conundrumed

I see zero chance of adding Barzal. Other teams can offer a lot better than I'm seeing here. Pelech Romanov Aho Bolduc coming up...hardly screams Hanifin is a need. Pageau, Palmeiri, Beauvillier to lose makes more sense. The first 2 have 16 team NTC contracts. I'd do Pageau if they just need a salary dump. But that NTC.... I'm sure Lou will figure it out. Kadri isn't worth huge money and term. Hence why no one threw it at him.

Can someone explain what a unicorn player is?

A block of salt.lol

I tend to agree. I wouldn't have been a fan of $20mil for the 2 long term. Just kind of rubbed me the wrong way for those two. The cap would have been a big struggle this year. Plus the playoffs being a lot tighter checking they just don't seem to fight through it.

I think we bandy Hanifin around due to garner a significant return. I doubt moving him is actually on the minds of the org. He's a good dman. I get a bit frustrated seeing him over-cautious too often, but I'd rather that than being too optimistic holding the o-zone. Valimaki is reaching Juolevi territory for return. He seems to have lost his mobility. Over a year of injury issues means he gets passed on the depth charts. It's really too bad, because he looked pretty good to start. It's fleeting... There is little return there, imho. We aren't going to beat the Avs or Oilers matching firepower. We're going to need a really solid D group. So trading Hanifin for more firepower while diminishing D is counter-productive imho.

They have no use for Mony at this point. We need to keep him or we're sending picks with him for everyone's fave, "future considerations". His only value right now is turning it around with us. Both he and Lucic are cap dumps currently. We'd have to send picks and there is no return. Need to let them play out their contracts.

Weegar plays both sides well. Methinks you haven’t seen him enough and isn’t a brand name being hidden in FLA. I honestly can’t believe FLA did this. There goes 2 of your best guys at pushing the puck north. I’ll parrot, easily our best dman on either side. We wanted Chychrun, we easily got a comparable. I’d be up in arms as a FLA fan. This isn’t going to go well for them.

The takes are always painful. I’m just thankful we have @sak22 & @Heartbreaker to provide some great comedy takes. What’s laughable is down the road, these “hottake” clowns just wanna say, “I’ve been saying all along…” . Mercifully, most don’t get the chance. Sadly, it’s forgotten over time so they aren’t outted for being schleps. But yeah, now it’s, “this contract won’t age well”. It’s painful. So many opinions, so little perception. Next will be Weegar at 7-8 x $7.5. And they’ll tread on that too. We’re giving them the contracts the PT-winning team couldn’t afford to for 2 of their top 4 players. So let’s move the goalposts, as you say. Meanwhile, our D is pretty close to top-of-the-league now with a Vezina-caliber goalie. And we have options for offence and excess D. We’re gonna be great. Detroit is being called, “most improved” and I’d agree, but they still aren’t nearing the Flames. I wish we could deal with them on D. But their contract tix are expiring around Veleno, Berggren, Wallinder, Zadina stepping up. Any 2 of which I’d take for Hanifin or Kylington. we still need a bit of youth, imho. But I wonder how cheap Pius Suter might be right now? Fabbri? Not big names, but solid middle 6 guys. Detroit needs to start making room for the aforementioned young guys.

Westhead had reported this: "Hockey Canada and the CHL were named as defendants in the case, as were eight unnamed CHL players “including but not limited to members of the Canada U20 Men’s Junior Hockey Team.” The hockey players are identified in the 18-page statement of claim as John Does 1-8". The TC roster was 33 players. So the "not limited to" number could be 40? Okay 38. Kyrou and Makar weren't in London. But there is zero reason to treat everyone as guilty. edit This from the event announcement: The two-day event features a star-studded gala where Canada’s national teams who have won gold at IIHF events throughout the season – be it the IIHF World Junior Championship, IIHF World Championship, or the men’s or women’s under-18 worlds – or at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in PyeongChang this coming February and March, are honoured.

I'm not at all. It was in London so I'd be most concerned with Thomas and Formenton personally. Nothing says that all were Team Canada players. It was an awards banquet so likely a lot more players than just that team. But if she was from London, I'd assume it was a Knights player that she liked...

But he did set career highs...18g/14a/32pts. We just need them to get higher.lol

Same. I'd gladly take him at LWer Reilly's contract. 2013 7th rder. 6th last player taken. lol I think he can tell our prospects a thing or 2 about hard work. Excited to get this done and move on to what else BT has up his sleeve.

I think what I always keep in mind that Bennett looked great with Huberdeau. Without Huberdeau he was back to normal. So I'm sure Sutter is really going to think his way through who Huberdeau actually needs to be successful by watching endless vid of Huberdeau's past linemates. I'm just not sure Huberdeau needs Lindholm to be successful. Although it's the obvious answer, is it the right one? Mangia-Lindholm-Toffoli Huberdeau-Backs-Dube Pelletier-Mony-Coleman Lucic-Rooney-Lewis Ruzicka, Phillips Only for example if we want 2 O lines. Just looking at what we have rn. I really want to see how Huberdeau can elevate Dube as he's done with many others. But that top 6 really shows a boost at RW would sure help. The need for a C is reliant on Mony, Dube and Ruzicka. We can't afford all 3 stagnating, they can be big pieces to this puzzle. Huberdeau-Barkov only really hooked up 5v5 when FLA needed to make Satoshi Nakamoto happen. Times like now a Sam Reinhart-type would be fantastic. Unfortunately, I'm of the opinion that Sutter loves Hanifin so altogether uncertain that he'll be moved.

Not sure about that. Sutter wants pace, Huberdeau oozes it. He PK's as well. Consider his linemates 5v5, it wasn't Barkov. Do you want an O-driver or yet another 200' guy? Typical Huberdeau interview, dude is intense. Do we ALWAYS have to give Eric Francis the 1st question? JFC.

Stupid t instead of m. lol I knew that, just too used to t.lol

No worries. Don't be hard on yourself:) We have Jonathan Blockchaining Huberdeau. Happy days ahead. Perfect Sutter player coming from Quenneville as a coach. This will be awesome.

Can't wait for the announcement. What an offseason. Unbelievable. Sutter must be pinching himself.

With sarcasm?

Yup. We have our hands on him right now. Get this guy signed. I am a Calgary-Detroit fan with FLA being my 3rd. Zito has been a great mgr. Holy, when he screws up, he really screws up. Get Weegar done and this is flat out rape and pillage by the Flames. I wonder how many times BT said, "for who"? Both Huberdeau and Weegar at massive rebates this year. Escalating cap, what a frigging opportunity that has fallen into our laps. 2 of their 4 top players. Wow. Weegar is a bidding war in UFA. Let's avoid it. Great dman. Get this done, I'll order both Flames jerseys. I could not be happier. Guessing JG's reaction to what we got from Tkachuk...."ohhhhh Satoshi Nakamoto".lol

I'm over it. He cold-d%%ked us with no lube. How would 31 other teams' fans feel? They know he f&%^@d us. His little violin concerto is meaningless. Everyone knows that he bent us over. So what? It makes us bigger people to say, "that's okay, we understand"? It doesn't. He's a spineless pr!ck for leading us on. Again, "here's the overpayment" you want. He still said no. I'm glad we know that now, we can move on. Good riddance. I won't boo him or cheer him. I'm indifferent. I'm just happy to know Columbus' downtown is crime-riddled (I've been). Enjoy yourself. Hockey fans are hockey fans. We gained a ton of pity. Now, it's, "right on Flames, make it work". Very similar to NYI and Tavares. Outsiders are cheering for us.

NTC for 6 years, so no.

It also accomplishes removing the uncertainty crap we just played. If you have a bit of overpay to ensure certainty with salaries, I'm not against that. We have a world of expiring deals in 2 years. Lindholm Backlund Toffoli Dube Rooney (whatevs) Pelletier (RFA) Tanev Andersson Kylington Zadorov Wolf That is a weight. Half the roster.

I think $7 actually. But I could live with $8 kicking in when the cap goes up. He's better than Nurse @ $9.5.lol A much smarter player.

That is a 3 year weighted average. Ekblad had injuries that kept him out. Weegar is a lot better than Brodie. You're thinking he makes Brodie-type mistakes, which is true, but he's a lot better than Brodie.

This is a pretty equal equation. They boosted each other. Now who does Ekblad pair with? What a dangerous game Zito is playing here. They are not competing for a President's Trophy this year, I can near guarantee it. Tkachuk does not drive play anything like Huberdeau does. And you lost your 2D? Ouch.