Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSquatch
I don't think it's clear at all what the Kraken will or won't do. Obviously an argument could be made that Gio would be an asset, a stable, able veteran on a brand new team. But if they feel that role is filled by other players, then I can also see Gio being a hard pass for the Kraken, a aging rental is no way to build a team foundation.
My gut is that Gio is a Flame next year.
We'll see.
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Couldn't agree more, Squatch. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that Treliving didn't protect a soon-to-be-38-year-old, $6.75M defenceman on the decline. I'm even more happy he didn't give Seattle a bounty of picks and prospects to "protect" him either. Sure, Ron Francis might pick Giordano, most likely because the rest of what the Flames left available simply isn't appealing (which speaks volumes about where the Flames are at...). He might pick him for the so-called intangibles, but it's still a lot of money tied up for a short term in depreciating asset.
Frankly I think the idea that Giordano would be picked just so Francis could flip him for other assets is specious. I think Flames fans are wont to vastly overestimate Giordano's value.
My gut feeling is also that Giordano goes nowhere. If I was Francis I'd pick Oliver Kylington, sign him to a commensurate small RFA deal, and see if he becomes something. That scenario has far better upside. And if I'm perfectly honest as a Flames fan I'm not choked if Kylington is picked either, because as of yet I haven't seen him take the next steps to becoming something better than "AHL tweener".
For the Flames leaving Giordano exposed was the logical choice. It's not the end of the world if he's lost "for nothing"; there's a significant chance Giordano is gone "for nothing" next year anyway.