[Rumour] Kovalchuk considering return to NHL

[PepsiFree]

And generally when you think of a rebuilding team, you aren't thinking about a playoff team who has a set core (most of whom are off their ELCs now).

While Calgary has tinkering to do, they no longer fit the full-scale rebuild description.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I agree - a young team that has made the playoffs in 2 out of the past 3 seasons shouldn't really be considered a rebuilding team any longer, but a young team on the upswing. Not sure if that is enticing enough to satisfy Kovalchuk's desire to win, but I also don't think that Calgary would be a destination he would likely have on his radar.

Sounds like Kovalchuk is hoping to land on a team that is poised to make a deep run this upcoming season. Will be interesting to see where he lands. I would welcome him on a 3 year deal here for sure, but I doubt that will happen.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Calgary isn't a cup contender. why would he want to go to the flames?

Why aren't they? Flames are a good goalie away from being a contender

[killer_carlson]

Calgary's got a 3 year window to contend, starting next season, in my opinion.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Calgary isn't a cup contender. why would he want to go to the flames?

a roster of something like:

Kovalchuk-Monahan-Gaudreau
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Bennett-Ferland
Stajan-Jankowski-Lazar

Giordano-Hamilton
Del Zotto-Brodie
Kulak-Franson

Starter - Raanta/Halak
Backup - Johnson/Rittich

Would be a contender IMO and maybe even the top team in the west.

Of course it is only possible in pipedreamland where Brouwer and Bouma are not 6.7 million dollars in cap hit.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Calgary's got a 3 year window to contend, starting next season, in my opinion.

...why just three years? That's... a weird way of looking at things.

All of the Flames' major pieces up front are under 30.

Gaudreau is 23.
Monahan is 22.
Bennett is 20.
Backlund is 28.
Tkachuk is 19.
Frolik is 29.
Ferland is 25.
Lazar is 22.
Jankowski is 22.

That's not including other useful guys like Chiasson (26) and Versteeg (31), both of whom aren't especially old -- but if management deems them to be so, they're both replaceable free agents.

On defence, only one guy is over 30...

Giordano is 33.
Brodie is 26.
Hamilton is 23.
Stone is 26.
Andersson is 20.
Kylington turned 20 yesterday.
Fox is 19.
Hickey is 21.

And the future in goal is completely untapped.

Gillies is 23.
Rittich is 24.
Parsons is 19.
McDonald is 21.

This team has a bright future, and that sure as hell won't all be over by 2020.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Calgary's got a 3 year window to contend, starting next season, in my opinion.

That's not how well managed teams usually work. Most of the good teams that were built properly can have upwards of 7-8 years of contention, with retools around the core, and perhaps even a minor shake up to the core.

Why were you thinking only three years? Pretty much all of our core will be right in their prime in three years - Hamilton, Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Bennett. That's an incredible random cut off.

Hell, I'd even argue we're young enough that the true contender window may not even open for another year or two let alone be closed in three. Get strong to elite goaltending from free agency/trade/prospects and we could be looking at our core keeping us contending from now until like 2024.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

he doesn't want to go to a rebuilding team, it is said.

Calgary isn't a cup contender. why would he want to go to the flames?

With a good goalie, the Flames are better than your Oilers (check out the stats recently posted in the goalie thread)

Add Kovalchuk and the Flames are as good as any team in the conference.

[Samonadreau]

Kovalchuk at 6M+? Do not want.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Because they're a piece like him and a solid goalie away from taking a step forward.

The core is maturing every year, and pairing Kovalchuk with Johnny and Monahan on the top line would be deadly. For a player looking for a spot to land, that's an attractive line. Kovalchuk's been predominantly a LW but did play RW in Jersey with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac.

Not saying he'll want to come to Canada per se, but these self-depreciating comments from some fans here about the state of this team get tiresome. We're an emerging team with a ton of young talent getting better every year.

So with kovi and a goalie they might become a contender? I think kovi wants to go to a contender where he might put them over the top not to a team where they need him to be able to take the next step.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

With a good goalie, the Flames are better than your Oilers (check out the stats recently posted in the goalie thread)

Add Kovalchuk and the Flames are as good as any team in the conference.

What does this thread have to do with the oilers. Nothing.

If the rumors of kovis wants are true, i honestly don't think the flames are on his list. I'm not saying the flames are not a good young team with potential, just belive they are not yet at a stage where kovi thinks "yeah i can win the cup with them in the next year or two"

Still to many ifs, to call them a contender. You guys mention it often.
If fames can get a true #1 goalie. If they get a top pairing rhd.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Kovalchuk at 6M+? Do not want.

I would happily pay that for two to three years.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

What does this thread have to do with the oilers. Nothing.

If the rumors of kovis wants are true, i honestly don't think the flames are on his list. I'm not saying the flames are not a good young team with potential, just belive they are not yet at a stage where kovi thinks "yeah i can win the cup with them in the next year or two"

Still to many ifs, to call them a contender. You guys mention it often.
If fames can get a true #1 goalie. If they get a top pairing rhd.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

What does this thread have to do with the oilers. Nothing.

You being a Oiler fan has everything to do with why you're posting trying to take a dig at the Flames. It's as boring as it is see through.

Your first post equated the Flames to being a rebuilding team. You have no idea what you're talking about. You underlined that with the perplexing suggestion we need a top pairing right handed d-man.

Weak logic all the way around.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

he doesn't want to go to a rebuilding team, it is said.

Calgary isn't a cup contender. why would he want to go to the flames?

Whatever you say, lucky ping pong ball bouncing the right way Oilers fan.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

You being a Oiler fan has everything to do with why you're posting trying to take a dig at the Flames. It's as boring as it is see through.

Your first post equated the Flames to being a rebuilding team. You have no idea what you're talking about. You underlined that with the perplexing suggestion we need a top pairing right handed d-man.

Weak logic all the way around.

who I cheer for has nothing to do with this thread, and it's your problem if you decide to make it so. not everything has to be about one team over the other, and this thread is one of them.

so I may not be correct on everything about the flames. that's fine, I admit my ignorance. which is more than you ever can.

but I don't generally take a cheap shot at a person no matter where they live and who they cheer for.

but for you all I'm going to say is you need to decide what team you actually cheer for as you flip flop every second day it seems, and
I care for your opinion as much as you care about mine.

I have been civil and polite in this thread. you're stirring the pot.

nor did I take a cheap shot at the flames here. they're closer to the rebuild than they are to being the type of contender kovi hopes to be on.
if you think the flames are a contender, good for you. I'm only saying that they flames are not there yet and likely are a couple years away.

a jets fan in a flames forum being anti-edmonton is just someone licking the boots of their master.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

who I cheer for has nothing to do with this thread, and it's your problem if you decide to make it so. not everything has to be about one team over the other, and this thread is one of them.

so I may not be correct on everything about the flames. that's fine, I admit my ignorance. which is more than you ever can.

but I don't generally take a cheap shot at a person no matter where they live and who they cheer for.

but for you all I'm going to say is you need to decide what team you actually cheer for as you flip flop every second day it seems, and
I care for your opinion as much as you care about mine.

I have been civil and polite in this thread. you're stirring the pot.

nor did I take a cheap shot at the flames here. they're closer to the rebuild than they are to being the type of contender kovi hopes to be on.
if you think the flames are a contender, good for you. I'm only saying that they flames are not there yet and likely are a couple years away.

a jets fan in a flames forum being anti-edmonton is just someone licking the boots of their master.

As I said, who you cheer for has everything to do with why you decided to chime in, admittedly from a stance rooted in ignorance. It's why you got the reaction you did.

You could have simply said you don't think he'd want to sign in Calgary. Instead you prefaced it by saying Calgary was a rebuilding team and underlined that your take was rooted in unfamiliarity with their current situation claiming they need a top pairing d-man.

FYI I'm a Flames fan. I have this username because there were no Jets when I signed up (check the year). Not that it matters. In either case I think you don't really have a grasp on where this team is at and take your opinion with a grain of salt. No need to bicker over it any farther than that.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Kovalchuk at 6M+? Do not want.

You can't fake talent like Kovalchuk's. With Johnny and Mony, he would at least be as good as 2015 Hudler.