Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Veterans next year: Who should stay & who should go?

FlameZilla · 04-18-2013, 06:43 AM

Sarich seems excellent with the younger players. Brodie has played his best hockey with Sarchy out there. Gio and he had a similar vibe when Gio was breaking into the league. $2 million is decent value on his last year & he'd make a good acquisition for a contender at the deadline. Sarich: Keep

Cammalleri is an interesting one. In no way does he give us value for money. Makes $7 million next season with a $6 million cap hit. Making roughly twice as much as he should be based on production. He seems very good with the young players and gives ownership a 'face' to plaster on advertising boards now that Iginla is gone. If a great offer came in at the draft I think you have to take it, but if he sticks around it ain't the end of the world. Keep... maybe

Stempniak is our leading scorer, our only natural top 9 RW & has a great attitude. No matter how much some folks here are pining for us to ice an AHL team to tank there is no way that happens. Good contract. He's part of the solution, not the problem. Stempniak: keep

Glenncross is on a great contract, is a local guy who actually wants to be here, and has certain qualities that would be best taken advantage of in a reduced role on the 2nd or 3rd line. keep

Tanguay came out of the gates flying this year and gradually became less and less effective. There's no doubt that, when he wants to, he's a top skill guy. He just doesn't seem to bring the same effort every night. The wind completely left his sails when the Iginla trade talk was heating up. His knee injury looked really, really bad & at his age I could see him having a lot of trouble bouncing back. We're overstocked at LW, so I would do everything I could to deal him at the draft. He would be a prime buyout candidate in my eyes, as his contract spans 4 more years. Tanguay: Go

Stajan had his only ok season as a Flame, increasing his trade value from precisely nothing to precisely next-to-nothing. One year left at $2.5 million with a cap hit of $3.5 million could potentially be appealing to some cellar-dwelling teams in danger of breaching the cap-basement. Backlund, Horak, Reinhart, Bouma & Jones would be a serviceable lineup down the middle, plus is we're lucky we could have an NHL-ready C with our lottery pick. I don't mind if he stays, but if we can take advantage of his value being at its absolute highest since the Phaneuf deal & pick up a draft pick or prospect for him I would deal him in a heartbeat. Stajan: Go... Maybe

Jackman and McGrattan are interchangable in my eyes and they are both playing well currently as I think they are auditioning for the thug role next season. Jackman took last season off, in my opinion, and though he is playing well currently I can't help but think he doesn't bring his best game when he's comfortable. I quite like the look of the 2 behemoths crashing & banging on the 4th line. I would keep one, both or neither. Jackman & McGrattan meh

Begin: Go but I suspect he'll stay as he's pals with Hartley

Wideman has put up good numbers. I like his outlet passing, pinching & slapshot. Suspect defensive play, so he fits right in with our entire D corps. He's a great 2nd-pairing D with PP abilities, but he's getting paid to be a 1st-pairing D. He'll be sticking around. Hopefully we can find a stud 1st-pairing right-sided D man that pushes Wideman down to the 2nd-pairing. Wideman: keep

Giordano is likely to be our next captain. I agree his play has taken a step back this season but he's a fan favourite and his trade value isn't likely to be very high. Eventually some of our young defenders might make him expendable, and when that happens he might fetch a decent return at the deadline. Gio: keep

Cervenka doesn't play C, it turns out, so he contributes to our log-jam at LW. His health concerns have likely been contributing to his lacklustre effort out there, but there's no point keeping him around when we have plenty of non-physical skill guys out-playing him. I like what he has occasionally shown, but overall he has been a disappointing signing. Is it worth giving him another shot? Very possible that he would be more effective next season when he is fully recovered from his health issues and given a full training camp to learn the systems. Take a wait-and-see approach with him; if all of Tanguay, Cammalleri, Glenncross, Hudler, Baertschi, Horak, Bouma & Byron are still in play next season we should let him walk. If there are more wholesale changes then it might be worth giving him one more chance. Cervenka: Go... maybe

Derek Smith is as meh as meh can be. League minimum contract, so he can stay unless one of Cundari, Wotherspoon, Breen or Kulak play him out of a job. Smith: meh

The goalie situation is 100% up in the air. Kiprussoff has stated he won't decide 100% until the offseason. If he decides to stay then we have an opportunity to test out BerroRama as backup, and see if either of them has the ability to translate their game to the NHL. If Kipper goes, penning in BerroRama as our only starting goalie option is roughly equivalent to pinning all our hopes on a potential Henrick Karlsson. Berra certainly looks Karlsson-esque in style, with any luck he won't be as terrible. Ramo's NHL stats are Karlsson-esque, but with any luck he's learnt how to be less terrible in the KHL. I predict that if Kipper goes Feaster will attempt to bring in someone he knows. I would bet the house on him making a ridiculous UFA offer to Mike Smith. The only way Joey MacDonald signs is if he can't get a known quantity in as starter. My ideal situation is Kiprussoff stays on as a 1a/1b mentor to Ramo or Berra. Kiprussoff: keep if we can; Joey MacDonald: go, but sign as a last resort

Leaving us with a lineup somewhat similar to this, barring any returns we would get in deals for Stajan & Tanguay (a young RW & D would be an ideal return):

Baertschi Backlund Stempniak
Cammalleri Horak Hudler
Glenncross Reinhart _________
Bouma Jones Jackman/McGrattan

Giordano Wideman
Brodie Sarich
Butler ______
Smith

Kiprussoff
BerroRama

... and draft Sam Reinhart with the 2nd overall pick!

04-18-2013, 06:43 AM	#12
FlameZilla First Line Centre Join Date: Dec 2005 Exp:	Sarich seems excellent with the younger players. Brodie has played his best hockey with Sarchy out there. Gio and he had a similar vibe when Gio was breaking into the league. $2 million is decent value on his last year & he'd make a good acquisition for a contender at the deadline. Sarich: Keep Cammalleri is an interesting one. In no way does he give us value for money. Makes $7 million next season with a $6 million cap hit. Making roughly twice as much as he should be based on production. He seems very good with the young players and gives ownership a 'face' to plaster on advertising boards now that Iginla is gone. If a great offer came in at the draft I think you have to take it, but if he sticks around it ain't the end of the world. Keep... maybe Stempniak is our leading scorer, our only natural top 9 RW & has a great attitude. No matter how much some folks here are pining for us to ice an AHL team to tank there is no way that happens. Good contract. He's part of the solution, not the problem. Stempniak: keep Glenncross is on a great contract, is a local guy who actually wants to be here, and has certain qualities that would be best taken advantage of in a reduced role on the 2nd or 3rd line. keep Tanguay came out of the gates flying this year and gradually became less and less effective. There's no doubt that, when he wants to, he's a top skill guy. He just doesn't seem to bring the same effort every night. The wind completely left his sails when the Iginla trade talk was heating up. His knee injury looked really, really bad & at his age I could see him having a lot of trouble bouncing back. We're overstocked at LW, so I would do everything I could to deal him at the draft. He would be a prime buyout candidate in my eyes, as his contract spans 4 more years. Tanguay: Go Stajan had his only ok season as a Flame, increasing his trade value from precisely nothing to precisely next-to-nothing. One year left at $2.5 million with a cap hit of $3.5 million could potentially be appealing to some cellar-dwelling teams in danger of breaching the cap-basement. Backlund, Horak, Reinhart, Bouma & Jones would be a serviceable lineup down the middle, plus is we're lucky we could have an NHL-ready C with our lottery pick. I don't mind if he stays, but if we can take advantage of his value being at its absolute highest since the Phaneuf deal & pick up a draft pick or prospect for him I would deal him in a heartbeat. Stajan: Go... Maybe Jackman and McGrattan are interchangable in my eyes and they are both playing well currently as I think they are auditioning for the thug role next season. Jackman took last season off, in my opinion, and though he is playing well currently I can't help but think he doesn't bring his best game when he's comfortable. I quite like the look of the 2 behemoths crashing & banging on the 4th line. I would keep one, both or neither. Jackman & McGrattan meh Begin: Go but I suspect he'll stay as he's pals with Hartley Wideman has put up good numbers. I like his outlet passing, pinching & slapshot. Suspect defensive play, so he fits right in with our entire D corps. He's a great 2nd-pairing D with PP abilities, but he's getting paid to be a 1st-pairing D. He'll be sticking around. Hopefully we can find a stud 1st-pairing right-sided D man that pushes Wideman down to the 2nd-pairing. Wideman: keep Giordano is likely to be our next captain. I agree his play has taken a step back this season but he's a fan favourite and his trade value isn't likely to be very high. Eventually some of our young defenders might make him expendable, and when that happens he might fetch a decent return at the deadline. Gio: keep Cervenka doesn't play C, it turns out, so he contributes to our log-jam at LW. His health concerns have likely been contributing to his lacklustre effort out there, but there's no point keeping him around when we have plenty of non-physical skill guys out-playing him. I like what he has occasionally shown, but overall he has been a disappointing signing. Is it worth giving him another shot? Very possible that he would be more effective next season when he is fully recovered from his health issues and given a full training camp to learn the systems. Take a wait-and-see approach with him; if all of Tanguay, Cammalleri, Glenncross, Hudler, Baertschi, Horak, Bouma & Byron are still in play next season we should let him walk. If there are more wholesale changes then it might be worth giving him one more chance. Cervenka: Go... maybe Derek Smith is as meh as meh can be. League minimum contract, so he can stay unless one of Cundari, Wotherspoon, Breen or Kulak play him out of a job. Smith: meh The goalie situation is 100% up in the air. Kiprussoff has stated he won't decide 100% until the offseason. If he decides to stay then we have an opportunity to test out BerroRama as backup, and see if either of them has the ability to translate their game to the NHL. If Kipper goes, penning in BerroRama as our only starting goalie option is roughly equivalent to pinning all our hopes on a potential Henrick Karlsson. Berra certainly looks Karlsson-esque in style, with any luck he won't be as terrible. Ramo's NHL stats are Karlsson-esque, but with any luck he's learnt how to be less terrible in the KHL. I predict that if Kipper goes Feaster will attempt to bring in someone he knows. I would bet the house on him making a ridiculous UFA offer to Mike Smith. The only way Joey MacDonald signs is if he can't get a known quantity in as starter. My ideal situation is Kiprussoff stays on as a 1a/1b mentor to Ramo or Berra. Kiprussoff: keep if we can; Joey MacDonald: go, but sign as a last resort Leaving us with a lineup somewhat similar to this, barring any returns we would get in deals for Stajan & Tanguay (a young RW & D would be an ideal return): Baertschi Backlund Stempniak Cammalleri Horak Hudler Glenncross Reinhart _________ Bouma Jones Jackman/McGrattan Giordano Wideman Brodie Sarich Butler ______ Smith Kiprussoff BerroRama ... and draft Sam Reinhart with the 2nd overall pick!