RFA Qualifiying 5:00 pm

[_Q_]

Colborne will without a doubt get qualified. It would be absolutely insane to let a 26 year old 40 point player walk for nothing.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by 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.

Any decision to make Colborne available via trade will likely have cap considerations as the primary factor.

[JJ1532]

Tampa release their list, 7/8 RFAs get offers, only one who didn't was LW David Broll.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Originally Posted by 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.

He isn't a second liner on a contending team. We are trying to build just that. Rumour is he is going to be priced like a second liner. If that's the case we need to cut bait, so we can save the cap room for real top 6 guys. Colborne doesn't bring enough to the table to make anything over 2-2.5. He doesn't play physical, not much of a point getter, and his defensive play is not stellar.

[Yamer]

Qualify:
Colborne
Gaudreau
Monahan
Elson
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Arnold

Let the rest walk.

[edslunch]

Ortio was given the reigns as a test drive after Ramo went down, minus a few pity/tanking starts by Hiller and Backstrom. He played well enough to pass the audition IMO. Bring him into camp as the backup, if he's not ready then no big loss there will be other backups available

[Fire]

My predictions:

Qualified:
Colborne
Jooris - I would let him go but I think the Flames keep him.
Gaudreau
Monahan
Shore - I think he has some value so he stays.
Elson - Was assistant captain so I think he stays.
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Arnold - Deserves one more year.
Agostino - Don't think he's a future NHLer but he stays.

Not Qualified:
Van Brabant - Will never be an NHLer. See no reason to keep him.
F. Hamilton - Gave him a chance because of Dougie but time to let him go.
Poulin - Played well enough last season, but no room for the guy.

[kyuss275]

I thought i read in the exit interviews that Jooris did not think he would be brought back?

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Fire

My predictions:

Qualified:
Colborne
Jooris - I would let him go but I think the Flames keep him.
Gaudreau
Monahan
Shore - I think he has some value so he stays.
Elson - Was assistant captain so I think he stays.
Ortio
Wotherspoon
Arnold - Deserves one more year.
Agostino - Don't think he's a future NHLer but he stays.

Not Qualified:
Van Brabant - Will never be an NHLer. See no reason to keep him.
F. Hamilton - Gave him a chance because of Dougie but time to let him go.
Poulin - Played well enough last season, but no room for the guy.

I thought Agostino and Hamilton were two of the better forwards at Stockton. Curious what you don't like about them, at least as AHL players.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Monahan For Mayor

He isn't a second liner on a contending team. We are trying to build just that. Rumour is he is going to be priced like a second liner. If that's the case we need to cut bait, so we can save the cap room for real top 6 guys. Colborne doesn't bring enough to the table to make anything over 2-2.5. He doesn't play physical, not much of a point getter, and his defensive play is not stellar.

Yes he is a second liner on every team in the NHL.

Some contenders would even have him as a first line player. I'm not sure where this notion that every player on the top two lines have to put up 70+ points comes from. Colborne would have been no worse than 5th in scoring on all the top teams in the NHL including the champion Penguins.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Colborne will without a doubt get qualified. It would be absolutely insane to let a 26 year old 40 point player walk for nothing.

If the qualify Colborne they are stuck with the arbitration ruling. They lose their ability to walk away. Burke and Treliving have been clear they aren't signing Colborne to a high cap contract.

The only way the Flames maintain control is to not qualify him. They can then do what they did with Byron and try and sign him before July 1.

Colborne has a good thing in Calgary and apparently loves to play here. The risk of him not signing is pretty low.

They may qualify him. But it isn't an obvious decision like some are trying to make it out to be.

[Erick Estrada]

It's an obvious decision.

[devo22]

Byron was an undersized depth player. Colborne was a 40+ player last season. Not comparable at all.

It really is an easy decision ... you don't risk losing a 26-year-old 40+ player for nothing.

[Roof-Daddy]

Qualifying offer amounts (according to CapFriendly):

Agostino - $771,750
Arnold - $865,463
Colborne - $1,275,000
Elson - $665,500
Gaudreau - $874,125
Hamilton - $721,875
Jooris - $1,000,000
Monahan - $874,125
Ortio - $660,000
Poulin - $715,000
Shore - $893,025
Van Brabant - $917,831
Wotherspoon - $874,125

[cofias]

Would really like to see Colborne under a new coaching regime. Difficult to say what we have in him. Hoping for a bridge deal around 2.5-3M.

[TheIronMaiden]

Here is a list of the RFA’s going into the summer of 2015 to add some perspective. Note I may have made some mistakes. Feel free to correct me.

D Dougie Hamilton
F Lance Bouma
F Paul Byron
F Drew Shore
F Josh Jooris
F Micheal Ferland
F David Wolf
F Bill Arnold
D John Ramage
F Max Reinhart
F Ben Hanowski
F Kenny Agostino
F Turner Elson
F Bryce van Brabant
D Sena Acolatse

Players given offers
Josh Jooris, Drew Shore, Lance Bouma, Micheal Ferland, Paul Byron, Bryce van Brabant, Bill Arnold, David Wolf, Kenny Agostino, Max Reinhart and Turner Elson, as well as Dougie Hamilton.

Not qualified:
Ben Hanowski John Ramage and Sena Acolatse.

[Roof-Daddy]

With Gillies healthy, the signing of Rittich and McDonald turning pro, I see no need for Poulin to be qualified. If Ortio is qualified, which I'm sure he will be, that currently has the Flames with 5 goalies with active contracts (Schneider's won't activate as he will be in junior)

NHL Level - Elliot, Ortio
AHL level - Gillies, Rittich
ECHL level - McDonald

I really don't see the need for a 6th goalie with an NHL contract. You can cover for any injuries with a PTO or AHL contract.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

According to CapFriendly, the Flames are currently at 36 pro contracts, although I count 37. If they qualify all 13, they will be at the 50 contract limit. There's no chance of that happening heading into free agency. IMO, they need to shed at least 3-4 guys that they have no use for going forward. From the list above:

Long term contracts:
Gaudreau
Monahan

Qualifying Offers with chance at a long term deal:
Colborne
Wotherspoon

Qualifying Offers:
Jooris
Shore (although I'm not convinced of this one)
Ortio
Arnold
Agostino

Not qualified, but signed to AHL deal:
Elson

Not qualified, and let go from organization:
Poulin
Van Brabant
F. Hamilton

[Finger Cookin]

Which one is the 37th that you counted, out of curiosity?

[flamesfever]

From what I have seen of his play, I like Freddie Hamilton. He makes smart moves, and I think will have a good career in the NHL.

I love and respect Colborne for what he does off the ice, but not too enthralled with his on ice performance much of the time.