The next item: RW discussion and predictions

[Inglewood Jack]

Bobby Fricken Ryan...you'd think people would have learned their lesson about wanting last season's playoff hero.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Fire

You have to question why he got so little ice time and if you would want to risk taking that contract for a 30+ year old player.

Bobby Ryan went through a lot of personal stuff last year. His mother died of liver cancer at the end of July and he also had a new born child. I think when the season started, his head wasn't in it, he wasn't performing, he lost his roster position as a result spiraled downward.

After seeing him rejuvenated in the playoffs, I am betting on him to return to form next season. I would not be surprised to see him put up 30 goals if he can push Stone off the 1st line (or if he moves to a new team).

[lazypucker]

Jagr is at 1914 career NHL points. I think he is motivated to get to 2000.

With that being said, I really hope we can get him and see him pump in 50 this coming season...

[djsFlames]

I would bring back Versteeg for the 3rd line and PP, but he doesn't work on the top line. Would need someone else there.

[GreenLantern]

What would Jagr's motivation be to come to Calgary from Florida?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

What would Jagr's motivation be to come to Calgary from Florida?

not much if anything. I recall reading that he hates the travel in the Western Conference.

[Poe969]

If there was a way to trick, I mean convince the sens to retain 50% of Ryan's contract, would he be a fit? 3.6 mil isn't that bad for a guy to play on the top line, it is a bit long but it isn't like it's a huge amount.

Not that I think that would happen but if Treliving casts a spell of confusion it could happen!

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Poe969

If there was a way to trick, I mean convince the sens to retain 50% of Ryan's contract, would he be a fit? 3.6 mil isn't that bad for a guy to play on the top line, it is a bit long but it isn't like it's a huge amount.

Not that I think that would happen but if Treliving casts a spell of confusion it could happen!

That would be a hell of a trick

[chopper89]

I'm guessing we sign Stafford. He's big.
...


..

Big = good.

[Toonage]

Would you move Ferland to Vegas for a year of James Neal?

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Would you move Ferland to Vegas for a year of James Neal?

No.
Not interested in Stafford/Williams/Versteeg etc either. This team needs to count on the likes of Gaudreau/Monahan/Backlund/Tkachuk taking the next step and making players around them better.

Fill out the roster with your drafted players and lets play.

[TheFlamesVan]

I'm a fan of Bobby Ryan the player, but that contract is brutal.

Only way I would want to see it happen is if they did something with Brouwer for Ryan. Both teams retain salary on each player, gets Ottawa immediate cap relief, and gives Calgary Bobby Ryan relief in the last 2 years of that deal.

[djsFlames]

Bobby Ryan's contract (7.5 / 5 years remaining) is worse than Brouwer's (4.5 / 3 years), but Bobby Ryan brings more value on the ice in the next couple seasons, is a playoff performer, and fills a need on the Flames that Brouwer cannot, as shown last season. Ottawa would absolutely need to retain a fair chunk of that albatross.

Hurdles would be Brouwer's NTC and with Ryan I don't know if a couple years of usefulness would outweigh the 5 remaining years at probably 5+ mil even after salary retained. Probably 2-3 painful years to close out that contract.

[SofaProfessor]

The most valuable trade pieces in the Flames organization (outside of the untouchables) would be that log jam of good defensive prospects. I imagine Treliving and most posters on this forum want to hold onto all of those guys if possible but they are likely the pieces needed in order to get a trade done that isn't a cap dump or another bottom 6 guy.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Bobby Ryan's contract (7.5 / 5 years remaining) is worse than Brouwer's (4.5 / 3 years), but Bobby Ryan brings more value on the ice in the next couple seasons, is a playoff performer, and fills a need on the Flames that Brouwer cannot, as shown last season. Ottawa would absolutely need to retain a fair chunk of that albatross.

Hurdles would be Brouwer's NTC and with Ryan I don't know if a couple years of usefulness would outweigh the 5 remaining years at probably 5+ mil even after salary retained. Probably 2-3 painful years to close out that contract.

Ryan had a good PO run, but his season was pretty brutal. And his previous POs were not good.

He is a 50 point guy making a way lot more than 50 point money.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Bobby Ryan? Ugh. That contract would be brutal. Potentially cost us our chance to re-sign guys like Tkachuk, Backlund and Jankowski in a few years. I'd rather have those guys instead of Ryan. No way we take on that albatross

[killer_carlson]

only way we take on Ryan is if Ottawa retains 50%. I can't see them having any appetite to do so.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Yakupov is a UFA now.

I'd have zero hesitation to throw him a <$1m contract offer.

He's a straight-line player with a good nose for the net. Basically a smaller version of Chiasson but with vastly more goal-scoring upside if he somehow manages to get his poop in a group again.

I think reclamation projects become even more important with the team tossing draft picks like confetti, and Yakupov is a perfect fit in terms of age, high upside, playing the team's biggest position of need, and any success he may have would be a giant middle finger to the Oilers.

For the maybe 20% chance that the Flames could turn him into a functional secondary goal scorer, I think its totally worth a contract slot and a replacement-level contract.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I'm assuming he's referring to the fact that even though Glencross was at one point one of the best value contracts in the league, he eventually started unravelling. He was a player who had trouble with consistency (both in terms of production and effort), took dumb penalties, and whose over-valuation of his own worth probably shortened his career.

While obviously he had some very positive contributions to the team, Glencross does offer a bit of a cautionary tale.

He never for a minute of that contract was overpayed. Glencross isn't a cautionary tale it is the model. Pay for the average performance not the peak and add term to bring down the cap hit.

Glencross if anything is a cautionary tale for players to always hit free agency when you have the opportunity:

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by GGG

He never for a minute of that contract was overpayed. Glencross isn't a cautionary tale it is the model. Pay for the average performance not the peak and add term to bring down the cap hit.

Glencross is a cautionary tale for players, not for teams. I think the team itself handled it perfectly...squeeze as much as possible out of a player, and realize that when said player wants to recoup his losses with a big new contract even though he's on the decline, say no and trade him for futures.