How would you rate the Flames' first day of free agency?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by frodo_t_baggins

C

Firstly, Johnson was a great signing.

Not impressed with throwing big money at a bottom 6 forward for his retirement contract. Especially before we have locked up our 2 core players and have an idea what our cap situation is going forward. I guess we needed another whipping boy going forward after Raymond was bought out.

Lastly, seeing colborne walk for the contract he did stings.

I really doubt it's his retirement contract. He'll be 34 when it's over, not when he signed it

[Monahan For Mayor]

Originally Posted by frodo_t_baggins

C

Firstly, Johnson was a great signing.

Not impressed with throwing big money at a bottom 6 forward for his retirement contract. Especially before we have locked up our 2 core players and have an idea what our cap situation is going forward. I guess we needed another whipping boy going forward after Raymond was bought out.

Lastly, seeing colborne walk for the contract he did stings.

When did we sign a bottom 6 forward ?

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

He wasn't. It was said after the presser and posted multiple times here that what he signed for in Colorado was less than what he was negotiating for here.

Doesn't that make it worse?
Treliving's job to find out what Joe will sign for.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

Doesn't that make it worse?
Treliving's job to find out what Joe will sign for.

why does that make it worse?! Colborne knew he had a pretty good arbitration case after scoring 19 goals and 44 points, and given that he already wanted to take the Flames to arbitration once before, that was surely the leverage Colbornes camp used over the past few weeks. Treliving called the bluff and didn't qualify him, they probably still negotiated, then the Flames chose Brouwer over him and Colborne saw that he wasn't getting as much money on the free market as he had hoped. It's perfectly reasonable that he asked for more money ahead of yesterday, but then realized that he wouldn't get that much.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

B+

I would've taken Okposo or Staal for what they got but I suspect you would have to add 750k - 1m for them to sign here.

Johnson is just what they needed, BT couldn't risk his job on Ortio after last year.

Brouwer's deal was fair but now I want Bouma and Stajan gone even more than I did before.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

B+

I would've taken Okposo or Staal for what they got but I suspect you would have to add 750k - 1m for them to sign here.

Johnson is just what they needed, BT couldn't risk his job on Ortio after last year.

Brouwer's deal was fair but now I want Bouma and Stajan gone even more than I did before.

Okposos deal stinks ... plus Treliving would have tied his hands if he had given Okposo 6m or even more. 12m left to sign Gaudreau and Monahan? Yeah, good luck with that. The Flames had not enough cap to throw 6m at somebody, and ultimately that is a good thing.

[flamesfever]

I think the 4 year term for an older player like Brouwer is justified by the fact that he keeps himself in such top shape, plus his demonstrated durability. I think this was mentioned by the GM.

I have no problem with losing Joe, and am happy he landed a decent contract elsewhere.

I think having two good goalies is going to get us in the playoffs next year, providing our new coach works out.

I rate July 1 an A.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

Doesn't that make it worse?

No idea how that makes it worse. devo summed it up quite nicely.

[calumniate]

We didn't get an all-star rw, but honestly what we have now is a big improvement. Even Crosby plays with scrub wingers at times. Brouwer, frolik, chaisson isn't bad at all

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by devo22

Okposos deal stinks ... plus Treliving would have tied his hands if he had given Okposo 6m or even more. 12m left to sign Gaudreau and Monahan? Yeah, good luck with that. The Flames had not enough cap to throw 6m at somebody, and ultimately that is a good thing.

They have 15m to sign those two right now, so it would've been 13.5m if we had Okposo instead of Brouwer if he signed for 6m per. It would've been tight, but doable.

I guess I just disagree on Okposo's value, I would rather him at his tag instead of Lucic, Brouwer, Ladd and others. Kyle will likely put up 400+ points over the term of his deal, it was fair IMO. Moot point though because like I said, I think the Flames would've had to pay more to get him.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Ari Yanover has a pretty negative assessment of the Brouwer signing on Flames Nation.

I like most of the writers for FN individually - Ari included - but there may not be a hockey site on the net that pays more attention to spreadsheets and less attention to actual games as FN.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I like most of the writers for FN individually - Ari included - but there may not be a hockey site on the net that pays more attention to spreadsheets and less attention to actual games as FN.

Just wondering how else you would like people to rate free agent signings.

I mean, we can all say we've watched a player and do or do not like him. That is subjective and emotional.

Stats aren't everything, but they are objective. And when they are particularly terrible as in Brouwer's case, it's hard not to absolutely hate this signing.

[ben voyonsdonc]

I think we had a really good day. We didn't get caught up in the frenzy and throw out crazy contracts for the sake of doing so but instead we took steps towards filling two major organizational needs.

Brouwer is the kind of player that I think will always be a useful player because he does so many things. In four years, he may not be the same player that he is today but I think he will still be a very useful player and I doubt that we will regret signing him.

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Stats aren't everything, but they are objective. And when they are particularly terrible as in Brouwer's case, it's hard not to absolutely hate this signing.

Lol. Stats are so objective they cause me to be emotional too

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Just wondering how else you would like people to rate free agent signings.

I mean, we can all say we've watched a player and do or do not like him. That is subjective and emotional.

Stats aren't everything, but they are objective. And when they are particularly terrible as in Brouwer's case, it's hard not to absolutely hate this signing.

So what signings would have made you happy?

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Keep in mind you guys, Treliving skirted the topic a bit (so as not to pull a Jim Benning), but when asked about Colborne, he said the price Colborne wanted was more than what he signed for in Colorado. That's what he told Steinberg and Pinder after the presser.

Treliving wasn't getting Colborne back for that $2.5M price tag, apparently.

On topic though, I would rate this free agency (so far) a B-.

The Johnson signing is outstanding. That guy's driven to perform and he and Elliot seem like one in the same person. That's going to be an outstanding tandem this season.

The Brouwer signing, however, is worrisome. All the signs looks as though Brouwer is a middle-6 winger. He fills that right-handed need on the both special teams, which is highly important for Gully. I'm certain his point totals will be inflated if he's slotted beside Gaudreau and Seanahan, but I just don't see $4.5M being worth it for the next four years. That's a huge risk. Nevermind that, but a full NTC for two years followed by a 15-team limited NTC the last two years.

Don't get me wrong, I like Brouwer, but in three years' time they'll likely be paying $4.5M for a fourth liner.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Zevo

So what signings would have made you happy?

I like the Chad Johnson signing, but he's a backup goalie. And it's exactly that, the smaller signings usually end up being the only good signings on July 1.

I wouldn't shed a tear if the Flames refused to hand out multiyear contracts to any UFA on July 1.

[Red Menace]

B for July 1 alone, B+ if you include the Elliott and Chiasson deals.
I am a little concerned with the Brouwer deal, never a great idea to pay big money for players entering into their declining years....but I will concede that he is a good fit, and there were not too many better options out there that we could afford.
I am fine with giving up on Colborne, but have to think he could have been flipped last week for a draft pick.

[MarkGio]

Chad Johnson was fine, but nothing other than what's expected. But Brouwer's agent bending over Treliving puts this into an F grade.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I like the Chad Johnson signing, but he's a backup goalie. And it's exactly that, the smaller signings usually end up being the only good signings on July 1.

I wouldn't shed a tear if the Flames refused to hand out multiyear contracts to any UFA on July 1.

I kind of get that but going into next year with more or less the same forward group or giving up good young prospects in a trade for veteran help when we are still in a re-build doesn't seem like a recipe for success either.