Kris Russell might have began his last season with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.
The 28-year-old Albertan is in the final year of his current contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He blocks shots, he shoots left, and he's an alternate captain.
And the emergence of Calgary's young defensemen is about to make him completely superfluous.
A lot of the discussion about whether or not Russell should be offered a new contract is hedged in either advanced stats or the salary cap. He spends a lot of time in his own zone and he'll want too much money.