[Rumour] Friedman: Flames aggressive in trade market. Getting calls on Hudler.

[Phanuthier]

I personally think trading Hulder right now makes sense, but I don't think his year was that big of a fluke. Always thought he was underrated and had potential to be a lot better while he was with Detriot; I always thought on any other team, he'd be a quality first line player and he would produce.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I personally think trading Hulder right now makes sense, but I don't think his year was that big of a fluke. Always thought he was underrated and had potential to be a lot better while he was with Detriot; I always thought on any other team, he'd be a quality first line player and he would produce.

He put up solid totals on the Wings despite not getting a lot of PP time and at times stapled to the 3rd line so there was always the thought that he could do more if given a bigger role on another team. The talent was always on display but for whatever reason Babcock didn't want to promote him. I wonder if Hudler's quirky personality simply didn't mesh well with the greatest head coach in the history of the NHL?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He put up solid totals on the Wings despite not getting a lot of PP time and at times stapled to the 3rd line so there was always the thought that he could do more if given a bigger role on another team. The talent was always on display but for whatever reason Babcock didn't want to promote him. I wonder if Hudler's quirky personality simply didn't mesh well with the greatest head coach in the history of the NHL?

I think at the time, he was though to be a dressing room problem child.

One man's trash is another man's treasure?

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

How about that, then flip the 21st with Backlund and another prospect (Granlund, Wotherspoon?) to Colorado for Ryan O'Reilly.

Not without a extension in place. O'Reilly's contract sucks (thanks to us). He's signed one more year for 6M then he is UFA. You'd have to pay him at least the 6M on an extension otherwise he'll surely test the market.

[Hackey]

Which is exactly why I think O'Reilly doesn't make sense. Not only do we have to give up valuable assets to acquire him but we likely have to overpay if we want to keep him. I'm not opposed to the player just opposed to what it would take to get him.

[Roof-Daddy]

I agree, the extension for O'Reilly would be very important. Treliving would need to get a feel for what O'Reilly is looking for, and hopefully the Cap number could be reduced a little by offering decent term.

[Poe969]

I think you nailed it. Some people get obsessed with certain players and how great they are and how they'd be a great fit on the Flames. It's not always about the player, but the contract, the age, the term left on the contract and a lot of other things.

O'Reilly would be great on the Flames but it would take too much to get him and it would cost too much to keep him.

[icarus]

I think Huds has great chemistry with Monahan and Gaudreau and that's not something that you can just export or import. It's a bit of a tale of caution to both the Flames and any potential trade partner. Superb line chemistry doesn't just grow on trees. A trade might not benefit either team.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by troutman

Hudler is very valuable. 2nd in the NHL in even strength points. Big part of the leadership group. There is not much I would trade him for.

Johnny and Monahan will not produce as much without him.

First actually. Hudler's 60 even-strength points were one ahead of Benn's 59.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Someone mentioned 15th to BUF for 21st & 31st

How about that, then flip the 21st with Backlund and another prospect (Granlund, Wotherspoon?) to Colorado for Ryan O'Reilly.

Flames still pick 31st, 45th, 51st, 52nd, 76th and 83rd through 3 rounds, and upgrade our #2 center slot by a fair bit with O'Reilly.

Gaudreau (22) - Monahan (21) -
Bennett (19) - O'Reilly - (24) -

O'Reilly and Bennett are interchangeable.

There's a core of four to build the forwards around for a decade plus. (Obviously need to get O'Reilly extended, the sooner the better)

That was me, but i mentioned trading both the 15th and 45th picks for the 21st and 31st picks. Which i would still do in a heartbeat.

I really like your ROR idea as well, a bennett - o'rielly line would become one of the best shutdown lines in the league in very short order. there would be matchup problems for opposing teams for years to come with that core group.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Which is exactly why I think O'Reilly doesn't make sense. Not only do we have to give up valuable assets to acquire him but we likely have to overpay if we want to keep him. I'm not opposed to the player just opposed to what it would take to get him.

If RoR was a 6M / year player Colorado would be in the playoffs instead of the Flames.

To check on the impact of RoR look at what happened to the Av's after he rejoined the team when they wrongly matched the Flame's RFA offer sheet.

They won 8 out of the 29 games he played to win the Mackinnon sweeps. When he joined them they were 8-8-3.... 4pts out of playoff spot. With him back leading the team 8-17-4.

when Feaster made the offer the Avs were basically tied with the Flames. The expectations were that with RoR centering Iginla and Tanguay the Flames would have made the playoffs. That has been proven wrong a couple of times now.

[JohnnySkittles]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

If RoR was a 6M / year player Colorado would be in the playoffs instead of the Flames.

To check on the impact of RoR look at what happened to the Av's after he rejoined the team when they wrongly matched the Flame's RFA offer sheet.

They won 8 out of the 29 games he played to win the Mackinnon sweeps. When he joined them they were 8-8-3.... 4pts out of playoff spot. With him back leading the team 8-17-4.

when Feaster made the offer the Avs were basically tied with the Flames. The expectations were that with RoR centering Iginla and Tanguay the Flames would have made the playoffs. That has been proven wrong a couple of times now.

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by JohnnySkittles

I see you had the normal reaction to a ricardodw post

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

If RoR was a 6M / year player Colorado would be in the playoffs instead of the Flames.

To check on the impact of RoR look at what happened to the Av's after he rejoined the team when they wrongly matched the Flame's RFA offer sheet.

They won 8 out of the 29 games he played to win the Mackinnon sweeps. When he joined them they were 8-8-3.... 4pts out of playoff spot. With him back leading the team 8-17-4.

when Feaster made the offer the Avs were basically tied with the Flames. The expectations were that with RoR centering Iginla and Tanguay the Flames would have made the playoffs. That has been proven wrong a couple of times now.

Proof isn't really your thing, is it?

[868904]

Originally Posted by icarus

I think Huds has great chemistry with Monahan and Gaudreau and that's not something that you can just export or import. It's a bit of a tale of caution to both the Flames and any potential trade partner. Superb line chemistry doesn't just grow on trees. A trade might not benefit either team.

If Monahan and Gaudreau can't produce without Hudler, then they are not the special players that we think they are.

Hudler, and more importantly, his game won't be there forever so those two will have to produce without him.

You don't just hand out a big contract to a "post apex" player because he has good chemistry with your young core forwards, because that money has to be allocated to those said core forwards.

It might be a great time to unload Hudler and see if Monahan and Gaudreau can produce without him. Because they have to negotiate a new contract after next season so you better find out if they can do it without Hudler.

Even if you don't deal Hudler, you should at least move him off of Monahan and Gaudreau's line and see if these two can do it.

Hudler should be Bennett's linemate and mentor next year if he is still around. Stick Ferland on the LW (to protect these two and to see if he can play with skill guys) and see if Hudler can do for them what he did for Monahan and Gaudreau.

[northcrunk]

Good points 868904.

I think Gaudreau and Monahan can be successful without Hudler and might do well with a big body on that line like Ferland/Smith. Poirier would fit nice with Bennet and would be a tough line to play against. I think we will have to see where the kids are at next season and decide on trading hudler then.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by 868904

If Monahan and Gaudreau can't produce without Hudler, then they are not the special players that we think they are.

Hudler, and more importantly, his game won't be there forever so those two will have to produce without him.

You don't just hand out a big contract to a "post apex" player because he has good chemistry with your young core forwards, because that money has to be allocated to those said core forwards.

It might be a great time to unload Hudler and see if Monahan and Gaudreau can produce without him. Because they have to negotiate a new contract after next season so you better find out if they can do it without Hudler.

Even if you don't deal Hudler, you should at least move him off of Monahan and Gaudreau's line and see if these two can do it.

Hudler should be Bennett's linemate and mentor next year if he is still around. Stick Ferland on the LW (to protect these two and to see if he can play with skill guys) and see if Hudler can do for them what he did for Monahan and Gaudreau.

I think Gaudreau has proven that he can make others look good. A good example would be in the first quarter to first half of the season in 2014 when he was on a line with Jooris. Gaudreau also made Dennis Wideman look spectacular last season. So, there's no doubt Gaudreau can produce and can make others look good in the same process.

However, Monahan can be a wildcard at times. I think if the Flames gets a big power forward right wing for the first line, that would be totally awesome. Right now, the first line is too small. The Flames needs a power right wing to plow through the offensive zone corners and also into the opposition net. I totally agree with moving Hudler to second line wing. So, with that being said, I think he's definitely expendable, but for a high price for what he brings to the team in terms of leadership, character, and skills.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

If RoR was a 6M / year player Colorado would be in the playoffs instead of the Flames.

To check on the impact of RoR look at what happened to the Av's after he rejoined the team when they wrongly matched the Flame's RFA offer sheet.

They won 8 out of the 29 games he played to win the Mackinnon sweeps. When he joined them they were 8-8-3.... 4pts out of playoff spot. With him back leading the team 8-17-4.

when Feaster made the offer the Avs were basically tied with the Flames. The expectations were that with RoR centering Iginla and Tanguay the Flames would have made the playoffs. That has been proven wrong a couple of times now.

Calgary got in as 3rd in the Pacific. There's no way Colorado gets in over Calgary last year. Literally no way. Maybe over Winnipeg.

[GioforPM]

It makes sense that there are lots of calls on Hudler. Other teams know he is the best player on Calgary that they have a hope in obtaining due to his age and contract status. Plus at $4M/year it's hard to go wrong. The worst that happens is that he doesn't play well (highly unlikely) and they let him go without a huge cost. And if he turns into a legit $6M player by repeating his level of play, that's a win as well.

He's an ideal guy for a contender - he can play top 6, he's not disruptive and he helps other players. He's also not a bad guy for a building team that lacks a healthy experienced guy who can still produce. Think what he'd do with McDavid (god forbid).

[Calgary4LIfe]

I wouldn't against trading Hudler away if the price was right, but it has to be right.

Hudler is a mentor on and off the ice.

Also, I am of the opinion that you need skilled guys on the team. These guys help the other players on the team become more skilled as well. Having a few of these guys around with very high offensive IQ and puck-skills helps other guys develop puck-skills as well. I remember (not so fondly) of when the Flames had troubles making and receiving passes, much less make solid transitional plays. Hudler helps that tremendously, and I would go so far as to say that it helps everyone else on the team develop those skills as well.

With that being said, he is a guy that can and should be considered a 'core guy' today, but will probably not be thought of that 3 years down the road when the team should be peaking and hopefully challenging for a cup. Good on Treliving to be exploring options with Hudler, but I am confident unless there a deal materializes that completely knocks Treliving's socks off, Hudler will be a Flame to at least start the season. Then it will be a matter of how contract talks go (if he doesn't re-sign between July 1st and camp).