

Also, GM-head coach Darryl Sutter has repeatedly said he wants the team to become younger next season and already has centres Steve Reinprecht, Matthew Lombardi and Stephane Yelle under contract.

There's a chance Conroy will return but considering he'll likely receive offers elsewhere at or above the $2.2-million US salary he collected this season and not in Calgary, those chances are extremely slim.

"You always hold out hope," Gross said.

Dean McAmmond, Chris Simon, Krzysztof Oliwa and Dave Lowry are all also eligible to become unrestricted free agents on Canada Day.

Conroy, acquired from the St. Louis Blues for Cory Stillman at the 2001 trade deadline, set career numbers the following season with 27 goals and 48 assists and was even named team captain -- a title he relinquished to Iginla last fall.

"He had a great three years in Calgary and enjoyed it," Gross said. "It was very special."

ICE CHIPS: Peter Forsberg's agent Don Baizley told the Rocky Mountain News the star forward has received a qualifying offer from the Avalanche to retain his rights and prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent July 1 ... The Dallas Stars re-signed centre Jason Arnott to a one-year contract yesterday and defenceman Jon Klemm to a two-year contract with a club option for a third year ... Gerard Gallant will have the word interim dropped from his Columbus Blue Jackets' head coach job title today, according to broadcast and newspaper reports.

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Final countdown - Free agents' contracts expire at 10 p.m.[/u][/color]
By TODD SAELHOF -- Calgary Sun
June 30th, 2004
source: CANOE.COM

Decisions, decisions.

Calgary Flames GM-head coach Darryl Sutter has plenty to make this offseason.

And with contracts expiring tonight at 10 p.m. for 19 of the club's players --including superstar Jarome Iginla, goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and budding defenceman Jordan Leopold --the pressure of balancing dollars and sense in the Flames' small-market budget is peaking.

The Flames want to stick with a long-term plan and a total team salary in the neighbourhood of $36 million, regardless of their upstart run to the Stanley Cup final this spring.

"We have a nucleus -- a young nucleus -- and I'll do everything I can to keep that young nucleus together," Sutter has said. "After that, it's business."

The most important business at hand, of course, is re-signing Iginla, the face of the franchise who turns 27 tomorrow.

The captain and playoff hero was tendered a one-year, $7-million US qualifying offer by the club over the weekend but it's expected to be rejected by Iginla and agent Don Meehan in favour of a longer-term deal.

However, the qualifying offer keeps Iginla a restricted free agent once his contract expires tonight, meaning the Flames would have the right to match or receive five first-round draft picks as compensation should he sign an offer sheet with another team.

After a 41-goal regular season and a stellar playoff performance, Iginla will no doubt get a raise from the $7 million he earned during the 2003-04 campaign.

Fellow Group 2 free agents Leopold and Kiprusoff will also be asking for bumps in pay from their respective salaries of $900,000 and $880,000 last season.

The Flames have seven other restricted free agents in their organization. Forward Marcus Nilson and defencemen Denis Gauthier and Mike Commodore top the list, with their recent contributions helping their respective cases to be re-signed.

As with Iginla, Sutter has tendered qualifying offers --the same salary for those who earned more than the league average last season and pay raises of at least 10% to those who earned less --to Nilson, Leopold, Gauthier and Kiprusoff.

Among other restricted free agents, left-winger Lynn Loyns (acquired from the San Jose Sharks during last season) and goalie Dany Sabourin saw limited action with the club.

Right-winger Garett Bembridge, who spent the entire season with the AHL-affiliate Lowell Lock Monsters, is rumoured to be leaving to play in Europe next season. Defenceman Petr Buzek, who suffered a concussion two years ago, is essentially retired from hockey and will not be tendered a qualifying offer from the Flames.

High-profile Flames set to become unrestricted free agents when their contracts expire tonight are Craig Conroy, Chris Simon, Dave Lowry, Krzysztof Oliwa and Dean McAmmond. All five forwards are at least 31 years old, making them Group 3 free agents -- meaning the Flames will receive no compensation should they sign with another NHL team.

Conroy, 32, has already informed the club he'll be testing the free-agent market, while the 39-year-old Lowry is contemplating retirement. McAmmond, 31, is considered a health risk after recent back surgery.

Simon is the most likely to return to the Flames lineup. It's expected the team will also ask enforcer Oliwa to return.

"It's highly unlikely we're going to retain all of them," Sutter has said. "I'm not going to budge and I'm not going to get into a bidding war. What's important is the long-term."

The freed up $2.2 million Conroy earned this past season will help facilitate raises for Iginla, Leopold and Kiprusoff.

The combined $2 million-plus that went to defencemen Buzek and Brad Werenka last season should also help with negotiations.

The 35-year-old Werenka, who suffered a concussion four years ago, is also a Group 3 free agent.

Three other forwards in the organization -- Robert Dome, Matt Davidson and Martin Sonnenberg -- will become Group 6 unrestricted free agents -- players 25 or older who have completed at least three seasons of professional hockey but have played less than 80 NHL games, including playoffs.

Dome left the Lock Monsters to return to Europe last season and isn't expected back. Like Bembridge, Davidson is believed headed for Europe next season. That leaves 26-year-old Sonnenberg, who joined the Flames for the playoff run, the only possible Group 6 free agent to re-sign with the club.