What To Do With Stajan?

[Robbob]

He is a very definition of a team player. I don't think that is overlooked at all by his team mates. I think if Glencross is on the verge of being traded from this team it is necessary to keep Stajan around for his veteran presence. There is absolutely value to Stajan (or even other players) that can not be measured by ice time, points, etc.

[Murph]

You need to normalize your stats. His ranking among forwards per 60 minutes of ice time are as follows:

- Blocked shots - 8th
- Takeaways - 7th
- Hits - 5th
- ES points - 11th (saddled with Bollig as his #1 linemate, ahead of Jooris and Byron)

Then add to that the fact that he:

- leads the team in faceoff percentage
- is a decent penalty killer
- is by all accounts, good in the room

What to do with Stajan? Absolutely nothing. Leave him where he is.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by Buff

I don't share the same concerns.

I looked up his production throughout the years and this year is very similar to 2011/12. That year, if I remember correctly, Sutter used Stajan on the 4th line, almost exclusively and there were plenty of people on CP wondering why he hated Stajan so much. This year Stajan is being used on the 4th line almost exclusively.

Stajan's most productive season in Calgary were the last two seasons under Bob Hartley. Bob used Stajan more during those seasons than he has this year. Stajan did perform at a higher ppg pace when he first arrived in Calgary but that wasn't a full season.

I don't think that being on the 4th line is a direct statement of Stajan's worth in the NHL, it is more of a statement of the depth on this team and the direction the Flames are taking. Monahan and Backlund are ahead of Stajan on the depth chart, so at best Stajan is a 3rd line forward. He is locked in on the 4th line this year because behind Monahan and Backlund we also have Colborne, Granlund and Jooris taking turns at center. We're in the stages of developing our younger players and putting those three guys on the 4th line on a regular basis isn't going to help them. Stajan is willing to play on the 4th line and seemingly without complaining so then why not put him in a role that he accepts? It helps your entire team makeup when players accept and perform their roles without complaint.

Also, the bit about Stajan taking the most penalties. Considering he has only 26 penalty minutes and the Flames are the lowest penalized team, I don't think this is an issue. 13 minor penalties is not a huge concern and nothing that is a detriment to the team.

I have gone through and read most of the posts in this thread and I think this encompasses my opinion the best. A year ago he was playing 1st or 2nd line minutes to help shelter Monahan and when we had injuries.

In my opinion it is a good fit. Just like those complaining about Byron not scoring on breakaways and such, he is a 4th liner, just like Stajan has become. He isn't meant to score a bunch of goals and put up the points. He is there to provide energy and play defense, PK, be a leader on what it takes to be a professional and I think he is good at that. The Flames brass really like him and it sounds like the guys in the room do as well.

If we want him traded or don't like what he brings, who do you trade for or who do you let play 4th line minutes for the rest of the season who brings everything that he brings?

He can play against top lines with better wingers and can be moved up the roster if needed. He is a good depth guy to have. I don't think the young guys bring that element right now.

[Vinny01]

He is an overpaid 4th line center who could easily lose his job to a prospect on the surface. Behind the scenes I get the impression he is a major glue guy in the room and have a positive impact on the team. With Monahan, Backlund, Jooris, Granlund, Bennett, Shore, Arnold etc. I am not sure what managements plans are for the last 3 years of his deal

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Murph

You need to normalize your stats. His ranking among forwards per 60 minutes of ice time are as follows:

- Blocked shots - 8th
- Takeaways - 7th
- Hits - 5th
- ES points - 11th (saddled with Bollig as his #1 linemate, ahead of Jooris and Byron)

Then add to that the fact that he:

- leads the team in faceoff percentage
- is a decent penalty killer
- is by all accounts, good in the room

What to do with Stajan? Absolutely nothing. Leave him where he is.

Agreed! Let him stay where he is until a bottom 6 centre pushes him out...either Jooris moves down as we add Bennett or Granlund to the top 9 or Arnold pushes him out from the farm. I see him being here for at least one more season.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I am not sure what managements plans are for the last 3 years of his deal

Sit back with a glass of Brandy, keep the cap hit managed as guys are up for extensions, continue to draft well, and let the internal competition drive playoff-level success.

Where does Stajan fit in? He probably gets moved in the last ~2 years of his deal, right when guys are up for extensions. He'll be an easy guy to move too IMO. Until then, if guys like Arnold/Shore start taking his roster spot, he'll be a healthy scratch. Usually on good teams healthy scratches are the consummate vets like Stajan who know their role, are willing to keep other guys accountable, and are good locker room guys.

[Murph]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

He is an overpaid 4th line center who could easily lose his job to a prospect on the surface. Behind the scenes I get the impression he is a major glue guy in the room and have a positive impact on the team. With Monahan, Backlund, Jooris, Granlund, Bennett, Shore, Arnold etc. I am not sure what managements plans are for the last 3 years of his deal

Of the bolded guys, name one who you both want in the fourth line role and who would do a better job in the performance of those duties. The answer is none of them. Ergo, you leave him where he is.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Robbob

He is a very definition of a team player.

Remember how everyone was saying that about McGrattan? How he was such a team player and so important in the dressing room?

Have we missed him at all? Has our performance suffered? I think these things get overblown at times. The product on the ice is what matters and Stajan has been delivering a sub-par product all year. There won't be room for this sub-par product next year.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Murph

Of the bolded guys, name one who you both want in the fourth line role and who would do a better job in the performance of those duties. The answer is none of them. Ergo, you leave him where he is.

FWIW, I think Bill Arnold is going to better Stajan. I'm really impressed with him. But it'll be a process as he gets brought into the NHL game. And of course there's Shore, who I don't know much about, though it sounds like Treliving brought him in exactly for that role.

Remember how everyone was saying that about McGrattan? How he was such a team player and so important in the dressing room?

Except Stajan is the ultimate team player on the ice. Hell, look at the Oilers game. Stajan was feeding Wolf and getting him going. that's exactly what you want out of your 4C, an ability to move the puck, defend, face off, and win puck battles along the boards. He might not create chances, but he's there to reward bottom line wingers in good position - he's been doing it all season for Byron, for Bouma, for Wolf, for Colborne. He's been our most agressive forechecker and you can't just ignore those things.

Would it be cool if Stajan were Patrice Bergeron instead? Sure. But let's get real. He's probably the best 4th line center the flames have iced in a long, long time and here people want his head because he's paid a lot - even though anybody could tell you he's more movable than Smid, Engelland, Bollig, Raymond.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

He is an overpaid 4th line center who could easily lose his job to a prospect on the surface. Behind the scenes I get the impression he is a major glue guy in the room and have a positive impact on the team. With Monahan, Backlund, Jooris, Granlund, Bennett, Shore, Arnold etc. I am not sure what managements plans are for the last 3 years of his deal

He will be the 4th line guy until somebody takes it away from him.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Remember how everyone was saying that about McGrattan? How he was such a team player and so important in the dressing room?

Have we missed him at all? Has our performance suffered? I think these things get overblown at times. The product on the ice is what matters and Stajan has been delivering a sub-par product all year. There won't be room for this sub-par product next year.

The big difference between Stajan and McGrattan is that McGrattan cannot skate, and is barely able to play the game at the NHL level. Stajan is still a very dependable player, and I think you exaggerate the correlation between his production and his performance for this season. He isn't going anywhere this year, nor probably next year, which is just fine because unlike McGrattan, he DOES NOT hurt the team on the ice.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Remember how everyone was saying that about McGrattan? How he was such a team player and so important in the dressing room?

Have we missed him at all? Has our performance suffered? I think these things get overblown at times. The product on the ice is what matters and Stajan has been delivering a sub-par product all year. There won't be room for this sub-par product next year.

They kept McGrattan around long enough that his lack of on-ice role also diminished his locker room presence. I recall it being mentioned on FAN 960 that they were reluctant to send him down earlier because of the impact he had on the dressing room. I don't believe the result of him not playing lessening his impact in the room was by design.

I know you're not suggesting it, but just because they sent down McGrattan and things turned out okay doesn't mean that they can now look for a Stajan trade tomorrow, and maybe a Glencross trade at the deadline, and maybe Raymond too, and toss out Smid and Engelland while you're at it. They have a good locker room right now and they want to minimize the impact they subtract from it. Any moves of the veterans is going to be well thought out before happening.

[GreenLantern2814]

For the life of me, I can't figure out how someone with Stajan's life experiences and skillset could possibly help a team in its infancy. OP is probably right; to the waiver wire with him.

[savardandjokinen]

Trade him.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

For the life of me, I can't figure out how someone with Stajan's life experiences and skillset could possibly help a team in its infancy...

Because team building is something that doesn't entirely occur on the ice. It is probably just as simple as the fact that he is a great guy that people are drawn to and respect. Sometimes that's enough.

[saillias]

Feels like a pretty normal StajanSeason by my eye.

And a fairly normal career path of an average post-30 player.

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

One year from today, after Bennett's arrival and play, we're going to bump this thread and create 3 more "Jooris", "Backlund" and "Granlund".

Can't fit them all in, none of them are better on the wing vs current wing options.

Get ready!

[CSharp]

Stajan is doing pretty well in a Hartley system - way better than when he first came to the Flames within a Brent Sutter system. If the Flames can make a deal to get the Flames greater depth talent down the center for Stajan, do it. Otherwise, he's OK on the team. I don't think it's great value to trade Stajan on a one-to-one deal. If a deal goes through, he'll be packaged in a mega deal, just like how Flames/Leafs deal went through.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Because team building is something that doesn't entirely occur on the ice. It is probably just as simple as the fact that he is a great guy that people are drawn to and respect. Sometimes that's enough.

I was pathologically not serious about that.

[442scotty]

I like Stajan but the sheer numbers of quality young guys that will be ready to play by next year dictates that he will be moved next year along with at least 3 other players and we will still have some great vets only they will be 25-27 instead of over 30