UFAs to sign or not

[PeteLFan]

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Toronto still in mix but Dal, StL, Cal, Ana and Det among teams that kicked tires on Bozak.. My sense is he'd do 5-yr deal or more

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Roger Millions is speculating that the Flames may be in on Tyler Bozak.

That would be a shame, as it would have to be a long term deal. We really only need stopgap help for the prospects to be able to step in. We have Backlnd and Stajan and Cammaleri who can play C now, and Horak, Knight, Reinhart and maybe Monahan below them already. Galiardi can play C too. Can't see how 5 years of Tyler Bozak puts us ahead. If anything, he would bump Backlund down the depth chart and Horak back to Abby, which are 2 things I do not want. I want the youthful energy we saw to close out the season, when the kids actually played like a team.

[Vulcan]

We've got to leave at least one centre spot open for our prospects.
Monohan, Knight, Horak, Reinhart or Street.

[Bar-Down]

Yeah I dont really want Bozak, gonna cost too much money. But if we do sign him you would have to think Stajan is out the door. I do think Bozak>Stajan.

Younger, better face off guy.

I would be happy with these signings:

Raymond, Mueller, Ference.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Bar-Down

Yeah I dont really want Bozak, gonna cost too much money. But if we do sign him you would have to think Stajan is out the door. I do think Bozak>Stajan.

Younger, better face off guy.

I would be happy with these signings:

Raymond, Mueller, Ference.

I'll agree that Bozak is a slight upgrade on Stajan, but when you put in Bozak's supposed $5 million contract, i would rather have Stajan.

If flames want to slightly overpay, (money not term), for a center then it should be for Weiss. He is a true #2, maybe a 1b/2a, and has spent years with a rebuilding team, so he knows what the job entails. Granted i don't see him wanting to go to a rebuild team. That poor guy has only been to the playoffs once.

[CsInMyBlood]

Man, I really hope Feaster isn't going after Bozak.

Man, I really hope Feaster is going after Ference.

[FlamesAddiction]

For the record, I think Bozak would be a fine player for about $3 million per season. He logs a lot of ice-time and is pretty good on face-offs. His offensive production is low considering his ice-time though.

I just fear that with the shallow free agent pool this season, he is going to get an absurd amount.

[SuperMatt18]

I wouldn't be mad if we signed any of Flippula, Brunner, Mueller, Blum, Halischuk.

Could live with either of Fistric or Ballard as well on a short term contract (1 or 2 years).

Bozak would help but wouldn't want to give him anything close to the contract he is looking for.

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

For the record, I think Bozak would be a fine player for about $3 million per season. He logs a lot of ice-time and is pretty good on face-offs. His offensive production is low considering his ice-time though.

I just fear that with the shallow free agent pool this season, he is going to get an absurd amount.

Toronto would bribe and drug Bozak if they could keep him at 3M per year. He probably won't get that 5M, but the number will certainly be more than he should be paid as customary of the UFA signings in the off-season.

[Vinny01]

according to the FAN Feaster is targeting the following:
Top 2 line C, Shooting/scoring winger, bottom 6 C, and another 3rd pairing D.

If we go UFA route here are the players I speculate we would be after
Bozak, Filpula
Raymond, MacArthur, Brunner
Lapierre
Schultz, Ballard, Zannon

hopefully Feaster doesn't go UFA crazy and continues to seek new players via trade. Flames have $23M in cap space teams need to get under the cap so we are in a great position of strength.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

We've got to leave at least one centre spot open for our prospects. Monohan, Knight, Horak, Reinhart or Street.

Why? Monohan would be an utter waste of an ELC year, Knight has never played a professional game and could benefit from a year in the AHL to adjust to the professional schedule, Horak & Reinhart (IMO) need more AHL seasoning to maximize their potential.

I think playing prospects just for the sake of playing prospects is ultimately a self-defeating strategy better left to the folk up the QE2.


On the flip side I really really don't want Bozak for anything more then third line money. Seriously, if your going to spend the kind of scratch that Bozak is asking for you may as well just try to extract some extras from Toronto by offering to trade for Grabo.

[howard_the_duck]

I happen to be a big Tyler Bozak fan. He's not a number 1 centre but a quality number 2 and is a very intelligent player. His faceoff abilities are also a huge asset.

I wouldn't be opposed to a 4 year deal at around a $5 million cap hit. I like what he brings but wouldn't want it to limit the Flames cap flexibility in the middle of a rebuild.

[Knut]

Bozak
Brunner
Ference

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

according to the FAN Feaster is targeting the following:
Top 2 line C, Shooting/scoring winger, bottom 6 C, and another 3rd pairing D.

If we go UFA route here are the players I speculate we would be after
Bozak, Filpula
Raymond, MacArthur, Brunner
Lapierre
Schultz, Ballard, Zannon

hopefully Feaster doesn't go UFA crazy and continues to seek new players via trade. Flames have $23M in cap space teams need to get under the cap so we are in a great position of strength.

Bottom 6 C and 3rd pairing D? Isn't that what the flames all ready have right now?

Bottom 6 C -- Stajan, Reinhart, Knight, Horak.... ( i'll give Backlund the benifit of the doubt and leave him off the list)

3rd pairing D--- Butler, Smith , Cundari, OBrien. Could probably also add Breen

[PeteLFan]

Fan960 sounds pretty confident that mason has signed

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I happen to be a big Tyler Bozak fan. He's not a number 1 centre but a quality number 2 and is a very intelligent player. His faceoff abilities are also a huge asset.

I actually kind of like Bozak as well but if all reports are to be believed he's looking for top line $$ and top line term. My own opinion of him is that he's 3rd line quality that for lack of options played alongside 1st line talent and as a result looked like 2nd line quality.

Take him away from Kessel and I'm pretty sure his contract will quickly become regarded as Stajan level bad (Y'know... like Stajan).

I like him but I like him for what he is and not what people want to make him out to be. He's a bad fit for the Flames right now IMO.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Fan960 sounds pretty confident that mason has signed

I like Mason Raymond (except for y'know the crest on the Jersey he's worn). I think he's a quality hockey player... of course we have something of a logjam at wing already and he's not a clear upgrade on many of them. Oh well, I'm sure we could move a body or two after then smoke clears. stocking up on assets now is fine so long as we can move a body or two later.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I actually kind of like Bozak as well but if all reports are to be believed he's looking for top line $$ and top line term. My own opinion of him is that he's 3rd line quality that for lack of options played alongside 1st line talent and as a result looked like 2nd line quality.

Take him away from Kessel and I'm pretty sure his contract will quickly become regarded as Stajan level bad (Y'know... like Stajan).

I like him but I like him for what he is and not what people want to make him out to be. He's a bad fit for the Flames right now IMO.

I don't think he's ever going to be 'the guy' on a line. He reminds me of Daymond Langkow/Brendan Morrison in that he workes extremely well with linemates, but does require skilled linemates to be successful. He's not going to wow you and sometimes his presence can be taken for granted, but ultimately can be the glue guy that really holds a line together.

Wingers such as Cammaleri, Baertschi, Hudler, Stempniak, would be solid enough options that I still think he could be successful with the Flames. But I see your point.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I like Mason Raymond (except for y'know the crest on the Jersey he's worn). I think he's a quality hockey player... of course we have something of a logjam at wing already and he's not a clear upgrade on many of them. Oh well, I'm sure we could move a body or two after then smoke clears. stocking up on assets now is fine so long as we can move a body or two later.

agree,
we already have too many LW's, unless stemps or someone is on the way out via trade before the season starts.
How many hometown guys is that for the flames now? acquired 2 (knight,galiardi) drafted one (klimchuck)

[fundmark19]

I think it is time to sign Nick Johnson as well since we need right wingers and more home town kids!