[Signing] Flames sign Jiri Hudler - 4 Years, $16 Million

[Barnission]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Weren't the Wings on that massive 22 game home winning streak in February? Strange that is when his point levels went down.

Yeah, kind of. The streak started on November 5th and ended on February 23rd.

[Bezer]

I am ok with this signing. I *think* Rob Kerr put it best as he said "this is not the answer but it is a piece in the right direction". I agree. He is NOT a number 1 center or a gritty hard to play against guy but he is a piece that you can win with.

[Stay Golden]

Alot of speculation that Hudler has not been a Center even though he is listed as one. We know him more as a winger. In his 1 season with the KHL he was the first line center.

What i like is how versitile Hudler is, gives Hartley so many different options.

[jeffman]

Love the signing,seems like the kind of player that we never have

[Alberta_Beef]

I have been thinking about this a lot and I still haven't decided if I like it or not. I will probably be on the fence until I see him play for us. But it is what it is and I will accept it and cheer for #26 when he pulls the Flaming C over his head.

That said now that he is here I wouldn't mind trying him as a centerman to start the year as I think he would be a better option than Cervenka at center and I really don't want to move Cammalleri to center.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by jeffman

Love the signing,seems like the kind of player that we never have

He seems like Huselius 2.0 to me, which is why I am so unsure about the move.

[CGY12]

I think we are better off using Hudler on the Wing and Cervenka at center.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by CGY12

I think we are better off using Hudler on the Wing and Cervenka at center.

Not me, Cervenka was a winger in the KHL, he already has to move to a better league to face stronger competition. Asking him to move back to center as well is a mistake. At least Hudler is acclimated to the NHL so the move would be easier.

[Miniac]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

He seems like Huselius 2.0 to me, which is why I am so unsure about the move.

If he can put up Kristian Huselius numbers like the one back in 2006-2008, I for one be more than satisfied! Btw Huselius was approximate the same age as Hudler when he joined the Flames.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Captain_Obvious

We signed Hudler for 500K less than Ray Whitney just inked for and the same contract Colorado just dished out for P.A. Parenteau.

The negative spins you've come up with in the last 48 hours have had some terrible logic in your attempt to back them up.

I think I'll put you on ignore after this because you're constant habit of making personal attacks and provoking fights.

You are smart enough to be a good poster, but you are too provocative for my taste.

As to your argument:
Whitney put up 77 points last season
Parenteau put up 67 points last season
Hudler put up 50 points last season and has a career high of 57 points from 3 years ago.


Of course Whitney is old and Parenteau less proven, but it should be obvious why the first two got the bigger contracts. If anything, those guys make Hudler look overpaid.

That said, I have nothing against signing Hudler as such. UFA:s from other teams don't take discounts to play here, I'm aware of that.

The Cervenka angle is a big bonus.

That said, we now have no centers you can trust to not suck at center above Blair Jones.

Cammalleri,Cervenka, Hudler, Stajan and Backlund all come with huge question marks. If three of those work out okay, we will still propably be the same or worse than last season. And none of them are going to become any bigger.

But there's nothing else to do than to wait and hope for the best. There's plenty of offseason left, and not everything needs to be done this offseason.

[debil]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Not me, Cervenka was a winger in the KHL, he already has to move to a better league to face stronger competition. Asking him to move back to center as well is a mistake. At least Hudler is acclimated to the NHL so the move would be easier.

I agree, Hudler is more of playmaker than Cervenka.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by debil

Hopefully Hudler got from Feaster season ticket to top [libraries] in calgary. His [love of reading is] legendary in czech rep.

I'd edit that to remove the defamatory part before the mods get around to doing it for you.

[Flames_F.T.W]

Overall I'm satisfied with the signing and think Hudler is a step in the right direction. Having so many skilled (albeit small) forwards is pretty exciting. As many have pointed out, our center ice position is cause for some concern. A lot will have to go right for our center depth not to cripple our team's chances of success. Maybe Cervenka treads water and Backlund breaks out... who knows. I for one am just excited that we're trending towards offensive hockey instead of a boring defensive game... even if we still suck.

[Split98]

IMO, here's how we start... and I like it

Tanguay-Cammalleri-Iginla
Glencross-Cervenka-Hudler
Baertschi-Backlund-Stempniak
Comeau-Jones-Jackman

13th: Stajan playing situational C on all 4 lines. Gives him an opportunity, and he's our best faceoff guy.

[flamesfan55]

Originally Posted by Split98

IMO, here's how we start... and I like it

Tanguay-Cammalleri-Iginla
Glencross-Cervenka-Hudler
Baertschi-Backlund-Stempniak
Comeau-Jones-Jackman

13th: Stajan playing situational C on all 4 lines. Gives him an opportunity, and he's our best faceoff guy.

I don't like the looks of the 3rd line. Seems way to soft.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by flamesfan55

I don't like the looks of the 3rd line. Seems way to soft.

Perhaps, but the top two lines would be soaking up the ice time against the other team's best players, so they would get softer competition as well.

[VladtheImpaler]

Hudler could turn out to be really good here, but can go the other way too, of course. Makes me question why we needed Stempniak even more - given the smurfiness of this team, should have kept Moss over Stempniak. Really curious how they'll shuffle around all the forwards. Anyhow, just thrilled... THRILLED... to see us remaining solid contenders for 8th place...

[Change of Heart]

I like the Hudler signing, guy has potential and speed to burn

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Change of Heart

I like the Hudler signing, guy has potential and speed to burn

I thought he wasn't the most fleet of foot.

[playmaker]

I agree that 3rd line looks way too soft, but in fact it will be very difficult for the coaches to avoid soft lines as we have too many forwards that will never bring any physical presence to the game. The list is quite long:

Backlund
Hudler
Tanguay
Stempniak
Horak
Cammalleri
Byron
Stajan
Nemisz
Street
Kolanos
...

How one can avoid the soft lines there ?
btw. I think Jones could be an ideal centre for Baertschi as Sven IMHO needs responsible 2 way centre during his first NHL season, rather than playing with soft and skilled guys like Hudler or Backlund.