Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
Really starting next year, the Flames have to move away from Iginla and Kiprusoff whether they want to or not. If ownership really is willing to spend whatever they need to fix the team, they should buy out Wideman because it would get them long term cap flexibility. The team would have a pretty clean slate heading into the 2014 offseason if Kiprusoff, Cammalleri, Wideman, and Bouwmeesters contracts clear out.
|
I wouldn't rule out the entire thought of an entire goaltender change - Karlsson seems to be the odd man out, with Irving coming up and Ramo being Kiprusoff's heir apparent.
I don't see them buying out Wideman. Too many negative implications of the team if Wideman, Cervenka, or Hudler were bought out before even dressing a game. A clean slate would suggest that, but unless they know something we don't about a fire sale of short term expensive contracts, the extra cap wouldn't help much. I don't see many large expenditures in the Flames' cards right now (and have never been a fan of cap inefficient UFA signings, though that looks like half of Feaster's plans).
My prediction is that the Flames hold Iginla and Kiprusoff for next season, then buy out Kiprusoff's last year. They then try (and fail) to keep Irving one more year while replacing Kiprusoff with Ramo. Stajan is bought out without these cap implications. It's not a flexible solution at all, but with a log jam at centre at no good reason to keep Stajan (as well as Feaster's desire to rebuild the defense around speed, which is already Bouwmeester's stock), I don't see them taking the alternative of buying out Bouwmeester.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dammage79
It's widely speculated that signing wideman meant the end of Bouwmeesters tenure in CGY. If that is the case the Flames will have made a savings of 1.1 million in cap space. And we will probably get far better point production out of Wideman than we aever had with Bouwmeester.
|
Yuck. I'd take Bouwmeester and all his "no emotion" play over Wideman. Point production is one thing, but even if we don't like Bouwmeester's positioning or timid play, it's not like Wideman's offense makes up for his horrid defense. That is, unless Giordano/Sarich now qualifies as a shutdown pairing.