Arm-Chair GM: Jonathan Bernier

[macrov]

Trade Pittsburgh's 1st round pick (28th overall) OR St Louis 1st overall pick (22nd overall) for Jonathan Bernier.

Would you do it?
If not, what would you trade for him?

Age 24
11th overall pick in 2006
2013: 9-3-1 GAA: 1.88, 922 sv%

Discuss...

[kyuss275]

Give him an offer sheet on July 5th for just under $3.2 million. LA can not afford it and it will only cost the flames a 2nd round pick in 2014.

Granted i think they go with Ramo, Berra and McDonald next year.

[kyuss275]

nm

[the-rasta-masta]

Definitely worth a shot IMO. Bernier will be a good goalie in the league, but he is not going to get that opportunity in LA behind Quick. Would a first be enough? After the last ten years, we all know how important having a great goaltender is, and it's worth having a few options to turn to.

[Bertuzzied]

After last years "best player not in the NHL" thing with Cevrenka, i would totally try to get Bernier.

[Stanley]

I would feel MUCH more comfortable having Bernier than rotating two unproven europeans and JoeyMac...

We need a young franchise goalie, not the "two best goalies not playing in the NHL"...

[Ashasx]

He'll be a UFA just in time for us to start competing for the playoffs.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

While I do agree that Bernier is a good goaltender who has potential, don't look too much at his stat line. L.A. has a crushing defensive team that doesn't give up many good opportunities. Add at least .50 to the GAA and remove at least .015 from the save percentage. Add to that the fact that he's never been given a long period of time to start games at the NHL level and he's just only a slightly less unknown commodity than Ramo and Berra.

I say we stay put and see what we have before we start trading draft picks again. We still desperately need to build through the draft.

[UKflames]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

He'll be a UFA just in time for us to start competing for the playoffs.

This is the problem, what is the point in trading for a goalie like Bernier when we know we are not going to be competing for the next season or two. He gets hung out to dry on a nightly basis and thinks "I'm off" when it gets to FA time.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Stanley

I would feel MUCH more comfortable having Bernier than rotating two unproven europeans and JoeyMac...

Why? Bernier has all of 62 games of NHL experience... besides which he'll be a UFA in two years (and it's not like the next two years are likely to be productive with or without him).

It'd be a waste of a pick IMO

[troutman]

What's the point? Calgary is not a contending team for a few years. Hoard those draft picks.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Why? Bernier has all of 62 games of NHL experience... besides which he'll be a UFA in two years (and it's not like the next two years are likely to be productive with or without him).

It'd be a waste of a pick IMO

Any Gm ( other than Feaster) any day of the week would take Bernier over what the flames have in net going into next season.

Ramo will probably also be UFA in 2 years and same could be said with Berra. So i am not sure what being UFA in 2 years has to do with anything.

I don't mind if they go with Ramo and Berra this year but CP is fooling themselves that if neither of them look to be #1 goaltenders that the flames will just keep riding those 2 for the next 3 years. If they don't look like they will not work out after this season the flames will have to go out and get a starting goalie. Brouissont and Gillies are 4-5 years away from being #1 goaltenders.

If the flames could get him for a 2nd round pick they better do it.

[jschick88]

Friedman's 30 thoughts has something about Bernier and the Flames.

The Kings, who are about to sign Slava Voynov, are looking to free Jonathan Bernier. One interesting wrinkle is that, at one point, they were concerned that anyone they traded him to might flip Bernier to Edmonton or Calgary. Los Angeles was not thrilled about seeing him in their new division. Curious to see if that is still a concern. I could definitely see both having interest, although I freely admit I have no proof.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opin...nhl-draft.html

[Ashasx]

Pure speculation by Friedman.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Ramo will probably also be UFA in 2 years and same could be said with Berra. So i am not sure what being UFA in 2 years has to do with anything.

Because...

A: The Flames next likely window of contention won't be inside the the next two years (so we'd be acquiring him for....?), and

B: Ramo & Berra didn't cost us a 1st round pick

What's the point of acquiring Bernier? He's not a proven asset as a #1 starter, he doesn't have team control into the next period of probable contention, he'll cost meaningful asset/s to acquire. I'd rather roll the dice on one of the assets we already have panning out and spend meaningful assets on a goalie later if absolutely need be.

[CliffFletcher]

Bernier is about as blue-chip a young goaltender as you'll find in the NHL. Ramo and Berra aren't anywhere close.

If the Flames are tanking for the next two seasons, then by all means, throw our unproven goalies into the deep end and let them sink or swim. But nothing management has said suggests the Flames want to undergo a lengthy rebuild. Getting a genuine starter - Bernier or Smith - will be near the top of the agenda for management.

I'd personally be happy enough to tank for a couple seasons. But management simply isn't going to take that route. The only question is whether the Flames go ahead and try to find a starter in the off-season, or they wait it out and see if by some miracle one of the prospects is the second coming of Kipper.

[Stay Golden]

Keep the picks would be my initial reaction the Flames are missing far too many players for Bernier to matter but.. Bernier would be a fantastic piece to add for sure the problem i see is LA will ask far too much, but if they get the sense they will lose him for nothing then move on a deal if the draft pick is not a 1st rounder.
Either way I don't think LA will deal with the Flames the rumour has been for over a year that LA would prefer to trade him to the East.

[mac_82]

It's going to be an interesting summer for goalies. Lots of teams could shuffle around starters. But with the Flames not being in contention any time soon I hope they stay away. Ramo, Berra, and MacDonald are just stop gaps anyways.

Apologies for the list, it was put together hastily.

Free Agents
Backstrom
Thomas
Nabokov
Smith
Emery
Khudobin
Khabibulin

Trade Bait / Buy Out
Miller
Bernier
Bryzgalov
Halak
Luongo

Teams in need of #1 G
Minnesota
Phoenix
NYI
Philly?
New Jeresey?

[kirant]

Originally Posted by mac_82

It's going to be an interesting summer for goalies. Lots of teams could shuffle around starters. But with the Flames not being in contention any time soon I hope they stay away. Ramo, Berra, and MacDonald are just stop gaps anyways.

Apologies for the list, it was put together hastily.

Free Agents
Backstrom
Thomas
Nabokov
Smith
Emery
Khudobin
Khabibulin

Trade Bait / Buy Out
Miller
Bernier
Bryzgalov
Halak
Luongo

Teams in need of #1 G
Minnesota
Phoenix
NYI
Philly?
New Jeresey?

Flames are in need of a #1 or at least some insurance if Ramo doesn't work out...not attacking him, but I wonder if he'll adjust nicely back to NHL ice and competition.
I imagine:
Backstrom - Back to Minnesota
Thomas - Retires
Smith - Back to Phoenix
Khabibulin - Retires.

Out of the UFA crop, that leaves
Nabokov
Emery
Khudobin

I'm not sure I'd trust any of those as starters (Emery might be, but he's way too fragile to lean on). Nabakov is also closer to 1A/1B quality at this point according to the Islander fans I talk to.

With that in mind, the trade category becomes a bit interesting. I'm not sure I'd make trades with large pieces moving, but signing bought out players for cheap might make sense. Out of those, I only imagine Bryzgalov will be bought out, whereas the Canucks will trade Luongo, Miller sounds toxic, and Bernier/Halak will command huge returns. That being said, that makes the UFA crop:
#1 goalies: Bryzgalov
1A/1B goalies: Nabokov/Emery
Small Sample Size: Khudobin

With teams needing #1 goalies:
NYI
Philadelphia
New Jersey (If Brodeur retires)
Calgary

With Bryzgalov the best UFA, that would put the Flames in a bidding war with the Islanders and possibly Devils. The Islanders could go the route of trade though since they have the spare assets to move for a Bernier or Halak type of player. That, combined with Wang's pay nothing plan, could easily drop them out of fighting for Bryzgalov. That leaves New Jersey as the only real competition for him (and it's a conditional reason for them to be in the market to begin with...I don't imagine they'll vary from their goaltending disaster until after it starts), so it could be a clean pick up. But rarely is this type of prediction the case - if I gets the sense that he's getting a lot of competition for Bryzgalov and can't win, however, I move to Nabakov.

So I guess where this is headed is...:
- I'd go right now and convene with the goaltending staff and see what they think of Ramo. If they see him as a 1A/1B goaltender, I'd drive hard for Bryzgalov for a short term contract (as I don't see McDonald as more than a career backup) and try to get a Bryzgalov/Ramo pairing for a while. If Bryzgalov is demanding long term, then signing attempts change to acquiring Miler or signing Nabakov.
- If they see Ramo as a quality starter, then I'd stay put.
- If Ramo is an NHL backup, I'd push to sign Bryzgalov first. If that fails, then a trade for Bernier, as much as I think it'll be a disaster, would be attempted.

[vilzeh]

Wait, what? Bryzgalov?

Just go with Ramo/Berra/Mcd, because this team ain't going anywhere.