[News] Flames sign Goaltender Tom McCollum to two-year, two-way contract - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

MoreDrank · 10-15-2016, 01:07 PM

Source: The Hockey News

Looks like the road to the big show just got a bit more difficult for Mason McDonald:

Quote:

The Calgary Flames added depth to their goaltending position inking former Red Wings prospect Tom McCollum to a two-year, two-way contract, THN has learned.
The deal pays McCollum $575,000 at the NHL level and $175,000 in the AHL in Year 1, and $650,000 in the NHL and $200,000 in the AHL in Year 2 of the deal. The contract includes $250,000 of guaranteed money.

Nsd1 · 10-15-2016, 01:08 PM

Maybe for the expansion draft?

Roof-Daddy · 10-15-2016, 01:11 PM

That's a lot of goalies.

Wow.

1. Elliot (NHL)
2. Johnson (NHL)

3. Gillies (AHL)
4. Rittich (AHL)
5. McCollum (AHL?)

6. McDonald (ECHL)

7. Schneider (WHL)
8. Parsons (OHL)

6 goalies on a pro contract and in actually in the pros is a lot.

This doesn't make sense to me, but there must be a reason.

Does McCollum qualify for expansion exposure? That would make the 2 year deal make a lot more sense.

Strange Brew · 10-15-2016, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nsd1

Maybe for the expansion draft?

Absolutely.

Freeway · 10-15-2016, 01:12 PM

He's the only goalie in the organization that's expansion draft eligible right now.

cross16 · 10-15-2016, 01:13 PM

Very smart signing. McCollum qualifies for the expansion draft and you can never really have too much depth. Especially given he has NHL experience and no one in their system does.

Makes any discussions around an extension for Elliot much easier.

Roof-Daddy · 10-15-2016, 01:13 PM

Yeah, there is your goalie they need to have under contract to expose for the expansion draft.

Makes perfect sense now.

MoreDrank · 10-15-2016, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

That's a lot of goalies.

Wow.

1. Elliot (NHL)
2. Johnson (NHL)

3. Gillies (AHL)
4. Rittich (AHL)
5. McCollum (AHL?)

6. McDonald (ECHL)

7. Schneider (WHL)
8. Parsons (OHL)

6 goalies on a pro contract and in actually in the pros is a lot.

This doesn't make sense to me, but there must be a reason.

Does McCollum qualify for expansion exposure? That would make the 2 year deal make a lot more sense.

I'm curious where the organization plans to get him ice time. I haven't heard about any injuries in Stockton, so I'm assuming they are going to carry three goalies for awhile.

Roof-Daddy · 10-15-2016, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreDrank

I'm curious where the organization plans to get him ice time. I haven't heard about any injuries in Stockton, so I'm assuming they are going to carry three goalies for awhile.

Yeah, that's 2 goalies per net, so unless they plan on sending another guy to Adirondack they will have 3 guys sharing the net in Stockton which doesn't make sense.

Hopefully there isn't an injury we haven't heard about yet.

EDIT: Of course, the two guys in Stockton already have a total of 6~ AHL games between them in their careers. McCollum alone has 250+ counting playoffs. Maybe that has something to do with it. An AHL veteran to have around while at the same time filling out the expansion requirement with a guy you don't mind losing.

Enoch Root · 10-15-2016, 01:23 PM

Insurance for the expansion draft is fine, but if they re-sign Elliott or Johnson (or acquire someone else in trade), they are needlessly stuck with too many goalies.

This move is puzzling

FlamesAddiction · 10-15-2016, 01:24 PM

They will probably loan him out to an ECHL team or something.

With this many goalies, you would hope that at least one can play like an actual NHL caliber starting goalie.

sureLoss · 10-15-2016, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

They will probably loan him out to an ECHL team or something.

With this many goalies, you would hope that at least one can play like an actual NHL caliber starting goalie.

They can't loan him to the ECHL without his permission as he is not on an ELC.

Gillies, Rittich, and McDonald are all eligible to be assigned to the ECHL though.

Clear move for the expansion draft and maybe some veteran mentoring for Gillies and Rittich.

dissentowner · 10-15-2016, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Insurance for the expansion draft is fine, but if they re-sign Elliott or Johnson (or acquire someone else in trade), they are needlessly stuck with too many goalies.

This move is puzzling

How? If they re-sign Elliot they would had to have exposed him. This way they don't. If they want to bring back Johnson they can simply wait until after expansion draft to re up him. Makes perfect sense.

Roof-Daddy · 10-15-2016, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Insurance for the expansion draft is fine, but if they re-sign Elliott or Johnson (or acquire someone else in trade), they are needlessly stuck with too many goalies.

This move is puzzling

Even if they extend Elliot they still need a guy they can expose.

If they extended Elliot but didn't have McCollum they'd have to expose Elliot.

Enoch Root · 10-15-2016, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Even if they extend Elliot they still need a guy they can expose.

If they extended Elliot but didn't have McCollum they'd have to expose Elliot.

right, I forgot that they can protect one goalie - was thinking they would have to expose them both, which would make this signing pointless.

FlamesAddiction · 10-15-2016, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sureLoss

They can't loan him to the ECHL without his permission as he is not on an ELC.

Gillies, Rittich, and McDonald are all eligible to be assigned to the ECHL though.

Clear move for the expansion draft and maybe some veteran mentoring for Gillies and Rittich.

Yeah, that might make it tricky then. And McCollum is a pretty solid AHLer, I can't see him signing just to go to the ECHL. But at 26, he kind of is what he is and I can't see wasting a development spot in the AHL. I think Rittich and Gillies deserve it a little more.

Maybe the Flames are going to to loan Rittich to a Czech team or something. Is that allowed?

Roof-Daddy · 10-15-2016, 01:39 PM

Having 6 goalies for three nets does seem like overkill, but there will be injuries. Always is.

Last year the Heat started 7 different goalies and IIRC they dressed 10 total (with 3 never getting in the net).

And most of those goalies were terrible.

This way they have a proven durable guy with lots of experience if needed.

getbak · 10-15-2016, 01:52 PM

It looks McCollum was with the Kings on a PTO. Reports last night were that Quick could miss up to 4 months with his injury. At the very least, you'd think that would open the door for a backup job in the AHL for the Kings.

I wonder if this could mean the Flames are looking to flip Rittich to LA? The Kings don't appear to have any other goalies signed with Quick injured, Budaj and Zatkoff in LA, and Campbell as the only goalie in Ontario.

Da_Chief · 10-15-2016, 01:54 PM

Let's trade Elliott to LA for Doughty, it has to be done now for it to make sense.

Finger Cookin · 10-15-2016, 01:57 PM

Now find a D and you're good, Brad.