2014 UFAs - Who do you sign in the offseason?

[Netminder]

Is what is needed not D Merry Christmas.Owners as we know need to fork out money.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by strombad

If we could sneak Callahan out of NY before free agency (the only way we'd have a hence to sign him IMO) then we absolutely have to do it. I've always liked his game, but I see him staying in NY long term.

Yes, a Bouw-style trade-for-rights deal is the only way I could see him ending up as a Flame. We'd have to overpay on money & term as well. Unfortunately, as good as Callahan is, I think in that situation he could potentially become a CP whipping boy. He's a great player, but he's a 2nd liner & has never put up exceptional numbers.

The guy should be re-upped by the Rangers before the deadline.

[driveway]

I want us to go after Ales Hemsky. He'll be decently priced, is a solid, point-producing right-winger. Also, it will just gut people in Edmonton to see him skating around in Flames colours.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by driveway

I want us to go after Ales Hemsky. He'll be decently priced, is a solid, point-producing right-winger. Also, it will just gut people in Edmonton to see him skating around in Flames colours.

Quite possibly the first time anyone has used that adjective on Hemsky.

Oh, and - no.

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He never wanted to be a Calgary Flame and just used Feaster's offers to get more money out of NY where he was going to go all along. I can guarantee that if he was bought out and UFA he would still not come to Calgary. He wants to stay out East and I don't believe the Flames current situation would be desirable for a player of his age that probably wants a chance to win a cup before he retires.

I don't understand why so many fans are pining for the services of a player that doesn't want to play for the organization. We make fun of Oilers fans but some of you have to accept the optics of this team and that it's just not a desirable place to be at the moment.

Not questioning you but this is the most overrated comment when it comes to free agents. They all, except Hossa, take the most money they can get.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Netminder

Is what is needed not D Merry Christmas.Owners as we know need to fork out money.

Add in some F Happy Holidays. And we got a shot.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Bolland, Ott, Setoguchi, Niskanen and Greene.

[Racki]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Girardi - no question

I would overpay for Girardi. I've always thought he and Giordano would make a really solid but very underrated pairing. Nice Lefty/Righty combo.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by iggysback05

I would overpay for Girardi. I've always thought he and Giordano would make a really solid but very underrated pairing. Nice Lefty/Righty combo.

Plus their last names are a pretty cool one-two punch, lol. Like some kind of italian mob brother duo.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

How about 28 year old C Brian Boyle... 6-7 244.. who plays hard and is good in the Face-off circle. The Flames would have a real 3rd line checking centre who plays better in the playoffs.... bonus he would be able to interpret Boston to English for Gaudreau. Currently makes 1.7 M.

He would be a Stajan replacement at basically the same $ and have clearer role and expectations.... Maybe Backlund gets moved and the Flames hang onto Stajan.

Cripes…your obsession with size is ridiculous. It's starting to make me think that you're compensating for something…

I watched Brian Boyle play when I was in Florida and he was clumsy and awkward the whole time. If anyone had complaints about Colborne using his size to his advantage, they'd hate watching Boyle play.

The Ranger fans behind us were hilarious watching him play: "Boy, you see that guy, he's HUUUGE! Oh my god the guy is just so big. Just a giant of a man!" and so forth. Then at one point Boyle was in a position to be hit and a Panthers fan yelled "hit Boyle!" to which the Ranger fan responded, "Don't worry about it, Boyle will hit himself" and immediately following that statement, Boyle tried to hit a guy, slammed into the glass, fell to the ice, and was totally out of the play as it headed the other direction. That sums him up perfectly.

Do not want.

[kirant]

High priority (IMO):
- Setoguchi. Flames lack a lot of RW depth. Seto is a bit of the same (opportunist more than playmaker, inconsistent), but he's skilled, is an Alberta boy (something Feaster getting a lot of these days), and might make a decent Stempniak replacement.
- Girardi. Flames need hard hitting D who can soak up minutes. IF (and that's if) the Rangers let him go, I hope Feaster pushes hard.

Secondary Targets
- Greene. I think the Flames need a couple stay-at-home defenders. Greene would be a stopgap solution on a defence which needs more larger and more engaged defenders.
- Bolland. I imagine the Flames might let go of Stajan. In that case, a two-way centre is needed to replace him. Bolland should be able to eat up all-situation minutes

Stretch Targets:
- Callahan
- Vanek
- Vrbata

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Deadline Moves:
Mike Cammalleri to Vancouver for a 1st+3rd Won't get 2 draft picks for him. Be lucky to get a 1st. Why would it be Vancouver anyway?
Matt Stajan+Tyler Wotherspoon To Florida for Dmitry Kulikov Terrible trade for us. Wotherspoon will be a better defender long term, probably top 2 defender. Stajan will get a 2nd round pick at the deadline by himself.
Mikael Backlund+Chris Butler To Toronto for Jake Gardiner Not sure why you need to include Butler on that deal.
Dennis Wideman+TJ Galiardi+Vancouver 1st for Ryan O'Reilly Won't happen, nor would the Avs want any of those guys.
Lee Stempniak+Kris Russel+Van 3rd to Minnesota for Dany Heatley+Min 1st Russell has arguably been our 2nd best defender in all situations. Why, dear god why, why trade him and a legitimately good secondary 2-way winger AND a draft pick for an over the hill cancer and a late teens/early 20s draft pick?
SOB to Boston for 7th sure, why not


Off-Season Moves:
Curtis Glencross To LA for LA 1st hahaha…that's priceless.
David Jones to Washington 4th Round not sure why they would want him

Picks:
CGY Rounds 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7
Min Round 1 Where's the L.A. pick now?
Boston Round 7
Washington Round 4

Sign:
Tomas Vanek 8 million
Marian Gaborik 6-7 million
Dan Girardi will be highly coveted…I doubt the Rangers even let him get to that point.

Baertschi-ROR-Gaborik Why would Vanek be behind Baertschi on the depth chart???
Vanek-Monahan-Hudler
Gaudreau-Colborne-Bouma
Knight-Reinhart-McGrattan
M.Granlund

Kulikov-Giordano
Girardi-Brodie
Smid-Gardiner
P.Seiloff

Listen, I'm not saying I hate everything you put out there, but it does seem like these are NHL 13 deals. Not to mention you make some poor evaluation of Flames current players, both positively and negatively. Not to mention the extreme unlikelihood of all of Vanek, Gaborik, and Girardi deciding to come to Calgary in free agency.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by Netminder

Is what is needed not D Merry Christmas.Owners as we know need to fork out money.

Return of. The king.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Netminder

Is what is needed not D Merry Christmas.Owners as we know need to fork out money.

Ermagerd, Netminder!

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

Cripes…your obsession with size is ridiculous. It's starting to make me think that you're compensating for something…

I watched Brian Boyle play when I was in Florida and he was clumsy and awkward the whole time. If anyone had complaints about Colborne using his size to his advantage, they'd hate watching Boyle play.

The Ranger fans behind us were hilarious watching him play: "Boy, you see that guy, he's HUUUGE! Oh my god the guy is just so big. Just a giant of a man!" and so forth. Then at one point Boyle was in a position to be hit and a Panthers fan yelled "hit Boyle!" to which the Ranger fan responded, "Don't worry about it, Boyle will hit himself" and immediately following that statement, Boyle tried to hit a guy, slammed into the glass, fell to the ice, and was totally out of the play as it headed the other direction. That sums him up perfectly.

Do not want.

Incorrect, Boyles skating is much improved. He is an excellent 3rd liner. Plays the toughest minutes on the Rangers and excels.

Would be an excellent depth signing.

But picking him up just because "big=good" is a silly qualifier.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Incorrect, Boyles skating is much improved. He is an excellent 3rd liner. Plays the toughest minutes on the Rangers and excels.

Would be an excellent depth signing.

But picking him up just because "big=good" is a silly qualifier.

Boyle put up decent numbers for a bottom 6 forward in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, but his play last year and so far this doesn't sell me on him being a excellent 3rd liner.

Not saying he is a bad player but, id rather promote from within or go for someone in the 27 and under range.

[Hockeyboy2]

Projected 2014-2015 Forwards:

Returning Forwards
Hudler, D. Jones, Glencross, Backlund, Monohan, Baertschi, Mcgratten, Galiardi, Colborne, Bouma

Rookie Forwards Projected To Make Team
Reinheart, Gaudreau (Long Shot) if not him then Hanowski or Granlund.

This leaves 2 Forward roster spots potentially open at the most. Given that we are one year into a rebuild I don't think that signing any UFA's over 30 would fit the model of what we are trying to build here I would suspect in my amateur opinion that the Flames would only attempt to sign one of Paul Stastney or Alexander Steen and Ryan Callahan at the very most. However what incentive would Paul Stastney have to leave Colorado and Ryan Callahan to leave the New York Rangers or Alexander Steen to leave St. Louis to come here?

At this point I don't see much incentive for them to leave their current situations. Its far more likely that Calgary would just resign Lee Stempniak and Matt Stajan. Two players who I think are undervalued by us fans who fit well for where this team currently stands.


Projected 2014-2015 Defensemen:

Returning Defensemen: Wideman, Giordano, Smid, Brodie, O'Brien

Returning UFA Defensemen Must Resign: Russel

Rookie Defensemen Projected To Make Team: One of Breen, Cundari, Billins, Wotherspoon or Ramage

Given that we have 5 returning Defensemen at the least and hopefully 6 returning because Kris Russel has done an outstanding job for us I don't see us making any calls for any Free Agent Defensemen. I think our Defense is set for next year and some people will like it, some people won't but such is life.

Projected 2014-2015 Goaltenders

Returning Goalies: Ramo, Berra

Rookies Challenging: Ortio

With these 3 young goalies challenging plus Gillies still developing it would be a slap in their faces and depressing for their development if Calgary went out and signed a UFA goalie.


Conclusion
After trying to write this up as logically as I could, my opinion is that the Flames would only be interested in signing one or two UFA Forwards at the most and that the ones we would sign do not have enough incentive to leave their current teams to come here. Therefor I can't see any big name UFA signings occuring this summer with our team.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Hockeyboy2

Therefor I can't see any big name UFA signings occuring this summer with our team.

Then you need some new glasses. We need to spend some money to be cap compliant we have to sign a UFA or three to get up to the lower limit.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Then you need some new glasses. We need to spend some money to be cap compliant we have to sign a UFA or three to get up to the lower limit.

exactly. If the $71.1m cap that was reported by Dreger is true, the floor will be at around $52.5m. Currently, our lineup for next year looks like:

FORWARDS
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Sven Baertschi ($0.894m) / Sean Monahan ($0.925m) / Jiri Hudler ($4.000m)
Unknown / Unknown / Unknown
Unknown / Unknown / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)

DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / Mark Giordano ($4.020m)
Ladislav Smid ($3.500m) / T.J. Brodie ($2.125m)
Unknown / Unknown
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m)

GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m) / Unknown

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CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $34,264,167; BONUSES: $1,381,250
CAP SPACE (13-man roster): $36,835,833

based on that, the Flames need to spend over $18m to even be cap compliant. They can't simply fill the roster with Gaudreau, Poirier, Ferland ... they'll need to re-sign one or two of their UFAs to substantial contracts and/or look at other UFAs.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by devo22

based on that, the Flames need to spend over $18m to even be cap compliant. They can't simply fill the roster with Gaudreau, Poirier, Ferland ... they'll need to re-sign one or two of their UFAs to substantial contracts and/or look at other UFAs.

Indeed. I think your list above is a bit misleading as the Flames will almost certainly extend qualifying offers to the 5 upcoming RFAs... after you add them in with nominal raises I figure the Flames will still need to spend 14M just to get to the floor.

Personally, I don't think highly of the Flames defense prospects (and they generally take a while to develop to NHL quality) so I'd propose going hard after the top two under 30 Defensemen. It'll certainly take an overpay in current value (term and $$) But it'll open up spots for our many forward prospects and as the cap increases over the coming years the initial overpay will more resemble market value.