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In May, veteran Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic spent much of his season-ending Zoom call with reporters talking about the team’s culture.

The 2011 Stanley Cup champion spoke about the need for players to collectively buy in to a team-first mentality.

“It’s just getting back to the mindset of being resilient and getting back to the mindset of wanting to win,” he said. “What’s missing? I think what’s missing is between the ears, more than anything.”

Flames head coach Darryl Sutter made similar observations after taking over for Geoff Ward in March, calling out the team’s work ethic and preparation habits.

“There’s a little bit of entitlement that went on here and that impacts your team in a negative way for sure,” Sutter said two months into the job. 

“You don’t play guys more to help them get better. They have to help themselves get better based on their training, based on their preparation, based on their compete level, not just the skills that they were drafted on.”

The Flames have won just one playoff series (back in 2015) with a core group of captain Mark Giordano and star forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk, and Mikael Backlund. 

To what extent Flames general manager Brad Treliving believes Lucic, one of last season’s few bright spots, and Sutter will determine much of how Calgary’s off-season plays out.

Does Treliving feel that a major culture reset and leadership shift is necessary? Does he think the team needs more character veterans, or an injection of youth? Many of his moves will hinge on those answers.

Those transactions could involve the team's two biggest names up front.

Gaudreau, a free agent next off-season, is eligible to sign an extension and his 27-team no trade clause kicks in later this month. Treliving will have to sign him to a new deal before then or risk having just a handful of potential trade partners.

Fellow winger Tkachuk, who had growing pains under Sutter before finding a role on the top line with Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm at the end of the season, is also eligible to sign a new deal (and due a hefty $9 million qualifying offer next summer).

Then there is the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. The Flames’ quandary is who to protect on the back end: Chris Tanev or Giordano?

On paper, Tanev is the logical choice to protect. He’s six years younger than Giordano, makes less money, and has proven capable of playing top-pairing minutes. 

If the Flames expose Giordano, do they entice the Kraken with a draft pick to select another player? Under Treliving, Calgary has had fewer draft picks than all but a handful of teams. Does Treliving risk losing his captain for nothing, or sacrifice more of Calgary’s future so Seattle takes someone else?

The Flames have the 12th selection at the entry draft. While they have noteworthy prospects in Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary, and Dustin Wolf, they don’t have anyone projected to be top-line wingers or top-pairing blueliners at the NHL level. 

Centre Chaz Lucius of the U.S. National Team Development Program could fit as a natural goal scorer. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button compares him to New York Islanders winger Brock Nelson.

Button had the Flames choosing American centre Cole Sillinger in his June mock draft. Sillinger had 24 goals in 31 games for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL last season.

There’s also the possibility Treliving packages the pick with a veteran like Monahan in exchange for a higher choice or roster upgrade.

Outside of the trade market, Treliving’s most significant chance to reshape the roster is in free agency. Calgary needs a top-nine winger, third-pairing blueliner, shutdown centre, wing depth, and backup goalie. They may also require another top defenceman if Giordano moves on.

Should Treliving value youth, the Flames could theoretically plug those holes with the likes of prospects Adam Ruzicka, Glenn Gawdin, Connor Mackey, and Matthew Phillips.

If the goal is to alter the team’s culture, add experience, and contend for the playoffs next season, Nate Thompson, Luke Glendening, Darren Helm, and Trevor Lewis would fit as defensively reliable veterans.

On the back end, the Flames may target the likes of Brendan Smith, Mark Pysyk, or Erik Gudbranson to slot in on the third pair to help Juuso Valimaki, who had an inconsistent first full NHL season.

Should Giordano get taken by Seattle, would Treliving ante up for winger Nick Foligno as both a top-nine forward and to fill the ensuing leadership void?

Treliving and co. have many decisions on the horizon.

Flames fans will soon find out just how much he’s heeded the words of Lucic and Sutter.