Rasmus Andersson named NHL First Star of the Week

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Do rebuilding teams often sign good but not exceptional D who are about to turn 30 to an eight-year deal?

Answer your own question.
Remember that team that did the thing with the guy and then…

Ya, me either.

[PepsiFree]

The franchise will literally fold if they sign this one player.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

The franchise will literally fold if they sign this one player.

If Craig made a similar mistake to Sharangovich, and gave Rasmus 8.5 or 9 per on an eight year deal, it could prove costly even if we draft well and are set up to compete by early next decade.

[Rhett44]

Honestly, I think they just need to take an approach of ask what would the mushy middle Flames of years past would do. And do the opposite.

Would the Brad Treliving mushy middle flames sign Andersson to a big contract? Yes, so don't do it.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Honestly, I think they just need to take an approach of ask what would the mushy middle Flames of years past would do. And do the opposite.

Would the Brad Treliving mushy middle flames sign Andersson to a big contract? Yes, so don't do it.

Actually, he’d take him to free agency and lose him for nothing. So we should probably sign him.

Great approach.

[Gaskal]

Rasmus still makes most sense as a TDL trade to me. Unless a team got desperate early enough to pull the trigger with a super-enticing package, but that typically doesn't happen until after Christmas. Plus, with the way accrued cap space accumulates throughout the season, it means a greater number of teams can fit him in with the realized cap hit at the time of the March deadline, and therefore manifest a bidding war.

Despite the posturing from the organization, I don't believe they are close in contract talks or it would have been done prior to the start of the season. He probably wants to get paid like a UFA and Flames are lowballing because he's on the tip of 30 already, which means the back half of that contract would be albatross or even buyout territory even if they can offer him the full 8 years. On top of that the CBA is set up for renegotiation in 2030, so I'd expect Camp Rasmus to be pining for a buyout-proof, lockout-proof, signing-bonus heavy contract for the back half of those years anyway. The exact age range in which a lot of defensemen enter that 'washed' phase of their career. If I'm Conroy, zero way I offer that, nada, not a snowball's chance in hell.

[troutman]

His best quality - how much he hates the Oilers.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by troutman

His best quality - how much he haters the Oilers.

Trade him to Florida!

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Honestly, I think they just need to take an approach of ask what would the mushy middle Flames of years past would do. And do the opposite.

Would the Brad Treliving mushy middle flames sign Andersson to a big contract? Yes, so don't do it.

Treliving was awful in many ways. One thing he stumbled upon? Chris Tanev makes a team better. There are guys who bring more to the table than their basic stats. He is out and the Leafs suck. You can debate the correlation but without going through the exercise, we know what Tanev does - debating that is dumb

Sorry, as exhausting as you have been lately, the Flames don’t have the goal of trading everything of professional quality and usefulness for magic beans

Your recommendation is … basically … Opposite Day Seinfeld ? This didn’t work, let’s do the opposite!

Ras is a beauty. He has swagger. The year he had disappointing stats, he battled injuries and he was disappointed himself. I’ll take the death stare over some bland filler theoretically equivalent player.. I like watching fun hockey and his swagger is off the charts, in a good way. More not less

People have pointed out that teams who are looking for a difference maker this year are not the teams projecting to have top 5 picks

I would trust Conroy to do his assessment of what the next few years look like, and make decisions based on that trajectory. The Flames do not and should not have the intention of being awful for 3+ years. There are strategic ways to get long term desirable results without saying every thought out loud.

[flame4life]

Count me in the camp that that this is good for us either way. He has definitely shown why he is valuable as an addition to any team via trade, so while I thought it would be a distraction as it appeared he wanted out, I am not so sure that it is the case.

I have never quite understood the trade trade trade mentality of a proven asset for something that may or may not improve the team. Would we get a high draft pick and great prospect, among other things for him. Sure ... but the draft pick may turn into a bust, the prospect may or may not develop, and you just traded away a proven defenceman with the HOPE that we will improve out team.

Believe me, I want the Flames to be competitive and compete annually for the Stanley Cup. Are we a couple of years away from that with our prospects and assets getting better. Absolutely. I think if Conroy is able to get an extension with Rasmus at a reasonable amount, we can be3 very competitive in the coming years with proven assets and not hopes and dreams.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

To me, it's as simple as the age window of a player. Rasmus is great, but his competitive years are not going to align with the competitive window of the franchise. If things were different, I would keep him, but the team is just not in that phase.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Truly one of the greats.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

To me, it's as simple as the age window of a player. Rasmus is great, but his competitive years are not going to align with the competitive window of the franchise. If things were different, I would keep him, but the team is just not in that phase.

Agreed, but peak age for a d-man is later than for forwards, by a couple of years.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Do rebuilding teams often sign good but not exceptional D who are about to turn 30 to an eight-year deal?

San Jose - Erik Karlsson? Were they rebuilding in 2019? I think so.

Seth Jones was 26 when he signed with Chicago, so not quote old I guess. But still a contract to age 36.

Of course, those teams flipped both players so they wound up looking good. I suppose the same could happen with Andersson.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

People have pointed out that teams who are looking for a difference maker this year are not the teams projecting to have top 5 picks

I think they should trade Andersson. Age, contract, etc are all reasons. But you make a good point - every once in a while people have to remember that picks are just potential, and that any team looking to add doesn't have a quality pick in the next draft. They do give more ammo, but not necessarily quality ammo. Remember 2013 - Calgary had multiple first round picks and picked up a nice player with their own (Monahan) and the rest were duds? Granted they missed a couple good players in Burakovsky and Theodore but most of the guys picked in the back half of round one that year were no better (and a bunch ended up as Flames anyway).

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

To me, it's as simple as the age window of a player. Rasmus is great, but his competitive years are not going to align with the competitive window of the franchise. If things were different, I would keep him, but the team is just not in that phase.

That is probably correct. Suspect he is still good until 35/36 (which would be years 6 and 7 of the contract) but they might not be good until then. If he would sign a shorter term contract it might make sense but I doubt Rasmus wants to do that.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

That is probably correct. Suspect he is still good until 35/36 (which would be years 6 and 7 of the contract) but they might not be good until then. If he would sign a shorter term contract it might make sense but I doubt Rasmus wants to do that.

That was the story above - the Flames wanted 4-5 years. Which you could argue makes sense - two vets to carry the 6 or so kids on the back end, and by the time they wind it up, the kids have fully taken over.

But Rasmus would be foolish to do that.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

That is probably correct. Suspect he is still good until 35/36 (which would be years 6 and 7 of the contract) but they might not be good until then. If he would sign a shorter term contract it might make sense but I doubt Rasmus wants to do that.

Pay more for a short term, or less for longer?

I'm OK with either, really. Might be a $120-130M (more?) cap by the end of a long contract.

If Ras is 3rd pair or 7D in the last year of a long contract that's fine. Same with Weegs.

I'm not too fussed if we keep him or trade him, probably leaning towards keeping unless the offer is better than what Hanifin returned.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

To me, it's as simple as the age window of a player. Rasmus is great, but his competitive years are not going to align with the competitive window of the franchise. If things were different, I would keep him, but the team is just not in that phase.

Agreed. I'd cap the age to be extended full term at 26-27. Any older and you're buying twilight years for way too much, which probably screws your cap structure when you're competing again and trying to load up (keep in mind we'll still be saddled with Sharky's 5.75 and Huby's 10.5 several seasons from now).

Unless Andersson would go for 6 years, I'd just opt to sell high between now and the deadline.

Great Flame while it lasted though, no doubt.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Rasmus still makes most sense as a TDL trade to me. Unless a team got desperate early enough to pull the trigger with a super-enticing package, but that typically doesn't happen until after Christmas. Plus, with the way accrued cap space accumulates throughout the season, it means a greater number of teams can fit him in with the realized cap hit at the time of the March deadline, and therefore manifest a bidding war.

I still think that a team is going to try to jump the gun.

The standings are so tight right now that the Canadiens went from top of the Atlantic div to outside of the playoffs in 2 weeks (but are actually only 1 point behind 3rd in the division). In the same two weeks, the Red Wings went from outside of the playoffs to 2nd in the Atlantic (but only 2 points ahead of being out of the playoffs).

However, if the teams start to see separation from the bubble to a division playoff spot then they are going to start feeling the pressure to make moves.

I think a team like the Mammoth might blink first. They need to make the playoffs this season and are not going to want to stay on the bubble and potentially miss another playoff in their new home city. If they still see RD as a position needing an upgrade then I could see them kicking off the bidding war for Andersson.

Red Wings are another suitor that are likely thinking about how long they've been out of the playoffs for. If they find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble again they may start itching to make a move to shore up their weakness.