Is Dennis Wideman Tradeable this Summer?

[Vulcan]

I agree with FDW about Wideman. I think his problem this season is that Hamilton has taken his position on the second pairing and to some extent on the PP. It probably gnaws at him a little, causing his play to drop but put in the right situation he can be a valuable addition to some teams. It would be nice to get a scoring forward for him.

[Huntingwhale]

One upon a time Jay Bouwmeester was a Flames and people wanted him gone for a bag of pucks. 6.8 mil cap hit and was deemed untradable due to his lackluster play and high cap hit. Hartley came on board, used him in a different role and he went on to have a great season and was traded for a decent return.

I don't see why the same can't be done for Wideman. Yes he's had a horrible year and the suspension was icing on the cake. But last season he was 4th in D scoring, was a legit PPQB, and was a solid top 4 player. Hopefully he can have a bounce-back year next season and up his trade value.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Then you look at what Russell got as a rental and Wideman's value goes way up come March next year.

So you waste another year just so you can get a better return for Dennis Wideman? Because playing Dennis Wideman in a role where he will garner a similar return as Russell will put us in a losing situation. Wideman should be munching on popcorn most nights, not playing in a top four role where he can cost us games.

[Gaudfather]

I think Treliving should be able to move Wideman as part of a larger trade package. One that sees a goalie coming back to Calgary.

His offensive production has been much poorer this year, and his defensive game doesn't make up for it - so would not be bothered by a trade. Likely happens around the free agency deadline if it is going to.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Also worth considering... Sorry for the multi post, but there is no need to move him. There is no RHD at the door in the system. The flames have a massive amount of cap space to play with. I did a quick look at general fanager and would guess that they'll have about 7-7.5 in free cap space after re signing gaudreau, monahan and colborne. Need two goalies and a bunch of depth/entry level guys which should be easy especially if ortio is 1.

Unless they want to add a big piece, there's no need to clear space, especially with another 15 mil or so off the books next year.

We are currently heavy on RHD. Wideman, Hamilton, Engelland, Nakladal. There may be none coming up but we also don't necessarily need 4 of them for next year. I think we move one of Wideman/Engelland and I think I'd rather keep Engelland. As a physical defensive d-men he's a rarer commodity on our blue line.

I do think we'd ideally like to try and add a big piece. A 1st or 2nd line scorer through trade/UFA. So I do think you need to move one of Wideman/Engelland for salary reasons and Wideman makes more. Wideman is being paid like a top 4 D but for us in terms of performance he's been bottom pairing. On a team where he's solidly top 4 his salary makes more sense. We don't really need him for the PP because I think Gio, Brodie, Hamilton and Nakladal are as good or better right now on the PP. So he makes more sense on a team that actually needs him to play 1st PP unit and is lacking a big, RH shot.

There'll be a team out there looking for what he provides this summer. I think it makes a lot of sense to move him. He's overpaid for what we need him for but he could make a lot more sense in another team's salary structure. Some teams are lacking right hand point shots for the power play.

[MarkGio]

If the Flames see value in retaining a few million dollars, Wideman is tradeable. My gut says unless the Flames get a 1st round pick in return (ie, thinking Wideman the player + 2.5million is worth a 1st) they'd rather cheap out and have Wideman take minutes from someone even if that someone could be better. Only if Wideman is not better than anyone else would they consider burying him.

[indes]

I would be okay next season going in with:

Brodie-Hamilton
Gio - Wideman
Kevin - Nakladal
Wotherspoon

I think getting rid of Engelland should be more of a priority than Wideman.

[Vinny01]

One of the biggest problems with the team right now is the amount of money spent on marginal players. Wideman, Smid, Engellend have been our 5-7 D most of the season and make $11.67 on the cap next year. I would prefer that bottom 3 to be Jokkipakka, Nakladal, and Wotherspoon who will make around $4M total next year. That would leave the Flames $7.67M to get a #4D and help upfront.

Unfortunately the problem is also taking place up front. Stajan could be replaced by someone in Stockton for 1/3 the price. Bollig is making $1.2 and is a every other game type player that is easily expendable. Raymond makes $3.15 and is in the AHL.

Get rid of those 3D and those 3 forwards and nearly $18M in space would be available to address other needs and get this team back in the playoffs fairly quickly.

I definitely think Wideman is trade able at the draft or worst case the deadline next year

[Flames Draft Watcher]

We aren't going to get rid of every veteran leader. Sure veterans usually look like bad deals in comparison to entry level players but we can afford to overpay a couple guys marginally.

I think Stajan is diminished in effectiveness lately but I still think they may keep him around for veteran leadership. There is some value to that. I think they really like Engelland's leadership too and I think that is one area he gets underrated in by some fans. I think he's been great on the bottom pairing and isn't really significantly overpaid IMO. I think it makes a ton of sense to keep Engelland as one of the vets on the backend along with Gio. Engelland and Jokipakka are the only two physical defensemen, it's important to have at least a couple guys who are big, strong and physical.

Bollig is harped on too much IMO. He's like our pseudo-enforcer, doesn't seem to complain about getting scratched, makes the little guys on the team feel safer. Isn't he a good 13th or 14th forward? 1.2 million is not that far ahead of guys on entry level deals, we don't save very much at all by replacing him and who would replace his role exactly? I'd rather he be sitting in the press box when everyone is healthy than some young kids.

Raymond I think we'd like to get rid of any way possible.

My stance on Wideman is well represented earlier in this thread. I think he makes the most sense to move of any of the veterans that have been mentioned.

Overall I think some fans get a little too concerned about having cap friendly deals at every single possible position and underrate the contribution to the room that having a few veterans brings. Because of the way the NHL system works veterans have less efficient, less cap friendly contracts. But that doesn't mean you can just get rid of all of them, or that they are all massively overpaid. A few of them are slightly overpaid IMO and that isn't a big deal. The Flames paying Wideman 5+ million to be a bottom pairing level defenseman for them is probably the biggest overpayment on our team right now.

[Locke]

If someone was willing to offer assets in exchange for Justin Schultz then Wideman is infinitely tradeable.

[TheOnlyBilko]

Originally Posted by Svartsengi

I read this suggestion on that other board.

What other board?

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Also worth considering... Sorry for the multi post, but there is no need to move him. There is no RHD at the door in the system. The flames have a massive amount of cap space to play with. I did a quick look at general fanager and would guess that they'll have about 7-7.5 in free cap space after re signing gaudreau, monahan and colborne. Need two goalies and a bunch of depth/entry level guys which should be easy especially if ortio is 1.

Unless they want to add a big piece, there's no need to clear space, especially with another 15 mil or so off the books next year.

With the loss of Hudler, they need to upgrade right wing, even if they draft one of the Finnish wingers.

[Illuminaughty]

I don't see Wideman waiving his NTC until the trade deadline next year. He will be a UFA next summer. It makes most sense for him to wait and see what teams are contenders and might be willing to re-sign him in the summer if he has a good playoffs.

The writing is on the wall for Widedog as a Flame, he'll use his NTC to find a good landing spot for himself.

[Bourque's Twin]

Wideman was a very good player 12 months ago. In fact, one of the most effective D in the league. He's had a bad year but he has consistently been a 0.5 PPG player. That would put him in the top 30 in NHL D scoring this season. That's certainly #2 PP worthy, which has value. He's a veteran who's logged big minutes in big games. Most importantly he's got 1 year left on his contract. I think he's moved for good value next trade deadline if the Flames aren't in the hunt, but not moved this summer.

Giordano, Brodie, Hamilton, and Wideman will be the top 4. Engelland, Nak, Joki, Smid, and the fringe guys will duke it out for the bottom 2. In my opinion, those fringe guys have to prove that they deserve top 4 minutes before being given them.

The only reason to trade Wideman this summer is if the Flames can acquire a top 4 guy who's better and younger.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

The only reason to trade Wideman this summer is if the Flames can acquire a top 4 guy who's better and younger.

Only reason?

Cap space is another reason. And him not playing well enough to actually make our top 4 defense is another reason. I can see Jokipakka being relied up more and more and end up partnering with Hamilton to make that 2nd pair next season. It would be nice to have a physical, defensive defenseman on the 2nd pairing to let Dougie jump up and help him in the D zone. Ideally we'd have a physical, defensive defenseman on the 3rd pairing as well (Engelland). Paying Wideman 5+ million to play on the bottom pairing is not efficient and we really don't need him on the PP with Gio, Hamilton, Brodie and Nakladal.

If the Flames wanna make a big UFA pitch or trade some picks/prospects for a 1st/2nd line winger they're gonna need some more cap space because too much is being spent on defense at the moment.

Giordano-Brodie
Jokipakka-Hamilton
Wotherspoon/Kulak-Nakladal/Engelland

I'd be pretty happy to start next season with that defense and it would save us 4+ million.

[Illuminaughty]

If we could somehow get rid of Wideman this summer and trade for Hammonic, we'd be set on D for a years. Not sure what it would take to get him, quite a bit I'd Imagine.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

If we could somehow get rid of Wideman this summer and trade for Hammonic, we'd be set on D for a years. Not sure what it would take to get him, quite a bit I'd Imagine.

I've been hoping for this for a while now.

TJ Brodie (26) - Hamonic (26)
Giordano (33) - Hamilton (23)
Jokipakka (24) - Nakladal (28)


That's a sick D for years and years.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Wideman has been playing 3rd line minutes, having the worst season he's had in years, and he just missed 19 games to suspension.

But he is still currently 71st in the scoring for defencemen in the NHL. In points per game, he is at .39, putting him well within the top-60, ahead of Alex Edler and tied with Seth Jones and Dmitry Orlov.

Even in a terrible year, he produces points at a top-pairing rate. Personally, I think he's not nearly as bad as the consensus on CP seems to paint him, but one thing is not a matter of opinion: you can trash every other aspect of his game if you want, but the cold fact is that he puts up big numbers.

I fully expect Wideman to bring back a VERY healthy return at the deadline next season if he is traded.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Wideman has been playing 3rd line minutes, having the worst season he's had in years, and he just missed 19 games to suspension.

But he is still currently 71st in the scoring for defencemen in the NHL. In points per game, he is at .39, putting him well within the top-60, ahead of Alex Edler and tied with Seth Jones and Dmitry Orlov.

Even in a terrible year, he produces points at a top-pairing rate. Personally, I think he's not nearly as bad as the consensus on CP seems to paint him, but one thing is not a matter of opinion: you can trash every other aspect of his game if you want, but the cold fact is that he puts up big numbers.

I fully expect Wideman to bring back a VERY healthy return at the deadline next season if he is traded.

Pretty sure no one questions his offensive ability. It's his defence that is lacking.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Pretty sure no one questions his offensive ability. It's his defence that is lacking.

I get that.

But the thread is asking about whether a guy is tradeable.

Well, is he in the top 50 or so in the NHL at something? Yes.

Is that something "scoring points"? Yes.

There's your answer.