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Calgary4LIfe · 11-15-2015, 04:08 PM

In my opinion, building a team and giving out contracts requires a few different looks at the short and long-term. You need to group players who fall into core, secondary core, support players, and youth with upside that you retain.

The Core - Before doing anything, I think you have to identify who is the 'core' you are building around. That should be easy - Brodie, Bennett, Gaudreau, Monahan, Hamilton and some may add Giordano to this list (I am one of those).

Secondary 'core' players - guys you want to keep around, and do your best to retain. These guys help you win games fairly consistently, or are younger guys that are projecting to be as such. Backlund, Colborne, Hudler, Frolik, Bouma, Russell and Wideman (though the latter two haven't been showing well this season). Ramo and Hiller should at least be here, but you can make an argument that one or both of them are in the next tier.

Roster filler - Jones, Stajan, Engelland, Raymond, Bollig, and Smid all fit in here. Sure, some guys definitely step up huge and help you win games. Some provide sheltering and leadership. You just have to make sure they don't sign for big dollars or big term. As the young players are gaining experience, they require less sheltering and leadership, and take a much more active role. The guys above should end up getting replaced by young roster players making much less.

Young and developing - These guys are definitely not the young superstar players like Bennett or Hamilton, but with some definite upside due to their age and the way they may be trending. Guys who can maybe develop into one of the above 3 breakdowns. Jooris, Ferland (though you can make an argument that the first two have graduated into one of the other sections already), Ortio, Granlund (since he has been getting call-ups regularly, I will include him here as well) and Grant.

This makes the most sense to me. Who is important today, who is important moving forward. Who can be easily replaced? Who is barely hanging onto their respective level? Who looks like they are moving up a level or more?

Gaudreau - he gets signed. Would be absolutely crazy to think otherwise. Hopefully closer to 5.5, but I bet around 6.5. Could be more - who knows? Really hope a number around 6 coupled with a lengthy term.

Monahan - same as above.

Hudler - complicated. No question this guy injects skill, experience, leadership - but he is probably set to command a bigger and longer-term contract than I think he fits according to the breakdown. Even if you feel he is a core player today, I am thinking within a few years he won't be, but will still be on the team being paid as a core player. I have him as a guy the Flames trade this year.

Russell - another guy I really like. Tough season (but improving) so far. I think the whole 'blocked shots vs not having the puck enough' argument is asinine. Here is a guy you can watch skate up the ice very well with the puck under pressure, and can also make a very good first-pass out of the zone. Great IQ in this kid, and he is fearless. He is the Bouma of the defensive ranks. Will fight as well. Great shot - accurate and hard, which makes him an asset on the 2nd unit PP as well. One of the leaders on this team too. The downside? He is small, and I do think he will likely command a hefty raise this year. I love him, but I think the Flames move on this season (and probably next season with Wideman as well). There should be enough pressure coming up the ranks, and Hamilton is really starting to look like a guy that can carry a defensive partner, not to mention Engelland can take additional minutes to help shelter your Kulak, Wotherspoon, Nakladal, etc., coming up through the ranks. Wideman has hovered between 'terrible' in his own end, to being '1st pairing level' at different times in his tenure so far with the Flames (as well as being elite to near-elite offensively). I really like him, but that long-term piece has to be a guy that can win puck-battles in the corner more consistently in addition to moving the puck and solid defensively. Russell only checks 2 out of 3 for me, and I do see an over-payment looming on the horizon to retain him.

Jones - hated him when the Flames first got him, hated him for the first half season (or even full-season), but he definitely has a spot on team. When he is skating and using his size to be physical, he is definitely important. However, his best seasons were with the Avalanche of 45 and 37 points respectively, and that was 3 seasons ago. He is definitely over-paid right now, but useful (much in the same way as Engelland). However, he is a guy you don't re-sign and instead trade sometime this season. I think he will only trend down, and at 31 years old and never playing a full-season in the NHL due to injuries, I think the trending down will accelerate. He would probably be wanting to find a 3+ year contract somewhere. For the Flames, you re-sign him for only a year at a time for now at most I think, especially with the uncertainty of the cap. He should be replaceable.

Colborne - the advanced-stats crowd will dislike him (and rightfully so - terrible numbers for sure). My eye-test tells me otherwise. I think people either look at him as a finished (or nearly finished) developing player. I see him as having room to grow still, and showing consistent flashes of it. He is a guy that I think is either in the support-core, or at least nearly there. His size, underrated playmaking, work along the boards, skating and IQ all point to a guy who will be important moving forward. I don't think he would be expensive to re-sign anyways, and really fills up a few holes on the Flames. A no-brainer to re-sign from these standpoints.

Jooris - I do think he is growing still. He gives you tonnes of speed and intangibles out there like heart. Defensively sound. Offensively 'decent' when you factor in his minutes. Decent on the PK. He is definitely signed to another low money contract. He has room to grow.

Goalies - unless you can upgrade through trade/UFA signing, Ramo makes sense re-signing near the end of the season if he is still doing well. You keep re-signing him until you find something better. Pretty simple I think.

Hudler, Jones, Russell, Hiller = out. The rest you re-sign unless someone demands way too much for their role.

11-15-2015, 04:08 PM	#44
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	In my opinion, building a team and giving out contracts requires a few different looks at the short and long-term. You need to group players who fall into core, secondary core, support players, and youth with upside that you retain. The Core - Before doing anything, I think you have to identify who is the 'core' you are building around. That should be easy - Brodie, Bennett, Gaudreau, Monahan, Hamilton and some may add Giordano to this list (I am one of those). Secondary 'core' players - guys you want to keep around, and do your best to retain. These guys help you win games fairly consistently, or are younger guys that are projecting to be as such. Backlund, Colborne, Hudler, Frolik, Bouma, Russell and Wideman (though the latter two haven't been showing well this season). Ramo and Hiller should at least be here, but you can make an argument that one or both of them are in the next tier. Roster filler - Jones, Stajan, Engelland, Raymond, Bollig, and Smid all fit in here. Sure, some guys definitely step up huge and help you win games. Some provide sheltering and leadership. You just have to make sure they don't sign for big dollars or big term. As the young players are gaining experience, they require less sheltering and leadership, and take a much more active role. The guys above should end up getting replaced by young roster players making much less. Young and developing - These guys are definitely not the young superstar players like Bennett or Hamilton, but with some definite upside due to their age and the way they may be trending. Guys who can maybe develop into one of the above 3 breakdowns. Jooris, Ferland (though you can make an argument that the first two have graduated into one of the other sections already), Ortio, Granlund (since he has been getting call-ups regularly, I will include him here as well) and Grant. This makes the most sense to me. Who is important today, who is important moving forward. Who can be easily replaced? Who is barely hanging onto their respective level? Who looks like they are moving up a level or more? Gaudreau - he gets signed. Would be absolutely crazy to think otherwise. Hopefully closer to 5.5, but I bet around 6.5. Could be more - who knows? Really hope a number around 6 coupled with a lengthy term. Monahan - same as above. Hudler - complicated. No question this guy injects skill, experience, leadership - but he is probably set to command a bigger and longer-term contract than I think he fits according to the breakdown. Even if you feel he is a core player today, I am thinking within a few years he won't be, but will still be on the team being paid as a core player. I have him as a guy the Flames trade this year. Russell - another guy I really like. Tough season (but improving) so far. I think the whole 'blocked shots vs not having the puck enough' argument is asinine. Here is a guy you can watch skate up the ice very well with the puck under pressure, and can also make a very good first-pass out of the zone. Great IQ in this kid, and he is fearless. He is the Bouma of the defensive ranks. Will fight as well. Great shot - accurate and hard, which makes him an asset on the 2nd unit PP as well. One of the leaders on this team too. The downside? He is small, and I do think he will likely command a hefty raise this year. I love him, but I think the Flames move on this season (and probably next season with Wideman as well). There should be enough pressure coming up the ranks, and Hamilton is really starting to look like a guy that can carry a defensive partner, not to mention Engelland can take additional minutes to help shelter your Kulak, Wotherspoon, Nakladal, etc., coming up through the ranks. Wideman has hovered between 'terrible' in his own end, to being '1st pairing level' at different times in his tenure so far with the Flames (as well as being elite to near-elite offensively). I really like him, but that long-term piece has to be a guy that can win puck-battles in the corner more consistently in addition to moving the puck and solid defensively. Russell only checks 2 out of 3 for me, and I do see an over-payment looming on the horizon to retain him. Jones - hated him when the Flames first got him, hated him for the first half season (or even full-season), but he definitely has a spot on team. When he is skating and using his size to be physical, he is definitely important. However, his best seasons were with the Avalanche of 45 and 37 points respectively, and that was 3 seasons ago. He is definitely over-paid right now, but useful (much in the same way as Engelland). However, he is a guy you don't re-sign and instead trade sometime this season. I think he will only trend down, and at 31 years old and never playing a full-season in the NHL due to injuries, I think the trending down will accelerate. He would probably be wanting to find a 3+ year contract somewhere. For the Flames, you re-sign him for only a year at a time for now at most I think, especially with the uncertainty of the cap. He should be replaceable. Colborne - the advanced-stats crowd will dislike him (and rightfully so - terrible numbers for sure). My eye-test tells me otherwise. I think people either look at him as a finished (or nearly finished) developing player. I see him as having room to grow still, and showing consistent flashes of it. He is a guy that I think is either in the support-core, or at least nearly there. His size, underrated playmaking, work along the boards, skating and IQ all point to a guy who will be important moving forward. I don't think he would be expensive to re-sign anyways, and really fills up a few holes on the Flames. A no-brainer to re-sign from these standpoints. Jooris - I do think he is growing still. He gives you tonnes of speed and intangibles out there like heart. Defensively sound. Offensively 'decent' when you factor in his minutes. Decent on the PK. He is definitely signed to another low money contract. He has room to grow. Goalies - unless you can upgrade through trade/UFA signing, Ramo makes sense re-signing near the end of the season if he is still doing well. You keep re-signing him until you find something better. Pretty simple I think. Hudler, Jones, Russell, Hiller = out. The rest you re-sign unless someone demands way too much for their role.