Smid Practicing

[Krule]

Apparently Ladislav Smid was practicing at WinSport yesterday. Not sure what this really means, but it sounds like he may be testing his body out. Hopefully all goes well and he'll be ready for training camp.

[travel_dude]

Apparently Ladislav Smid was practicing at WinSport yesterday. Not sure what this really means, but it sounds like he may be testing his body out. Hopefully all goes well and he'll be ready for training camp.

 

On the depth chart, Smid is right down there with Engellan, Spoon and Nakladal.  A healthy Smid is likely a traded Smid.

[cross16]

On the depth chart, Smid is right down there with Engellan, Spoon and Nakladal.  A healthy Smid is likely a traded Smid.

 

Easier said then done... Moving a 3.5 mill depth dman coming off a neck injury is going to be a next to impossible sell IMO. Flames best case is actually to play him if they can, prove he is healthy and the hopefully generate interest.

 

I think fans, social media and all the bloggers got way too ahead of themselves on this one. I remember reading when they shut him down last year that the Flames did not see this as a career ending injury and to date, neither Smid nor the Flames have ever indicated it as a career ended injury. unfortuatnely some bloggers and fans did and now there have been so many assumptions he won't play again. Could still happen, but i think people (and the Flames) need to prepare that Smid and his 3.5 mill cap hit are going to be on the Flames this year.

[MAC331]

Easier said then done... Moving a 3.5 mill depth dman coming off a neck injury is going to be a next to impossible sell IMO. Flames best case is actually to play him if they can, prove he is healthy and the hopefully generate interest.

 

I think fans, social media and all the bloggers got way too ahead of themselves on this one. I remember reading when they shut him down last year that the Flames did not see this as a career ending injury and to date, neither Smid nor the Flames have ever indicated it as a career ended injury. unfortuatnely some bloggers and fans did and now there have been so many assumptions he won't play again. Could still happen, but i think people (and the Flames) need to prepare that Smid and his 3.5 mill cap hit are going to be on the Flames this year.

Wouldn't this put a wrench in all the thinking.

[cccsberg]

Easier said then done... Moving a 3.5 mill depth dman coming off a neck injury is going to be a next to impossible sell IMO. Flames best case is actually to play him if they can, prove he is healthy and the hopefully generate interest.

 

I think fans, social media and all the bloggers got way too ahead of themselves on this one. I remember reading when they shut him down last year that the Flames did not see this as a career ending injury and to date, neither Smid nor the Flames have ever indicated it as a career ended injury. unfortuatnely some bloggers and fans did and now there have been so many assumptions he won't play again. Could still happen, but i think people (and the Flames) need to prepare that Smid and his 3.5 mill cap hit are going to be on the Flames this year.

Just another addition to the rather lengthy list of players we need to move to make space for better prospects.  But I may be getting ahead of myself, we'll see in TC although I'd definitely like to see some moves before then.

[travel_dude]

Easier said then done... Moving a 3.5 mill depth dman coming off a neck injury is going to be a next to impossible sell IMO. Flames best case is actually to play him if they can, prove he is healthy and the hopefully generate interest.

 

I think fans, social media and all the bloggers got way too ahead of themselves on this one. I remember reading when they shut him down last year that the Flames did not see this as a career ending injury and to date, neither Smid nor the Flames have ever indicated it as a career ended injury. unfortuatnely some bloggers and fans did and now there have been so many assumptions he won't play again. Could still happen, but i think people (and the Flames) need to prepare that Smid and his 3.5 mill cap hit are going to be on the Flames this year.

 

Smid is currently a bottom pairing d-man on the Flames, even before the addition of Hamilton.  So that makes him 6th or 7th.  He plays on LD, so he has to beat out Russell for the 3rd pairing.  Or you bump up Russell to 2nd pair and drop Wideman to play with Smid on the 3rd pair.  You are right that a Smid trade may be difficult right away.

 

Smid will be at training camp if he is healthy enough.  Whether he gets traded around the start of the season or near the end, he won't play much unless there are injuries.  I would expect him to be waived so he could be sent to Stockton.  Not for the minimal cap savings, but for the space on the roster.  In fact, I would support bringing up Nakladal using that savings.  Better to try out guys in games than alternating Russell or Engelland for Smid.

 

I could be totally wrong about Smid.  He may be have been battling injuries for the last few years and come back a new man.  He could be the 4th best d-man on our team.  Can't say for certain, but I just don't see it.  He was always viewed as slow and hasn't shown much on the defensive side here either.  He developed on a team that knows nothing about defense.

[conundrumed]

I've been seeing this all offseason too, "Smid is LTIR so won't count against the cap".

He still isn't medically cleared, but yeah. I agree with what cross had to say about that, I've been feeling the same way as no news was up about it.

And again, now we expect to just waive him and pay $3.5 to play in the minors. And do the same with Raymond's $3 perhaps?

Can't see it.

[travel_dude]

I've been seeing this all offseason too, "Smid is LTIR so won't count against the cap".

He still isn't medically cleared, but yeah. I agree with what cross had to say about that, I've been feeling the same way as no news was up about it.

And again, now we expect to just waive him and pay $3.5 to play in the minors. And do the same with Raymond's $3 perhaps?

Can't see it.

 

With $28.7m allocated to 7 d-men, what do you suggest?  $3.5m or $2.9m for a 7th d-man?  $2.2m of cap space with Ferland yet to sign. 

[conundrumed]

With $28.7m allocated to 7 d-men, what do you suggest?  $3.5m or $2.9m for a 7th d-man?  $2.2m of cap space with Ferland yet to sign. 

I've been arguing for a month that we are too close to the cap, but it was initially met with, ahhh get rid of this guy, get rid of that guy.

Easier said than done. Waaay too many assumptions made, Smid being LTIR was likely the least of them.

But still, "hey, let's sign Cody Franson/Luke Schenn for $4 per.

My solution to that would be to magically include 2-4 million people into Calgary so we can roll with the Leafs and Rangers and Hawks(as long as success lasts). Let's take an extra $10mil in salary on, over the cap.

That's a manager I would fire.

So realistically, Tre is going to get either really slick here, or patient.

I'm guessing patient, so I'll have to be too.

 

Treliving's on a double-edged sword here, not with me, but if you look at it. We make the playoffs we're all the "we love these guys" team.

Then he shocks the market with Hamilton and then Frolik. I love those adds, love them, he crushed it.

Enter expectation in her lily-white down.

We've got some aftershock going on now.

Welcome back to reality.

I guess I suggest nothing, outside of take the pain and get better. Hamilton and Frolik are real nice long term adds. But we find ourselves having to endure a cap situation. Ride it out for a year or 2 and hope you're wrong about your view on abysmal players.

Now's the time to focus what's ahead after this season. Take our lumps. Don't think any cap dump that comes our way can sign another player, imho.

Next year is a huge year, I expect a buyout, and crossing my fingers not a catastrophe.

We're going to lose a good player, just unsure which.

I guess we'll see.

[Da4RealDeal]

My opinion,

 

Buy out Jones now,

Waive Raymond at the end of camp if he hasn't show by then that he has worked all off season and will help to improve this season.

Sweeten a deal of Bollig and Engelland with a few prospects like Colborne and Granlund, maybe through in Seiloff, don't look for much in return just get something done.

 

Yes I am serious, make cap room and roster spots available by the end of camp. Take the stress away and give or "extras" a chance to play somewhere else.

 

At this point we do not need to add we need to subtract, so do it. Some fans won't like what happens including me. But we are in a spot where in order to do something teams will force us to be on the losing end. Just do it get it over with and move on to regular season.

[420since1974]

Calgary would have to rid itself of all their "bad" contracts to retain all of their "good " players.

 

That is highly unlikely to happen.

 

Trades, waivers, & buyouts may occur that lessen the pain, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

The Flames will get stuck with one or more of Engelland, Raymond, Smid, & Stajan until their contracts expire.

 

They will lose several of their 2016/2017 UFAs: Byron, Giordano, Hiller, Hudler, Jones, Ramo, & Russell.

 

Another 6 players on the current roster will be RFAs, with Monahan and Gaudreau as the most prominent.

 

Wideman may have to be dangled as trade bait this season just to keep under the Cap in 2016/2017.

 

 

Myself, I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that Trevling does his job well, I'd really like to keep Giordano and Hudler for another 3 - 4 years.

[MAC331]

I've been arguing for a month that we are too close to the cap, but it was initially met with, ahhh get rid of this guy, get rid of that guy.

Easier said than done. Waaay too many assumptions made, Smid being LTIR was likely the least of them.

But still, "hey, let's sign Cody Franson/Luke Schenn for $4 per.

My solution to that would be to magically include 2-4 million people into Calgary so we can roll with the Leafs and Rangers and Hawks(as long as success lasts). Let's take an extra $10mil in salary on, over the cap.

That's a manager I would fire.

So realistically, Tre is going to get either really slick here, or patient.

I'm guessing patient, so I'll have to be too.

 

Treliving's on a double-edged sword here, not with me, but if you look at it. We make the playoffs we're all the "we love these guys" team.

Then he shocks the market with Hamilton and then Frolik. I love those adds, love them, he crushed it.

Enter expectation in her lily-white down.

We've got some aftershock going on now.

Welcome back to reality.

I guess I suggest nothing, outside of take the pain and get better. Hamilton and Frolik are real nice long term adds. But we find ourselves having to endure a cap situation. Ride it out for a year or 2 and hope you're wrong about your view on abysmal players.

Now's the time to focus what's ahead after this season. Take our lumps. Don't think any cap dump that comes our way can sign another player, imho.

Next year is a huge year, I expect a buyout, and crossing my fingers not a catastrophe.

We're going to lose a good player, just unsure which.

I guess we'll see.

BT doesn't need to panic for this year. During the season he should pay attention as injuries happen with other teams, opportunities will open up to trade some players beneficially. I don't think they would have signed Ramo back at 3.9M if they didn't have a good gameplan for managing the cap.

[travel_dude]

I've been arguing for a month that we are too close to the cap, but it was initially met with, ahhh get rid of this guy, get rid of that guy.

Easier said than done. Waaay too many assumptions made, Smid being LTIR was likely the least of them.

But still, "hey, let's sign Cody Franson/Luke Schenn for $4 per.

My solution to that would be to magically include 2-4 million people into Calgary so we can roll with the Leafs and Rangers and Hawks(as long as success lasts). Let's take an extra $10mil in salary on, over the cap.

That's a manager I would fire.

So realistically, Tre is going to get either really slick here, or patient.

I'm guessing patient, so I'll have to be too.

 

Treliving's on a double-edged sword here, not with me, but if you look at it. We make the playoffs we're all the "we love these guys" team.

Then he shocks the market with Hamilton and then Frolik. I love those adds, love them, he crushed it.

Enter expectation in her lily-white down.

We've got some aftershock going on now.

Welcome back to reality.

I guess I suggest nothing, outside of take the pain and get better. Hamilton and Frolik are real nice long term adds. But we find ourselves having to endure a cap situation. Ride it out for a year or 2 and hope you're wrong about your view on abysmal players.

Now's the time to focus what's ahead after this season. Take our lumps. Don't think any cap dump that comes our way can sign another player, imho.

Next year is a huge year, I expect a buyout, and crossing my fingers not a catastrophe.

We're going to lose a good player, just unsure which.

I guess we'll see.

A buyout is fine, but doubles the length of the pain. But that solution is next offseason.

 

The "now" is too many waiver eligible players.  Sixteen forwards, seven d-men and three goalies.  You can't solve a cap crunch by waiving Raymond, Engelland, and/or Smid.  But, that alternative is less risky than waiving a Ferland, Jooris, or Shore.  Those are the kinds of payers that get claimed. 

[The_People1]

Moving a 3.5 mill depth dman coming off a neck injury is going to be a next to impossible sell IMO.

 

Oh man, this reminded me of when i suggested we trade Daymond Langkow for Patrice Bergeron a couple months after Bergeron broke his neck, way back when.  Langkow was still considered a solid two-way Center at that time. Man, what could've been.

 

In terms of Smid, it's great to hear he's back skating and practicing.  I'm guessing he's cleared for full contact?  It sounds more likely now that he'll be in the Flames lineup at some point this coming season even if it's not as early as opening night.

[darth_henning]

While I'm glad for Smid that he is back on the ice and doing better, its quite unfortunate for our cap situation.

 

Smid is a better D-man than Engellend in my opinion...but not by some gigantic margin. Both are overpaid for what they bring to the ice.

 

Sadly, I don't see how we can move either which means another two years of nearly 5mil invested in D-men we don't really want or need. That could be the difference between retaining Hudler, or Gio, or not.

 

I think we're looking at buyouts or demotions for both just to clear some space.

[Zirakzigil]

Flames wont know for sure where he is at until training camp when the medical staff can run tests on him. Most likely he is ready to go for the season opener or shortly after. 

[conundrumed]

Oh man, this reminded me of when i suggested we trade Daymond Langkow for Patrice Bergeron a couple months after Bergeron broke his neck, way back when.  Langkow was still considered a solid two-way Center at that time. Man, what could've been.

Nightmare with insurance company???

Just guessing.