[Rumour] Prelim contract negotiations w Gaudreau & Monahan. Some interest in Hudler as rental.

[sureLoss]

per McKenzie on insider trading (not much of an update):

• Hudler is not having a good year - injuries and inconsistencies
• Flames are still getting some calls on the forward
• with Calgary not likely to be a playoff team there is a chance Hudler is moved before the deadline as a rental
• we have yet to see what the rental market is going to heat up to be

McKenzie on TSN said the Flames are likely going to take Barkov's contract to Monahan and ask him to sign a similar deal.
He then said Monahan is going to counter that his offensive numbers are better and likely would want a number that starts with a 6.

He also said Flames have had nothing more than preliminary talks with Gaudreau and Monahan on contract extensions. Said lots of work ahead for Treliving.

[Poe969]

Trade. Him. Now.

[polak]

If you can get ANYTHING for him you do it.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Hudler's value can go higher so it would be silly to trade him right now.

[Knut]

I would play him on the top line and try and inflate his point totals. Lots of time left to make a make. unless a team comes by and offers a first now for him.

[Two Fivenagame]

Can he fetch a pick and a prospect? Veteran top 6 winger with playoff and cup experience.

[IgiTang]

I don't think you move Hudler yet. He's a deadline move. Other moves could increase his price to a rival. I think there will be a few teams quite interested in him. He's still super talented when he has time and space. He just isn't making it for himself these days. On a line with guys who can control the puck in the O-zone, Hudler would be a great fit.

[hockey.modern]

$6.5M should be the maximum for Monahan.

[driveway]

Re: Hudler
Here are the other UFA forwards who may be moved at/around the deadline: Eric Staal, Teddy Purcell, Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd, David Perron, David Legwand, Michael Grabner.

There are a few "maybes"out there depending on contract negotiations and how teams perform: Stamkos being the obvious big one, but Vrbata, Doan and Boedker in ARI, Eriksson in Boston.

If everyone hits the market, I think it's a really soft UFA market this year and we're happy to get a 2nd round pick for Hudler. But if guys like Versteeg, Ladd, and Stamkos start signing deals suddenly Hudler starts looking more and more like the second-best forward on the market.

Re: Monahan.
Should the Flames wait to see what McKinnon is offered in Colorado? Colorado is not a team that can spend to the cap, so they're loving the Barkov deal. If McKinnon's deal is the same, or very similar to, Barkov's then it's hard for Monahan's camp to argue he's worth more than the guy who beat him for the Calder and is putting up better numbers this year. The Avs also have Duchene making 6.0/year. It may be hard for them to give McKinnon more than that.
However, if the Avs really decide to hitch their wagon to McKinnon and offer him somewhere close to 7, that could be where the Monahan contract ends up coming in.
Personally, I think Monahan's deal is going to look almost identical to Barkov's.

[polak]

Definitely play him on the top line from now until the deadline.

[JJ1532]

I wonder what Brad's asking price for Hudler would be? Would it depend on who's asking? Have to assume a number of the teams out east would be asking about him. Got to think plenty would be happy to have him, provided they can find cap space. Habs, Islanders, Lightning.

If some of these organisations don't see value in the later rounds of the draft, I would be optimistic of getting a couple of picks, a la Glencross. Kind feel like all the GMs are in a waiting game, seeing who dives in first. That then should set the market and we can move forward from there.

As for Monahan, I also feel that $6.5 or lower is fair value for him. Anything more than that and I'd start to feel a little uneasy, what with Gaudreau needing a new deal and Bennett being able to sign one come July. With Wideman, Smid, Engellend, Stajan, Raymond and Backlund all on the books for another year at least, it'll be interesting to see how Brad juggles the numbers to get us under the cap, especially with us needing to bring at least one full time NHL goalie in. Not to mention Russell possibly getting an extension as well.

[dammage79]

I didn't think Hudlers value went to crap because of this season. It has more to do with the nagging injury than anything. You can see it plain as day. He just doesn't seem to be able to use his edges like he did last year.

He'll be a prized rental for a team for sure. I agree the best bet would be to hold on to him until closer to the deadline. but then again there isn't too much time between the ASG break and the deadline so any time after the break would be okay. I'm not going to venture a guess on what the Flames could potentially get back. I'd like to see a team with a deep prospect pool give up a decent young gun though. I don't think this draft is one to stockpile picks in. I feel you'd be better served trying for a player that'll fit an organizational need.

I'm notoriously cheap in my salary projections for new player contracts but I was well within the range Hamilton got so in regards to Monahan and Gaudreau here goes.

Monahan : 5 years 5.5 per.

Gaudreau: 7 years 6.2 per.

[Phanuthier]

Hudler for Druoin, but it would have to happen now for it to make sense.

[Flash Walken]

I would rather set the market with Hudler than react with my pants down as much more attractive assets go before him once someone pulls the initial pin.

Hudler should not be in the future plans for the Flames unless he finds himself sitting there on July 8th without a suitor.

Don't want to be left sitting on yet another valuable asset at deadline time because he gets hurt before a trade.

[JJ1532]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I didn't think Hudlers value went to crap because of this season. It has more to do with the nagging injury than anything. You can see it plain as day. He just doesn't seem to be able to use his edges like he did last year.

He'll be a prized rental for a team for sure. I agree the best bet would be to hold on to him until closer to the deadline. but then again there isn't too much time between the ASG break and the deadline so any time after the break would be okay. I'm not going to venture a guess on what the Flames could potentially get back. I'd like to see a team with a deep prospect pool give up a decent young gun though. I don't think this draft is one to stockpile picks in. I feel you'd be better served trying for a player that'll fit an organizational need.

I'm notoriously cheap in my salary projections for new player contracts but I was well within the range Hamilton got so in regards to Monahan and Gaudreau here goes.

Monahan : 5 years 5.5 per.

Gaudreau: 7 years 6.2 per.

Why not? Don't get me wrong, I would perhaps agree that this isn't the year to draft players with those picks, but then they could either be packaged up and used in a trade, a la Hamilton. Or, they could be packaged up and used to trade up in the draft, just like we did for Kylington.

Picks are still valuable assets imo, even in a weak draft.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

I don't think you move Cammalleri yet. He's a deadline move. Other moves could increase his price to a rival. I think there will be a few teams quite interested in him. He's still super talented when he has time and space. He just isn't making it for himself these days. On a line with guys who can control the puck in the O-zone, Cammalleri would be a great fit.

Sounds familiar?

[Bourque's Twin]

It's a sad reality for Hudler. I was hoping he would have another good year and retire as a Flame with a cup. Unfortunately it makes most sense to trade him.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

I don't think you move Hudler yet. He's a deadline move.

No way... Staal & Stamkos are going clog up the market. I don't want a Cammy 2.0 scenario. If we get a decent offer pre-deadline Treliving should take it.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Hudler's value can go higher so it would be silly to trade him right now.

And it can also go lower or he can play so bad he has no value or no team wants him.

Also he can get injured so don't think it's silly at all to trade him now. He should fetch a second rounder and don't think his value will grow by much.

[FBI]

I reallllly hope we can get more for Hudler than we got for Baertschi.