Off Season Predictions

[phoenix66]

My predictions:

 

Wideman gets traded  - no salary retained, maybe a contract back, but a serviceable player if we do 

Flames pick at 6-- take Nylander

Colborne gets moved

Stajan, Raymond , Engelland  all on the payroll next year 

Smid stays on IR

[travel_dude]

If you buyout Wideman, then yes you get significant cap savings this year, however you also have a cap hit of 2 million next year when you might still need the space.

As it sits right now, the Flames have 24 million in cap space, give or take. With the need to sign Gaudreau, Monahan and 2 goalies + that eats into your cap. A top 6 RW will also likely cost 5 mil +, starting goalie 5 mil plus. Assuming Johnny and Mony sign for a combined 13 mil+ and add the goalie and top 6 RW at the base prices listed above, you are left with about a mil to sign a Smid replacement (Nakladal?) or bring up Wotherspoon to replace him, plus a backup goaltender and a 4 other forwards. Buying out Wideman adds another D position to fill. So assuming you gain that 5 mil you are talking about, you are adding 7 contracts for around 6 mil, less than a mil per average.

You can and need to do more.

 

I understand that Smid is a problem.  If he goes on LTIR, then that cuts it down a bit.  Widerman's $2m next year is not a big concern right now.  Raymond, Smid, Engelland. etc will be coming off the books.  

 

Buyout Wideman and demote Raymond - save $5m

Smid to LTIR - save $3.5m

Sign Johnny and Monahan, add $13m.

Sign Ortio $750k

Sign Colborne $2.2m

Sign Nakladal $1m

 

That gives us the following forwards:

Johnny (7)-Monahan (6) -??

Shinkaruk (1) - Bennett (1) - Frolik (4.3)

Ferland (1) - Backlund (3.5) - Colborne (2.2)

Bouma (2.2) - Statan (3.2) - Jooris (1)

Bollig (1.2) Hathaway (.7)

 

Gio (6.7) - Brodie (4.7)

Jokipakka (1) - Hamilton (5.75)

Engelland (2.9) - Nakladal (1)

Spoon (1)

 

Starter (4.5)

Ortio - (.750)

 

Wideman $1.25m 

Raymond $2.2m

 

That comes to $66m.  Depending on who we draft, they might be able to be a top 9 RW.  If not, we sign or trade for a RW.  Colborne would be a usable asset to pick up a RW.  Maybe even Bouma.  Maybe Stajan (retained $$) for Armia.  Anyway, all I am saying is that it's not dire if we buy out Wideman.  

 

EDIT:  Forgot to add Smid $3.5m.  It comes off after he goes LTIR.  Hope they really just convince him to retire.

[bosn111]

I see what you are saying T_D and you are correct in that the Flames would be able to afford the signing of a top RW and a starting tender with the lineup you propose. I do not have any glaring issues with that lineup except that they were not super successful in a number of areas last season and other than the third period comebacks due to youthful energy, the previous year when they made the playoffs was not much better on special teams or overall defence. While a better goalie should help pk and a solid top line RW could pp, plus a new coaching system, there are still issues to resolve.

Looking at only the immediate situation and hoping that filling 2 roles with signings is a nice thought ut is not likely to solve all of the teams problems. I know that my suggestion is also hopeful for signing players, but it also involves pieces for trade bait. Players like Wideman have some trade value. Bollig might have some value for a team needing to add a bunch of toughness. Neither of them on their own will get you that starter already signed or a top RW, but Wideman + 2 2nds might get a signed starter. Or a second rounder might give time to negotiate with an upcomming FA.

While moving Engelland and Bouma may seem like not an real upgade as both Beaulieu and Pateryn are like at best #4 D men, with the expansion draft next year, the possibility of losing a D man is high. Why not have extra D men of equal quality to step in if one is taken? If Vegas takes a forward, you have more trade pieces next season. The extra 2nd round pick is added trade bait to acquire other pieces.

In order to trade for a top RW or a starting goalie, you need pieces to trade which will not leave holes in the lineup. Stajan, Bouma, Colbourne, Bollig, Jooris, Engelland... none of these players even in combination will bring back a top RW, nor will they garner a starting tender. However maybe a Colbourne plus a second and a prospect or young D MIGHT entice a goalie from another team. Having the extra 2nd rounder would maintain a good number of picks being taken. Stajan plus 2 2nds maybe? So that extra pick comes in handy.

In reality it is looking at acquiring pieces for further movements and future possibilities. It is not just a cap dump, it is also getting younger, slightly faster, more talented etc. without really losing toughness as Pateryn brings more of this than Engelland.

If the trade is not made, I don't mind, just thinking from multiple angles.

[travel_dude]

^^^^^

Hey, I'm not trashing you at all.  I just don't want to use any cap dump with a trade out of #6 position.  I would trade with Arizona for Strome, Dvorak or even Reider, but none of those are happening.  Much like the ledge between 3rd and 4th, the difference between 6th and 9th is too great to get a lesser return than that.  

[MAC331]

It never turns out how you draw it up in your mind. I thought I would bring this thread up for conversation.

Wideman is still here. Raymond was the only buyout. Stajan is still here. Gone are Colborne, Jooris, Ortio, Nakladal and a bunch of AHL hopefuls in Grant, Arnold, Shore and Agostino.

In coming, Chiasson RW, Tkachuk LW (draft), Elliott G and Johnson G, Pribyl RW and Vey C/RW (two way contract). We have the makings of a good competitive camp but my question is do we see any other incoming players for either the main roster or for Stockton who could use some bodies ?

[DirtyDeeds]

It never turns out how you draw it up in your mind. I thought I would bring this thread up for conversation.

Wideman is still here. Raymond was the only buyout. Stajan is still here. Gone are Colborne, Jooris, Ortio, Nakladal and a bunch of AHL hopefuls in Grant, Arnold, Shore and Agostino.

In coming, Chiasson RW, Tkachuk LW (draft), Elliott G and Johnson G, Pribyl RW and Vey C/RW (two way contract). We have the makings of a good competitive camp but my question is do we see any other incoming players for either the main roster or for Stockton who could use some bodies ?

No one saw BT going this route to find cap space. All prior goalies gone, Wideman still here. Some did call for the Raymond buyout but wanted more.

 

In the end he found the cap room and solved the team's being worst Goalies from last year, with our goaltenders he signed. He also had enough left over to give us what should be enough to negotiate the re-signing of both JH and Mony.