Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Lime
I'm wondering if flames fans have completely lost faith in the farm system at this point. I believe that stone is as good as signed, and there is out top four. Other players are backup plans.
I would want 2 spots open for defense in our system. I think that wotherspoon and kulak can hold down the left side 5 and 7 spots, and let Rafikov, ollas mattson and Andersson battle it out on the right, for that last spot.
I also would like to see rittich as the backup.
Eventually we should trust our own guys a little.
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I agree in creating opportunities for players in the system, but I think due diligence needs to be done on what these guys would cost. This is especially true if Stone cannot be retained - always need options.
Right now the Flames have 3 top 4 D (Gio, Brodie, Hamilton) and then guys who could be anything from a top 4 to AHL.
Sign Stone, who is a 4/5 D, have Bartkowski as a vet who can end up 8th and in AHL, 7th and in pressbox, or 6th in a pinch, then you are relying on 2 guys in the system to make the team. While they could make it, that is a bit of a risk for a team aiming to be top 3 in division at minimum.
If the D corps started the season as:
Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Stone
Bartkowski - Andersson
Kulak
(Kylington as a callup)
that is paper thin on experience. Let's say one of that top 4 goes down - then you are relying on a rookie or a career depth guy to be in the top 4. That could spell trouble for the playoff aspirations.
Now if instead, that D corps looked like:
Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic/other proven NHL D
Kulak - Stone
Bartkowski/Andersson
then you can handle an injury a lot easier. Bartkowski can be sent down if he is knocked down the depth chart by guys in the system, but none of them are guaranteed a top 6 spot, as that could go to all veterans - they have to earn it.
The big factor here is acquisition cost. With Brodie and Hamilton you have half of your top 4 for a long time locked up. Giordano will eventually decline, at which time one of your system has to graduate into that role. So if another true top 4 D is acquired, and they are young and under contract long term, dealing a D prospect is palatable, as eventually the team will run out of room for all of these guys.
Now if the 16th overall is thrown in, that would create a gap in the system in this draft year. If a move down is a part of the trade (recouping an early 2nd round pick) that would be a little easier to handle, but the draft does drop off this year from all I have heard. I would also hesitate to move a more established young forward, and if Hamonic is the target, the Islanders have RFAs to sign and will not want to take on a high salaried player unless they dump more money (like Halak).
Where doing diligence on Hamonic now makes sense is if Vegas dilutes the market with all of their deals to move defencemen. If there are less teams willing to pay a high price, because they have moved on to cheaper options, does that create leverage?
TL;DR - need to balance creating chances for prospects with insurance provided by NHL proven D. With a lot of prospects, that is trade capital. Vegas has changed the market, so due diligence is smart