Sam Gagner & Scott Gomez on Waivers UPD: Both Clear

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by MoreDrank

It's crazy that the Flames have $12 million tied up in three bottom defensemen (two of whom frequently find themselves in the pressbox) until the end of 2017.

Smid and Wideman are not bottom defensemen. They're just being used in that role due to Hartley's strange love affair with Russell and Engelland.

[dammage79]

Gagner's a wasted talent. Not certain he can be redeemed in the NHL. Positional fit, thats about it. I'd claim him only to see Gagner on the back of a Flames jersey again. Nostalgia feels and all.

[Jaydee]

Couldn't be worse than Hudler. I say go for it

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Couldn't be worse than Hudler. I say go for it

yeah. He really could. By a lot.

[MoreDrank]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Smid and Wideman are not bottom defensemen. They're just being used in that role due to Hartley's strange love affair with Russell and Engelland.

Widemen is what he is. It's hard to say what Smid is after his LTIR stint. He's never been very fleet of foot and the game has sped up a lot in the past two years. Surprisingly, Engelland has been serviceable as a 6/7 this year.

I think the blessing in disguise here is that the contract situation on the back-end makes it less likely that Russell gets an extension done.

[Gaudfather]

nm

[Mike F]

Flames have won 9 of their last 11, based on strong team play. Why are they picking up other teams' castoffs now?

They'll have Frolik coming back at some point, which will already force them to make some tough decisions based on Granlund's play in this call up. Adding another small, soft, relatively expensive forward to the mix makes no sense.

[ScorchyScorch]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

FWIW, the 11th highest scoring RW in the league this season is Lee Stempniak.

RW depth in the league has really run dry in recent years.

Suddenly the re-acquiring Iginla talk doesn't sound so ridiculous.

[Ashasx]

people are insane if they want to pick up Gagner

[GB70]

I hope we pass on both players on waivers. For the lolz it be highly ammusing if Edmonton claimed Ganger right after they aquired Kassian.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

Couldn't be worse than Hudler. I say go for it

Gagner at his best is pretty much on a level with Hudler at his worst. And we wouldn't be getting Gagner at his best, or he wouldn't be on waivers.

[ScorchyScorch]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Flames have won 9 of their last 11, based on strong team play. Why are they picking up other teams' castoffs now?

They'll have Frolik coming back at some point, which will already force them to make some tough decisions based on Granlund's play in this call up. Adding another small, soft, relatively expensive forward to the mix makes no sense.

Because we could use guys who can contribute every second game on the scoresheet that aren't named Gaudreau.

When half your team's offense seems to run through Johnny, what happens when he cools down?

Getting Frolik back will help. But guys like Backlund, Raymond, Colborne, Bollig etc putting up no offense (even if their overall play has been okay) isn't helping our scoring depth. If say Gagner can be his 40-50 point self then at least he's helping to contribute on the scoresheet which is more than you can say for about half the forwards. Gaudreau + the blue line is responsible for basically all our scoring right now and I feel uneasy about leaning on them to come with the answers each night. They're not going to stay this hot.

Should always look to upgrade your depth.

[saillias]

When Arizona traded Gagner to Philadelphia, Don Maloney was quoted as saying he didn't think Gagner could play centre at the NHL level for them. This was the worst in the west Coyotes that he couldn't cut it for. He is just not cut out to be a NHL level guy. Will be in the Spengler Cup in a year or two.

[Da_Chief]

Nah, pass on Gagner.

[ScorchyScorch]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Why? he struggled for the first 22 games this season, but has returned to form in the last 13 putting up a PPG pace over that span.

He recovered from his arm injury and is back to how he was last year.

Still making the odd idiotic play, though..so not quite. The difference now is he's making up for his mistakes on the scoresheet. He's at about 2/3 of Norris Gio right now.

[FlamesAddiction]

Neither one is a top 6 player on a good team and neither does enough to be effective in the bottom 6.

I would much rather see players from Stockton come up than add stop gap like those 2.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

people are insane if they want to pick up Gagner

Sooo....Gomez then?

[cannon7]

Would rather give Granlund those minutes, pass.

[Bourque's Twin]

Sam Gagner can put up points. But is he a defensive liability? I don't follow him closely enough.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

Sam Gagner can put up points. But is he a defensive liability? I don't follow him closely enough.

He's pretty terrible outside of being reasonably okay offensively.