Should the Flames buy anyone out this summer?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

If you can sign Nakladal to a 2 year deal for a low is number I would buy out Wideman. Keeping Wideman on the roster uses up a spot on the roster that I personally think holds the team back.

Wideman has too much league wide value for us to consider buying him out IMO. Veteran d-men who have a history of playing top 4, are RHD and can QB a powerplay have value. Trade deadline and July 1st should show us that.

[bigrangy]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Wideman has too much league wide value for us to consider buying him out IMO. Veteran d-men who have a history of playing top 4, are RHD and can QB a powerplay have value. Trade deadline and July 1st should show us that.

Seriously, look what Brad managed to get for Russell, who most people thought was a borderline NHL guy in the weeks before he got traded. D-men who can play 24 minutes a game have value. If Wideman plays about halfway between the level of last year and the year before I'd argue that he's actually fairly paid. The only way Wideman will get bought out is if he'll need to be protected in an expansion draft.

[MarkGio]

Something does have to give. Assuming you can trade Wideman and Stajan at 50% retained and Monahan, Gaudreau receive at least 6.5 matching contracts, that puts the Flames against the cap with Colborne getting about 2.5 to 3.5 million, Jooris making about 1.15 million, and Ortio making about 1.5 million. Plus at least 4 million on a goalie.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Something does have to give. Assuming you can trade Wideman and Stajan at 50% retained and Monahan, Gaudreau receive at least 6.5 matching contracts, that puts the Flames against the cap with Colborne getting about 2.5 to 3.5 million, Jooris making about 1.15 million, and Ortio making about 1.5 million. Plus at least 4 million on a goalie.

I am not convinced Jooris and Ortio are coming back. I like Jooris, but I would be ok with him not being re-signed as well - there is a lot of competition coming up the pipe for the bottom lines.

Ortio at 1.5 million doesn't sound right. I am not even sure the Flames are interested in re-signing him, though that 1.5 million would probably be used on whatever backup they decide to sign.

I don't think buyouts are the way to go. I would much rather the Flames trade with salary retention. Even Raymond becomes very attractive with retention.

Also, why on earth is Engelland on this list? Are people still stuck thinking he is on a terrible contract? He played top 4 minutes last year - including time on the top pairing - and he looked pretty decent. I thought he was often the most consistent and most reliable defencemen from a defensive standpoint. I don't want him traded at all, much less bought out. He gives this team added size and toughness, and he is turning out to be a huge revelation as to how good he plays defence.

I am really interested to see who they hire as a coach, and to see if his play lasts. I wouldn't hate re-signing him at the same salary - I think he has earned his salary.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

4 of the contracts expire after this season - would rather they just eat the pain this year and then have cap space starting next season.

Stajan is the only one I would consider just since it has two years left - but I do wonder if he would be easier to move at 50% retained to a team needing center depth.

If Stajan only had 1 more year left on his contract I might be inclined to agree.

Unfortunately, I just can't see it right now. I think the fact that Stajan has 2 more years left is going to be a massive deal breaker. Because of that, I think his trade value is 0 at this point even with 50% retained on him.

Also, the fact that more and more teams are looking to replace veterans internally with much younger & cheaper options (the life of the new NHL) is another big thing likely working against Stajan having ANY trade value. Because of this, I think the only realistic things we can do with him at this point is either buy him out, or ride him out.

[Mister Yamoto]

Buyout Engelland? I'd extend him instead.

[Vulcan]

Glad to see no one has chosen Engelland. Maybe people are starting to wise up in appreciating his value to this team.

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah, I personally don't think Engelland should be bought out, I just figured somebody might vote for him and then we could ridicule those people haha.

I screwed up my poll though and didn't set it for multiple options. I wouldn't be surprised if someone would have voted for him had they been able to pick more than one.

[Strange Brew]

With everyone healthy Engelland was our 6th defenseman. He was healthy scratches a few times in favor of Smid. I do like what Englland brings but his salary is a little too rich. If he is in your top 4, you are not very good IMO. Which describes our team last year.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I do like what Englland brings but his salary is a little too rich. If he is in your top 4, you are not very good IMO. Which describes our team last year.

Engelland spent more time in the top 4 in 2014-15 than in 2015-16. In neither year was he a regular top-4 defenceman.

[frodo_t_baggins]

Let's say we have to protect wideman due to his nmc and cannot buy him out over the summer due to his injury. Could the flames convert him into a winger this season so he counts as a forward rather than a d when it comes to expansion?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Engelland is the least of our problems

[1qqaaz]

As a rebuilding team, I don't thinks it's a good idea to waste draft picks and assets on the removal of bad contracts.

Only Raymond and Smid are complete garbage IMO. Some of the other guys might have some value with cap retention and better seasons. The expansion could also help. Luckily, none of these contracts are going to last ridiculously long.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Engelland is the least of our problems

Pretty fair summation. His contract is a problem but is in his last year and he is a serviceable player.

Now if we re up him at similar money I would not be happy.

As a smaller team we need a guy like him. Maybe a new coach helps him play more physically on a regular basis.

[Alberta_Beef]

I think Wideman will and should be bought out if expansion dictates he needs to be protected. Smid's rather low buyout penalties make me thing he is a good candidate if healthy.

[Roof-Daddy]

Personally I'm hoping they can just ride out all the bad contracts. It would suck to have to carry over any buy out penalties next year.

I'm really hoping that BT can pull off some miracle salary retention trades so he has a bit more room to improve the roster while shedding some dead weight. Not likely, but I'm hoping.

Going to be quite disappointed if Wideman is still here in the fall though. And yeah, if expansion draft rules dictate he needs to be protected, then he needs to be bought out if he can't be traded.

All else being equal, if they can't trade anyone, and absoluetly need cap space to improve the roster, my order for buying out the above player would be:

Smid
Raymond
Stajan
Wideman

[dying4acup]

Salary retention trades preferred,but failing that, Wideman needs a buyout. Wotherspoon is waiver eligible, and I'd like to see Wotherspoon, Kevin, Nakladal, and Engelland duking out 3-7 all season long.

I am assuming that Smid is done LTIR.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

Salary retention trades preferred,but failing that, Wideman needs a buyout. Wotherspoon is waiver eligible, and I'd like to see Wotherspoon, Kevin, Nakladal, and Engelland duking out 3-7 all season long.

I am assuming that Smid is done LTIR.

I assume you mean 4-7

[DeluxeMoustache]

Smid perhaps.

It is staggering how many people love the Gio/Brodie/Dougie part of the D and look only at Engelland's contract.

Hartley is gone because the D, that is top 4 D plus G, fell short. Bottom of the league. How can the top D all be hot ****? Engelland is not the problem, I assure you.

Engelland is one of the only guys who makes it tough for opposing F. I'm not talking about looking at top shelf offensive numbers, just proper D. Gio got hurt last year and Engelland became Brodie's partner. And it worked. Just like Sarich-Gio as "second" (but actually best) pairing a few years back.

Face it, the team was bottom of the league in GA, and it was not just goaltending. Yes, Hiller crapped the bed after October/November and hurt the team, but October was on team D, not G.

Long story short, buy out Smid.

You know what? Throw in Raymond.

But I'm not the guy spending the money and I get how you dislike paying a guy simply not to be here.

I expect no buyouts.

[Vinny01]

Raymond and Smid buyouts are something that we can live with. Stajan can be bought out next summer if need be but not this year