[Trade] Hudler traded to Florida for 2016 2nd + 2018 4th round picks

[devo22]

pretty fair deal. Was hoping for a prospect along the 2nd or getting the second pick in 2016 as well, but I'm fine with this. Pretty much market value.

Good luck Huds, loved having that guy on the Flames for 4 years. Rooting for the Panthers now!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

With the extra contract spot, the Flames could negotiate a deal with Derek grant for next season. give him a tryout with the main roster and don't risk losing him to UFA

Flames will have plenty of contract room, regardless

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It's an awful return. But at least they get something, and more importantly didn't pay premium dollars to extend the player. Now to off Jones, Russell, Hiller, Wideman, Engelland, Smid, Bolling, Backlund, Frolik, Bouma, Cobourne, Giordano, Monahan....basically anyone who's not Gaudrea, Bennet, Brodie, or Hamilton.

Simmer down fella

[dino7c]

Purcell has basically the same numbers THIS YEAR and he got a 3rd so...cheer up

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Fair value.

Hudler nowhere near as valuable as the much bigger, stronger, faster and more physical Ladd. Most teams look to add size/strength/physicality heading into the playoffs based on the prices we've seen so far and based on what thrives in playoff hockey.

These 2nd rounders become valuable chips heading up to the draft
-you can trade them for 2nd liners, depth defensemen, and goalies. Giguere and Kiprusoff both moved for seconds before establishing themselves as starters so we could use it to help solve our goaltending problems potentially
-you can use them to move up in the draft. Extra picks may help us move up from #4 or #5 to #2 or #3 if the right situation presents itself.
-you can grab great prospects with them

I was expecting a 2nd for Hudler so a 2nd and a 4th for moving him 2 days before the deadline and retaining no salary seems very fair.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Flames will have plenty of contract room, regardless

Yeah, Derek Grant is taking up a contract spot at the moment. No need to trade someone to free one up for him.

[T@T]

Decent return but as in all UFA trades would have liked a re-signing bonus attached, make the 4th another 2nd if he resigns.

[JohnnyHockey]

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

age, playing style...2nd rounder isn't table scraps and the Flames 2 best players were 4th rounders

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Russell will go for far more as defensemen are rarer and more valuable at the deadline then small, slower, skill scoring forwards. Defensive depth in general seems to be more highly valued by GMs and coaches then extra scoring depth.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

Ladd is more of a complete package; has size and (more) tenacity. Hudler does not have that size and has seemed to be slower this year by all accounts

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

Because they are completely different players, performance, etc? Am I missing something? DId you actually think that Hudler would get the same return as Ladd??

[sun]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

GRIT, duh.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

He's a better player, all around. Hudler is more dynamic offensively but that's it. Ladd was the Jets captain and will be a leader on the Hawks, a team he's already won the cup with.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Anyone very upset about the return on this trade has some serious Flames goggles on. Hudler was a popular player (one of the few vets that are these day) with the fan base, therefore automatically the fans value him more than he's actually worth. Reverse was true of Glencross last year (although that trade was a major win by BT). The return for Huds certainly was no win, but it also isn't a loss, it's simply fair value.

Biggest thing, not that it was in doubt, is that the org made the right long term decision on this particular asset.

[Mike F]

I'm looking at the current Flames lineup and seeing no true top 6 scoring right wingers. . . .

I'm looking at the Flames organizational depth chart and seeing no one that's more than a hope & prayer of being a true top 6 scoring right winger next season, which is one where most of us expected the Flames to be rounding into more than a bubble team. . . .

And I just watched the Flames peddle off a legitimate top 6 scoring winger for a couple of picks without having ever reached out to him to see if he could be brought back on a deal to bridge the team to whatever comes next.

That's why I'm underwhelmed. I don't see the plan.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

I'd rather have Ladd than Huds heading into the playoffs.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Psytic

He was gifted Hamilton to spite the Oil as I recall, so really anybody sitting in his seat as the Flames GM could of pulled it off.

...except someone who writes "could of". If you can't write English, I can't believe that you could pull off anything.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Flames will have plenty of contract room, regardless

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Yeah, Derek Grant is taking up a contract spot at the moment. No need to trade someone to free one up for him.

I figured Calgary was hovering around 49 contracts (like most teams?), thought Grant was on an AHL contract.

How many contracts do the Flames have now that Hudler's gone? 46? 47?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHockey

Why does Ladd fetch a Kings ransom but Hudler only pulls table scraps?

Size, strength, speed, physicality edge on Hudler. Most teams are looking are looking to upgrade those areas heading into the playoffs because it is tighter checking and more physical. The playoffs are a grind and you want as many big bodies grinding down the other team as possible. Ladd gives you that ideal skill/size/strength/skating package that every team is looking for.

Hudler has tremendous skill and intelligence but at his size and skating ability his game is more easily shut down in the tighter checking and more physical playoffs.