2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[sureLoss]

Da Costa has a history with Dave Cameron in Ottawa. 27 year old skilled RW

stats: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=14394

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger
Multiple teams have called on Stephane Da Costa. He 100% intends on playing in the NHL next season. Was in KHL last 3 years.

[GioforPM]

Ignoring salary (which is fine as long as the cap is open) Stajan is one of the better 4th line C options in the league IMO. Not a defensive liability, works well with younger, faster guys like Hathaway, wins faceoffs, leader in the room.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by MrMike

What would our cap look like, would we be able to sign Marleau and Thornton to 4 years each for two years? Could we fit that in?

Joe Thornton would never sign with Calgary.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Ignoring salary (which is fine as long as the cap is open) Stajan is one of the better 4th line C options in the league IMO. Not a defensive liability, works well with younger, faster guys like Hathaway, wins faceoffs, leader in the room.

But what you are really saying is that of all the NHL players who aren't good enough to play in the top 9, and if you ignore his salary (which you can't really do, as he's paid quite a bit more than most other 4th liners), he's the best of that lot.

He should be, because most of those others are younger and far cheaper.

The best 4th liners are young, cheap and have some potential to improve up the line.

Calling Stajan a great 4th liner because he makes too much in cap space to dump onto anyone else and he's currently plays better than most 4th liners really means little.

He's one of the reason Calgary is having difficulty improving its first line due to lack of cap space.

[The Original FFIV]

Michael Russo @Russostrib

Getting sense there's still lots of trade talk between #mnwild & the #sabres and #bruins.

No doubt others, but definitely those two

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

But what you are really saying is that of all the NHL players who aren't good enough to play in the top 9, and if you ignore his salary (which you can't really do, as he's paid quite a bit more than most other 4th liners), he's the best of that lot.

He should be, because most of those others are younger and far cheaper.

The best 4th liners are young, cheap and have some potential to improve up the line.

Calling Stajan a great 4th liner because he makes too much in cap space to dump onto anyone else and he's currently plays better than most 4th liners really means little.

He's one of the reason Calgary is having difficulty improving its first line due to lack of cap space.

That's totally untrue. I'm not calling Stajan a good fourth line player because he makes too much money. I'm calling him a good fourth line player because that's what he is.

My point about salary is that, unless you are a budget team (the Flames aren't) or in cap trouble ( the Flames aren't), it's pretty irrelevant.

Flames have cap room to get a good top line player. Plus, if Monahan and Gaudreau play well, you just need a good player, not an elite one.

[Vinny01]

I didn't agree with Lou's take on the FAN this morning that the Flames should consider adding a Bonino or Hanzal in the offseason. I get that many want Bennett on the wing but this team has enough centers that they do not need to bring one in during free agency.

[Gaudfather]

When it comes to free agent signings the biggest risk is always term. The best example we have is last year's deal with Brouwer. If he had signed a two year deal, there would be less consternation about his poorer than expected performance in the first year. That's why everyone, including Treliving, is hoping to see a noticeable improvement from Brouwer this season - otherwise it becomes apparent this signing was a mistake, with no relief in sight.

Being stingy with term, as hard as it may be, is the best insurance you can have on these signings.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

That's totally untrue. I'm not calling Stajan a good fourth line player because he makes too much money. I'm calling him a good fourth line player because that's what he is.

My point about salary is that, unless you are a budget team (the Flames aren't) or in cap trouble ( the Flames aren't), it's pretty irrelevant.

Flames have cap room to get a good top line player. Plus, if Monahan and Gaudreau play well, you just need a good player, not an elite one.

I didn't say you were calling him a good 4th line player because he makes too much money.

I'm saying he's being compared against young players making a fraction of what he makes. He should be good based on that comparison.

The Flames don't have a ton of cap room. If Stajan and Brouwer were gone, they'd be able to bring in a better player to fill out the top line.

Stajan is what he is. An overpaid vet that is relegated to the 4th line because he's not good enough to play top 9 minutes. He could be replaced with a slightly lesser player at a fraction of his cost. That player may not be quite a good as Stajan, but the difference would be negligible, and the cap savings could be utililized to upgrade the top 9 forwards or perhaps the #5-6 d-men jobs.

At a $3.5M cap hit, he should be a competent 4th liner. But that doesn't make it a good thing from Calgary's perspective.

Vegas presumably found no takers for Stajan, so passed on him at the expansion draft. That tells me all I need to know about his value to a team in a cap world.

When his contract ends, he'll likely sign a contract for about $1M and be a properly allocated 4th line player.

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Joe Thornton would never sign with Calgary.

Can't pull your #### out in Calgary?

[Gundo]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

Can't pull your #### out in Calgary?

Nvm....

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I didn't say you were calling him a good 4th line player because he makes too much money.

I'm saying he's being compared against young players making a fraction of what he makes. He should be good based on that comparison.

The Flames don't have a ton of cap room. If Stajan and Brouwer were gone, they'd be able to bring in a better player to fill out the top line.

Stajan is what he is. An overpaid vet that is relegated to the 4th line because he's not good enough to play top 9 minutes. He could be replaced with a slightly lesser player at a fraction of his cost. That player may not be quite a good as Stajan, but the difference would be negligible, and the cap savings could be utililized to upgrade the top 9 forwards or perhaps the #5-6 d-men jobs.

At a $3.5M cap hit, he should be a competent 4th liner. But that doesn't make it a good thing from Calgary's perspective.

Vegas presumably found no takers for Stajan, so passed on him at the expansion draft. That tells me all I need to know about his value to a team in a cap world.

When his contract ends, he'll likely sign a contract for about $1M and be a properly allocated 4th line player.

It's absolutely useless to complain about his salary, which was set years ago by Burke. It won't change. So put him where he is useful (which he is is) and look at how it makes the lineup work. I'd argue that, outside of the Backlund line, Stajan was the most consistent forward last year. And while we're at it, he's probably not just a fourth liner. He's a fourth liner I'd be OK with as the third line C in case of injury (which is not the case with a young kid) or even as a winger with Backlund if necessity dictated.

This team is not in the beginning of a rebuild. It needs to win and go deep. It'd be great if a Jankowski plays fourth line centre and excels, or if Bennett grans the third line C and improves. But you need vets around as well, and the NHL salary structure dictates that they get paid. And if Jankowski can handle centre, move Stajan to wing. It suits his game fine, and he can still take big defensive zone faceoffs. And kill penalties (which your rookies won't likely be doing).

And he scored a game seven OT winner, which gives him extra credit.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Ignoring salary (which is fine as long as the cap is open) Stajan is one of the better 4th line C options in the league IMO. Not a defensive liability, works well with younger, faster guys like Hathaway, wins faceoffs, leader in the room.

Ignoring Salary, Connor McDavid would make a great 4th line C for the Flames...

The whole knock on Stajan is that he's paid to be more than a 4th line Center but he's not anything more than..

If he was paid 1.5mil or even 2mil, he would be just fine. Stajan got a great payday and has had a nice contract with very little responsibility. Yes, he's been a warrior and I absolutely respect him, but he is paid too much for what he brings.

If the Flames only had $5mill in Cap Space and a bonafide RW top line guy fell into the Flames lap, but their salary was $7mil, that Stajan contract becomes a problem.

Minus the player falling into BT's lap, the Flames are very close to that scenario.

[Wolfman]

Let's quit talking about Stajan, he's a beauty and has been nothing but a warrior for this team. He takes his role no matter what it is and rolls with it. He's a great leader and his teammates love him. Has one year left on his contract.

[Bingo]

I'm with GioforGM on this one.

If you were to write up a list of things that keep Treliving up at night Matt Stajan for one more year at 3.3M isn't one of them given what he can do on and off the ice for the Flames.

He and Giordano are huge reasons why this thing has turned around so fast. Stajan upped his fitness game a year ago and had a solid season in a system he seemed to like and adapted to. There was a reason they kept bumping people up and down the roster to do time with Stajan; he got them right again.

No way they re up him but he's been a solid soldier for this team and not a blight on their salary cap.

I think the Brouwer contract is concern number one, the Raymond buyout dollars hurts this year as well which is a shame. Bouma has broken down, so he's taking up space. But Stajan is still a good fourth line hockey player.

[Flash Walken]

If Calgary is going to add a veteran free agent it's not going to be for significant dollars in my opinion.

I think Doan is the likeliest candidate because of the alberta connection to his family. What Treliving said about the free agent having already made his money and looking to win tells me that is a reflection on what the flames think. THey aren't going to sign Marleau to a 12 million dollar salary liability, they are going to find a basement cost veteran who can still play. If Marleau thinks his best chance to win in the next three years is in Calgary, he'll have to take less than 3 million to play here, and if he wants 3 year term, he's looking at less than 2.5 per.

Think Owen Nolan signing for 1.75 with performance bonuses, that's roughly equivalent to 2.3-2.5 in today's cap environment.

I think doan probably signs a performance bonus laden contract with the Flames for games played, goals and playoff success.

[Toonage]

Who do you sit on RW to fit Shane Doan in?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Who do you sit on RW to fit Shane Doan in?

No one needs to be. Brouwer and Frolik are the only natural NHL RWers under contract, I think? Ferland played RW, obviously, but he's a natural LW.

Not saying that I do or don't want Doan, but there's certainly a spot available for RW right now. Chiasson left unqualified, Versteeg UFA.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Who do you sit on RW to fit Shane Doan in?

I doubt Versteeg will be back.

[Toonage]

Move Ferland off the top line to slow it down with Doan?
Unless they see Lazar as a C he takes one of the RW spots.
Brouwer isn't going anywhere.
Frolik could move to LW I suppose. Doan might fit on the Backlund line.

Not a lot of options.