[Rumour] Garrioch: Flames make pitch for Spezza. UPD: Treliving denies offer

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I would much rather see a package like that going to Florida for their first.

Why would Florida make that deal when they could just sign Vrbata and Niskanen in the offseason, get two better players than Hudler/Wideman and keep the first pick in the draft?

It is a weak offer for Spezza but at least in that case maybe you could try and argue the Sens save some money and they move a guy that is out in a year and grumpy. With the 1st overall pick the Panthers are moving their best asset and likely soon to be best player for pieces they could easily acquire the equivalent for free.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Read Only

Why would Florida make that deal when they could just sign Vrbata and Niskanen in the offseason, get two better players than Hudler/Wideman and keep the first pick in the draft?

It is a weak offer for Spezza but at least in that case maybe you could try and argue the Sens save some money and they move a guy that is out in a year and grumpy. With the 1st overall pick the Panthers are moving their best asset and likely soon to be best player for pieces they could easily acquire the equivalent for free.

The short answer is "Money".

If the Flames retain salary then the cash strapped Panthers can get good roster player(s) that would otherwise cost money they may not have to spend. That team seems to have a pretty serious internal budget and it is unlikely that they can get a proven 50+ point player for $2m.

It also works for the Flames to retain salary as it helps to keep them above the salary floor during the rebuild.

[#-3]

I was away for the weekend.

To me it makes more sense Calgary was kicking tires and has told Ottawa, those three guys, and any pick other than our 1st are all on the table. Not that they could have all 3 of those guys and multiple picks. That just really doesn't make sense for the Flames.

Value of Spezza aside, which I don't believe is as high as reported. It is probably another reason this deal wont happen.

Just not responsible reporting.

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by Wolven

The short answer is "Money".

If the Flames retain salary then the cash strapped Panthers can get good roster player(s) that would otherwise cost money they may not have to spend. That team seems to have a pretty serious internal budget and it is unlikely that they can get a proven 50+ point player for $2m.

It also works for the Flames to retain salary as it helps to keep them above the salary floor during the rebuild.

Giving up the first pick for secondary players seems like a pretty dumb way to save money. Mediocre to bad teams rarely make much money.

The guy they would pick would be the best player on the team immediately and likely to help make them more money through play-offs, merchandising etc.

[T-Dog]

This only makes sense if we were to do something creative like flip Spezza for another first round pick. Something like our two second rounders and a prospect for Spezza and we trade him to Florida for 1OA, retaining half his salary. It makes no sense at all to have Spezza playing for us next season.

[iamca]

Do not want the often injured and wrong side of thirty Spezza, but definitely do not want to give up Backs in this type of deal.

Spezza is looking to go to a playoff team based in the States, so let him go and Treliving stop trying to make this franchise better through free agency if the rumor is true.

[Textcritic]

Because Garrioch has a reputation for being a gossip, I don't believe that any deal was offered by the Flames that included all of those pieces. Having said that, I am intrigued about the Flames acquiring Spezza, even amid a rebuild. This would look more to me like a stop-gap—filling the hole on the top line for a year, two, perhaps three while players in the system work towards improving to become impact players. Acquiring Spezza would also help the team to be cap compliant, without having to employ expensive, useless players as cap filler.

I wouldn't be thrilled about a deal that included Backlund, but I would not be opposed to one that included a forward prospect and a pick from this year's draft outside of the Flames' first rounder. For those who are grumbling about this as a signal that the Flames are no longer interested in rebuilding, I only have to say that this is a ridiculously short-sighted view. Not every deal will be made for the future. Not every draft pick will be converted into a player. And not every prospect will be given the chance to make the NHL here in Calgary. That's just the way it is, and it is that way because the team is like an organism that will be constantly changing to address present as well as future needs.

Stop-gap. And I'm perfectly okay with that, so long as the return does not include a Flames first rounder from 2013–14.

In any event, I doubt it would happen.

[Red Slinger]

^A stop gap is fine as long as it fits into the culture that the team is building. I don't think Spezza does.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

^A stop gap is fine as long as it fits into the culture that the team is building. I don't think Spezza does.

That's fair, and I would tend to agree. But these things don't always work out the way that we expect them to, and I trust that management has a much better read on them than us outside observers. When Stajan was first traded here, he did not present himself as a great guy in the room, but in the past three years has acquitted himself very nicely in this regard.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Because Garrioch has a reputation for being a gossip, I don't believe that any deal was offered by the Flames that included all of those pieces. Having said that, I am intrigued about the Flames acquiring Spezza, even amid a rebuild. This would look more to me like a stop-gap—filling the hole on the top line for a year, two, perhaps three while players in the system work towards improving to become impact players. Acquiring Spezza would also help the team to be cap compliant, without having to employ expensive, useless players as cap filler.

I wouldn't be thrilled about a deal that included Backlund, but I would not be opposed to one that included a forward prospect and a pick from this year's draft outside of the Flames' first rounder. For those who are grumbling about this as a signal that the Flames are no longer interested in rebuilding, I only have to say that this is a ridiculously short-sighted view. Not every deal will be made for the future. Not every draft pick will be converted into a player. And not every prospect will be given the chance to make the NHL here in Calgary. That's just the way it is, and it is that way because the team is like an organism that will be constantly changing to address present as well as future needs.

Stop-gap. And I'm perfectly okay with that, so long as the return does not include a Flames first rounder from 2013–14.

In any event, I doubt it would happen.

This is EXACTLY my assessment of the situation.

[theoforever]

Fan960 talking about the trade. The thing that stuck the most was:

Spezza, minus -26, on a better team than Flames, played sheltered minutes, not physical, hurt his team.
Buckland, +4 playing against toughest opposition on a 4th worse team, impressive

[Locke]

The whole idea of the Flames acquiring Jason Spezza is flawed at the conceptual level.

[Tron_fdc]

The only way this makes any kind of sense whatsoever is if we pick him up on the cheap, pump his stats all year, and flip him at the deadline.

I guess I can maybe see it happening if the Sens can't find someone that can pay his salary, and they're too cheap to pay it this year as well. We have the cap space, and could maybe make an "investment" in Spezza.

Other than that it's a total load of BS, he makes no sense on this team.

[Enoch Root]

I don't care whether the proposal/rumour is fair or not. I simply think the assets being talked about could be spent far more wisely.

Hudler has another year on his contract after this one. He should make for a very nice deadline trade either this year or next. At $4m, with the cap now at $70m and rising, his salary looks pretty attractive. He should return a 1st (or 2nd at worst), or a nice prospect.

Wideman has 2 more years after this one. His value will be higher next year, or the Flames could retain salary, making him a decent asset, probably returning a late 2nd or a 3rd.

Backlund + a 2nd could get us a very good asset. I would think a solid young D or a pretty high 1st round pick (maybe 6 to 10 range?).

Those returns, in the aggregate, would serve the Flames far better. Plus, they can take their time and allow the kids to continue to develop before these players are moved.

Acquiring Spezza solves none of the problems that the Flames currently face. He doesn't fit the culture that we are trying to create, IMO. And the assets are far better spent elsewhere.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by theoforever

Fan960 talking about the trade. The thing that stuck the most was:

Spezza, minus -26, on a better team than Flames, played sheltered minutes, not physical, hurt his team.
Buckland, +4 playing against toughest opposition on a 4th worse team, impressive

Making a move like this would be so contradictory to Burke's gospel ever since he got here that it make zero sense.

I assume this is just Garrioch being Garrioch, but if this happened, I'd be pretty scared for the future since it would show even management isn't following their own course of action.

[UKflames]

Originally Posted by nik-

Making a move like this would be so contradictory to Burke's gospel ever since he got here that it make zero sense.

I assume this is just Garrioch being Garrioch, but if this happened, I'd be pretty scared for the future since it would show even management isn't following their own course of action.

The problem is that this rumour is now taking on a life of its own and being reported in quite a few different media circles, I guess he did his job right then I just wish other media outlets would realise the source and discount it.

[theoforever]

Originally Posted by nik-

Making a move like this would be so contradictory to Burke's gospel ever since he got here that it make zero sense.

I assume this is just Garrioch being Garrioch, but if this happened, I'd be pretty scared for the future since it would show even management isn't following their own course of action.

Agree on all counts.

[stemit14]

I think backlund will be the more valuable player in 4 years so I don't see the point in getting Spezza now. The flames still need another couple years of developnig.

[sureLoss]

http://m.calgarysun.com/2014/06/17/c...de-speculation

Brad Treliving said he poured a cup of coffee and opened up his laptop Sunday morning with no intention on catching up on some fiction.
However, he claims that’s exactly what he saw when he read a report suggesting he’d offered up a draft pick and a trio of his players for Ottawa Senators centre Jason Spezza.
“It’s categorically false,” said the Calgary Flames new GM, making his first public response to a report out of Ottawa saying the Flames offered up Jiri Hudler, Mikael Backlund, “possibly” Dennis Wideman and a second- or third-round draft pick.
“I haven’t made any such offers. That’s 100% fantasy island. I saw it early Sunday online and had to read it a couple times and had to remind myself ‘oh ya I’m the Flames GM. Interesting.’ ”
Treliving isn’t overly bothered by the rumour, as he knows in today’s world he’ll be subject to endless speculation as an NHL GM, especially in Canada.
He doesn’t deny having conversations with Senators GM Bryan Murray about myriad topics.
Same goes for Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning, who just happens to be tasked with trying to peddle another coveted centre, Ryan Kesler.
However, it’s fruitless to suggest the Flames will find a suitor with either club as they try to land the most sought-after commodity in hockey today — big, skilled centres.

[TheDebaser]

...And everything was how it should be all along.

As for Garrioch...