Calgary lowest in desirability for UFAs?

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

A lot of people hate the cold. A lot. There's a reason the US has over 300 million people and makes you jump through hoops to become a citizen and Canada 35 million despite letting anyone come in and like and it's not because the US offers more opportunities to make money or have success. It's because a large majority of the world dislikes steady sub zero temperatures.

The millions, and millions, of people right now who would die just for the slightest of chances to come to Canada would disagree with you.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

A lot of people hate the cold. A lot. There's a reason the US has over 300 million people and makes you jump through hoops to become a citizen and Canada 35 million despite letting anyone come in and like and it's not because the US offers more opportunities to make money or have success. It's because a large majority of the world dislikes steady sub zero temperatures.

What are your academic credentials to be making a historical argument like this?

[flames_fan_down_under]

I guess being a top free agent destination is "cool" and can improve your chances at winning a cup however a lot of the teams who have won cups recently have built their rosters mostly through drafting and trading.

Chicago, L.A. and Boston have all built the bulk of their teams through drafting and development, and a few good trades here and there. However I can't really think of one big named free agent that put either team over the top except for Hossa.

L.A. Got Richards and Carter through trade. Kopitar, Brown, Quick, Doughty, Voynov all drafted. Scuderi was a UFA signing.

Chicago got Sharp through trade. Obviously drafted Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Bolland, etc

Anyways you see where I am going.

Being a UFA destination recently hasn't had much bearing on Stanley Cup success.

[Beatle17]

Just did some quick checking and my list below is the "major" signings of UFA's since 2006 (not including signing some of your own players). I don't think that missing out on signing big name free agents is going to hurt the Flames in any way if you go by this list.
Boston - Chara, M. Savard
Pho - M. Smith, Roenick, Jovo
Tor - Komisarek, Beauchemin, Kubina, Peca, H. Gill, Jason Blake, Finger
Ott - Kovalev, Gonchar
TB - Ohlund, Tanguay
Edm - Khabibulin
Ana - S. Koivu, Souray
Mon - Samsonov, Cammy, B. Gionta, H. Gill, Spacek, E. Cole
NJD - Kovalchuk, Volchenkov
Pitt - Z. Michalek, P. Martin
Van - Hamhuis, Garrison, M. Sundin
SJ - Niemmi
Cal - Jokinen, Tanguay
Fla - Bergenheim, Goc, Belfour, Jovo, Fleischman, Theodore, Kopechky, Upshall
Buff - Leino
Col - R. Smyth, Scott Hannan
Pha - Briere
LA - Rob Blake
Det - Hasek, Rafalski, Hossa
Chi - Hossa, B. Campbell, Huet
NYR (the kings of free agency, haha) - Shanahan, Gomez, Drury, Gaborik, Redden, Richards

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

I guess being a top free agent destination is "cool" and can improve your chances at winning a cup however a lot of the teams who have won cups recently have built their rosters mostly through drafting and trading.

Chicago, L.A. and Boston have all built the bulk of their teams through drafting and development, and a few good trades here and there. However I can't really think of one big named free agent that put either team over the top except for Hossa.

L.A. Got Richards and Carter through trade. Kopitar, Brown, Quick, Doughty, Voynov all drafted. Scuderi was a UFA signing.

Chicago got Sharp through trade. Obviously drafted Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Bolland, etc

Anyways you see where I am going.

Being a UFA destination recently hasn't had much bearing on Stanley Cup success.

Excellent post.

[Enoch Root]

It never ceases to amaze me how worked up people get about one person's opinion.

The other fun thing about threads like this is that you can usually predict most posters' positions in advance.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Muta

The millions, and millions, of people right now who would die just for the slightest of chances to come to Canada would disagree with you.

I've lived in the States and i would choose to live in armpit Edmonton than move back to the States. Nice place to visit but who the hell would want to live there?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by saillias

What are your academic credentials to be making a historical argument like this?

Half a brain and a career dealing with customers all over the world. There's a reason I'm busiest in the summer and that's because overseas customers don't want to come here in the winter.

[sun]

Meh

[Ark2]

This will all change once we draft McDavid. Top UFA's will be signing here for less than market value in 4 years. Just watch.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Half a brain and a career dealing with customers all over the world. There's a reason I'm busiest in the summer and that's because overseas customers don't want to come here in the winter.

So you have no formal education in the matter, but you deal with international customers and therefore you have successfully deduced that the population difference between Canada and the US can be deduced to the climate

Ok

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by saillias

So you have no formal education in the matter, but you deal with international customers and therefore you have successfully deduced that the population difference between Canada and the US can be deduced to the climate

Ok

That is largely why Canada is sparcely populated compared to the US yes.

[boggledepot]

Ranking Calgary as the least disable destination is the biggest of load of crap.

Yeah fine, the Flames are a pretty lousy team, but what do hockey players care about most when signing a contract?

Career security.

There are teams like Phoenix, New Jersey, Dallas, the New York Islanders, etc... and with their ownership, apprehension with spending money, and inability to turn a profit, moving one's family to such a destination is precarious, at best.

And for that matter Calgary is really good city to raise a family. The overall quality of life in Calgary is high. The city is a lot cleaner than most others, there is less crime than other major centers, education and medical is decent, and the tax is more favorable in Alberta, compared to the rest of the other provinces in Canada.

Supposedly, the Flames organization is high class and treats their players and their families really well too.

The writer created a list of free agent disability by forecasting the 2013-14 regular season standings. If a journalist/blogger/hack is not going to do any research, he should at lest try to make it seem not so transparent.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Half a brain and a career dealing with customers all over the world. There's a reason I'm busiest in the summer and that's because overseas customers don't want to come here in the winter.

I'm curious to know what you know about citizenships if you are dealing with customers outside of the States, which sounds like you are in the private sector to begin with. Has your business ever been impacted by people not getting citizenship because the weather in the U.S. is better than others?

Please explain to the rest of us your logic - I think I can safely I'm at most confused and at minimum curious how this makes sense.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I've lived in the States and i would choose to live in armpit Edmonton than move back to the States. Nice place to visit but who the hell would want to live there?

It depends, where did you live? I wouldn't give up my current residence for anywhere in Canada, but I'd probably feel differently if I lived in Biloxi.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

That is largely why Canada is sparcely populated compared to the US yes.

So why is it that until very recently US population was concentrated largely in areas with comparable climates to Canada?

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by valo403

It depends, where did you live? I wouldn't give up my current residence for anywhere in Canada, but I'd probably feel differently if I lived in Biloxi.

Orlando.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Orlando.

Fair enough then, Florida is hell (sorry Miss Teeks).

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ark2

This will all change once we draft McDavid. Top UFA's will be signing here for less than market value in 4 years. Just watch.

Doesn't even need to be McDavid.

Draft well and build a competitive team and people will want to sign here.

Talent attracts talent, it's about as simple as that.

[LouCypher]

While UFAs may not come here we probably wont need to be heavy on the UFA market for a while. Younger players though who want ice time and a chance I would think will find this city to be a good fit.