2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Harry Lime]

The anchor contract on that team, for a player that still can play at a pretty high level, is Bogosian. 5.2 million until 2020, back loaded. Right handed shot. He has played the off-side, but that's not how GG rolls.

Buffalo has to be looking at ROR at 7.5 million until 2023 on a non-contending team as a bit of a problem. Eichel kicks in at first line money next year. There is no way ROR is ever moving to the wing again. If this happens, Backlund is as good as gone. But ROR is already under contract for what Backlund will likely command, and ROR (imo) is the better player (but not by much). ROR is 26 years old, but it feels like he's been around forever.

Honestly, Okposo, Kane and Pomminville I would stay far away from. For contract status as much as anything else.

Girgensons!!

[Ashasx]

ROR is simply not better than Backlund, but Backlund also won't make nearly as much on his next contract.

[bubbsy]

O'reilly 2 years younger and consistently a higher point producer.

I haven't watched him play much but is Backlund's defensive play high enough that it overshadows these above metrics?

[Harry Lime]

My dream scenario, that would make everyone here sad that it wasn't more earth shattering....

Girgensons for Lazar and Shinkaruk (or enter project player here).

Girgensons is what we all hoped Lazar would someday become, and Shinkaruk needs somewhere else to play while he still has some residual value. My untouchable Stockton players on forward are Yeast Mode and Klimchuk.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

ROR is simply not better than Backlund, but Backlumd also won't make nearly as much on his next contract.

Really? ROR > Backlund.

But i prefer Backlund because he’ll be 33% cheaper on his contract.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

O'reilly 2 years younger and consistently a higher point producer.

I haven't watched him play much but is Backlund's defensive play high enough that it overshadows these above metrics?

O'Reilly is a solid 2-way player. Not Backlund/Bergeron, but top quarter of the league easily.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

My dream scenario, that would make everyone here sad that it wasn't more earth shattering....



Girgensons is what we all hoped Lazar would someday become,

Haha.

I have to laugh at this seeing as Lazar is all of 22 years old and played a grand total of like 25 games in a Flames uniform.

You make it sound like we've been waiting forever for him to blossom into something.

Patience really doesn't run rampant on the interwebs, or among Canadian fan bases.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Haha.

I have to laugh at this seeing as Lazar is all of 22 years old and played a grand total of like 25 games in a Flames uniform.

You make it sound like we've been waiting forever for him to blossom into something.

Patience really doesn't run rampant on the interwebs, or among Canadian fan bases.

I don't see where there is room on this team for a blossoming Lazar. Ferland and Hathaway have taken those spots on the RW and Bennett is an emergency centre.

The one thing that the Flames need, is a solid fourth line centre, who is farther along in development. Lazar will likely get there, but why wait a solid year for it when we can close that gap sooner?

Buffalo has lots of space for Lazar to develop, IMO the Flames really don't. Their window starts this year.

Also, with Magnipane and Klimchuk coming on the left, and Hathaway and Ferland on the right, the only spot to fill is centre. If Girgensons can do that better than Lazar, then it's not really an issue of not being patient enough.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

My dream scenario, that would make everyone here sad that it wasn't more earth shattering....

Girgensons for Lazar and Shinkaruk (or enter project player here).

Girgensons is what we all hoped Lazar would someday become, and Shinkaruk needs somewhere else to play while he still has some residual value. My untouchable Stockton players on forward are Yeast Mode and Klimchuk.

I would prefer to keep Lazar. He’s been playing pretty good as of late. I see him as a permanent bottom 6 C/RW.

Brouwer/Shinkaruk for Girgensons/Moulson would be ideal.

[Toonage]

Wouldn't trade for Girgensons when the Flames may have his equivalent or better in the AHL with Hrivik.

[Harry Lime]

Good points, Toonage and Forever. Forgot about how good Hrivik has been playing.

Still if Forever's scenarioi plays out, having a Girgenson's/Lazar/Hathaway fourth line would make for a very re-vamped fourth line.

There would also be call ups of LW(Klimchuk/Magnipane)C(Hrivik)RW(Moulson) sitting in Stockton, which is nice depth.

I see the fourth as being the Flames Achilles heel at the moment. Buffalo is happy to help.

[activeStick]

I really like ROR and I think him and Backlund are comparables. Moving Backlund though... He's been a Flame forever and very obviously bleeds Calgary Flames. Wonder what moving a guy like him does to the room?

[Roof-Daddy]

I still say if you get ROR you also keep Backlund.

With the cap going up that much it can be done, and it's clear this team is really wanting to compete for a Cup the next 3 seasons (including this one) before the probable lock out and also when the D will have to be dismantled (Brodie, Hamonic, Stone all UFA and Gio will be 37)


Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
R. O'Reilly - Backlund - M Frolik
S Bennett - Jankowski - Tkachuk
M Hrivik - C. Lazar - Hathaway
13th forward

Giordano - Hamilton
TJ Brodie - Hamonic
B. Kulak - M. Stone
7th Dman

Smith
Rittich

Brouwer bought out
$6 million per for Backs
Slight raises for Janko, Hathaway and Kulak
One way for Rittich

You still come in around $75-76 million.

Leaves $4+ million of cap space to boot. Probably don't even have to buy out Brouwer, to be honest.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

According to some, he died for sins like this trade proposal.

Lol. That actually made me laugh pretty good. Nice one!

Edit: RE the ROR and Girgensons talk, what are we using to acquire these guys if we aren’t sending Buffalo anyone who can help them?

[TheFlamesVan]

Not sure how you can be a fan of this organization and not realize how important character is to them. I do not see a situation where they trade Mikael Backlund, who with his wife does tons of charity work in the city, for Ryan "drove into a timmies drunk at 4am" O'Rielly.

Same thing with Hamonic, he isn't going anywhere regardless of the price tag. They have been working on building a team around character since Treliving arrived.

Frolik? The guy is as automatic as they come. He always brings his game.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by TheFlamesVan

Not sure how you can be a fan of this organization and not realize how important character is to them. I do not see a situation where they trade Mikael Backlund, who with his wife does tons of charity work in the city, for Ryan "drove into a timmies drunk at 4am" O'Rielly.

Same thing with Hamonic, he isn't going anywhere regardless of the price tag. They have been working on building a team around character since Treliving arrived.

Frolik? The guy is as automatic as they come. He always brings his game.

Backlund could want $6.5M x 8 years which I could easily seemthr Flames walking away from. The Flames need to avoid handing out a deal that long for a player that old. Gio is making big money until he is 39 and the Flames probably want to avoid paying Backlund big money until he is 37.

I recall when the Flames signed RoR the organization was referencing his character. Yes he had the DUI incident but but does that make him a bad person forever moving forward?

I would be really surprised if the Flames went past the trade deadline with Backlun not signed to an extension. They can’t lose an asset like that for nothing. Also if they were in on Turris perhaps that is leverage in the Backlind negotiation or maybe the negotiation has gone poorly?

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by TheFlamesVan

Not sure how you can be a fan of this organization and not realize how important character is to them. I do not see a situation where they trade Mikael Backlund, who with his wife does tons of charity work in the city, for Ryan "drove into a timmies drunk at 4am" O'Rielly.

Same thing with Hamonic, he isn't going anywhere regardless of the price tag. They have been working on building a team around character since Treliving arrived.

Frolik? The guy is as automatic as they come. He always brings his game.

Very good points. This team is absolutely second to none when it comes to Character, Willingness to give back, care for the guy sitting beside you, and desire to win in YYC. It really is a solid group.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Backlund could want $6.5M x 8 years which I could easily seemthr Flames walking away from.

If Backlund wants an 8-year deal, the Flames are the only team he can get it from, and he has no leverage. Whatever contract he signs, I'm certain the term will be shorter.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

If Backlund wants an 8-year deal, the Flames are the only team he can get it from, and he has no leverage. Whatever contract he signs, I'm certain the term will be shorter.

I don’t think Backlund would do what Turris did but it was interesting to hear Turris would only negotiate a 7-8 year deal with the Sens but was willing to take a 6 year deal from the Preds.

Turris is coming off a 5 year deal where he was underpaid the whole time. Backlund is coming off a 3 year deal of similar money. This is definitely Backs best chance to cash in.

Personally I hope the Flames sign him to max of 5 years and under $6M per. If he wants more would the Flames look at RoR since he is 2 years younger and signed for 5 years beyond this season even though he is paid $7.5M?

I don’t see the Flames looking at a player like RoR is Backlund is still in the long term plans. Perhaps this Sabres speculation is over Kane, Gorges, Lehner, or Reinhardt?

The Turris news (that the Flames were in on him during the Duchene talks) leads me to believe RoR could be the player they want from Buffalo

[Fire]

I could live with $6.0 x 6 yrs like the Turris deal. It's no bargain but the Flames could make it work.