2014 UFAs - Who do you sign in the offseason?

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by 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.

So basically replace Cammalleri with Rienhart or Gaudreau or Grandlund or Hankowski and write off 2014-15.... going for a 3rd year in a row with a top 6 draft pick?



This is following the Islanders rebuild plan. They peaked last year with an 8th place finish and are currently a worse team than the Flames.

The Islanders have #7 overall Okposo, #9 overall Bailey, #1 Tavares, ,# 5 Niederreiter, #5 Strome, #4 Rienhart


2 of the Flames top 6 players Hudler and Wideman (joining Monahan, Glencross, Brodie and Giordano) as the best 6 currently on the flames had absolutely no reason to leave their old teams to join the Flames ..... other than getting over-paid by about 1m / year.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by devo22

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.

So if we add the Restricted free agents with decent raises, and some young players

Glencross 2.550 Backlund 1.5 Hudler 4.0
Baertschi 1.425 Monahan 1.775 Jones 4.0
Galliardi 1.8 Colborne 2.0 unknown
Ferland 1.0 Reinhart .618 McGratton .750


Maybe Bouma as the spare forward .577

Defense

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

Goalies

Ramo 2.575
Berra 1.5


Total Cap Hit $41,515,000

So the Flames would need to spend about 13 million on 2 paces if they bought up the expected rookies and resigned their rfa's

Being this far below the cap floor actually hurts rebuilding teams because they can't pay young players.

I say the Flames fire 7 million at Callahan and 7 million at Mazseros

[devo22]

well, I'd rather go after Setoguchi and Nikitin instead. Re-sign Stempniak and Russell and it looks like this:

FORWARDS
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / Lee Stempniak ($4.500m)
Sven Baertschi ($0.894m) / Sean Monahan ($0.925m) / Devin Setoguchi ($4.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Joe Colborne ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Lance Bouma ($1.000m) / Max Reinhart ($0.618m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
Corban Knight ($0.900m) / Ben Hanowski ($0.850m)

DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / Mark Giordano ($4.020m)
Ladislav Smid ($3.500m) / T.J. Brodie ($2.125m)
Nikita Nikitin ($2.500m) / Kris Russell ($3.000m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m)

GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Reto Berra ($1.500m)

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CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $55,132,500; BONUSES: $4,491,250
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $15,967,500

easily compliant and enough wiggle room for call-ups etc.

[edn88]

After watching AC's video, I think we need to resign Iginla.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by devo22

well, I'd rather go after Setoguchi and Nikitin instead. Re-sign Stempniak and Russell and it looks like this:

FORWARDS
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / Lee Stempniak ($4.500m)
Sven Baertschi ($0.894m) / Sean Monahan ($0.925m) / Devin Setoguchi ($4.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Joe Colborne ($1.500m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Lance Bouma ($1.000m) / Max Reinhart ($0.618m) / Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)
Corban Knight ($0.900m) / Ben Hanowski ($0.850m)

DEFENSEMEN
Dennis Wideman ($5.250m) / Mark Giordano ($4.020m)
Ladislav Smid ($3.500m) / T.J. Brodie ($2.125m)
Nikita Nikitin ($2.500m) / Kris Russell ($3.000m)
Shane O'Brien ($2.000m)

GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Reto Berra ($1.500m)

------

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $55,132,500; BONUSES: $4,491,250
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $15,967,500

easily compliant and enough wiggle room for call-ups etc.

4.5 million for Setoguchi? Better be a one year deal, haha.

[Jacks]

I wonder if we can get Toronto to swap O'Brien for Liles plus they add a pick or prospect. They save almost 2M in cap which would probably help us. They can bury O'Brien without losing much in cap space or buy him out much cheaper.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I wonder if we can get Toronto to swap O'Brien for Liles plus they add a pick or prospect. They save almost 2M in cap which would probably help us. They can bury O'Brien without losing much in cap space or buy him out much cheaper.

As much as they would want to be rid of Liles contract, I don't think they're willing to take SOB in exchange, especially when he provides great depth in case they have anyone injured…and then throw in a pick as well? You are an insane person.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

and then throw in a pick as well? You are an insane person.

If you say so. They'd have to add something to take on the extra 1.8M in cap space for a 3rd pairing dman.

Don't forget that O'Brien is on an expiring contract next year, Liles is still signed for 2 more years.

[SeanCharles]

We don't need another left handed dman with similar capabilities. We have Russell, Brodie, Gio, Smid and Butler who provide similar if not better results.

But I guess Liles is probably an upgrade on Butler and O'Brien so it might be worth considering, under the right circumstances.