[Signing] Flames sign Zadorov to 1 year deal worth $3.75 mil

[Erick Estrada]

The money really doesn't matter because it's a one year deal and cap space isn't an issue for the 2021/22 edition of the Calgary Flames.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by agulati

Wasn’t the trade on the first day of free agency though? It’s possible that the flames were not making headway on other conversations.

It says July 28th, right in CapFriendly and every newspaper story on it. I forget when free agency began, but the facts are the facts. There's no good UFAs worth signing over someone like Zadorov. If you can find one I'll listen to the argument for them instead, but we're splitting hairs here.

[btimbit]

AAV about where I thought it would be, thought it would come with at least 3 years though. Disappointing in that sense, I like the player

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

$3.75M for one year? That strikes me as a bit high, but it's good to have this sorted.

This leaves the Flames with $7,650,000 in cap-space with the following players on the roster:

F: Tkachuk, Gaudreau, Monahan, Backlund, Lucic, Coleman, Lindholm, Mangiapane, Pitlick, Ritchie, Lewis
D: Hanifin, Andersson, Tanev, Zadarov, Kylington, Welinski
G: Markstrom, Vladar

So once they sign Dube, Valimaki and I’m guessing Stone we should have around $4-4.5 million left.

Feels like something else is going to happen.

[Macho0978]

Zadorov has very little offensive upside. Because of this odds are he won’t put up a season that dramatically increases his contract unless the Flames make the playoffs and he plays very well in the playoffs

If zadorov has interest in the Flames long term I’m sure treliving can figure it out and next year contract probably looks like this years long term ask.

If zadorov has no long term interest in Calgary then I’d assume he wasn’t willing to sign for more than a year or 2 anyways.

Don’t mind the risk of losing him vs the risk of giving him a long term deal assuming that the long term deal was at least $1 mil to $2 mil more per year.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The money really doesn't matter because it's a one year deal and cap space isn't an issue for the 2021/22 edition of the Calgary Flames.

I have the exact opposite view.

The one year deal means cap space is an issue for the 2021/22 edition of the Calgary Flames. He's locking down the remaining pieces and saving as much space as he can ... to use it.

[Huntingwhale]

I'm more than fine with 1 year. I hope Zadarov plays well under Sutter and becomes a fan favorite. That interview that got translated recently gave me hope he'll be a good player for us. But what isn't talked about much is his style of play leads to quite a lot of penalties called against him.

Taking penalties at bad times during games that results in loss of momentum, goals against or direct loses aren't going to sit well with the coaching staff or fans. Bennett got crapped on for that, and rightfully so.

Last thing I want is a player signed long term without seeing him play, who takes many bad penalties that lose us games. If it ends up Zadarov signs long term later on, than it likely means he earned it. If he sucks, it's 1 year and off he goes. Pretty low risk contract IMO.

[Goriders]

People keep talking about Zadorov’s lack of offensive production.

In my mind he’s here to inflict pain on opposition players. It seems like he is very good at doing that and I’m truly looking forward to watching that more than a few goals that another defenseman might have scored in his place.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I have the exact opposite view.

The one year deal means cap space is an issue for the 2021/22 edition of the Calgary Flames. He's locking down the remaining pieces and saving as much space as he can ... to use it.

Yeah with the Zadorov signing the Flames have 19 players signed, with $7.7M of cap space remaining.

They need to sign Mackey, Valimaki, and Dube as the only notable RFAs. Those three combined probably don't cost much more than $3.5M.

Meaning they have $4.2M to add a piece without sending any cap the other way...or could add as much as $10.5M in a deal that sees one of the big forward pieces (Tkachuk/Gaudreau/Monahan) going the other direction.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Goriders

People keep talking about Zadorov’s lack of offensive production.

In my mind he’s here to inflict pain on opposition players. It seems like he is very good at doing that and I’m truly looking forward to watching that more than a few goals that another defenseman might have scored in his place.

If your defensemen are not able to get pucks through traffic and on net, your forwards score fewer goals via deflections or rebounds.

See: The 2020-21 Calgary Flames

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I'm more than fine with 1 year. I hope Zadarov plays well under Sutter and becomes a fan favorite. That interview that got translated recently gave me hope he'll be a good player for us. But what isn't talked about much is his style of play leads to quite a lot of penalties called against him.

Taking penalties at bad times during games that results in loss of momentum, goals against or direct loses aren't going to sit well with the coaching staff or fans. Bennett got crapped on for that, and rightfully so.

Last thing I want is a player signed long term without seeing him play, who takes many bad penalties that lose us games. If it ends up Zadarov signs long term later on, than it likely means he earned it. If he sucks, it's 1 year and off he goes. Pretty low risk contract IMO.

I get that argument, but the flip side is that the playoffs are the opposite.

Bennett was a perfect example of how the playoffs are a different beast, where penalties are not as frequent, and physicality is more important. The Flames do not have enough physicality in their lineup, and when things ramp up, they wilt. And they lack swagger.

I believe the Flames need more of what Zadorov brings. If the price is putting up with some extra penalties in the regular season, so be it.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Yeah with the Zadorov signing the Flames have 19 players signed, with $7.7M of cap space remaining.

They need to sign Mackey, Valimaki, and Dube as the only notable RFAs. Those three combined probably don't cost much more than $3.5M.

Meaning they have $4.2M to add a piece without sending any cap the other way...or could add as much as $10.5M in a deal that sees one of the big forward pieces (Tkachuk/Gaudreau/Monahan) going the other direction.

So Monahan and 3 big futures for Eichel and we’re ready for puckdrop


I do think we desperately need a PP quarterback still

[Calgary4LIfe]

Well, I was hoping for a longer deal at a lower cap hit, to be honest.


From Zadorov's side, he is betting on himself. I think that this is a good bet to take given that he will be coached by Darryl who will probably make him look great here. It is also not much of a reach to think that Zadorov is looking to sign in Florida next season given that he lives there. Hope it works out for him.


As for Calgary, I am definitely glad that they didn't overpay to retain him on a multi-year deal. This is the 'modern NHL' - expensive defencemen need to be able to provide offence too. They need to move the puck well for the transition, and be able to jump into the play and provide a legitimate secondary scoring threat, and bonus if they can create their own offence or create offence for their teammates. Zadorov does not do this.


I like Zadorov - and I have stated that if you are a defensive-only defencemen, then you better be really good at this and add some other strengths, like physicality, work as a 'fighter' or deterrent when needed, but you better still be able to handle the puck well. I think that Zadorov can do all of this (well, he really isn't much of a fighter really, but he will). I like Zadorov overall, and I am glad that he was signed - but I am just as glad that the Flames didn't shoot themselves in the foot and lock him up long-term by overpaying. If that means Calgary loses him in the off-season, that's still better than overpaying. Overpay the guys that really move the needle. Zadorov is strong 'depth' that fills a few holes, but not someone you overpay for, so good on Treliving for not doing so.

[Roof-Daddy]

This is actually fine IMO.

I wasn't sure I wanted to see a long term commitment to a Dman with zero offense in his game. Plus, if the team fails they likely recoup more than the 3rs rounder they gave up for him.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

It says July 28th, right in CapFriendly and every newspaper story on it. I forget when free agency began, but the facts are the facts. There's no good UFAs worth signing over someone like Zadorov. If you can find one I'll listen to the argument for them instead, but we're splitting hairs here.

Free agency started on July 28th as well, I believe . The trade was made on the first day of free agency.

Again, I’m not saying any of the free agents might necessarily have been better than Zadorov, but the actual list of UFAs available wasn’t close to as bare bones as the one you posted.

David Savard, Alex Edler, Derek Forbort, Mike Reilly, Cody Ceci, Ian Cole were all available and signed to a cap hit not significantly different than Zadorov’s. Good chance some of them had no interest coming to Calgary though.

I don’t believe the flames only wanted to sign him to a one year contract, when they traded for him. Be it lack of due diligence, pressure of arbitration or conversations not making headway, walking him to UFA status is no where close to ideal.

[CliffFletcher]

Assuming Gaudreau signs an extension, the Flames have some serious cap pressures in 2022-23. Not surprised at all to see a one year deal.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Goriders

People keep talking about Zadorov’s lack of offensive production.

In my mind he’s here to inflict pain on opposition players. It seems like he is very good at doing that and I’m truly looking forward to watching that more than a few goals that another defenseman might have scored in his place.

AGREED. Guy was a big part of the Avs steamrolling the Flames in the playoffs. Just neutered the Tkachuk line

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

If your defensemen are not able to get pucks through traffic and on net, your forwards score fewer goals via deflections or rebounds.

See: The 2020-21 Calgary Flames

The Flames are one of the softest teams in the league and have been for a while. They will never go anywhere in the playoffs without addressing this. They have tried to address it this offseason by re-signing Ritchie and adding Coleman, Lewis and Zadorov.

Offensive defensemen are great during the no hit regular season. But at some point you need players to bring pain. I think what zadorov brings will have a much larger impact than 5 or 6 extra goal over 82 games.

What do you think other team’s forwards are going to worry about more while they are on the ice. Kylington doing a pirouette and a loop de loop? Or Zadorov putting them through the glass.

Having played the game for upwards of 5 decades. It’s not Kylington.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Poe969

if this walks him to UFA it is a bad contract. I guess he either gels with the team and they make him part of the core or worst case scenario he becomes a trade chip.

Maybe he's part of the return to get Eichel! only want to sign for 1 year, back to Buffalo!

If players like Zadorov become "part of the core", you must be a lottery team.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by neo45

So Monahan and 3 big futures for Eichel and we’re ready for puckdrop


I do think we desperately need a PP quarterback still

I’d be onboard with that deal big time. Only wrench would be how long Eichel is out with his procedure.