Does this team have to get younger

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

What would the cap hit be to buy out Stajan's last year?

It would be dumb to buyout Stajan. It would extent his cap hit for 2 seasons, and although he is overpaid, he is the only 4th liner we have keeping his head above water.

Let the contract play out and move on after next season.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Lose Brouwer somehow.
Trade Gio for a young top forward if there is a deal to be had.
Let the UFA guys walk.

Thats what we should likely do.

Trading Gio puts this team right back in the lottery. Our best Dman by far

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by dammage79

What they need is for Brouwer to be upgraded by either himself by picking up his play or finding a better solution.

I probably shouldn't even suggest this because of the ####storm that could start up but I would replace Brouwer with Iggy. I know we aren't going to see 50 or 60 points from him and he has slowed down a lot in recent years but he can still score goals and battle for the puck pretty well. He can teach the young guys a lot as well. I think guys like Bennett and Johnny need a veteran like Iggy for a year or two for some guidance.

[genetic_phreek]

Ferland showed why he's still not a first line player in these playoffs. I like the suggestion of a 4th line of Ferland - Lazar - Chiasson

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

Ferland showed why he's still not a first line player in these playoffs. I like the suggestion of a 4th line of Ferland - Lazar - Chiasson

By that argument, the only top 6 player the Flames have is Monahan.

[dino7c]

Ferland is not a top line player...regular season or playoffs

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

It would probably be best to use younger players specifically on the bottom defence pairing.

Would save a lot of money, and they couldn't possibly do worse than what we had this season.

The bottom pairing got totally schooled all playoff series meanwhile the Ducks were playing four defensemen in their first full playoff series. It's really hard to imagine the Flames two best AHL defensemen being considerably worse especially if they had 82 games to get their feet wet.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Ferland is not a top line player...regular season or playoffs

I think he played admirably for a little stretch there but he's not a long term solution to a top 6 RW. It's a big hole right now as one of the smallest players in the league is being counted on for too much of the heavy lifting.

[Macho0978]

Depends on the contracts but IMO they should move more aggressively towards letting younger players fill out this team. I'd keep Versteeg and Engelland but only if they contracts are cheaper then they will probably get which means they probably will go too. All other UFAs must go.

I look at the Ducks and their core is older but they have a lot of young guys filling out that team. Ritchie, Rakell, Wagner, Shaw, Manson, Theodore, Montour. These guys played big minutes and for the most part all played very well. Throw in Lindholm, Gibson are in the same age group and Bieksa and Vermette are the only players over 32 and even though you think of the ducks as an older team they are still a pretty young team

Last night I thought Lazar and Hamilton played as well as Bouma and Stajan do. Why not for once save yourself 4 mil in cap space and let them play? You still have Hathaway, Jankowski, Shinkaruk, Porier who could all fill a 4th line roll after them. Some have potential to play more significant roles as well

I think a guy like Monahan is ready to be captain too. Trade Gio? Maybe not yet but if you wait to long you may not be able too as well. Right now IMO Sharks, Ducks, Oilers are better teams than we are. We need to close the gap quickly and the best way to do that is fill your team with youth and they respond. With cheaper contracts now they can explore picking up Bishop or signing a big time UFA, they just need to take the first step first

[Sylvanfan]

It's time to stop spending on lower roster depth and move that money up the lineup. No more Engelland, Smid, Brouwer, Stajan, Bouma's at the bottom of the roster. Get younger guys who can play and use Versteeg like signings to add depth as needed.

Hopefully there is some stability at the management level so that this sort of plan can start to evolve. We are not that far removed from David Jones, Jiri Hudler being the top paid forewards and Wideman the highest paid player.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Love

Bouma, glimmer faded away when he lost the Backlund-bump.

This in particular. Anyone who thinks Bouma will replicate any signs of what he did in 2014-15 is looking at a pie in the sky.

Bouma played way above his head that year, plus he played with Backlund, who makes everyone look much better than they really are.

I'm thinking both Bouma & Stajan really should become part time players over the course of next year if they can't be moved in the offseason because Bouma simply isn't good enough & Stajan is past it and really doesn't have much left in his tank anymore.

[CliffFletcher]

Stajan will be fine as the 13th forward. Better him sitting in the press-box than a young prospect who needs ice time. Nobody is going to take his contract off our hands.

Don't know what to do about Bouma. Nobody is going to take his contract off our hands either. One option is to put him back on the Backlund line and put Tkachuk with Bennett or Jankowski to spread the scoring around.

[Oling_Roachinen]

After he's paid his signing bonus, Stajan's actual salary next year is only 2M. I'm sure there's a team or two out there that would be willing to pay that for a stabilizing fourth line center who kills penalties, especially once injuries hit.

I just don't see why the Flames would get rid of him at a cost unless they really needed that cap space.

Bouma on the otherhand is deadspace at this point.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

After he's paid his signing bonus, Stajan's actual salary next year is only 2M. I'm sure there's a team or two out there that would be willing to pay that for a stabilizing fourth line center who kills penalties, especially once injuries hit.

I just don't see why the Flames would get rid of him at a cost unless they really needed that cap space.

Bouma on the otherhand is deadspace at this point.

Was thinking about that too. Arizona has a ways to go to get to the floor and they are losing the dead cap hits of Pronger and Datsyuk this off season IIRC.

Maybe a fit there?

[Karl]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Stajan will be fine as the 13th forward. Better him sitting in the press-box than a young prospect who needs ice time. Nobody is going to take his contract off our hands.

Don't know what to do about Bouma. Nobody is going to take his contract off our hands either. One option is to put him back on the Backlund line and put Tkachuk with Bennett or Jankowski to spread the scoring around.

Put Bouma back on the Backlund line??

I don't like that at all. Bouma is our worst offensive player. Sure, Bouma will personally do somewhat better for himself playing with Backlund & Frolik over a season than with other players, but he's such a negative offensively that he'll probably hurt Backlund & Frolik more than they can help Bouma.

IIRC, Bouma did play a fair bit with Backlund & Frolik for the 1st month this year (before Matty T earned his place there) and it was not at all pretty.

[Sylvanfan]

You hope that Vegas does you a favor and takes Brouwer for leadership. Maybe you even give them a 2018 3rd to entice them to go that way. But I think you have to carry the Bouma and Stajan bogey's for another season and let those contracts expire. Stajan can still be a reasonably serviceable player, it's just that the dollars are tough to eat. Realistically unless the Flames can pull a rabbit out of the hat and land a serious upgrade at RW for the top 6, I think the cap will be okay next year.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

You hope that Vegas does you a favor and takes Brouwer for leadership. Maybe you even give them a 2018 3rd to entice them to go that way. But I think you have to carry the Bouma and Stajan bogey's for another season and let those contracts expire. Stajan can still be a reasonably serviceable player, it's just that the dollars are tough to eat. Realistically unless the Flames can pull a rabbit out of the hat and land a serious upgrade at RW for the top 6, I think the cap will be okay next year.

As for Bouma I would do what they have done in the past and just send him to Stockton and maybe call him up when there are injury situations. He really doesn't offer a lot at this stage. Stajan is still useful as IMO while he appears to have lost a step he rarely hurts the team when he's on the ice.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

As for Bouma I would do what they have done in the past and just send him to Stockton and maybe call him up when there are injury situations. He really doesn't offer a lot at this stage. Stajan is still useful as IMO while he appears to have lost a step he rarely hurts the team when he's on the ice.

Even though I agree that Stajan is useful and he is a 4th liner if caught out againts the others top line can hold his own for a shift or 2 he still hurts the team because he is only slightly better than guys behind him for 4 times the money. It's time to stop spending 6 million on our 4th line

If we want a true number 1 goalie and a #1 RW, need to take a chance on some young guys

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Karl

Put Bouma back on the Backlund line??

I don't like that at all. Bouma is our worst offensive player. Sure, Bouma will personally do somewhat better for himself playing with Backlund & Frolik over a season than with other players, but he's such a negative offensively that he'll probably hurt Backlund & Frolik more than they can help Bouma.

IIRC, Bouma did play a fair bit with Backlund & Frolik for the 1st month this year (before Matty T earned his place there) and it was not at all pretty.

IMO I see Ferland being on Backlunds line next season. I think he would be a great fit. As Bennett and Tkachuk progress I see them fitting together. Their style of play I think will be a great fit

Clear out Bouma, Stajan and Brower (still ok to give him another season) and use that money on a goalie and top 6 RW and this team could be rolling 3 very good lines next year with a great top 4 dmen. But this only works with cheap youth on the 4th line and 3rd d pairing