Spector: Kris Russell would net a 2nd line forward for sure

[sureLoss]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/w...ut-of-chances/

“Everyone is looking for defencemen,” one scout said this past week. “There simply aren’t enough NHL defenceman to service 30 teams. Especially Top six.” An exercise his team did in the offseason was to count the number of legit No. 1 defencemen in the game today. “We came up with 11.”

Calgary needs scoring as well. If they and the Blues can part with a quality D-man, expect a ton of interest, led by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Blues GM Doug Armstrong would prefer to move Carl Gunnarsson, a No. 4-5 defenceman and pending UFA, but that would only bring back a Cam Atkinson-type player, should he deal with the Jackets. If St. Louis wants a Top 6 forward in return, they may dangle Shattenkirk, who has one year left on his deal beyond 2015-16.

In Calgary, pending UFA Kris Russell would fetch a second-line forward for sure. Chicago might be sniffing around the Flames for some defensive depth — they likely can’t afford Russell under their cap. You can bet the Hawks are trying to peddle big, disappointing winger Bryan Bickell, who has been on the market since summertime.

[GranteedEV]

So.. Ryan Johansen because he's so out of shape he's just a 2nd line player?

[dustygoon]

Blues aren't trading Shattenkirk. Spector is turning into more of a blowhard than before. Click bait.

[calgaryblood]

Calgary doesn't need scoring we need defence. Sure our defence is great on paper but that hasn't translated yet. And we haven't had trouble scoring for a while yet the media still portrays us as a low scoring team.

[Yoho]

If we are not going to re-sign Kris I'm all for it.

[robaur]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Calgary doesn't need scoring we need defence. Sure our defence is great on paper but that hasn't translated yet. And we haven't had trouble scoring for a while yet the media still portrays us as a low scoring team.

Have you not watched the games? Flames are in dire need of scoring depth. We only go as far as Gaudreau/Monahan/Hudler take us right now.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Blues aren't trading Shattenkirk. Spector is turning into more of a blowhard than before. Click bait.

Not saying you are wrong, but the Shattenkirk rumors came out this summer from St. Louis beat reporters. Not like he is completely pulling it out of his ass.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Calgary doesn't need scoring we need defence. Sure our defence is great on paper but that hasn't translated yet. And we haven't had trouble scoring for a while yet the media still portrays us as a low scoring team.

One of the lowest scoring teams this year, though it is admittedly too early to make any declaration

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Calgary doesn't need scoring we need defence. Sure our defence is great on paper but that hasn't translated yet. And we haven't had trouble scoring for a while yet the media still portrays us as a low scoring team.

24th in goals in this young season @ only 2.14 goals/game, and almost all of them have come from the top line. I know it is early, but that certainly looks like a number which belongs to a team that is struggling to score.

The Flames scoring from last season was courtesy of some lofty, unexpected, and very surprising contributors: Bouma's 18 goals, Jooris's 12, and piles of scoring from defensemen. There are real concerns about how some of these are going to be replaced this season, and I think the addition of Frolik and Hamilton, and a full season of Sam Bennett do help. However, this is likely still a team that is not yet an offensive juggernaut. I expect the Flames to fall to middle of the pack in scoring this year, and yes, they absolutely could use another top-six player on the roster.

[Moneyhands23]

That's cool, but are we talking a young 2nd line player?

[Finger Cookin]

Even without looking at the underlying numbers, I think it's fair to say this year's team is missing a top-6 winger. Adding one would give this team a really balanced/deep lineup. Candidates for filling the role internally are Colborne and Raymond, IMO.

Just looking at the salary structure of the team going forward, I'd hope that Wideman would go before Russell.

Balancing this year's needs vs. medium to long term needs will be a good challenge for Treliving as the season unfolds.

[Harry Lime]

Russell may be just a starting point, but with all of the talk surrounding Kerby Rychel, remember that Columbus has other promising 2-way players in Alexander Wennberg and William Karlsson. With the hiring of Torts, Columbus wants a playoff spot sooner rather than later.

Calgary has a few players that Columbus would covet.

[Bs&Cs]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Blues aren't trading Shattenkirk. Spector is turning into more of a blowhard than before. Click bait.

Shattenkirk, who's a free agent after next season may not be a player who they're shopping but one has to think they'd listen if the right deal came along. St Louis is not only a budget team, but has a huge chunk of the cap locked up in just a handful of players. Stastny, Steen, Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester, Tarasenko- that's almost 40 million right there. If they want to resign their captain that makes it even more complicated.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Even without looking at the underlying numbers, I think it's fair to say this year's team is missing a top-6 winger. Adding one would give this team a really balanced/deep lineup. Candidates for filling the role internally are Colborne and Raymond, IMO.

If Bouma finds a way to improve on his previous season he'd count. Ferland has that potential too. Tough starts for both, but then again it was a tough start for the whole team.

We'll see how the season develops. I'd call them both longshots, but less so than Raymond.

[Finger Cookin]

Ferland definitely has that long term potential, but I think it will take a while. Bouma, I'm not as sure. He seems like a great bottom six guy, but I don't think the overall talent is there to be a bona fide top 6 guy. He may slot in there out of necessity, but that's only because of a lack of options IMO.

And with Raymond, I named him more out of a "wouldn't it be nice if he put it together" kind of way. I should have been clearer about that. He has the skating and the hands to be a top 6 guy. He just can't be consistent enough to be a viable medium/long term option.

It would solve some short term problems if things clicked for him this season though.

[Yoho]

I really hope we can do better than Bouma on the second line long term.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Calgary doesn't need scoring we need defence. Sure our defence is great on paper but that hasn't translated yet. And we haven't had trouble scoring for a while yet the media still portrays us as a low scoring team.

Disagree with this post. I feel the Flames only have 4 legit top 6 forwards today (Monahan, Gaudreau, Hudler, Frolik) I hope Bennett gets there but that remains to be seen.

This team does have 5 top 4 D and our #2 has been missing all year. You say we need defense well Brodie is retuning. There are no top 6 forwards retuning to this team any time soon

[saillias]

Spector assures us Russell could net a 2nd line forward, then he brings up the Blackhawks, the fact they can't afford Russell's cheap UFA contract because they're permanently in cap hell, and offers up Bryan Bickell. Gimme a break.

Bryan Bickell
2nd line forward

Pick one.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by saillias

Spector assures us Russell could net a 2nd line forward, then he brings up the Blackhawks, the fact they can't afford Russell's cheap UFA contract because they're permanently in cap hell, and offers up Bryan Bickell. Gimme a break.

Bryan Bickell
2nd line forward

Pick one.

I don't think he was suggesting the Flames would trade Russell for Bickell. He was just suggesting that if Chicago wanted to make any moves they need to dump Bickell first.

[FBI]

Wideman looked pretty good with Gio. Maybe he won't be gone before Russell.