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Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames
Why would the Flames mismanage assets like that though? Just because they like a player doesn't mean they will restrict their options or lose control and take a player to arbitration. They obviously thought highly enough of him if they thought he would file for arbitration instead of accept his Qualifying offer.
They likely talked to Byron and knew he would go for a 1-way contract instead. That seems like the most likely scenario to me.
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Are you unaware that the Flames and Byron could have signed any contract they wanted at anytime they wanted? If Byron was always happy with a 600,000 one way contract and the Flames were always happy with a 600,000 one way contract why didn't they just sign a 600,000 one way contract 2 weeks ago?
And argument of mismanaging assets gets thrown out the second Byron became a UFA. Any team was free to sign him, he was no long a Flames-only asset. I'm sure there was open communication and in the end it worked out probably for everyone but those speculating it was because the Flames were afraid of arbitration I don't think have much legs to stand on. The fact they let him become a UFA when they didn't have to has to show they weren't afraid of losing him.