Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
First bold: because three years from now the Flames will still be operating an NHL team and trying to build the best team possible. Why would we not care?
Second bold: I never said he was holding anyone back - that is not how it works in the NHL. If someone is better, they will replace him. That isn't the point at all.
The point is flexibility. Imagine a scenario whereby they want to trade him next year. Maybe they draft Reinhart, who goes gangbusters, and Knight settles nicely into a 3rd line role (or whatever).
Now, they want to move Stajan. But he has 4 years remaining on his contract.
That would make him difficult to move.
Term matters. You can't just not care about it, or pretend it doesn't matter. Well, you can, but it wouldn't make for a good argument.
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What's wrong with having some center depth? And it would be an unqualified miracle if Knight could step in a replace Stajan on the third line 1 to 1 two years from now.
I mean I get the point, maybe Stajan is made expendable if everything goes right and then we have a $3 million anchor of a contract.
But two points to that then, 1) everything will most likely not go right we'll still likely need some veteran centres and depth and 2) the $3 million looks like peanuts in a rising cap world especially with the new huge TV deal.