[Signing] Flames re-sign Paul Byron (1 yr)

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

The Flames would be bringing up players like Bonino who went 5-13-18 in 50 games as a 23 year old compared to Byron's 7-14-21 in 47 games. Bonino signed a 700,000 contract.

The Flames management gave nearly 9M to Engelland, an obvious over-payment. They weren't afraid of the sub-million dollar contract that Byron would have been awarded in arbitration. He wasn't qualified so they were perfectly prepared to lose him in UFA. After the frenzy they gave him a contract, pretty obvious this was Plan B and not some avoid arbitration at all costs plan, at least to me.

Agreed.

It's nice to have an inside source here at CP!

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Agreed.

It's nice to have an inside source here at CP!

Cause if he's Plan A they would have let him become a UFA?

Byron was a fringe-player on the worst Flames roster of all time. He played with heart but he's not someone you're worried about losing. The simple fact they let him become a UFA is all the evidence you need. It's not speculation at this point. His qualifying offer wasn't lost in the mail here.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Cause if he's Plan A they would have let him become a UFA?

Byron was a fringe-player on the worst Flames roster of all time. He played with heart but he's not someone you're worried about losing. The simple fact they let him become a UFA is all the evidence you need. It's not speculation at this point. His qualifying offer wasn't lost in the mail here.

I think you have some reading to do, please refer to the last 12 pages of this thread.

This was something that was best for the Flames and Byron. He gets a 1-way deal instead of a 2-way QO. He knows there is lots of prospects knocking on the door and is confident enough to stay with the flames, but not confident enough that he won't be spending time in the AHL next season.

If in fact Byron was testing the market and couldn't find a better deal, the Flames likely would have offered him a 2-way contract and not waste the dollars.

This is speculation and just 1 of many possibilities. It's not obvious what transpired because you don't know what happened behind the scenes.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I think you have some reading to do, please refer to the last 12 pages of this thread.

This was something that was best for the Flames and Byron. He gets a 1-way deal instead of a 2-way QO. He knows there is lots of prospects knocking on the door and is confident enough to stay with the flames, but not confident enough that he won't be spending time in the AHL next season.

If in fact Byron was testing the market and couldn't find a better deal, the Flames likely would have offered him a 2-way contract and not waste the dollars.

This is speculation and just 1 of many possibilities. It's not obvious what transpired because you don't know what happened behind the scenes.

The Flames could have offered him this deal weeks, heck months, ago.

The fact it comes after free agent frenzy and the Flames let Byron reach UFA indicates that he wasn't a top priority to make sure to keep around. I think there's far greater evidence that the Flames reassessed the team after free agent frenzy and decided that there was room for Byron than they decided not to qualify him because of the scary arbitration. Both are speculation, one makes much more sense.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

The Flames could have offered him this deal weeks, heck months, ago.

The fact it comes after free agent frenzy and the Flames let Byron reach UFA indicates that he wasn't a top priority to make sure to keep around. I think there's far greater evidence that the Flames reassessed the team after free agent frenzy and decided that there was room for Byron than they decided not to qualify him because of the scary arbitration. Both are speculation, one makes much more sense.

Why would the Flames mismanage assets like that though? Just because they like a player doesn't mean they will restrict their options or lose control and take a player to arbitration. They obviously thought highly enough of him if they thought he would file for arbitration instead of accept his Qualifying offer.

They likely talked to Byron and knew he would go for a 1-way contract instead. That seems like the most likely scenario to me.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Why would the Flames mismanage assets like that though? Just because they like a player doesn't mean they will restrict their options or lose control and take a player to arbitration. They obviously thought highly enough of him if they thought he would file for arbitration instead of accept his Qualifying offer.

They likely talked to Byron and knew he would go for a 1-way contract instead. That seems like the most likely scenario to me.

Are you unaware that the Flames and Byron could have signed any contract they wanted at anytime they wanted? If Byron was always happy with a 600,000 one way contract and the Flames were always happy with a 600,000 one way contract why didn't they just sign a 600,000 one way contract 2 weeks ago?

And argument of mismanaging assets gets thrown out the second Byron became a UFA. Any team was free to sign him, he was no long a Flames-only asset. I'm sure there was open communication and in the end it worked out probably for everyone but those speculating it was because the Flames were afraid of arbitration I don't think have much legs to stand on. The fact they let him become a UFA when they didn't have to has to show they weren't afraid of losing him.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

The Flames could have offered him this deal weeks, heck months, ago.

The fact it comes after free agent frenzy and the Flames let Byron reach UFA indicates that he wasn't a top priority to make sure to keep around. I think there's far greater evidence that the Flames reassessed the team after free agent frenzy and decided that there was room for Byron than they decided not to qualify him because of the scary arbitration. Both are speculation, one makes much more sense.

Byron, a serviceable utility player, on a near-league-minimum contract is a much greater asset than if he had been awarded a contract of, say, $850,000-1,000,000. It's not that they were 'scared' of arbitration. They're just being savvy & getting the player at the best value they can.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Just because someone doesn't understand Byron's arbitration comparables as well as Flames management do does not mean their reasoning about arbitration being a worry are false.

Did you see some of the arbitration awards lately for fringe players? Maybe you should go look them up before calling the Flames liars. I remember at least a couple that teams walked away from because they were absurd.

[flamesfever]

I guess another factor, in management's reluctance to offer a QO, is whether Byron's improvement in performance will continue, judging from the fact it has only happened over the past year. Also, the abundance of relatively smaller players probably played a significant part, in view of Burke's consistent emphasis on getting bigger as a team.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Just because someone doesn't understand Byron's arbitration comparables as well as Flames management do does not mean their reasoning about arbitration being a worry are false.

Exactly this.
They were not worried about losing the player. They may well have been a bit worried about what the player might be awarded in an arbitration hearing.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Byron must have a terrible agent...signing a one year deal for 40K less than what he got last year?

The way people talk around here, he could have signed a deal for 1 million easy on the FA market with lots of other teams in the league...

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Byron must have a terrible agent...signing a one year deal for 40K less than what he got last year?

Disagree.
With so many teams up against the cap, that 600k might be all the difference between finding a home somewhere other than Calgary.
If Gaudreau/Baertschi wind up playing any significant time in Calgary, Byron will not. He could be moved/sent down (and have to clear waivers). With a million dollar contract, potentially interested would be far less than at 600k, imo.

[TheDebaser]

I thought Byron was an RFA? If the flames want to sign him, doesn't he have to sign with the flames?

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by TheDebaser

I thought Byron was an RFA? If the flames want to sign him, doesn't he have to sign with the flames?

Because they didn't qualify him, they turned him into a UFA instead of an FA is my understanding. But subsequently, the Flames signed him as a UFA.

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by TheDebaser

I thought Byron was an RFA? If the flames want to sign him, doesn't he have to sign with the flames?

He was an RFA but the Flames didn't qualify him so he became a UFA.

[Completely]

I think they liked him, but they might have thought it was best for him to try FA make more money (potentially) with another team where he could have stuck somewhere. Might have been able to get more ice time with another team. But no offers and he just signed here instead.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Read Only

He was an RFA but the Flames didn't qualify him so he became a UFA.

And oddly enough he becomes a RFA again next summer.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Disagree.
With so many teams up against the cap, that 600k might be all the difference between finding a home somewhere other than Calgary.
If Gaudreau/Baertschi wind up playing any significant time in Calgary, Byron will not. He could be moved/sent down (and have to clear waivers). With a million dollar contract, potentially interested would be far less than at 600k, imo.

This.

Byron at $600,000 is more attractive as a utility player to more teams, including the Flames, than he would be at $700,000+. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal when the team is handing $3 million AAV to a 6th/7th defenceman, but the team benefits from these moments of frugality.

Byron signed here because he knows his role and knows he has a shot to play his way onto the team. The 1-way deal is also likely the biggest factor, and is probably worth quite a bit more to him than the money he missed out on in a qualifying offer.

I can't see him being part of the Flames longterm plan, but if he plays well over the course of the season he could be an interesting asset to shop around the league. A team really tight up to the cap could get a very cheap but talented support player. This signing has probably increased Paul Byron's trade value ever so slightly.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Byron must have a terrible agent...signing a one year deal for 40K less than what he got last year?

The way people talk around here, he could have signed a deal for 1 million easy on the FA market with lots of other teams in the league...

The one-way 600K contract is probably much more valuable than a 2-way 1 million contract to a guy like Byron who is trying to stick in the NHL.

As for 'getting another contract from lots of other teams in the league' - I don't think anyone is saying that. They are mostly talking about the arbitrator's possible decision. Though Byron is a useful utility player that I am sure would be on the radar of a number of teams, I don't think he would sign a contract much more (if even) than what the Flames gave him, but an arbitrator might.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Byron must have a terrible agent...signing a one year deal for 40K less than what he got last year?

The way people talk around here, he could have signed a deal for 1 million easy on the FA market with lots of other teams in the league...

But it's a one way. He is going to make 600k regardless. Since he will probably spend some time in the minors, he will make more money this year even though it is lower.