NHL Offseason moves and signing predictions

[T@T]

I'll predict Jordan Leopold's return to Calgary

[Trojan97]

It's extremely unlikely but I want Matt Hendricks in Calgary.

For those not familiar with his game, he was 56% on faceoffs this season, 7 fights, kills penalties, has good career numbers in the shootout, and is known as a great guy in the room. He's the type of guy who, along with a couple other players, could dramatically shift the nature of the lockerroom.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

It's extremely unlikely but I want Matt Hendricks in Calgary.

For those not familiar with his game, he was 56% on faceoffs this season, 7 fights, kills penalties, has good career numbers in the shootout, and is known as a great guy in the room. He's the type of guy who, along with a couple other players, could dramatically shift the nature of the lockerroom.

31 years old, 58 points in 263 NHL games. If we are rebuilding, why take the roster spot for a bottom 6 centre prospect like Horak/Reinhart/Bouma? We have centres in the pipeline like Arnold & Granlund and on our roster we have Stajan & Backlund who are arguably 3rd-line centres...

The more Nystroms & Hendrickses that we sign or acquire the more fans in the future will be complaining about our prospects busting & young player development sucking.

[PlayfulGenius]

I'd like Hendricks if Stajan is moved...five him some Top 6 minutes on a rebuilding team. I agree he's a player any good team wants, I assume he'll gonay for a good team

[FlamesAddiction]

If Douglas Murray can return to form, I would love to give him a shot. When he is at his best, he is the type of defenseman that can really get under people's skin. Mark Fistric would be welcome as well.

We have to get grittier. Nyzerman would be another that I wouldn't mind targeting.

Colby Armstrong is another character guy that might be good for a rebuilding team. He is known for helping to lighten the atmosphere in the dressing room and that might be valuable as there are bound to be some down points over the next couple of seasons. He is still a hard worker and doesn't take losing lightly though.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

two things

does Tampa have a choice on that Tampa trade? because if they do it's a no

second, these numbers aren't taking in to account a lot of things, mostly buyouts

Philly for example, Pronger is on LTIR and they buy out Bryz, suddenly they have 8m in cap space and the only roster spot they have to fill is a goalie

buyout Briere is well and they have 14m in cap space, so no they aren't in any trouble

Canucks are a Luongo trade and a Ballard buyout/trade away from having 10m cap space as well

Well this is an offseason prediction thread, maybe people will post who will be bought out?!?!

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by bucksmasher

St. Louis has $24.5 million cap space? Why would they have trouble re-signing Shattenkirk etc?

Like half the teams in the league, the Blues have an internal budget cap that is far lower than the league cap.

Originally Posted by Mattman

I think a someone Feaster could target is Teddy Purcell. 28 years old 6 foot 3 right winger. He's gritty but also produces. He's been improving over the last three years.
He has 51 to 65 and if last year had been a full year he could have gotten 70+ points.
At 4,500,000 for the next three years he could come cheap for the Flames

Highly unlikely the Lightning trade Purcell. Why would they move one of their best wingers, just entering his prime and on a decent contract? They'll move Malone first. In fact, I see Malone as a far more likely player to end up with the Flames, as he'll cost pretty much nothing except the cap hit.

The cap crunch is going to put pressure on a lot of teams. But they're not going to move core, young guys. They'll give away older, overpaid players.

[jeffman]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Does Tanguay honestly have any substantial trade value? With the length of his contract I doubt there are going to be many teams willing to offer up much for him. I'd pretty much take anything you can get for him right now since he shouldn't be a part of future plans now that Iginla and soon to be Cammalleri are gone.

If a team offers up a second rounder they better jump at the deal.

I disagree with trading Tanguay because we need at least some veteran players here. I think that throwing our prospects against other teams top players and shut down lines will hurt player development rather than help it. Or if we trade Tanguay, we better pick up someone who can play good top 6 minutes

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by jeffman

I disagree with trading Tanguay because we need at least some veteran players here. I think that throwing our prospects against other teams top players and shut down lines will hurt player development rather than help it. Or if we trade Tanguay, we better pick up someone who can play good top 6 minutes

Trading Tanguay would leave:

Cammalleri
Glencross
Hudler
Stajan
Stempniak
Jackman
McGrattan

with Giordano, Wideman and probably Sarich on the point. Wouldn't be surprised if Begin is back. And then there are possible free agents and trades.

[Mattman]

I like MgGratten alot. Good and hardworking. If he keeps on doing just that then he deserves a larger role. Assistant Captain?

[Trojan97]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

31 years old, 58 points in 263 NHL games. If we are rebuilding, why take the roster spot for a bottom 6 centre prospect like Horak/Reinhart/Bouma? We have centres in the pipeline like Arnold & Granlund and on our roster we have Stajan & Backlund who are arguably 3rd-line centres...

The more Nystroms & Hendrickses that we sign or acquire the more fans in the future will be complaining about our prospects busting & young player development sucking.

Why did we trade for Stephane Yelle when we were rebuilding years ago? because players of this ilk are tremendously valuable on/off the ice when you are a team attempting to change the pathetic culture that exists in our locker room...

More about Hendricks...
"As a reporter asked one Capital after another about the 31-year-old forward, the players continued to give the same answer: it’s not just about how he plays, it’s about how he makes others play. Hendricks, they say, is vocal in the locker room. He pushes his teammates to do better and, in turn, they do. He’s always out there, at practice or in a game, whether he just got hit in the face with a puck or not.

“He’s a total package player,” his friend and fellow fourth-liner Jay Beagle said. “You need those guys on your team, those role players.”

Of course, intangibles are hard to quantify — they are after all not tangible. But if Hendricks can make the people around him give more and play better, maybe that’s worth an extra hundred grand or two a year. How George McPhee feels about that, though, is unknown."

Someone like Hendricks is not going to block anyone we currently have and would only make the organization, and those around him, better. I've been calling for a rebuild for years but that does not mean you call up every kid from the farm, there has to be a leadership structure in place where the kids are able to learn "Flames hockey" from solid veteran leadership. Guys like Reinhart/Bouma/Ferland/Arnold (future grinder/energy guys) would benefit tremendously from the presence of Hendricks.