Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
I thought the brain trust was recently telling season ticket holders they like the makeup of the team and could see them challenging for a playoff spot? How does trading away your best offensive threat and one of your top defensemen jive with that claim? I just don't see this being realistic.
Flames are short on talent up front. They are even shorter on talent on the back end, with no one being ready to contribute, if you listen to the guys running the club. The way you go full Oiler is to start moving veterans that fill those positions without having players ready to take over. You never go full Oiler. The only way Hudler gets dealt is if the club has another deal lined up for a better veteran, someone with size. The only way they deal Wideman is if they have another deal in place for a solid veteran on the blueline that provides similar skill and depth. I don't see either of those happening unless the Flames are going all in on the McDavid turtle race.
|
This. If you take Treliving and Burke at their word they aren't going to open up a bunch of roster spots unless the kids are OUTperforming the veterans. Talk to me when Gaudreau and Baertschi start playing at the level of Hudler and Cammalleri consistently. Until then, we need veterans that have top 6 skill, so the only way someone like Hudler gets moved is if we get similar offensive production with greater size and similar intangibles.
This sounds to me like a bit of a fishing expedition for Treliving and co. to see what offers are out there for someone like Hudler. Wideman's name might be thrown in as a package deal to get several assets in return.
That being said, Wideman had a very, very inconsistent year defensively (I would almost say downright bad) and looked mentally lost out there. If there are signs of that again this year it doesn't matter if he's a "pro", or a "veteran" or a "RHS", or a "PP threat", it will better suit the Flames to move him and take a hit on his contract in exchange for a more permanent solution on defense.