2014 NHL Free Agency

[Bar-Down]

Now that the draft is over we can start looking ahead to free agency that starts on Tuesday.

Here is a list of all the NHL free agents:

http://www.capgeek.com/free-agents

Heatley, Dany » L MIN 33 $7,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Vanek, Thomas » L MTL 30 $7,142,857 2014 (UFA)
Richards, Brad » C NYR 34 $6,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Boyle, Dan » D NYI 37 $6,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Stastny, Paul » C COL 28 $6,600,000 2014 (UFA)
Miller, Ryan » G STL 33 $6,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Iginla, Jarome » R BOS 36 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Cammalleri, Mike » L CGY 32 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Alfredsson, Daniel » R DET 41 $5,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Ribeiro, Mike » C ARI 34 $5,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Havlat, Martin » R SJS 33 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Hemsky, Ales » R OTT 30 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Gionta, Brian » R MTL 35 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Leino, Ville » L BUF 30 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Whitney, Ray » L DAL 42 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Legwand, David » C DET 33 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Jokinen, Olli » C WPG 35 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Brodeur, Martin » G NJD 42 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)

*full list on link provided

Not a lot to choose from this year.

I know Treliving is in the market for a backup goalie, who do you think we might sign?

Any players anyone is particularly interested in signing?

I wouldn't mind Steve Downie, and maybe Anders Lindback as a back-up goalie.

[dammage79]

Gauging from Trelivings comments, the Flames won't be dipping too deep into the FA market, they may wait and see if they can get a back up via trade and then explore FA options.

They do need to get to the cap but I think they'll use the proverbial left overs in the FA market to round out what they could not in the trade market. But, who knows what they have up their sleeve? They've been pretty darn good on keeping the lid firmly shut on their plans.

EDIT: As far as who I would like?

Peter Mueller
Vrbata sounds good as a short term vet
Havlat if he'd sign

Vanek if contenders cannot sign him and he takes a Hossa (DET and PITT kind of Hossa deal, not the CHI kind of deal).

[Split98]

Vrbata, Radim » R ARI 33 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)

One missing from your list that I think could be crucially important for us this year. Great leadership, fills the RW slot... and he's the frikken' wizard!

[Dion]

I'd like to see the Flames go after Jonas Hiller. We need someone good to push Ramo and make him a better netminder. Sign him to a 2 year deal that allows Hiller to establish his game again and allow Ortio more time to work on his skills.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Dion

I'd like to see the Flames go after Jonas Hiller. We need someone good to push Ramo and make him a better netminder. Sign him to a 2 year deal that allows Hiller to establish his game again and allow Ortio more time to work on his skills.

Yeah, I 100% agree with this. Plus, as much as it'd suck for Ramo... I also wouldn't be too surprised to see Hiller play lights out when given a second chance to take the top spot on a new team.

For a team needing to fill a backup roll and an insane amount of cap room this is really a win/win if we can land him.

[JurassicTunga12]

Matt Niskanen
Nikolai Kulemin
Radim Vrbata
Jonas Hiller
Zach Redmond
Mark Fayne
Brian Boyle

Quick glance at the list, ^ Those are some players I'm interested in.

[Bar-Down]

Originally Posted by Split98

One missing from your list that I think could be crucially important for us this year. Great leadership, fills the RW slot... and he's the frikken' wizard!

Ya I just put a few of the UFA's directly into the post, the rest of them are on the link I provided.

[Roof-Daddy]

My wish list:

D Mark Fayne
C Brian Boyle
G Chad Johnson

Also, as younger more unproven depth guys:

D Zach Redmond
G Jussi Rynnas


Other than that I kind of hope the Flames stay away from the "big names" because as exciting as it is to sign those guys, those contracts usually don't end up looking very good in hindsight.

[Bar-Down]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Peter Mueller
Vrbata sounds good as a short term vet
Havlat if he'd sign

Vanek if contenders cannot sign him and he takes a Hossa (DET and PITT kind of Hossa deal, not the CHI kind of deal).

I forgot about Mueller. He put up a point/game in the Swedish elite league last year.

I would definitely take a chance on him.

Also with Treliving having him in Phoenix before maybe he wants to bring him in and give him another shot.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Split98

One missing from your list that I think could be crucially important for us this year. Great leadership, fills the RW slot... and he's the frikken' wizard!

Meh, he's an average player who will end up overpaid. I think I would rather see the Flames take on a reclamation project like Havlat. Offer a short term deal with big dollars and I think it could happen.

A backup for Ramo would be a good thing to snag on Tuesday as well. Greiss would be my preferred option but an interesting name I haven't heard much of is Chad Johnson from the Bruins. Solid numbers, and he and his girlfriend both live in Calgary during the offseason, I believe.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Meh, he's an average player who will end up overpaid. I think I would rather see the Flames take on a reclamation project like Havlat. Offer a short term deal with big dollars and I think it could happen.

A backup for Ramo would be a good thing to snag on Tuesday as well. Greiss would be my preferred option but an interesting name I haven't heard much of is Chad Johnson from the Bruins. Solid numbers, and he and his girlfriend both live in Calgary during the offseason, I believe.

Not that Vrbata is coming from a winning franchise, but I'd rather have him in the locker room mentoring the kids than Havlat who, at this point, has to be pretty down on himself.

If we were pushing for a playoff spot, I would agree with you that Havlat might be a risk worth taking but I just don't see a reclamation project serving a role that we will need on this team.

Plus, there will be a lot of losses... which isn't going to help Havlat find his game much.

[AC]

When asked about what priorities we have heading into free agency opening up, Treliving said:

"We want to address our blueline. The blueline is an area that we want to look at."

"Then obviously, depending on what happens with Mike (Cammalleri)... offense, goal-scoring."

Then when asked about a goalie as well, he said "Yeah, backup goaltender".

[jesters91]

Free agent Mark Fayne, talking to other clubs, increasingly unlikely to return to Devils

Defenseman Mark Fayne, an unrestricted free agent, has drawn interest from other NHL teams and it now appears unlikely that he will return to the Devils.

The Edmonton Oilers are among the teams Fayne’s agent, Peter Fish has spoken to and there is considerable interest in the 27-year-old blue liner.

“All I’ll say is it’s still open. Obviously other teams have inquired about Mark,” Fish told The Star-Ledger Friday. “His preference is to come back to New Jersey, but we’re getting closer to the (July 1 free agency) deadline.

“You never say never and it’s obviously up to Mark. But at this point we haven’t heard from Lou (Lamoriello) and we’re getting closer. Then it would take on a life of its own. Mark is hopeful that he could remain in New Jersey, but it looks less likely.”

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2...to_devils.html

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Split98

Not that Vrbata is coming from a winning franchise, but I'd rather have him in the locker room mentoring the kids than Havlat who, at this point, has to be pretty down on himself.

If we were pushing for a playoff spot, I would agree with you that Havlat might be a risk worth taking but I just don't see a reclamation project serving a role that we will need on this team.

Plus, there will be a lot of losses... which isn't going to help Havlat find his game much.

I think the Flames dressing room has enough veteran voices of leadership already that we don't really need to be actively looking for any more. Havlat has never struck me as a pouter or a quitter, just a guy who suffered some major injuries and failed to find his game with the Sharks. It happens to guys all the time.

Vrbata will be coveted by many teams and will probably be asking for term. That is what concerns me about him. Depending on how crazy some of these teams get he could be this year's David Clarkson. If he would settle for a short term deal with a rebuilding team I'd be all for it, I just don't see it happening, personally.

[The Fonz]

I think we get Niskanen.

It'll be an ugly contract though.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

I think the Flames dressing room has enough veteran voices of leadership already that we don't really need to be actively looking for any more. Havlat has never struck me as a pouter or a quitter, just a guy who suffered some major injuries and failed to find his game with the Sharks. It happens to guys all the time.

Vrbata will be coveted by many teams and will probably be asking for term. That is what concerns me about him. Depending on how crazy some of these teams get he could be this year's David Clarkson. If he would settle for a short term deal with a rebuilding team I'd be all for it, I just don't see it happening, personally.

You could be totally right on both points. I have to agree with you that Havlat never struck me as a pouter or a quitter either. So there is the flip-side to my fear that if he DID find his game again, it would be a huge boon to the locker room and another great story from a Flames season.

[AC]

Personal preferences:

Scoring winger if Cammy leaves: Vrbata
Defence: Niskanen, Fayne, Stoner.
Backup: Lindback, Hiller, Emery.

[spennywalks]

mason raymond?

[Split98]

Originally Posted by spennywalks

mason raymond?

I like him quite a bit, but we have way too many options on LW.

[Anduril]

Very likely we'll end up with a Mueller or Kulemin in the middle or end of FA period. Defense will be the priority for Treliving I think.