Quote:
Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus
Brodie wanted a NMC and got it from Toronto 
Unless you think exposing one of our young Dman in Hanifin(23) Andersson(23) or Valimaki(22) to Seattle to protect a 30 year old a good move.....then Treliving didn't blow anything.
People somehow forget Brodie was a whipping boy for 2 years and was terrible at times, giving him a NMC would have been epic mismanagement for this team with the expansion draft coming up. |
Valimaki is not eligible for the expansion draft. Unless Kylington busted out, then no, the Flames wouldn't have to worry about protecting a young defencemen over Brodie.
The choice would come down to Giordano vs Brodie if that was your sticking point.
I agree with Deluxe Moustache that the Flames SHOULD have been able to hold contract talks with more than one camp at a time. You have to move swiftly. It isn't like Brodie is some schlub that you don't care about. He is one of the league's best defencemen on the transition, is solid defensively, has solid and proven chemistry with the existing players and a number of other pluses. He makes the Flames play a faster game when he is on the ice not just because of his own skating, but by the ability he has at moving the puck. He was (and is) a very valuable player. Not holding concurrent talks with his camp - if true - is a massive fail for a team to make on a day like that. Also, he is one of Calgary's consistent playoff performers every single year that Calgary was in the playoffs. Losing him does hurt this team.
I disagree, however, on the effect Markstrom is going to have on the team. Talbot's second half was significantly better (and thus why he ended up being the starter for the playoffs. However, he also seemed rather 'lucky' - lots of posts, and who can forget Radulov's consistent ability to miss wide-open nets? I think Markstrom will make the Flames a better team, and the Flames should be a better team overall next season.
With that being said, I still see it as a significant drop from Brodie down to Tanev (an even bigger drop-off when you factor-in Tanev's inability to remain healthy) and also a drop-off in the talent level of the 4th line (especially two very good PK'ers). Hopefully Treliving can find a replacement or two for those positions, or at least get Robinson to become an effective PK'er (not out of the realm of possibility given his skating ability and his reach).
Overall, I think the Flames improved, but this would have been a better team had they managed to resign Brodie over signing Tanev, IMO.