[Rumour] Friedman: Flames looking at Chris Stewart

[JohnnySkittles]

If it's for cheap I'm all for it, but otherwise no.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Honest question: Has Hartley ever NOT gotten a notoriously lazy player to turn their game around and be at least energetic and engaged?

The first one that comes to mind is Setoguchi who progressively showed more and more energy the more games he played, but he just didn't have the skill to do a damned thing. Before joining the Flames, Seto was notorious for being lazy, but when I watched him, he didn't look all that lazy, just... lost.

If the price really is a mid-level prospect and an AHL player, isn't there a distinct possibility that Stewart could pull it together under Hartley? Yes, it's a risk, but where is a guy like Max Reinhart going in this organization behind the likes of Monahan, Backlund, Bennett, Stajan, Granlund, and Jooris? Not far.

Like some of you, I'm torn on whether or not I want Stewart on the team. I'm a sucker for power forwards. I love them. But his reputation precedes him. At the price, I think it might be worth the risk.

Only a year left on his contract, if he doesn't pan out, no harm no foul.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

David Jones has more value than Chris Stewart. They are both in the same boat, where they were offered good contracts for 1/2 good years. I think Calgary gets hosed if D. Jones and Max are offered. Am I against D. Jones getting traded? No, but I like what I've seen from him thus far in the season.

Honestly, I hope we manage to get a d prospect from them included in the trade.

The problem with Jones is he still has term on a bad contract and it is only a matter of games before he is injured again. Stewart doesn't work out he is a ufa and we let him walk. Jones has not played bad but not near his cap hit, combine that with the fact he is made of glass and dumping him for anything is a win.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Like some of you, I'm torn on whether or not I want Stewart on the team. I'm a sucker for power forwards. I love them. But his reputation precedes him. At the price, I think it might be worth the risk.

I agree with your viewpoint. At this juncture I trust Hartley to be able to set a framework for a player, and for the locker room to respond appropriately. I don't think Stewart can disrupt this room, because the expectation has been set that if you play poorly, you sit. And no one will come over and listen to you whine or complain.

The biggest wild card for Stewart is how accurately the team is able assess his play over 40-50 games. Oddly enough, it's not a problem if he plays poorly, but there is a poker game if he plays ok (which I think is likely).

[PeteMoss]

No interest at all in Stewart. He's not young.. he's not going to change.

Even if he decides to try and puts together a big finish to the year - you end up giving him a contract and get stuck in a Semin/Hurricanes position where a lazy guy changed his spots for a brief spell, got a big contract and turned back into a pumpkin.

Who knows if he's even that good anymore... his last 20 goal season was 10-11.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Delusional or not, if it happens, everyone on this forum will think Treliving will be a genius! Right now, the Flames are in a great position to make a good trade, but not to go out and pick up another useless veteran wasting a spot in the lineup. This is what rebuilding's all about. If Buffalo wants Max Reinhart bad enough so that both brothers are on one team, then hey, let's get something going. It's not like the Flame are giving up crap with Stajan, Setogouchi, and Sven. It's not like Stewart brings all that much to the Flames besides the size factor at the moment. He also carries a $4M cap hit - pretty steep for someone who's really not doing much for the past few seasons.

The problem with that proposal was including Buffalo's first round pick. Any conversation from Calgary's end about that pick would need to start with Gaudreau or Bennett plus Calgary's first round pick, and even that probably wouldn't get it done. Not worth the risk from either party's side.

If you'd gone with something more like:

To Buffalo:
Reinhart + Stajan

To Calgary:
Chris Stewart + non-top 4 big d-man (that can skate, preferably)

That's much more approachable. Take Sven and negative value players like Setoguchi and Bollig out of the equation.

[JohnnySkittles]

Yeah... asking Buffalo for a 1st rounder is moronic.

[scottish_flame]

Originally Posted by JohnnySkittles

Yeah... asking Buffalo for a 1st rounder is moronic.

If you don't ask you don't get

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

The problem with that proposal was including Buffalo's first round pick. Any conversation from Calgary's end about that pick would need to start with Gaudreau or Bennett plus Calgary's first round pick, and even that probably wouldn't get it done. Not worth the risk from either party's side.

If you'd gone with something more like:

To Buffalo:
Reinhart + Stajan

To Calgary:
Chris Stewart + non-top 4 big d-man (that can skate, preferably)

That's much more approachable. Take Sven and negative value players like Setoguchi and Bollig out of the equation.

I don't mind that framework. What D are you thinking about?

[1_Flames_Fan]

While we are at it, lets trade to get Rene Bourque back again too.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I don't mind that framework. What D are you thinking about?

Chad Ruhwedel would fit the bill pretty well. Decent bottom pairing potential, right handed shot, has looked good in the AHL and some spot duty on the big team. Not a very big guy though. I think he'd be a better option than Diaz on the bottom pairing for Calgary, especially if Smid is out for a while.

[Buck Murdock]

the real question is...is Stewart post apex?

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Buck Murdock

the real question is...is Stewart post apex?

Hard to guess if a players best years are behind him or not.

http://news.ubc.ca/2014/05/15/nhl-study/

[saillias]

I'd prefer they recall Ferland or Poirier.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Chad Ruhwedel would fit the bill pretty well. Decent bottom pairing potential, right handed shot, has looked good in the AHL and some spot duty on the big team. Not a very big guy though. I think he'd be a better option than Diaz on the bottom pairing for Calgary, especially if Smid is out for a while.

There are elements in his game that remind me a bit of Kris Russell.

[Freeway]

Chad Ruhwedel is really good in a bottom-pair role.

[Tinordi]

Stewart sucks, next.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.

The biggest wild card for Stewart is how accurately the team is able assess his play over 40-50 games. Oddly enough, it's not a problem if he plays poorly, but there is a poker game if he plays ok (which I think is likely).

Nah. I don't think Stewart is capable of earning a long term contract at this point. 2 years max is my guess but you never know with the UFA market.

[McG]

draft and develop, draft and develop, draft and develop.

Why would we want UFAs that have shown a propensity to not care? we aren't at a stage where we get players to put us over the top, so why do that? and I certainly don't want bad attitudes around the team.

Stay the course. draft and develop.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by McG

draft and develop, draft and develop, draft and develop.

Why would we want UFAs that have shown a propensity to not care? we aren't at a stage where we get players to put us over the top, so why do that? and I certainly don't want bad attitudes around the team.

Stay the course. draft and develop.

Because sometimes when they go to a different team, they improve. Wideman is a great example, the Flames traded for his rights and then signed him and he's doing well here. Hudler had a bit of a bad rap when he left the wings and he's one of the leaders on this team. I'm sure there are lots of other examples on other teams too.

I think it all depends on what it would cost to trade for him and what it would cost to sign him. I think he'd do well on this team but I think other teams that are interested in him are going to be willing to make bad trades and over pay for him (I'm looking at you oilers....)