Do we re-sign Jiri Hudler?

[Funkhouser]

If we can get him for $4Mx4ys, sign him up. He has been a great mentor for the kids and keeps the room loose. He has creativity and is still a top six talent.

We will need to sign a top-six RW next season anyways, why not stick with what we have.
The fact he is having an off year, coupled with the poor contracts last season for older forwards, makes me think he would be amenable to signing for less.

[FlamesAddiction]

Depends where we sit at the trade deadline and the contract amount and term.

Too many variables at this point to make strong case as all 3 of the options could be desirable depending on the circumstances.

[josef]

i voted trade him, great guy on & off the ice, but he´ll be to expensive and we also need to get bigger

[Vinny01]

I could be okay with all 3 options but chose to trade him. If they re-sign him I hope it is at a very similar cap hit at only 2-3 years.

I could see keeping him and letting him walk as well. The Flames could be a playoff team and we lack top 6 forwards as is so keeping him could be okay and not paying him is the right move.

Trading him for decent assets makes the most sense as I feel the Flames are 1-3 years away from truly contending and those assets can help as soon as this summer to several years down the line

[Northendzone]

it would be interesting to know of the tone of his agent (when speaking with Treliving) changes at all over the course of this season given the fact his numbers aren't what they were last year or does the ask remain constant (I'd assume the latter)

[vicarious]

His play this season has been crap. Plus we need cap space to sign Gaudreau and Monahan. Glencross treatment all the way.

[Red Menace]

Tough call, if we want to contend next year we need a player like him in the top 6....if he can be signed for around 4.5 - 5 mill x 3-4 yrs, I would be for it.
I can't see us trading him unless the bottom really falls out, and with the standings so close in the Pacific this looks unlikely.
I imagine he thinks his worth is closer to 6+, which i don't think the Flames can afford.
The most likely outcome is he plays out the season and walks in free agency for nothing.

[saillias]

Ideally I want us to trade him or re-sign to a friendly cap hit but neither seems likely. I see a repeat of the Cammalleri situation.

There are too many forwards who will be available at the trade deadline and Hudler is pulling a Cammalleri on us at the moment. Somewhere between useless and mediocre on most nights and tanking his trade value.

[1991 Canadian]

Hudler's situation is closer to Cammalleri's than Glencross's in my opinion. Frankly, I'd be content if this played out the same way. If someone is willing to offer the Flames a first rounder for Hudler, I would take it and run. Otherwise, I don't consider it poor asset management if they don't get draft picks out of a UFA signing.

I like Hudler. I hope he resigns. Calgary is not exactly loaded with RW prospect talent at the moment, so if Treliving can make it happen for a decent cap hit, I think he should do it.

[Caged Great]

Hudler @ 3 X 5 and Russell @ 2 X 3.5

would be the max I'd feel comfortable with either in years or in $ amounts.

If they want more, use those funds and sign the next Frolik and equivalent D-man.

[sa226]

For what he is going to want, combined with where the team is in the rebuild to go along with his age. I would say no. He is not the straw that stirs the drink anymore.

I would think he would be a pretty attractive deadline rental. Affordable expiring contract, pretty versatile, good teammate. I would think that he would be a perfect guy for a MTL a WSH or even a NYR to pursue at the deadline.


Also, even without NMC its so hard to trade players on multiyear contracts these days. Maybe in the past you could say "Hey lets re-sign him for whatever, if it doesn't work we could always trade him." You pretty much need to plan to have that contract on your books for the duration. Realistically Hudler would probably want 5mil at 4yrs. Do the Flames want that on their books for a middling player?

[IgiTang]

Hudler is simply going through the motions right now. No intensity what so ever.

He has to have an idea that he isn't in the plans going forward. That's the way I see it anyway.

He's not gelling with Money and JG anymore.
Has taken a back seat in terms of leadership.
Isn't making players better anymore. And seams a bit lost with the system. As does everyone else including fans. Lol

He's be a beast going to a contender but he looks like a guy who knows its simply a matter of time.

Trade him regardless.

[flambers]

Trade him for sure, Flames have to be careful with the salaries

At his age, best move is to trade him.

[Jbo]

Please fix the thread title. Not having the hyphen in re-sign is breaking my brain.

[hummdeedoo]

Resign? I didn't know that we could do that - so you're telling me as fans we can all get together and vote him off the team? if he gets less than 50% of the "Stay" vote then he's forced to resign - That's pretty cool.

I like Jiri - I vote "stay".

[CaptainCrunch]

I think the hope was that a prospect like Emile Poirier or Morgan Klimchuk would have been closer to NHL ready then they're showing now.

The Flames are really talent poor on the right side and that makes this decision difficult. With the mega contracts due to JG and SM, there's going to be precious little money to spend next year. Maybe one of you Capologists could put this together.

But if the Flames lose Hudler, they're going to be short of natural Right wingers with natural offensive abilities that can play in the top 6.

At the same time, Hudler and his agent are looking at his final contract and they know that he's going to be sought after on the open market.

The Flames should at the very least explore moving him, and hope that they can build some winger depth.

[IgiTang]

Just to add....17- 20 mins a game for Hudler usually. I would like Ferland and Bennett to get those minutes.

It's a development year for these guys. Less than 5 mins a game is hurting them, not helping imo.

[edn88]

I think if you can get him to sign a contract that heavily favours the team, then you do so, otherwise trade for pick(s).

[Parallex]

Trade him. I appreciate what he's brought to the team since Feaster signed him but he's not a part of this teams future and he'll likely want more money and term then it's prudent to part with.

The fact is that Monahan/Gaudreau are (rightly) gonna get paid this offseason and Bennett the next... that cap space has to come from somewhere so we can't be locking down that cap/money on a 32 year old 50 pt. winger.

[Monahan For Mayor]

I wouldn't re-sign him. I don't know if it's just me, but it looks like he has already lost a step. At his age it wouldn't be a surprise if he did. He was never the fastest skater, but this year it looks like it takes him longer to accelerate. He has a real tough time getting to loose pucks, and getting ahead of the defence on a rush. That could continue to get worse at his age. I don't see us as contenders this year so I trade him for whatever you can get at the deadline. I hate seeing players walk, even if it's a small return assets are assets.