UFA 2020, Who’d You Sign?

[robrob74]

Well, the off-season has started for us and we now look to Free Agency. 
 

The Flames have to make a few choices this off season. What do we do to make the team better, do we trade Johnny, or Monny, or both? Do we re-sign Brodie? 
 

are there any UFAs out there that look good? Maybe someone can add to our bottom 6 or another D? 
 

 

if we lose Brodie, other than Pietrangelo, are there any other targets?

Hall is probably more realistic, Pietrangelo, maybe not, but are there others you can think of? 
 

 

What about Brouwer? He’s won the Cup! 😂

[Thebrewcrew]

Goalies

Treliving hasn't shown any willingness to spend on goaltending, he seems to treat it like the RB position in football as he hasn't made a longterm commitment to goalies in 6 years. We've seen a lot of patchwork. Elliott, Smith, Hiller, Ramo, Talbot, Johnson etc...

I would try for Markstrom or Lehner, it's time to finally spend a little between the pipes. It's hard to win without a legit #1 and both Markstrom and Lehner are just that. If not then sign Talbot for 2 years.

 

Defence

I would try to sign Brodie. If not check in on Petro, he's the #1D the Flames need, but a pipe dream. Other options include Demelo, Dillon, Braun. Nothing too interesting after Petro/Krug/Brodie. 

 

Forwards

I'm not huge on Hall, but can't complain if he's willing to come to CGY.  Other than that there's not much for forwards in UFA. Look at bringing Rieder back at 1mill or less

[travel_dude]

My 1st and 2nd choices are Pietrangelo and Vatanen.

Less interest in Sami but he would allow us to also sign Hall.

I think he's similar to Brodie but a bit more on the offensve side.

At least he used to be.

 

I think you have to disrupt the current core a bit to truly make a change.

That may be Johnny and Backlund.

I think they both played well, but were unable to take it to the next level.

The trades could lessen the need for Hall.

Also, is Pelletier close enough to NHL to use somewhere in the top 6 or 9?

[Horsman1]

For me.. i'd be looking for a legit number one center as a top priority. Monahan just doesn't do it for me.. Jonny , in my mind is a complimentary player.. kinda like Loob or  Mullen. if we have Jonny and Tkachuck as our 2 top left wingers.. then Mangiapane is trade able,, If we go full in for Hall.. then Jonny and Mangia both have to go,, We need better top 2 line centers.. And a right winger as I like what lindy has done for us.. he can play on either top two lines,, Jankowski has no future here,, Backlund and Ryan are a good reliable pair for the third line and I think everyone liked the Lucic/bennett./ dube combo... for the fourth line..On s.. I always thought Brodie would be our next Reinhart but he's had a very inconsistent career.. I'd keep him as there is talent there. .. Gio has been talked about a lot but we need him to mentor Valamaji.. ford and gully make a good third pairing but Hanafin and Hamrlik

 needs to be replaced as we need a more defensive responsible leader to play with Brodie.. Talbot and BSD are dine for now as we do have a couple of kids in the system  like Wolfe that should take over the reins in a couple of years.. I don't think the team needs to be completely ripped apart but build towards a good consistent hard to play against team for when the new stadium is built.. That should be our championship team. it;s too bad Kylington never found his place here cause he does have talent.. he just lacks confidence from the team management and doesn't seem like he ever will.. Coach?? Yea.. we need a coach.. I'm really tired of hearing that our players have to play under the blanket of * strongest position to be successful.. It;s like the coaches we've had recently are scared for the players to make mistakes and if athletes have to play with the fear or lack of confidence from management.. they never get to play to their ability .. Ronaldo and Reider have to go as well because we never have room for Farm team players to look like they have an opening to aspire to and we've wasted millions of dollars in limited cap space on retreads

[travel_dude]

This is one year when players won't be able to hold out for $10m on the open market.

For that I am happy.

We have to be carefull that we don't sign someone that needs protection.

If they do, then one of the core needs to go.

 

So, if you sign Hall, then you better have dealt Backlund and Gaudreau.

If you sign Pietrangelo, then you better be ready to expose Gio.

 

There's not really a ton out there I am interested in, but typically they are just pieces that a team needing a specific role looks for.

We are going to have to satisy our RW in trade.

I'm okay if you trade Backlund and Gaudreau and we get back a younger #3C and a top 6 RW.

I think you could make a case for Lindholm or Bennett as #2C.

The younger #3C would have top 6 potential.

 

Seriously, if there was some way we could do Hall and Pietrangelo or Hall and Severson/Peche we would be well on our way.

A little better set up for playoffs.

A lot better set up for defense.

I don't consider Backlund as a problem, but he's taking the 2nd most minutes and needed to be better in the playoffs.

Gaudreau is just a piece used to improve the team.

Make it younger and more diverse.

 

Hall-Monahan-RW

Tkachuk-Bennett-Lindholm

Mangiapane-3C-Dube

Lucic-Ryan-Rieder

 

Gio-Pietrangelo

Hanifin-Ras

Valimaki-Kylington

Mackey

 

That leaves goaltending.  Talbot-Georgiev.

 

Don't know how doable this all is.  Just speculating.  

Maybe Backlund to NYR for Bushnevich and Georgiev.

Gaudreau to CAR for Necas and 1st.

 

[tmac70]

For me I say move Mony as he brings more value back. Centers We have Lindholm, Bennett Backs and fill in the 4th line. I am also fine with moving Mags he just doesn’t move the needle for me like many others on here. Dube to me is far better player, skates better, more gritty and offensive. For Dman Pietro sure check in but he is not coming here, also his coat would kill us. Gio needs to move down to 2nd possibly 3rd pairing. Sami Vatanan i thought would be good but he is an injury plagued nightmare. Brodie at 4-4.5 million sure outside of that see ya. Our d and goaltending have been an issue. I also think that the x and o game has been a struggle as well 

 

[Heartbreaker]

I see a lot of talk about Taylor Hall, and I do like him as a target. I think he'd be pretty motivated playing for the Flames, and if the price is right, and the pieces move appropriately to fit him, I would be all over that signing. 

 

So, in Dreamland here, how do you suppose he'd look lined up next to Sam Bennett?

 

Maybe the second line looks something like: 
Hall - Bennett - Dube

 

Or:
Hall - Bennett - Lindholm

That's some fast, off-the-rush, north/south, scary hockey right there. 

Love. 

 

 

[tmac70]

16 minutes ago, Heartbreaker said:

I see a lot of talk about Taylor Hall, and I do like him as a target. I think he'd be pretty motivated playing for the Flames, and if the price is right, and the pieces move appropriately to fit him, I would be all over that signing. 

 

So, in Dreamland here, how do you suppose he'd look lined up next to Sam Bennett?

 

Maybe the second line looks something like: 
Hall - Bennett - Dube

 

Or:
Hall - Bennett - Lindholm

That's some fast, off-the-rush, north/south, scary hockey right there. 

Love. 

 

 

That’s my thoughts but, 

Hall Bennett JG 

Mathew Backs Dube 

 

[robrob74]

2 hours ago, Heartbreaker said:

I see a lot of talk about Taylor Hall, and I do like him as a target. I think he'd be pretty motivated playing for the Flames, and if the price is right, and the pieces move appropriately to fit him, I would be all over that signing. 

 

So, in Dreamland here, how do you suppose he'd look lined up next to Sam Bennett?

 

Maybe the second line looks something like: 
Hall - Bennett - Dube

 

Or:
Hall - Bennett - Lindholm

That's some fast, off-the-rush, north/south, scary hockey right there. 

Love. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, tmac70 said:

That’s my thoughts but, 

Hall Bennett JG 

Mathew Backs Dube 

 

 

Both ideas look good! Sam is still probably my favourite out there. 
 

I like the will Mangiapane has, and feel like he’s a good player. Could this be a good time to get more from him in a deal? Although I doubt his value is there. I still think he’s a #3 winger on a contender. 
 

tmac, do you go Lindholm on the third line?

 

hearts! That line looks like dog in heat! And Tmac suggestion would have the two grab pucks for Johnny. 

[robrob74]

Would Taylor Hall at Tkachuk’s contract be too high? Or are people expecting it to be higher?

 

its a lateral move to trade Hall ( by signing him) for Gaudreau, but I see Gaudreau as already gone. I hear the reasons to keep him and agree, we should in a perfect world (being that he actually WANTS to play), but I see his heart is not in Calgary. It’s in his play, it’s in how he holds himself and as the points leader of the team that’s a leadership role. He is setting a bad example to the rest of the group, and maybe it’s not that, and it’s just a really hard time in his life to be away from home. I get it!

 

when Satoshi Nakamoto at home gets hard and you can’t be there it’s a very helpless feeling. 
 

that's why we have to trade him and I am sure Brad will have that heart to heart with him. BT seems like the caring type and has a decent pulse in these situations. 
 

I woujd love to be a fly on the wall in these year end discussions. 

 

[Thebrewcrew]

22 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

Would Taylor Hall at Tkachuk’s contract be too high? Or are people expecting it to be higher?

 

its a lateral move to trade Hall ( by signing him) for Gaudreau, but I see Gaudreau as already gone. I hear the reasons to keep him and agree, we should in a perfect world (being that he actually WANTS to play), but I see his heart is not in Calgary. It’s in his play, it’s in how he holds himself and as the points leader of the team that’s a leadership role. He is setting a bad example to the rest of the group, and maybe it’s not that, and it’s just a really hard time in his life to be away from home. I get it!

 

when Satoshi Nakamoto at home gets hard and you can’t be there it’s a very helpless feeling. 
 

that's why we have to trade him and I am sure Brad will have that heart to heart with him. BT seems like the caring type and has a decent pulse in these situations. 
 

I woujd love to be a fly on the wall in these year end discussions. 

 

I think Hall gets at least 7, but likely more and at minimum a full NTC, if not an NMC. It won’t be a very good contract realistically.

 

If winning and stability are his priorities, he won’t choose Calgary. Dallas has the cap space and probably a better chance to win 

[The_People1]

3 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

I think Hall gets at least 7, but likely more and at minimum a full NTC, if not an NMC. It won’t be a very good contract realistically.

 

If winning and stability are his priorities, he won’t choose Calgary. Dallas has the cap space and probably a better chance to win 

 

I've been thinking about this too.  If he wants to win and he knows we going to trade Gaudreau after we sign him, he may think that's farther away from winning.  He ironically would want us to keep Gaudreau.

[robrob74]

14 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

I've been thinking about this too.  If he wants to win and he knows we going to trade Gaudreau after we sign him, he may think that's farther away from winning.  He ironically would want us to keep Gaudreau.

 

not unless they’re able to somehow trade Gaudreau for an upgrade somewhere else. That would mean a trade before feee agency, and possibly a keeping of either Gaudreau or Monahan. 
 

the reality is the flames did ok without both of them.

[travel_dude]

8 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

I've been thinking about this too.  If he wants to win and he knows we going to trade Gaudreau after we sign him, he may think that's farther away from winning.  He ironically would want us to keep Gaudreau.

 

If we are trading Gaudreau, then he sees himself having a bigger role, and far better than NJ was in his Hart season.

I don't see it as an issue.

Dallas is aging out of contention.

Radulov and Joe P are all aging rapidly.

I also think they will be hard pressed to sign Hall longer than a year.

Gurianov, Hintz and Faksa RFA this year and Heiskanen next year.

[The_People1]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

If we are trading Gaudreau, then he sees himself having a bigger role, and far better than NJ was in his Hart season.

I don't see it as an issue.

Dallas is aging out of contention.

Radulov and Joe P are all aging rapidly.

I also think they will be hard pressed to sign Hall longer than a year.

Gurianov, Hintz and Faksa RFA this year and Heiskanen next year.

 

But that's the thing, he probably doesn't want the bigger role.  He wants to come to a team with established core that he will complement and they are a Cup contender.

 

Maybe he goes to the Leafs for one year $5-mil who need a top line LW... Something like that where he slots in either with Tavares or Matthews.

[The_People1]

9 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

not unless they’re able to somehow trade Gaudreau for an upgrade somewhere else. That would mean a trade before feee agency, and possibly a keeping of either Gaudreau or Monahan. 
 

the reality is the flames did ok without both of them.

 

Trues too.  We would have to trade Gaudreau for a #1 Center somehow.

[travel_dude]

27 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

But that's the thing, he probably doesn't want the bigger role.  He wants to come to a team with established core that he will complement and they are a Cup contender.

 

Maybe he goes to the Leafs for one year $5-mil who need a top line LW... Something like that where he slots in either with Tavares or Matthews.

 

If Tkachuk is the future of this team, then Hall already takes a smaller role.

The top line is just looked upon to score.

 

Toronto can't even afford what they have today, let alone adding Hall without sending salary away.

 

They also want to add Pietrangelo because he wants to go home.

Everyone wants to go home to play with the Leafs.

 

Look, I don't know that Hall would want to come he if we trade away Gaudreau.  Sure it makes sense from a positional perspective, but it's overall weaker unless we bring back a NHL ready C or RHS.  The Flames however are not that far away from being a contender.  Goaltending was good enough (except for 6 minutes when it wasn't).  Have a top 3 and Gio.  Some areas where prospects might do better than vets.  Weakness is really 5v5 in the playoffs.  Hall could help fix that.  Getting a NHL ready player in trade could help that.

[robrob74]

1 hour ago, The_People1 said:

 

Trues too.  We would have to trade Gaudreau for a #1 Center somehow.

 

or a really good top4 D to round out the D. I’d like a top c too though

[jjgallow]

Makar Khabarov

[cross16]

On 8/21/2020 at 10:20 PM, Thebrewcrew said:

Goalies

Treliving hasn't shown any willingness to spend on goaltending, he seems to treat it like the RB position in football as he hasn't made a longterm commitment to goalies in 6 years. We've seen a lot of patchwork. Elliott, Smith, Hiller, Ramo, Talbot, Johnson etc...

I would try for Markstrom or Lehner, it's time to finally spend a little between the pipes. It's hard to win without a legit #1 and both Markstrom and Lehner are just that. If not then sign Talbot for 2 years.

 

 

 

I don't think this is a fair comment. he had deals in place for Anderson and Martin Jones, was close on Bishop (with a rumored big extension) and went far down the path on Fleury. I think how the goalie position has played out speak more to the lack of opportunity than it does Treliving's apporach to the position. I think of far greater concern is why the Flames seem so incapable of drafting and developing their own, a problem that spans decades. 

 

In terms of Free agents there is not much i'm interested in:

Pietrangelo - love him as a player but he isn't coming here. 

Hall - Even though i've spoken positive about Hall and the fit here this is not what I owuld do if I were the GM. However, if the mandate here is to win every year then I do think that signing Hall and trading Gaudreau/Monahan for better its at center does make the Flames a better team and a better team for the playoffs. So if that is the mandate then explore it, but in a normal/perfect scenario Hall is not a player I would sign a UFA deal too unles I got a really good deal. 

Markstrom/Lehner - Like both but only on 3 years deal for 6mill AAV or less. Doubt you get them for that. Talbot is find on a 2 year deal for 3.5 mill or less but I would explore trade options first. 

If Gustaffson is interested in a short term deal and an AAV under 3 mill I would explore that. hard cap there though because he is so bad 5 on 5 but he did make the PP more dynamic. 

As much as I hate him as a player i'd love to try and add Perry on a 1 year deal. 

Pending his health, Tyler Pitlick I thikn is a good fit for a bottom 6 role. 

Dylan Demelo is a nice fall back option if they don't/can't bring back Brodie. Should be affordable and i think he could fit with Gio.

 

Don't have much interest outside of that an Brodie is really the only free agent on the roster I have interest in bringing back. The rest of the UFAs, pending Talbot, can walk. I'm sure they'll re sign Reider but i'd much rather get a body that can play a more physical game in that spot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thebrewcrew]

1 minute ago, cross16 said:

 

I don't think this is a fair comment. he had deals in place for Anderson and Martin Jones, was close on Bishop (with a rumored big extension) and went far down the path on Fleury. I think how the goalie position has played out speak more to the lack of opportunity than it does Treliving's apporach to the position. I think of far greater concern is why the Flames seem so incapable of drafting and developing their own, a problem that spans decades. 

 

I know he's tried, but at the end of the day those trades didn't go through and it's been nothing but patch work in net. It hasn't been too bad, the Flames have got league average goaltending just about every year, but it hasn't been a strength. 

 

It would definitely go a long way if Wolf or Parsons pan out. Would finally be getting a goalie that hasn't past his prime.

 

 

 

[Dmac1103]

I can't see Hall signing here if he wants the cup and I wouldn't want to sign him. We have just below 17 million in cap room and he would take at least 7 million of that then we have to sign 2 top 4 D and at least 1 3rd pair D with that your cap room is now gone without replacing Talbot and then having cap room for injury call up. You can make the case that Valimaki could be a top 4 but you don't know how his knee is going to hold up so I would rather have options in case he isn't working out because of the knee and the long layoff from game action. Our biggest need is a #1 G and 2 top 4 D. I would personally move away from Hamonic and Brodie both are going to want close to what they made before and neither is worth what they made in their prior contract. 

[robrob74]

6 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

I know he's tried, but at the end of the day those trades didn't go through and it's been nothing but patch work in net. It hasn't been too bad, the Flames have got league average goaltending just about every year, but it hasn't been a strength. 

 

It would definitely go a long way if Wolf or Parsons pan out. Would finally be getting a goalie that hasn't past his prime.

 

 

 

 

I actually wonder if it’s the owners not willing to pay top dollar for goalies, including big trade chips. Weren’t the flames in on Bishop or Anderson twice each or something like that? And the deal fell through on the Flames side, with them being pissed at Calgary after? 
 

the more I think about it, this team is so frustrating because the owners don’t allow them to build or follow through on the process. They keep rushing, like pointed out earlier that BT took a different road as soon as the playoffs became a thing. 

[cross16]

On Anderson the Flames were right there but ultimately the Leafs, who were higher in the draft than the Flames, had a slightly better offer and the Ducks took it to keep him out of the division.

On Bishop the original rumor was they agreed to a deal with the Lighting but then balked at the asking price on the contract extension. Some rumors were King said no to he extension but that's unclear. Then when Lightning traded him to LA, Flames were involved again and that rumor was that at the time all transactions needed King's approval. They could not get a hold of King and Yzerman, having already seeing this movie, dealt him to LA. Flames then tried to get his rights prior to going to Dallas but Bishop said No. 

 

I don't think you can fault the owners here as when i comes to investing in the team they've been there. 

[phoenix66]

On 8/24/2020 at 10:37 AM, The_People1 said:

 

But that's the thing, he probably doesn't want the bigger role.  He wants to come to a team with established core that he will complement and they are a Cup contender.

 

Maybe he goes to the Leafs for one year $5-mil who need a top line LW... Something like that where he slots in either with Tavares or Matthews.

If you read many of his quotes , of course he wants to Win a cup..every player does . But his is he's sick of  not being in the playoffs . And he's in the elite tier , he wants to be a prime piece of it .. he's not a passenger type.

Also. He wouldn't be playing with Johnny..one would bump the other to him they'd be moving Johnny to make way for him 

The list of why Calgary is long .. especially the personal side..and we know from Tavares that can be a big motivator

- from Calgary

- Geoff Ward..he won a Hart being coached by him 

- don't discount his revenge factor to the Oilers .

 

I truly feel we are his first choice , but he's not coming here for free 

BT was In hard to the end trying to get him from NJ.. some bigger names and picks were apparently involved .. you dont do that for a pending UFA unless you are confident you can sign him so I don't suspect we will be lowballing him