RFA Qualifiying 5:00 pm

[BrownDrake]

RFA qualifying at 5:00 pm today - Flames have 13 RFA's if I am not mistaken - anyone see any surprises today or everything status quo?

[N26]

I would say vanBrabant and Poulin are gone for sure and after that they will all get offers though a couple are iffy.

Shore is the biggest question mark for me. I don't know if we should keep him but just letting him go pains me somewhat.

[sureLoss]

Full list of RFAs for those who can't recall 13 names off the top of their heads:

Colborne
Jooris
Gaudreau
Monahan
Shore
Elson
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Van Brabant
Arnold
Agostino
F. Hamilton
Poulin

[kehatch]

Colborne will be the most interesting decision. If they qualify him he has arbitration rights and we won't be able to walk away from the decision.

I think there is a great chance the Flames don't qualify him but try and sign an extension before July 1.

Ortio is the other interesting discussion. It really smells like the Flames are looking for an upgraded backup. But do they keep Ortio in the pipeline anyway?

[Da_Chief]

Let go of Monahan and Gaudreau. Too expensive. Re-sign the remaining.

[agulati]

Van Brabant and Poulin probably don't get renewed.

I can see even Elson not getting a qualifying offer. He might be brought back on an AHL deal

[saillias]

I think it's time to let Ortio go. We can't just keep every underwhelming Finnish goalie around because Kipper broke out at 28.

[BrownDrake]

With Elliott I think we are at 38 contracts right now correct? Probably Tkachuk and a UFA puts us at 40. Did we carry a full 50 last year or do they typically run 48 to 49??

Probably 8 to 10 of the 13 are qualified?

[bubbsy]

My opinion...

Qualify/Sign
Colborne
Gaudreau
Monahan
Shore
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Arnold
Agostino
Poulin

Bye-Bye
F. Hamilton
Van Brabant
Elson
Jooris

I am just not a big jooris fan.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Colborne will be the most interesting decision. If they qualify him he has arbitration rights and we won't be able to walk away from the decision.

I think there is a great chance the Flames don't qualify him but try and sign an extension before July 1.

It's one thing to play that game with Paul Byron before he was a full-time NHLer, it is another to do it with your 4th highest scoring forward.

It is also obvious which posters haven't watched the Flames AHL club and just stat watch, Van Brabant is coming along very nicely in a pure checking/defensive/PK role. He's the guy I would call up after Hathaway should one Bouma go down again. I fully expect he will be qualified.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Colborne will be the most interesting decision. If they qualify him he has arbitration rights and we won't be able to walk away from the decision.

I think there is a great chance the Flames don't qualify him but try and sign an extension before July 1.

Ortio is the other interesting discussion. It really smells like the Flames are looking for an upgraded backup. But do they keep Ortio in the pipeline anyway?

Can't see why they wouldn't qualify Colborne. You'd risk losing the guy for nothing if you don't wouldn't you?

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

With Elliott I think we are at 38 contracts right now correct? Probably Tkachuk and a UFA puts us at 40. Did we carry a full 50 last year or do they typically run 48 to 49??

Probably 8 to 10 of the 13 are qualified?

Of those 38 contracts do not count against the limit unless the play in 11 NHL games as they are still eligible to slide, Tkachuk's will be in that situation too.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Can't see why they wouldn't qualify Colborne. You'd risk losing the guy for nothing if you don't wouldn't you?

It would be poor asset management not to qualify Colborne. Regardless of what happens with arbitration he has trade value. It will be interesting to see if they keep Jooris around.

[Imported_Aussie]

They will definitely qualify Colborne - whether he signs a deal here or is traded is another question.

[Poe969]

I think they have to cut ties with some of these guys. Jooris just isn't good enough IMO. He's not skilled enough or firecrackerish enough to be effective. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these guys don't get qualified.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I think they have to cut ties with some of these guys. Jooris just isn't good enough IMO. He's not skilled enough or firecrackerish enough to be effective. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these guys don't get qualified.

You have to qualify Jooris, if he is not in the Flames plans you can always flip him for a late pick.

[Poe969]

I think they might have tried that and had no takers but I"m guessing that if they think they'll be interest it'll just be to trade him. I just don't think he's an effective NHL player.

[Finger Cookin]

I think 2-3 of the following won't be qualified:

Jooris
Shore
Elson
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Van Brabant
Arnold
Agostino
F. Hamilton
Poulin

Poulin seems almost certainly unqualified. Beyond that, though, it gets muddier for me. I think Jooris almost certainly gets qualified - playing him this season gives the Flames flexibility for meeting expansion draft exposure requirements.

[Geeoff]

I guess the most interesting one is if they qualify Ortio or not.

[REDVAN]

Why is Colborne such trade bait? He is a pretty solid second-liner IMO... if you can keep him for cheap-ish and get him to be a little more physical then the Flames will be in good shape.

New coach might have a positive impact on his game too... why trade him, his value to us is higher than what we would get back in trade.