[News] Vegas signs Engelland from Flames in expansion draft (1yr, $1mil + $1mil bonus)

[doctajones428]

I don't know what kills me more: Losing Engelland or keeping Brouwer

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

He was a good Flame, tough as nails and a solid vet for the young guys. But I think the Flames make out nicely in thi's expansion draft.

I would like to agree, but it goes to show how much Vegas didn't want from Calgary.

[fanman]

Best of luck to Engelland in the future (except against the Flames). He was a warrior for us and really stepped up when injuries hit.
I`ll always remember him for fighting 2 Canucks at once!

Hopefully one of the young D-men takes this opportunity and runs with it.

[curves2000]

I always liked Deryk Engelend, seemed like he was love by his teamates. I know when he was first signed to that contract there was lots of hate going towards him. You can't fault him for signing that deal and in the end his contribution to the team was excellent. He stepped up his game when called upon and a lot of times he played much better defensively when he was given more minutes.

As for the contract that he signed with Vegas, I doubt that was an option for the Calgary Flames for a $1 mil salary + $1 mil in potential bonus's. I don't know the bonus structure for him but the base salary for the Flames would have been probably closer to $1.75 or so. Nevada is a no income tax state and that is where he lives during the off-season. The tax savings compared to a lower taxed jurisdiction are still quite large and judging from where he lives in Calgary, probably saving $50k a year in rent payments.

Him going to Vegas for a year or two also allows him to build up some goodwill with the organization and potentially land a nice gig with the team after he retires soon. The winters and the travel in Las Vegas might also have played a bit of a role too.

All the best to a guy who won over a LOT of Flames fans in the end!

[UKflames]

I just find it amazing how LV picking one player has managed to turn the majority of this thread into a "look how bad the flames are" thread. I appreciate that some are hurt that they didn't take Brouwer but come on. It looks like that no matter who LV took some would find a way to use it to bash the team. LV takes Bouma, it just shows how bad our fourth line is because they didnt take stajan and so on. If they take Stajan, it just shows how bad our depth is because they took a player that so many seem to be down on, even though they are glad to see him go. Any excuse for a moan some times.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Best of luck to Engelland in his hometown. Such a nice story for a true team player. That's what I will miss most about Engelland, his commitment to his teammates. You need guys like that who are willing to do whatever is necessary for the team, including occasionally fighting.

He was an ok 3rd pairing defenseman, but his main tactic was to ice the puck whenever he got in trouble, which was frequently. I think it's time to have a bit more skill on the 3rd pairing so that we aren't stuck in our own end as often. One thing I will give him is that he was excellent on the penalty kill this last season.

Best of luck Egg!

[Reign of Fire]

Wrong thread.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by UKflames

I just find it amazing how LV picking one player has managed to turn the majority of this thread into a "look how bad the flames are" thread. I appreciate that some are hurt that they didn't take Brouwer but come on. It looks like that no matter who LV took some would find a way to use it to bash the team. LV takes Bouma, it just shows how bad our fourth line is because they didnt take stajan and so on. If they take Stajan, it just shows how bad our depth is because they took a player that so many seem to be down on, even though they are glad to see him go. Any excuse for a moan some times.

Completely agree. I don't get the negativity over the expansion draft at all. With every team losing a player and some losing draft picks, having the Flames only lose a UFA is a positive. Yeah maybe they don't have the best depth but that is going to change in the upcoming years as contracts expire and youngsters graduate.

I also don't understand how the Flames are all of a sudden the softest team in the league after losing Engelland. The Flames were not intimidated last season and losing a 15 minute aging defenceman, no matter how much toughness or grit he brought, is not going to turn the team into a bunch of pushovers. Not to mention the roster isn't close to being set yet.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by UKflames

I just find it amazing how LV picking one player has managed to turn the majority of this thread into a "look how bad the flames are" thread. I appreciate that some are hurt that they didn't take Brouwer but come on. It looks like that no matter who LV took some would find a way to use it to bash the team. LV takes Bouma, it just shows how bad our fourth line is because they didnt take stajan and so on. If they take Stajan, it just shows how bad our depth is because they took a player that so many seem to be down on, even though they are glad to see him go. Any excuse for a moan some times.

It's mostly just misplaced whining by people who deluded themselves into thinking Vegas might rescue us from the Brouwer or Bouma contracts.

[GioforPM]

I was thinking that it's a cheap deal that the Flames could have matched. But with buying power and taxes, plus the hometown discount he's giving LV, the Flames might have had to up the offer to about $3M. I can't see paying a 3rd pairing guy that much.

[monkeyman]

Calgary should have made a deal with Vegas. This years and next years first if they sign Engelland. Then we could all marvel at our depth as an organization? BT really missed the boat on this one.

[ah123]

Not sure if this has been already posted...I think it provides a sense why GMGM wanted Engelland

The only new Golden Knight who toed the tightrope with unwavering positivity was Deryk Engelland, a 35-year-old defenseman among the most experienced players Vegas selected. Engelland, who’s played for the Calgary Flames the last three years, has lived in Las Vegas during the offseason for more than a decade, settling locally after playing for ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers twice from 2003 to 2005.

But he could emerge every bit as essential in helping the Golden Knights connect with the community, a necessity for expansion franchises especially considering they traditionally struggle early. No player on the roster is more invested in Las Vegas than Engelland.

Building a young team interlaced with select veterans to assist in guidance was part of the vision Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and General Manager George McPhee described from the beginning of the expansion process. Engelland fit in perfectly with the culture they sought to instill.

https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2017/...ck-deryk-enge/

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by ah123

Not sure if this has been already posted...I think it provides a sense why GMGM wanted Engelland

https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2017/...ck-deryk-enge/

Have to think that it was pretty enticing to be offered a position with the team in your hometown, not only to be a 5-6 defender, but the community face of the organization. He might even get an "A". Good For Engelland, wish him all the best.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by dino7c

not really, you could have payed to get rid of Brouwer...debatable if that's better

Vegas isn't gonna sign him for 1M come on now...he is for sure making over 2M and probably over 3M

Originally Posted by sureLoss

News Update

Bob McKenzie
@TSNBobMcKenzie
One year deal for Deryk Engelland with VGK, $1M in salary and $1M in potential bonuses.

good deal for the Knights

Bit of column A and a bit of column B.

Thats a hell of a contract though. I'd have easily had him back on that deal.

Best of luck to him.

[zukes]

Just spit-balling here, but could the selection of a UFA (Engelland) be part of a deal that is made today or tomorrow? Like maybe the Flames wanted a player that was exposed and Vegas selected them and part of the deal is they take Engelland?

So now they make a trade where the Flames get Neal or Methot for some package and it was contingent on VGK not selecting another player.

Other than cost certainty on the contract, I don't see the logic of taking a UFA. It was obvious Engelland was signing there when he said something along the lines that Calgary would be his second choice.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by zukes

Just spit-balling here, but could the selection of a UFA (Engelland) be part of a deal that is made today or tomorrow? Like maybe the Flames wanted a player that was exposed and Vegas selected them and part of the deal is they take Engelland?

So now they make a trade where the Flames get Neal or Methot for some package and it was contingent on VGK not selecting another player.

Other than cost certainty on the contract, I don't see the logic of taking a UFA. It was obvious Engelland was signing there when he said something along the lines that Calgary would be his second choice.

The logic was that VGK wanted Engelland more than they wanted any of the Flames's other unprotected players. And no, there was no guarantee that he would have signed a contract to play in Vegas on July 1—certainly not one for the same value. Vegas sacrificed the chance to pick up a middling player for the cost certainty of getting the player they wanted the most. That seems pretty straightforward to me.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The logic was that VGK wanted Engelland more than they wanted any of the Flames's other unprotected players. And no, there was no guarantee that he would have signed a contract to play in Vegas on July 1—certainly not one for the same value. Vegas sacrificed the chance to pick up a middling player for the cost certainty of getting the player they wanted the most. That seems pretty straightforward to me.

Maybe it is that, if so we got lucky.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by zukes

Maybe it is that, if so we got lucky.

The Flames are very lucky in this expansion draft, and the reason for that is that their at a point in their cycle where all their most important players are either very young or don't require exposure. I think Treliving did well also to ensure that there were not a surplus of expensive aging players on the roster who stood in the way of protecting another higher impact younger player.

But make no mistake: there will probably be another expansion draft in three or four years at which time the Flames will likely be forced to make a deal similar to what Anaheim, Ottawa, or Columbus did.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by zukes

Just spit-balling here, but could the selection of a UFA (Engelland) be part of a deal that is made today or tomorrow? Like maybe the Flames wanted a player that was exposed and Vegas selected them and part of the deal is they take Engelland?

So now they make a trade where the Flames get Neal or Methot for some package and it was contingent on VGK not selecting another player.

Other than cost certainty on the contract, I don't see the logic of taking a UFA. It was obvious Engelland was signing there when he said something along the lines that Calgary would be his second choice.

I had that feeling that maybe Calgary already knew Vegas was going to select
Engelland and the comments on why Vegas selected him would seem to support that. Wouldn't be surprised if Engelland knew as much in advance.

Quite possible we are not done with them yet as we could use someone younger and with experience on the back end or maybe there is another player of interest.

[Sylvanfan]

Call it luck, but it could be that the Flames planning resulted in them being in a favorable position for the Expansion Draft. They end up being a team that didn't have to move out any assets to get a future Division rival to keep their hands off a guy they wanted to keep.

What does it say about teams like the Jets and Islanders who paid pretty steep prices to get Vegas to keep their hands off players who were part of a non-playoff team?

Hopefully the Flames can move into a phase where they can let Engelland, Wideman go this year and replace them with equal caliber players that are younger for fewer dollars. Do the same next year with Stajan, and Bouma and so on. Right now the only core guys not locked down for the next three years are Bennett, Backlund, and Tkachuck, and there's decent amounts of money coming off the books in each of those seasons now. So cost control going forward should be very manageable.

Get the drafting and development stream starting to churn a bit, and there might be something sustainable starting to emerge from the post Feaster/Sutter ashes.