[Rumour] Spector: Flames are willing to move Hudler and Wideman

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah let's not forget before RSN the guy ran an Eklund style website where he took any tidbit he could find on the web from local media of the 30 teams and listed them as rumours. That's it in a nutshell as he was the Western Canadian version of Eklund. Only reason he's on TV is because RSN seeks out cheap talent as he has no connections across the league and barely even gets Oilers inside info.

Are you thinking of the site by the guy named Lyle Richardson on the east coast? Different guy.

[Daradon]

Sell high on Hudler if you can. Love the player but if you can get a great deal, you do it. On that note though, if it's a pick-em type deal, no clear winner, there's nothing wrong with keeping him either. I think his veteran presence does have some value for the kids.

[indes]

Hudler+ for Etem please

[Tinordi]

I don't think Wideman's the bees knees but at least he's an NHL defenceman. Trade him out and we there's alot of green in at defence - not the best situation to develop young players IMO.

No problem trading Hudler. I've been saying for a while that we should be selling him on him.

[FlameZilla]

Who could use Hudler's offence? Nashville springs to mind as they're always lacking in top 6 forwards. Dallas?

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Who could use Hudler's offence? Nashville springs to mind as they're always lacking in top 6 forwards. Dallas?

Nashville
Florida
Columbus
Ottawa
Phoenix
New Jersey

Those would be my bets. Could be complicated given the UFa market as these teams might prefer to wait and sign a Hemsky or Moulson for free instead of spending an asset. That being said these teams may not be attractive to ufas and/or they may want cost certainty and be willing to give up an asset accordingly.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah let's not forget before RSN the guy ran an Eklund style website where he took any tidbit he could find on the web from local media of the 30 teams and listed them as rumours. That's it in a nutshell as he was the Western Canadian version of Eklund. Only reason he's on TV is because RSN seeks out cheap talent as he has no connections across the league and barely even gets Oilers inside info.

As mentioned above, they are 2 different "Spectors". Lyle Richardson is based on the east coast and had the rumour website. He also never claimed to be an insider and just posted rumours from different media outlets and gave opinions on them. A step up from Eklund who scans messageboards and takes credit for rumours that people post.

[Deegee]

If he goes, I am really going to miss Hudler trolling fans at other arenas when they are away and he scores.

Pretty funny stuff watching him skate right to a fan of another team and staring them down after potting a goal.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Deegee

If he goes, I am really going to miss Hudler trolling fans at other arenas when they are away and he scores.

Pretty funny stuff watching him skate right to a fan of another team and staring them down after potting a goal.

Still got Backlund for that

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I don't think Wideman's the bees knees but at least he's an NHL defenceman. Trade him out and we there's alot of green in at defence - not the best situation to develop young players IMO.

I don't think that's a problem at all. The minutes leaders were Giordano, Brodie, Russell, Wideman, Butler, and Smid. Even if Wideman and Butler are gone and no veteran replacements are acquired, Giordano, Brodie, Russell, and Smid will form the top 4. That's plenty of experience and ability and any young player the team is trying to develop will be filling 5th Damn minutes max. Besides, you're talking about the likes of Wotherspoon, Cundari, and Sielof. These are hardly bluechip prospects and they will develop just fine playing bottom pairing minutes playing behind Giordano, Brodie, Russel, and Smid.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Who could use Hudler's offence? Nashville springs to mind as they're always lacking in top 6 forwards. Dallas?

Hextall said he is looking for a LW.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Hextall said he is looking for a LW.

They need to shore up d too. Probably more so than upgrade at LW. Would involve salary coming back too as they are up against cap. Not sure if there is a good fit here.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by FAN

I don't think that's a problem at all. The minutes leaders were Giordano, Brodie, Russell, Wideman, Butler, and Smid. Even if Wideman and Butler are gone and no veteran replacements are acquired, Giordano, Brodie, Russell, and Smid will form the top 4. That's plenty of experience and ability and any young player the team is trying to develop will be filling 5th Damn minutes max. Besides, you're talking about the likes of Wotherspoon, Cundari, and Sielof. These are hardly bluechip prospects and they will develop just fine playing bottom pairing minutes playing behind Giordano, Brodie, Russel, and Smid.

Russell and Smid as your second pairing punches your ticket into the McDavid sweepstakes

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

As mentioned above, they are 2 different "Spectors". Lyle Richardson is based on the east coast and had the rumour website. He also never claimed to be an insider and just posted rumours from different media outlets and gave opinions on them. A step up from Eklund who scans messageboards and takes credit for rumours that people post.

I thought they were the same guy from when Spector was working with the Journal. Guess it's just coincidental that they are of the same name and aren't insiders. I never claimed he said he (Lyle Richardson) was an insider as he simply recirculated rumours from around the NHL.

[aedge]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Duh?

Seems pretty obvious to me. Wideman is mediocre but may hold some value. Hudler's value must be near peak and as a small, skilled winger he is easily replaced by our prospects within a year or two. Not a bad idea to sell high.

These are two of the most obvious guys to move.

How is hudler so easily replaced? Does gaudreau become that good after a year or two in the ahl automatically? How do you replace veteran presence with young players and assume it's the same? If we move hudler it better be a first..


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[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by aedge

If we move hudler it better be a first..

If they move Hudler it would be for a veteran, either in the trade or via free agency. There are X number of spots on the roster for veteran players. It's no secret Hudler is not the prototypical forward of this management group, but they are absolutely not going full Oiler here.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by New Era

I thought the brain trust was recently telling season ticket holders they like the makeup of the team and could see them challenging for a playoff spot? How does trading away your best offensive threat and one of your top defensemen jive with that claim? I just don't see this being realistic.

Flames are short on talent up front. They are even shorter on talent on the back end, with no one being ready to contribute, if you listen to the guys running the club. The way you go full Oiler is to start moving veterans that fill those positions without having players ready to take over. You never go full Oiler. The only way Hudler gets dealt is if the club has another deal lined up for a better veteran, someone with size. The only way they deal Wideman is if they have another deal in place for a solid veteran on the blueline that provides similar skill and depth. I don't see either of those happening unless the Flames are going all in on the McDavid turtle race.

This. If you take Treliving and Burke at their word they aren't going to open up a bunch of roster spots unless the kids are OUTperforming the veterans. Talk to me when Gaudreau and Baertschi start playing at the level of Hudler and Cammalleri consistently. Until then, we need veterans that have top 6 skill, so the only way someone like Hudler gets moved is if we get similar offensive production with greater size and similar intangibles.

This sounds to me like a bit of a fishing expedition for Treliving and co. to see what offers are out there for someone like Hudler. Wideman's name might be thrown in as a package deal to get several assets in return.

That being said, Wideman had a very, very inconsistent year defensively (I would almost say downright bad) and looked mentally lost out there. If there are signs of that again this year it doesn't matter if he's a "pro", or a "veteran" or a "RHS", or a "PP threat", it will better suit the Flames to move him and take a hit on his contract in exchange for a more permanent solution on defense.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Russell and Smid as your second pairing punches your ticket into the McDavid sweepstakes

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Why do you want to trade player for player when you're most assuredly going to regret it? He's your leading scorer, unless you're confident te guy you're bringing in is going to replicate that, it's not worth doing.

We had crap for talent for too many years, I'm not in a hurry to get rid of the one guy that brings skill and top end talent to the table each night.

I'm not saying he's untouchable, I just feel like we're too quick to jump on trading someone the moment he gets a shred of value in this market.

We'll continue to have crap talent if we don't have a GM doing his due diligence when players have maximized their value on the trade market.

Part of trading pieces like Hudler is opening up positions for the depth that's accumulated in the prospect pool. It's time to give some of these kids a shot, and no better time than now when the roster isn't close to competing for a playoff spot.

[bubbsy]

in NHL14 (lined up be a GM where the flames pick at #4 and backed it up so i can run thru various scenarios during the boring time of the summer hockey-wise). I put hudler on the block on draft day, and traded him+col's 2nd+ptt 3rd in exchange for another top10 pick (i think it was Det, naturally stupid) but ended up with draisatl+ritchie as our first round picks.

If only......