[News] Conroy Press Conference: UFAs could not be re-signed

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Exactly, like I had said there was never any increase in money offered to these guys, the contracts were left on the table and you can take it or you can go.

Yep.gif


Still doesn't work.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Which they knew going in.

They should’ve tried to trade Gio for something. Like two 2nds, the way Seattle did at the following deadline.

There was no such deal available. Nobody was stupid enough to pay two 2nd-round draft picks for a 37-year-old player who would, on the one hand, only be a rental, but on the other hand, they had to have cap room for the following year because the cap rules made no allowance for expansion drafts.

When Seattle traded Giordano, he was on an expiring contract, there was no expansion draft coming up, and Toronto had every intention of re-signing him at a much lower salary if he was a good fit with the team. The Flames the prior year had none of those advantages.

[Madrox]

I hit the quote button on GL's post, but it didn't take... tried a couple times. Anyway, he said:


Which they knew going in.

They should’ve tried to trade Gio for something. Like two 2nds, the way Seattle did at the following deadline.

But they didn’t make the smart play for organization.



***



Like you could magically not make the expansion draft an issue for any other team involved. The Flames didn't want to lose Gio, but they had to make the decision to make him available over other players, because the choice was to give him away or to give someone else away. Trading him doesn't magically make that choice not happen for another team, so why would someone trade for him and expose him in the draft, and if not him, someone else they valued? Everyone had those constraints, and so someone who you could trade for a first+ at a trade deadline for a cup run had virtually no value, because you would have to give someone away to add him.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Which they knew going in.

They should’ve tried to trade Gio for something. Like two 2nds, the way Seattle did at the following deadline.

That would have left Kylington as the obvious choice for Seattle. Seeing how he has played since coming back and losing 3 UFA’s this year I am glad Gio was the guy that they took at we still will hopefully have Kylington for several years after this

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

That would have left Kylington as the obvious choice for Seattle. Seeing how he has played since coming back and losing 3 UFA’s this year I am glad Gio was the guy that they took at we still will hopefully have Kylington for several years after this

Was just about to say - magically trade Gio to a team with a D slot open for protection (there were maybe 4 teams that would have exposed one of their D instead of a Gio) and you still have to expose a 3rd D man and that was Oliver.

[Flamescuprun2018]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

$68,800,833 committed with 19 players, roughly $20 million cap space before the cap rises.

Key UFA to sign, Kylington
Key RFAs to sign, Pelletier, Okhotiuk

A full tank next year is going to be most difficult to do with the team first/win now leaders on this team. Although with Vladar and Wolf we likely drop back into bottom 10.

The cap space is the most intriguing part for me. If they move Markstrom at draft. Which is likely. This becomes an even bigger cap space.

Sign ~2 quality UFAs on one year deals without NTC or NMC. Overpay them to get them. You have tonnes of cap space for that.

Then flip them all at deadline for more picks by retaining salary or with cap dump back.

Although I admit there is not any room in our lineup for those players unless some off-season moves.

Mangiapane is likely also gone. Much better for a Pelletier or other young player for Backs/Goalmans wing to learn.

Sharkey will re-sign I bet. Conroy is creating a culture of opportunity for diamonds in the rough. There is a large degree of loyalty/thankfulness that such trust instills in players. Conroy is also willing to hold to a fair price for the player or bye-bye.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

We just sold 4 UFAs in one season.

We're likely trading Markstrom in the Summer, and new crop of pending UFAs next year and who knows what else comes. I don't understand what else you think could be done in one season?

Yeah where we sit in the standings today isn't reflective of next season and likely where this season ends up.

The Flames are thin thin on the blueline, and they've never been dynamos up front. They still have one of the game's best goalies but that's a really good bandaid on a shot gun wound.

Tampa took them lightly.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by NegativeSpace

It may just be me but I don't see this team as being a bottom five NHL team, even if they trade Markstrom. I think that they'd have to trade Huberdeau, Sharagovich, Kadri, Coleman, Weegar, and more to get to that level. There are some bad teams in the NHL at the moment. I know everyone is looking at that Monahan deal, but I don't think Conroy needs to (or should) reshape the whole roster and franchise because Treliving made a bad deal in hindsight. Losing one pick in one year isn't a catastrophe.

I prefer the focus Conroy has on accumulating picks and focusing on improving scouting, both professional and amateur.

The current 5th worst team has ...

Tkachuk
Stutzle
Giroux
Chychrun
Chabot
Batherson
Sanderson

as a core ...

You don't need to trade everyone to be bad.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Which contract terms were those? Hanifin's limited NTC did not come into play here.

No term in his contract allowed his agent to try to force a trade to a team of his choosing by telling people he wouldn't sign anywhere else.

Yeah that might become the new norm (NBA) but as it stands the agent went beyond what was considered common practice in this case.

Felt like Steinberg was hinting that it worse that won't sign, but maybe more like doesn't want to play for you.

Everyone gets a rental and Vegas finally stepped up, but if I'm a GM and I'm hearing the player's heart won't be in it I take pause.

That's market sewering.

[Locke]

Good Guy Craig Conroy...helping out Ukraine by bringing in as many able-bodied Russians as possible. One at a time.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

There were worse defenseman protected by other teams. Yes.. You were going to lose someone, but you could have landed something for Giordano at that trade deadline and not lost him for free. Who knows who they lose otherwise... I'm explaining Conroy including him in his comments of guys they lost for free.

Some teams have more good players.

You need to look team by team at decisions, not just who's exposed team by team as a comparison.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah where we sit in the standings today isn't reflective of next season and likely where this season ends up.

The Flames are thin thin on the blueline, and they've never been dynamos up front. They still have one of the game's best goalies but that's a really good bandaid on a shot gun wound.

Tampa took them lightly.

Would you say the same thing about Nashville? Look at the roster they finished the season with. No Josi, and no Forsberg. They played hard to the end. Than they off Jonansen and Duchene for nothing but dead money, signed Nyquist, O'Reilly, and Schenn to shorter term deals and they look playoff bound and their pick will likely be 20 overall.

Everyone panics because they think the Flames are going to cough up the 11th pick and Florida will be 32. But if it was say 20 to 24, is that so bad?

Did you think Nashville would come back and be this good this year? I do think their upside is one round upset, but they're a ways off being a bottom 10 team.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah where we sit in the standings today isn't reflective of next season and likely where this season ends up.

The Flames are thin thin on the blueline, and they've never been dynamos up front. They still have one of the game's best goalies but that's a really good bandaid on a shot gun wound.

Tampa took them lightly.

I think we're already starting to see the plan for next year take shape as well.

Miromanov - signed for the next 2 years
Pahal - signed for next year
Hanley - signed for next year
Okhotiuk - RFA, I imagine he'll get signed and at 23 will compete for a spot.

Then you have Solovyov, Kuznetsov, Grushnikov, and Poirier all pushing for NHL jobs while Brzzzz and Morin make their AHL debuts.

Conroy is loading the defence up with players who are after opportunity, but are generally quite green (Hanley aside). It'll be a group of guys competing with each other.

If we trade away Markstrom in the Summer? Sure, don't call it a rebuild - call it a re-tool as Connie did, but I really think that's just him saying that it'll be a very focused "rebuild" where it's going to have a hard deadline of 2-3 years where the focus is almost exclusively on picks and young players while depending on our group of Huberdeau/Kadri/Weegar/Backlund to act as the veterans.

2027.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by NegativeSpace

It may just be me but I don't see this team as being a bottom five NHL team, even if they trade Markstrom. I think that they'd have to trade Huberdeau, Sharagovich, Kadri, Coleman, Weegar, and more to get to that level. There are some bad teams in the NHL at the moment. I know everyone is looking at that Monahan deal, but I don't think Conroy needs to (or should) reshape the whole roster and franchise because Treliving made a bad deal in hindsight. Losing one pick in one year isn't a catastrophe.

I prefer the focus Conroy has on accumulating picks and focusing on improving scouting, both professional and amateur.

It's a lot harder than it looks to be terrible. If there's one thing Edmonton is really, REALLY good at, it's being no good. Like how goddamn bad can you be when you get like 8 1st overall picks in a row; and in each one of those years, not only are you trying to win, you're certain you're going to win the cup.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Non value add post at this point but because I haven’t said it yet and I have no other outlet: good job Conny re: trades and roster management from when you took over to the deadline. You had a lot to do, and colour me impressed, especially as a rookie GM on how you navigated all you had to do. I feel much better today as a fan than I did they day you took over, nice work!

[Bonded]

I’m surprised how poorly the athletic rated Conroy’s trades. Even the hockey writers overestimate the value of rentals.
The only one I agree with is the Tanev trade. I’d have taken the 1st and Ryjo over the return they got but I didn’t think it was the difference between an A and D for the sellers.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I didn’t get a “not out of the woods” sense from that at all, but rather that they’re putting zero pressure on him, are letting him just enjoy playing hockey, and will wait until he’s ready to talk about next year before they get down to it.

It also makes me think that if he signs he'll only do a 1 year contract.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by traptor

I dont get why some of you get so butt hurt about people calling it out like they see it.

Conroy, Maloney and all the media have constitently said that they've tried to re-sign most of these guys. Some harder then others. They ended up moving all of them except Backlund but that doesn't mean if the flames had their choice they wouldn't still be here. Every source has literally said that they tried to keep most of them.

This worries some people that they were willing to commit to an older core that hasn't proven anything.

Not sure why that opinion irritates some of you so much.

Due diligence. The on-ice roster wasn't drastically different from last year. After Sutter was shown they door they felt they had to give it a chance to see how good this team could have been without the dark cloud surronding the organization. It became quickly evident which direction they had to take.

[Cheese]

Are you happy with the job Craig Conroy did trading his five pending UFAs?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1766552419755049458

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I think we're already starting to see the plan for next year take shape as well.

Miromanov - signed for the next 2 years
Pahal - signed for next year
Hanley - signed for next year
Okhotiuk - RFA, I imagine he'll get signed and at 23 will compete for a spot.

Then you have Solovyov, Kuznetsov, Grushnikov, and Poirier all pushing for NHL jobs while Brzzzz and Morin make their AHL debuts.

Conroy is loading the defence up with players who are after opportunity, but are generally quite green (Hanley aside). It'll be a group of guys competing with each other.

If we trade away Markstrom in the Summer? Sure, don't call it a rebuild - call it a re-tool as Connie did, but I really think that's just him saying that it'll be a very focused "rebuild" where it's going to have a hard deadline of 2-3 years where the focus is almost exclusively on picks and young players while depending on our group of Huberdeau/Kadri/Weegar/Backlund to act as the veterans.

2027.

I think that the plan is to play all of the listed guys, with the top three of Andersson/Weegar/Kylington. Then let everyone else cook for a year in the AHL. There is no reason to rush any prospects for next year, and especially on the back end, where it takes a while to adjust to the pro game.

First callup might be Kuznetsov, as the elder stateman.