After the Draft: What Next?

[Finger Cookin]

It'll be interesting to see if the Flames don't qualify any of the RFAs. Other than Gaudreau, Monahan, and Colborne which have been and will continue to be discussed at great length, the Flames have the following:

Josh Jooris
Tyler Wotherspoon
Bryce Van Brabant
Drew Shore
Bill Arnold
Kenny Agostino
Freddie Hamilton
Kevin Poulin
Turner Elson
Joni Ortio

Most of them will likely be qualified, but a few probably won't be. Does Shore have any future here one and a half years after being a prized acquisition? Are guys like Van Brabant and Poulin in the plans for Stockton?

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

It'll be interesting to see if the Flames don't qualify any of the RFAs. Other than Gaudreau, Monahan, and Colborne which have been and will continue to be discussed at great length, the Flames have the following:

Josh Jooris
Tyler Wotherspoon
Bryce Van Brabant
Drew Shore
Bill Arnold
Kenny Agostino
Freddie Hamilton
Kevin Poulin
Turner Elson
Joni Ortio

Most of them will likely be qualified, but a few probably won't be. Does Shore have any future here one and a half years after being a prized acquisition? Are guys like Van Brabant and Poulin in the plans for Stockton?

Keep the bolded.

[Stay Golden]

When can the Flames officially qualify RFA's including Johnny and Monahan?

[Finger Cookin]

I think Jooris sticks around due to consideration of expansion draft exposure requirements. But we shall see!

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Keep the bolded.

Van Brabant has been excellent in a pure checking/defensive/PK role for the AHL club, he should definitely be qualified.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I think Jooris sticks around due to consideration of expansion draft exposure requirements. But we shall see!

Stajan will meet that requirement

[Karl]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

I feel it's more imperative to shed Stajan. He's the only ugly contract on the books after next summer. Get rid of him, and the Flames could be a HUGE player in FA next summer. Assuming Elliot, Bennett and this years RFAs are locked up, the Flames could have upward of 10M to spend on one star player to fill a hole and gear up for a cup run.

I'm ok with stop gaps for 1 more year (goaltending aside), if it means adding a prime caliber top level player to this core after expansion is done. Give this year 1 more year to grow and mature, see who your key components are, who you lose to expansion, then push all your chips in, open the cup window and go all in.

To be clear, the goal is still to outperform the 2014-15 Flames, but don't go for 2nd tier Free Agents this year (Lucic, Okposo), but instead go for a Stamkos level player in a year.

Here's the thing. Yeah, it would be nice to shed Stajan. Problem is how to get rid of him from the entire organization right now. Not going to be easy to say the least. I think they're better off trying to get rid of him next year or next offseason because:

1) It's unlikely you can trade him at all right now because of his contract and what he is as a player means he won't likely be able to outperform or perform to that contract, and other teams may be fully aware of that.

and

2) The only way you can realistically get rid of right now would be to buy him out. Is is worth it to buy Stajan out right now, dyingforacup?? Keep in mind if the Flames were to buy him out now, they're stuck with his buyout cap penalty for 4 more years. Is that worth it????

I think that they should keep him this season so they can expose him to the expansion draft. And if he doesn't get picked up there, they can buy him out at the end of next June instead.

[locsofblu]

Make dinner, brush teeth then bed probably.

[keratosis]

Pizza and beer.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Which Stamkos level players?
The problem with guys like that is that:
- They are less likely to reach free agency
- If they do, they will have multiple teams offering them max dollars, therefore the chances of convincing them to come to Calgary are slim.

I would prefer to stay out of the big free agent pond, and focus more on positioning themselves to take advantage of teams in bad spots heading into the expansion draft.

This is one in the same. Maybe the Penguins decide next year to move Malkin. Maybe Shea Weber in Nashville.

We also have prospects to move. The AHL roster is nearly overfull now.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by Karl

Here's the thing. Yeah, it would be nice to shed Stajan. Problem is how to get rid of him from the entire organization right now. Not going to be easy to say the least. I think they're better off trying to get rid of him next year or next offseason because:

1) It's unlikely you can trade him at all right now because of his contract and what he is as a player means he won't likely be able to outperform or perform to that contract, and other teams may be fully aware of that.

and

2) The only way you can realistically get rid of right now would be to buy him out. Is is worth it to buy Stajan out right now, dyingforacup?? Keep in mind if the Flames were to buy him out now, they're stuck with his buyout cap penalty for 4 more years. Is that worth it????

I think that they should keep him this season so they can expose him to the expansion draft. And if he doesn't get picked up there, they can buy him out at the end of next June instead.

I agree it will be next to impossible to trade him. Negative value, and you would still like to do right by the player and find him a nice landing spot(which may not exist).

To answer your question, a buyout, especially this year is counter productive. If it comes down to it, you do it next year.

You never know, but a more productive year out of Stajan and he may entice LV. Things change a lot in a year.

My point is to start looking for a landing spot, and figure out what needs to be attached to move him. I would be agreeable to moving an asset, just depends what though.

[Badgers Nose]

1. Sign the kids.
2. Hire a special teams expert asst coach.
3. See if you can get Lucic on a friendly deal (or any big skilled RW that sticks up for team mates)

[Flamescuprun2018]

Originally Posted by Miniac

Sign Monahan and Gaudreau
Sign a top 6F
Hold onto Wideman until trade deadline. His value is at the all time low.

Wideman also has a NMC which makes any trade very difficult as Wideman can veto. NMC was Feaster's legacy. Treliving/Burke do not do NMCs.

I agree that trade deadline is best and probably only opportunity to get some value for him with that salary cap hit since in final year of term with no impact on expansion draft. Treliving also knows the added currency of extra 2nd round picks provide you at the draft when collected at trade deadline. Lets you package up to higher first round pick, trade for young RFA or immediate need.

Elliott trade bought us some cap space to be patient with Wideman/Engelland /Smid until trade deadline. Also saves us from buying out Raymond this year that impacts cap the year following. Really smart move at many levels. I highly doubt there will be Flames buyouts this offseason now which keeps the slate keen in future years with no legacy cap space used up.

[Flamescuprun2018]

The big question in the next week is how much cap space Flames really have left to sign anyone July 1st as UFA. A 1st or 2nd line RW at prime of career for 1-2 years term would be ideal but can we afford anyone like that? I do not see it since that is a 5 million + cap hit.

My math suggests little room but that depends on how likely Smid plays again and whether they sign Colborne and for how much. Assuming 6-7 million a year contracts for Monahan/Gaudreau.

[kyuss275]

I was reading an article and the reporter asked Treliving about buy-outs this year. Treliving certainly did not say no to the idea. He said something to the effect that they had a plan going forward and would not name any names if they did go the buy out route.

To me it sounded like if Treliving could get a bad contract off the books through trade in the next couple of days then they would probably not go buy out route. If they couldn't, I think someone gets bought out. Still think Wideman is at the top of the list to be bought out. ( only because Smid is hurt and can not be bought out).