2014/2015 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[FightinSioux]

Originally Posted by ah123

Ribeiro actually mentioned in an interview that he did not want to go to a place where the spotlight would be on him (i.e. hockey crazed city), because he needed to sort out his personal life. IIRC, those comments came out after he was bought out by Phoenix

I agree with the he point stated but at the time do you honestly think management thought this was a playoff team? Dating back to last years draft....I would say no. They believed it was a team on the rise/going the right direction but not a playoff team. Am I happy the way things are going...yes but adding another top prospect to the core at the time would've been amazing.

[Incogneto]

Originally Posted by heep223

Problem is that we're going to be dealing with our own potential cap issues the following season (2016-17)....

This is incorrect.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

If we just keep the roster we have right now, we will still have approx $19M in cap to spend in '17-'18. Plenty of room for one more short term, high dollar player.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

This is incorrect.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

If we just keep the roster we have right now, we will still have approx $19M in cap to spend in '17-'18. Plenty of room for one more short term, high dollar player.

Yeah, there is no real problems on the horizon cap-wise. We're positioned extremely well (so long as we don't get stupid during free agency).

[Robbob]

I was looking at the contracts and Burke is right, the compliance buyouts have gotten rid of the majority of them. There aren't that many contracts that are absolute anchors. Semin and Phaneuf I think are the big ones. I just don't think the Flames will be able to cash in on the free cap space they have. That being said July 1st is right around the corner so the next mistake is in the process of being made.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I was looking at the contracts and Burke is right, the compliance buyouts have gotten rid of the majority of them. There aren't that many contracts that are absolute anchors. Semin and Phaneuf I think are the big ones. I just don't think the Flames will be able to cash in on the free cap space they have. That being said July 1st is right around the corner so the next mistake is in the process of being made.

Mike Richards, Bryan Bickel and David Clarkson (I know he got traded, but still.. it was a weird situation that will never happen again) are just a few off the top of my head.

[sureLoss]

Lecavalier, Semin

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I was looking at the contracts and Burke is right, the compliance buyouts have gotten rid of the majority of them. There aren't that many contracts that are absolute anchors. Semin and Phaneuf I think are the big ones. I just don't think the Flames will be able to cash in on the free cap space they have. That being said July 1st is right around the corner so the next mistake is in the process of being made.

I don't think new contracts would work very well. There is no use taking a bad contract that will last more than a couple years. By that time your only hurting yourself really.

[sureLoss]

Marc Brassard reporting that Brian Murray said he has no intention of buying out the contracts of Legwand and Greening and hopes to move them out with a goalie (i.e. Anderson or Lehner)

[Sample00]

I must be the only person that has Beezley's voice in side my head saying the prospective players name and if it sounds right, then yup he's good. And if it doesnt sound right, we shouldnt trade for him.

TEEEEE JAAYYYYY OSSSSHIEEEEEEE!! yup, sounds right. Hello St. Louis?
MIKE RIEBERRROOOO...nope. doesnt sound right.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I know these are just numbers to us since it is someone else's money. But imagine being an owner and you give the ok to buyout Ribeiro. You are writing a $12mm cheque (actually 6x$2mm) for the 12th overall pick. That is what either the coyotes owners or the flames were going to do. Pre-tax, but still. That is a big bloody number for a draft pick that could be a dud. Hat tip to Calgary owners for offering to pay for that.

If I'm a billionaire I probably wouldn't mind if my goal is to win a Stanley Cup. Not all owners are willing though so I do appreciate that from our ownership group. It's an investment in a way. An expensive risk but if the player pans out you'll more than make the money back most likely.

[mikephoen]

Dustin Brown has a brutal contract.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

Dustin Brown has a brutal contract.

Drives me nuts, I was a pretty big fan early in his career. Now he is a useless diver.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

This is incorrect.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

If we just keep the roster we have right now, we will still have approx $19M in cap to spend in '17-'18. Plenty of room for one more short term, high dollar player.

Some things the spreadsheet doesn't take into account:


1.) Mark Giordano is going to be paid

Judging by what CP thinks, he'll be getting a raise of $3M to somewhere around 7-7.5M AAV. Potentially even higher.

+$3M in cap for 2016-17.

2.) Johnny and Mony

They'll be getting the biggest raises. Sure, you can bridge them but it'll put you in an even worse cap hell later. And we already consider them part of the core moving forward, so I would be expecting like $5-6M AAV each... a massive hike up from their ELC's.

+$10-12M in cap for 2016-17.

3.) Jiri Hudler will probably stay

I think the Flames have recognized the stellar job he's done mentoring our two prize rookies, and will continue to do that as long as he can score at a competent pace. I see Hudler staying in Calgary... probably not retiring here, but at least another few years at a similar cap hit.

+$4M in cap for 2016-17.

4.) Kris Russell might too

Russell is worth every bit of his $2.6M contract right now especially after he stepped up so well in the absence of Giordano. So when his current contract ends he'll probably want a respectable raise as well. It won't be a ridiculous amount, and since he's from Caroline he might even give us a hometown discount.

+$4M in cap for 2016-17.


5.) Goalie Situation after 2015-16

As you pointed out, we will have Ortio and probably one other goalie, likely from free agency or trade. I don't think Gillies will be ready for the NHL until like 1 pro season.

Ortio will be likely ready to be our starter in 2016-17. So he'll get a raise to probably like $2-3M AAV. Our UFA/trade backup is harder to predict, but we'll just say $2M for now.


+$4M in cap for 2016-17.


6.) RFA's that will be staying
I noticed you listed some players that you expect to be gone/traded. So I'll assume that the other RFAs on your list that haven't been mentioned already will stay and likely get raises.

Granlund - Probably minor raise, from 767K to probably 900K. Negligible.
Colborne - Raise by $1M (unless he really sucks next year)
Wotherspoon - Raise by $1M

7.) Smid's situation

Between retiring and not getting paid vs LTIR and getting paid.... I think it's safe to assume he's not *officially* retiring - which means he'll be paid what his contract says. I think the Flames will put him on LTIR so the cap isn't an issue during the season. However, IIRC he would still count towards the year-end cap, LTIR or not.

+$3.5M in cap for 2016-17.



Adding it up, that's already around $30M of cap the Flames will be looking to add in 2016-17. If we sign free agents to replace Jones and Bollig, then we'll be edging dangerously close to the cap limit that year.

[BrownDrake]

I like Hudler but he will be tough to sign. He put up over 70 points, yes career year but someone will pay him and he's at the age he will be looking for at least a 4 or 5 year term. If flames can sign him to a two year for 5.5 per we would be lucky. I think getting bigger and tougher to play against means he's not around here for this teams prime years in 3 to 5 years out. Would be a mistake I think to sign him to a 4 or 5 year term. In two years there's a good chance we will have over 18 million tied up in Mony, Gaudreau and Bennett.

He's not signing for 4 million after the year he just had. Probably traded at draft or at deadline.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I was looking at the contracts and Burke is right, the compliance buyouts have gotten rid of the majority of them. There aren't that many contracts that are absolute anchors. Semin and Phaneuf I think are the big ones. I just don't think the Flames will be able to cash in on the free cap space they have. That being said July 1st is right around the corner so the next mistake is in the process of being made.

Eric Brewer was the last cap dump move made at the deadline and Toronto got a 5th for taking on his salary. Can't see anything else happening of any significant magnitude. Teams would rather buy out contracts at the 2/3 amount instead of giving up high draft picks. Getting valued assets in exchange for bad contracts ranks up there with Leprechauns and the Loch Ness Monster. Legendary concepts that will doubtfully be proven to exist.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

I like Hudler but he will be tough to sign. He put up over 70 points, yes career year but someone will pay him and he's at the age he will be looking for at least a 4 or 5 year term. If flames can sign him to a two year for 5.5 per we would be lucky. I think getting bigger and tougher to play against means he's not around here for this teams prime years in 3 to 5 years out. Would be a mistake I think to sign him to a 4 or 5 year term. In two years there's a good chance we will have over 18 million tied up in Mony, Gaudreau and Bennett.

He's not signing for 4 million after the year he just had. Probably traded at draft or at deadline.

You can't expect a rookie or a youngster to step into his spot and produce the way he has though. So you'd be looking to either land a legit top 6 winger via trade or free agency, both of which would probably mean a lot of salary being doled out anyways.

The safer and likelier option is just to give Hudler a raise and some term. He's 31, not 36. I see Hudler, Stajan (then Backs) and Gio being the long-term vets of the Flames, whereas others would be moved out. Then you have a veteran to mentor the wingers, another for centers, another for defencemen.

[BrownDrake]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

You can't expect a rookie or a youngster to step into his spot and produce the way he has though. So you'd be looking to either land a legit top 6 winger via trade or free agency, both of which would probably mean a lot of salary being doled out anyways.

The safer and likelier option is just to give Hudler a raise and some term. He's 31, not 36. I see Hudler, Stajan (then Backs) and Gio being the long-term vets of the Flames, whereas others would be moved out. Then you have a veteran to mentor the wingers, another for centers, another for defencemen.

I'm not saying to drop in another rookie. You can't have 4 forwards making 24 million, sign Hudler if you can for two years, I'm saying he is likely going to require term and we can't do that. Benoit Pouliot is signed for 4 years 4 million per - 40 point guy, have a look at comparable players and Hudler is going to get closer to 6 on a 4 or 5 year contract.

[Reign of Fire]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

I like Hudler but he will be tough to sign. He put up over 70 points, yes career year but someone will pay him and he's at the age he will be looking for at least a 4 or 5 year term. If flames can sign him to a two year for 5.5 per we would be lucky. I think getting bigger and tougher to play against means he's not around here for this teams prime years in 3 to 5 years out. Would be a mistake I think to sign him to a 4 or 5 year term. In two years there's a good chance we will have over 18 million tied up in Mony, Gaudreau and Bennett.

He's not signing for 4 million after the year he just had. Probably traded at draft or at deadline.

Am I wrong, but didn't Hudler sign a four year deal this year?

[BrownDrake]

Originally Posted by Reign of Fire

Am I wrong, but didn't Hudler sign a four year deal this year?

Hudler has one year left at 4 and then a UFA.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

I'm not saying to drop in another rookie. You can't have 4 forwards making 24 million, sign Hudler if you can for two years, I'm saying he is likely going to require term and we can't do that. Benoit Pouliot is signed for 4 years 4 million per - 40 point guy, have a look at comparable players and Hudler is going to get closer to 6 on a 4 or 5 year contract.

What's your reasoning behind this?

2016-17 cap is tight, yes. But off the books the very next year in 2017-18:
$2.90M - Engelland
$3.15M - Raymond
$3.50M - Smid
$5.25M - Wideman

And this is assuming we already gave Hudler a raise the year prior.


It's pretty safe to assume that the first three will be pushed out by the youngsters by the end of 2016. And I think Wideman will be traded in his UFA year while his value is still high. Even if he doesn't - that's still a generous extra $10M to do the one really pressing matter that offseason: Sam Bennett gets term and a hefty raise. Once that's done, there's your Flames core (Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett) locked up for a long time right there. Other contracts or players are a secondary matter - the term on those contracts will not be long enough to affect the Flames cap situation long term.