While much has yet to be decided with the CCHL playoffs looming in the not-so-distant future, the Fort Erie Falcons know that they will have some tough decisions this off-season no matter how the playoffs go.
With three prime time free agents in Steven Stamkos, Zach Hyman and Valeri Nichushkin on the roster, the team recognizes only one of them can be re-signed based on the CCHL rules.
It has yet to be decided who will receive the contract as negotiations with representatives for all three are underway, but Nichushkin is likely the most attractive given the fit he's had with the team, and the fact he'll only need a 10% raise on a $2.5 million dollar contract. On the otherhand, that contract and his 100 point season could be really appealing for another CCHL team to come calling, especially a rebuilding team that can wait for him to play more games in an NHL season in another year.
Hyman and Stamkos will both likely hit the 30 goal marks in the NHL this season as well, making them very attractive to other teams across the CCHL and the team will definitely look at moving two of them.
Sure, I suppose there is a scenario at play where Fort Erie trades one of their two top ten picks to move back in the draft and have another team do a sign and trade, but that doesn't truly appear to be something they are considering right now.
Why would they?
They have both Shane Wright and Matvei Michkov set to join the roster next season so there is depth coming to help. Keifer Sherwood is almost assured to take the role of Colton Sissons on the fourth line given he leads the NHL in hits by a mile and will score between 15-20 this year.
The Falcons are primed with depth coming next year.
Speaking of depth, Thomas Harley's continued development means that likely Devon Toews or Jaccob Slavin will likely be available, though with Slavin's tenure as the longest serving Falcon, I don't see him being a guy that is readily available. That likely leaves Toews looking for his next CCHL home this off-season and he's a player that can help 20 of the 22 CCHL member clubs.
While Fort Erie has done everything they can to bolster the team this year, the Kehler Cup is the hardest trophy in sports to win and the odds are Fort Erie will fall short again.
Either way - they'll have some decisions to make this upcoming off-season and some very good players will be available to other teams.
Article written by Stevie Cheeseboard and originally published for the Fort Erie Gazette.
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