How would you rate the Flames' first day of free agency?

[1qqaaz]

D+

I think Brouwer's term and cap hit are too high for a guy who's 31. I liked Colborne, and don't like seeing him walk away for nothing. It looks like he was willing to stay for cheap. I also don't like seeing prospects like Agostino and Elson sign elsewhere.

But I liked the Chad Johnson signing, and I feel like he'll be able to help us this year.

[Strange Brew]

About a B minus. I really like the Johnson signing as I expect he will start a number of games for us.

I totally understand the need for Brouwer but don't like that kind of dollar and term for a guy who is not elite. I can see it working out it there is risk there too. Hope his wheels hold up.

Losing Colborne for what he signed for was disappointing.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

About a B minus. I really like the Johnson signing as I expect he will start a number of games for us.

I totally understand the need for Brouwer but don't like that kind of dollar and term for a guy who is not elite. I can see it working out it there is risk there too. Hope his wheels hold up.

Losing Colborne for what he signed for was disappointing.

You think you can get an elite player for 4 years at $4.5 million in free agency? Maybe i'm reading that wrong.

I give the FA period a B+. Brouwer is the kind of player the flames are missing. Johnson is an upgrade on every goalie we had last year and he is the back-up.

The only reason i did not give an "A" was hoping for Brouwer to be signed at $4 million with 3 year term. Also losing Colborne for what he signed for sucked, but i understand that they didn't have enough money left after signing the other 2. My gutt tells me that Colborne would have been signed if we had more cap space (Wideman traded).

[Cali Panthers Fan]

A-

Got a key piece in Brouwer without overpaying drastically or offering too much term. Not a cheap deal either, so that knocks down the grade a little. Still, perfect guy to sign, especially for what he brings for the price.

Got a very solid backup goaltender that nearly stole the starting job in Buffalo last year. 40+ games with a .920 SV%. Those are pretty great numbers for $1.7 million.

Not picking up players who wanted too much money was a big plus. Leaving guys like Boedker, Lucic, Eriksson, Reimer, etc. with their contract demands for our rivals to fulfill was extremely smart.

[Imported_Aussie]

B+ but on the cusp on A-

Johnson solidifies the backup spot, now the team goes from wondering if they can win with either goalie to having a chance any given night. Downside is term, as the expansion draft requires exposing a goalie under contract, but Treliving may find a creative way to solve that problem later.

Brouwer fills a need big time, and will help the team. However, the deal is a year too long and slightly too much per season. Not so much that it will severely impact the team in the short term, but year 4 could be dicey.

They avoided going overboard, have room to sign RFAs without being bullied into a low value trade to dump salary. All in all, a solid day.

What could have made it better? Brouwer for 3 years at 4M per, more news on depth signings, more news on RFAs. Can't complain though

[EldrickOnIce]

C-
Average of the following moves

Johnson - A
Solid backup on 1 year deal

Colborne - F
There are at least 5 forwards under pro contracts who should play behind Colborne. At 2.5M, keeping him was a no brainer. At the very least, you get something for this asset. Absolute fail.

Brouwer - C
An average grade for an average player. I do not like this signing. I do not like the term. I do not like the money. I am willing to admit I am wrong. I do not expect to have to.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I liked Colborne, and don't like seeing him walk away for nothing. It looks like he was willing to stay for cheap.

He wasn't. It was said after the presser and posted multiple times here that what he signed for in Colorado was less than what he was negotiating for here.

[Lanny_McDonald]

A+.

Treliving went into the free agent marketplace with two goals and he came away with two excellent signings to meet those needs. He was focused and the signings, along with the moves made this off season, shows he has a plan to make this team a long term winner. Can't wait for camp to open!

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

They did a good job addressing a pair of needs, but the team is still lacking a decent quality RW.

What in your mind is a decent quality RW? A 20 goal scorer who provides a physical component missing on the team isn't a decent quality winger? I think the guys that Treliving has brought in perfectly match the needs of the hockey team and the support players in development. Your comments seem to indicate you're missing the grand scheme of things. I see this team as working off of skill pairs and then finding a complimentary winger to support the need on that line.

1) Swap Tkachuk over and have him play either on Backlund's line and shoehorn Frolik or Brouwer onto the first line, where they are not quite good enough options or put Tkachuk on the first line right off the bat.

No movement or swapping required. Tkachuk is a high talent asset that needs a high talent center to succeed. The Flames have just the player for him to play with, and can do so in a situation where he is not being rushed. He is a perfect compliment to Sam Bennett. This is your third line where they are going to be fed some really good zone starts and sheltered away from the other team's best defensive players. The only thing missing on this line is a big body that can play the boards, dig pucks out, and go to the net with some authority. Playing with some speed is also a requirement. Short term solution here is Chaisson. If he can show some chemistry with these two he may earn a long term gig. If not I believe there is guy in the minors, in Emile Poirier that could patrol the right side and make this a very dynamic line.

2) Have Frolik and Brouwer as the first two line's RW and have Chiasson and Hathaway or some other farm hand take the 3rd and fourth line roles. That's the worst case scenario as it screws up the entire lineup by pushing up players into roles they aren't suited for.

Brouwer plays first line with Monahan and Gaudreau. They need a big, tough RW that can finish. They need a guy that can provide a physical component to the line that has been missing and they've been searching for. That screams Troy Brouwer. Frolik isn't the answer as he doesn't have that edge to make room. Someone take liberties with Johnny Hockey, Brouwer will be there to immediately answer the bell. That isn't in Frolik's makeup as a hockey player. Plus, Frolik and Backlund have shown they are an effective pair on both sides of the puck, making up the basis for an excellent 2nd line this year, so why mess with that. Find them a LW in either Ferland or Shinkaruk, and you are in a much better situation. If these guys fail you can go to the late season LW and add in Matt Stajan. Lots of options there.

3) Find some money to sign or trade for another RW that can be viable in any of the top 3 lines. If the Flames are able to deal Wideman, which is likely due to his having only one year and the lack of offensively talented UFA D-men, they can sign one of the available RW or get one in exchange for Wideman. A Wideman for Yakupov trade would make some sense for both teams.

Wait, whut?

You've just written a tome about the failings of the talent level added to the right side and your answer is Nail Yakupov? WTF??? Yakupov is a lost cause. He brings nothing to this team, or any other team. The only black and blue that results from Yakupov's game is the bruises on the fan's heads from beating them against the coffee table as they watch the games on TV. Yakupov is horrible. He's can't finish, he can't play the physical game, he can't play defense, he can't give or take a pass, he just can't play hockey at the NHL level. And that's the solution? You've gone off the reservation here Caged.

If the Flames can add that secondary RW, then the offseason gets an A+ from me. If they go in without one and have to find another solution it'll be a B/B+. The team needs depth in case of injuries and having 3 NHL RW is a concern, even though they have 5-6 LW and C that can play.

I don't think they have to add anything else at this point. I see a very solid lineup developing.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Brouwer
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Chaisson
Bollig-Stajan-Hathaway
Grant-Shinkaruk

In the minors the Flames will have Prybil, Poirier and Jankowski waiting in the weeds in the event of injury. No need to shuffle the lineup. Treliving has addressed each line in an efficient manner. I think that if he can now focus on dealing with the contract mess on the back end, and fire Wideman into the sun, this is a team that is playoff bound. I really like the dynamics on each line and see a lot of success in the future for this club.

[FlamesNation23]

Originally Posted by New Era

What in your mind is a decent quality RW? A 20 goal scorer who provides a physical component missing on the team isn't a decent quality winger? I think the guys that Treliving has brought in perfectly match the needs of the hockey team and the support players in development. Your comments seem to indicate you're missing the grand scheme of things. I see this team as working off of skill pairs and then finding a complimentary winger to support the need on that line.



No movement or swapping required. Tkachuk is a high talent asset that needs a high talent center to succeed. The Flames have just the player for him to play with, and can do so in a situation where he is not being rushed. He is a perfect compliment to Sam Bennett. This is your third line where they are going to be fed some really good zone starts and sheltered away from the other team's best defensive players. The only thing missing on this line is a big body that can play the boards, dig pucks out, and go to the net with some authority. Playing with some speed is also a requirement. Short term solution here is Chaisson. If he can show some chemistry with these two he may earn a long term gig. If not I believe there is guy in the minors, in Emile Poirier that could patrol the right side and make this a very dynamic line.



Brouwer plays first line with Monahan and Gaudreau. They need a big, tough RW that can finish. They need a guy that can provide a physical component to the line that has been missing and they've been searching for. That screams Troy Brouwer. Frolik isn't the answer as he doesn't have that edge to make room. Someone take liberties with Johnny Hockey, Brouwer will be there to immediately answer the bell. That isn't in Frolik's makeup as a hockey player. Plus, Frolik and Backlund have shown they are an effective pair on both sides of the puck, making up the basis for an excellent 2nd line this year, so why mess with that. Find them a LW in either Ferland or Shinkaruk, and you are in a much better situation. If these guys fail you can go to the late season LW and add in Matt Stajan. Lots of options there.



Wait, whut?

You've just written a tome about the failings of the talent level added to the right side and your answer is Nail Yakupov? WTF??? Yakupov is a lost cause. He brings nothing to this team, or any other team. The only black and blue that results from Yakupov's game is the bruises on the fan's heads from beating them against the coffee table as they watch the games on TV. Yakupov is horrible. He's can't finish, he can't play the physical game, he can't play defense, he can't give or take a pass, he just can't play hockey at the NHL level. And that's the solution? You've gone off the reservation here Caged.



I don't think they have to add anything else at this point. I see a very solid lineup developing.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Brouwer
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Bennett-Chaisson
Bollig-Stajan-Hathaway
Grant-Shinkaruk

In the minors the Flames will have Prybil, Poirier and Jankowski waiting in the weeds in the event of injury. No need to shuffle the lineup. Treliving has addressed each line in an efficient manner. I think that if he can now focus on dealing with the contract mess on the back end, and fire Wideman into the sun, this is a team that is playoff bound. I really like the dynamics on each line and see a lot of success in these future for this club.

Great write up. Only thing i would change in that lineup is shinkaruk with backlund and frolik to at least start the season. Ferland was not that great last year and needs to prove himself on the 4th line before he is moved up to the 2nd and that way he can play rw as well. I really like the way shink played last year and he perfectly compliments backlund and frolik i think

[pacde]

C-
Hate watching Colborne walk away for 2.5
While Brouwer is a bit of an upgrade on RW, Im not confident he is the solution
Brouwer costs a lot and has a longer term than I would have expected so he is getting paid like he is the solution
I really like the Johnson signing

It bothers me that Agostino was all but forgotten here and then St Louis signs him first day of free agency to a one way contract... could be they made the mistake but it casts doubt on the situation for me.

I want to add no news about Monahan and Gaudreau is also disappointing but that doesnt affect how I feel about free agent performance

[heep223]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

C-

Average of the following moves



Johnson - A

Solid backup on 1 year deal



Colborne - F

There are at least 5 forwards under pro contracts who should play behind Colborne. At 2.5M, keeping him was a no brainer. At the very least, you get something for this asset. Absolute fail.



Brouwer - C

An average grade for an average player. I do not like this signing. I do not like the term. I do not like the money. I am willing to admit I am wrong. I do not expect to have to.

Quoted for truth.

Our RWs still suck, and we got older and more expensive. Brouwer is overrated and could have had Colborne for cheaper.

Though, I am happy that we shouldn't get pushed around as much. That was embarrassing last season. And I do think Chiasson has some untapped upside. So maybe just talked myself from a C- to a C+.

Hope I'm proven wrong.

[Cantrader]

I say a B, Brouwer and Johnson are good signing. It is funny that they just drive up to sign the contract and for the media conference

[Da_Chief]

^ Again Brouwer and Colborne are different players. Tre specifically wanted a right hand shot to compliment the powerplay and all.

Not to mention Colborne didn't click at all with the top line last year.

Colborne's spot is being taken by Chiasson, who is looking forward to a fresh start. He is cheaper but he might not be as good or could be much better.

Brouwer is taking Hudler's spot.

[N-E-B]

B+

Any day you get rid of Joe Colborne is a good day IMO. We got bigger and solidified the goaltending position. I like the Brouwer signing too, but I think he's about half a million dollars overpaid and maybe one year too long, so that prevents me from giving them an A.

[Resolute 14]

The only reason we hate watching Colborne walk away for $2.5 is the fact that he put up a bunch of points after the season was over. People would have lost their minds if we re-signed him at $2.5 at the All-Star Break. And given the risk that Joe could have gotten much more than that in arbitration, can't fault the Flames for walking away from the QO.

So it became a matter of best fit at that point. We had to pay more for Brouwer, but what we got was not only the offensive output from Colborne last year, but also much more physicality, better play along the boards and veteran leadership. You might not value those as worth $2 million more than Colborne, and that's fine. But after the Lance Bouma mistake contract last year, I'm glad Treliving chose to spend some money on a proven commodity rather than risk another overpay for a one-off in a contract year.

[N26]

I liked it. It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. I give it an 84.



It wasn't that funny the first time but the fact that I got to use that twice in one week fills me with nerdy thrill.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Solid C

Brouwer is a good addition, but not a game changer. Losing colborne for nothing feels like a miss.

the flames seem content to just ride out their cap issues for a year and hope decent goaltending alone is a ticket to the playoffs. And it might be. I'm not sure that's ambitious enough though.

We'll see. October is what matters, not July.

[OBCT]

Overall, it was mildly positive. I think it's worth a B.

It wasn't AMAZING, but how often is July 1 amazing for any team?

It's about asset management, and in that sense the Flames did alright. They made improvements in two areas of need, and incurred (arguably replaceable) losses in an area of relative strength and in organizational depth.

I think Treliving sees the window for this team being a Cup contender approaching soon (most likely in 1-2 years), with an unknown duration. From that perspective, these moves seem logical.

[Jason14h]

I'm happy we didn't do anything overly stupid .

I'm just not sure the team is good enough for playoffs right now . Really hard to say as we are judging a team that last year had historically bad goaltending .

I am warming to a hurdle return ... Plugging him on the first line really makes the other lines much more decent