Players that you think have played their final year with the Flames? (18-19 Edition)

[GioforPM]

I'm not anti-Smith like some, but no, you don't bring him back no matter how solid he is for the rest of the year. He is just as likely to go on a severe downward spiral - more likely in fact, given his age. He's always been an inconsistent goalie - it's just gotten worse with age. He's going to be an injury problem too.

[TheScorpion]

If he's signed by any team next year, Mike Smith will be a third-stringer. The Flames certainly should not be looking to bring him back unless it is purely as AHL reinforcement. There are many other, better options for next year. As it is, they'll roll with him for now, but there will be pressure on Treliving to look long-term with his next goaltending solution. A 37-year-old Smith doesn't fit any part of that profile.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Mike Smith - enjoy retirement with the family. Flames need more consistent goaltending.

Michael Frolik - still a very serviceable player, but the Flames need some budget flexibility up front. Flames have a player in the system that replaces him, so he's going for futures (picks or prospects).

Spencer Foo, Kerby Rychel, Alan Quine, Tyler Graovac - all minor leaguers who likely don't have a NHL future in front of them.

TJ Brodie - Flames need some budget space, and they have a plethora of young blueliners ready to take over his role. Anderson has shown to be capable and they need to make room for Kylington and Valimaki as well. Need to borrow some of that Brodie money to pay for Hamonic's extension. Brodie will bring back a good return after a bounce back year of playing with Giordano. Sell high and take the good futures you are likely to get in return.

Wild Card

Sam Bennett - this will depend on his contract demands. If he comes in with a high unsustainable ask, Treliving may be inclined to move him on to greener pastures and revisit a number of the irons he had in the fire at the deadline. I think the odds of this are slim, but the potential is there.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I'm not anti-Smith like some, but no, you don't bring him back no matter how solid he is for the rest of the year. He is just as likely to go on a severe downward spiral - more likely in fact, given his age. He's always been an inconsistent goalie - it's just gotten worse with age. He's going to be an injury problem too.

I agree that there is no way you can bring him back, he will be lucky to get a PTO elsewhere in the league with the way he has played this season

His solid performance of late is more of the exception than the rule at this point.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Is this thread from the future?
There are currently no Flames players who have played their last games as Flames.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Is this thread from the future?
There are currently no Flames players who have played their last games as Flames.

Thread title says "last season". In other words, who is gone in the summer?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

What you're actually saying is that Giordano "became elite" at age 30 the exact same year he started playing with TJ Brodie.

It's not a coincidence.



Yes, I think he's defensively better than Hanifin. He may be guilty of often thinking offense first, but when you match him up to a Crosby or McDavid where his mindset becomes defense first, he is a shut down defenseman.

I actually also think he's actually a more dependable PKer than Giordano, and would like to see a Brodie - Hamonic PK unit because Brodie closes space better and that's been a big issue on our PK. Having both Gio and Hamonic try and block shots seems to give teams too much space. When Gio takes a penalty and Brodie steps in, our PK1 looks far more crisp the last three years.

This is some of the most ridiculous stuff I have read on CP. Hey, it's your story though, make it up the way you want I guess.

[SeanCharles]

- Trade Frolik and Stone for picks
- Trade Brodie for a top 6 RWer
- Replace Smith

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-__________
Bennett-Jankowski-Neal
Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway

Gio-Hanifin
Valimaki-Hamonic
Kylington-Andersson
Fantenburg-Prout

Rittich
______

[Haplo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

This is some of the most ridiculous stuff I have read on CP. Hey, it's your story though, make it up the way you want I guess.

It's not even the most ridiculous post in this thread. That belongs to the guy who refused to acknowledge Gio and Brodie has chemistry.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Haplo

It's not even the most ridiculous post in this thread. That belongs to the guy who refused to acknowledge Gio and Brodie has chemistry.

Again, Gio has chemistry with anyone. That is what a Norris trophy contending d man does. You are backing up a post that is on the same level of ridiculousness as someone saying Gaudreau is a better two way player than Backlund. Gio has made Brodie look better than he is. This is not debatable as Brodie was a giant ball of suck for the previous two years. He still makes the odd brutal turnover in his own zone and his defensive positioning is average at best. Saying he is a better pker than Gio is beyond laughable!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

How many teams have guys making $1.75M as a 6th or 7th d that they've willingly took on.

He wouldn't be the #6 or 7 on some teams. He is a legit #5 on many teams. He's a #4 on some teams, like the Oilers or the Sens.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Haplo

It's not even the most ridiculous post in this thread. That belongs to the guy who refused to acknowledge Gio and Brodie has chemistry.

Who is refusing to acknowledge Gio and Brodie have chemistry? If anything, I think the argument was leaning towards Brodie ONLY having a ton of chemistry with Gio, and hence Brodie's weakness as a dman when partnered with someone else.

[Haplo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Again, Gio has chemistry with anyone. That is what a Norris trophy contending d man does. You are backing up a post that is on the same level of ridiculousness as someone saying Gaudreau is a better two way player than Backlund. Gio has made Brodie look better than he is. This is not debatable as Brodie was a giant ball of suck for the previous two years. He still makes the odd brutal turnover in his own zone and his defensive positioning is average at best. Saying he is a better pker than Gio is beyond laughable!

Nah you don't seem to grasp what chemistry entails. It's when both players make each other better. Gio makes every player he plays with better, but Brodie is the only one I've seen him play with that also makes Gio better.

[minnow]

Neal. He has contributed exactly nothing. Forget the "he's good in the room" stuff. The only time that's even mentioned is when someone has to come up with something good to say about him. Or, "he'll be great in the playoffs". I sincerely hope this is true, but he does not help the team reach those playoffs. Every time he successfully skates from one end of the ice to the other without giving the puck away is an accomplishment, and if he should score, oh the accolades! I've soured on him. He will be difficult to get rid of too.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Haplo

Nah you don't seem to grasp what chemistry entails. It's when both players make each other better. Gio makes every player he plays with better, but Brodie is the only one I've seen him play with that also makes Gio better.

Brodie does not make Gio better. Maybe offensively because Brodie is a very good offensive D man. You are ignoring backing a post that called TJ Brodie defensively elite which is ridiculous.

[Bunk]

I have to figure Dube figures into the lineup next season. I could see perhaps Jankowski going out with say Brodie or Frolik for a goalie or that top 6 RW position. Has Dube been playing wing or centre in Stockton?

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

- Trade Frolik and Stone for picks
- Trade Brodie for a top 6 RWer
- Replace Smith

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-__________
Bennett-Jankowski-Neal
Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway

Gio-Hanifin
Valimaki-Hamonic
Kylington-Andersson
Fantenburg-Prout

Rittich
______

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Saying he is a better pker than Gio is beyond laughable!

Dude, we have a bottom ten PK in the NHL this year with Gio playing the big minutes. He's not perfect and he's not above criticism. He misses his check sometimes because he doesn't cover space too well.

Maybe actually try to watch carefully instead of assuming that because Gio is great, that means he's perfect and his partners are just riding his coattails. Penalty killing is a team activity and Gio's style of penalty killing doesn't mesh perfectly with Hamonic, Brodie's style of penalty killing does.

I wish I could go back and show you the first faceoff after virtually every penalty that Gio puts himself in the press box, because Brodie plays those sequences very well and better than Gio. But go ahead, laugh at me and talk about "brutal turnovers" (which usually happen 5v5 because Brodie is trying to generate offense, not because he's too dumb to go glass and out) and "average" positioning as if Gio never finds himself out of position on the PK.

I do think Brodie is a little better at PKing than Gio. I believe our PK became better in 2015 when Gio got hurt, I believe our PK is better when Gio takes penalties than when other guys take penalties. It got better because Brodie took over Gio's role, not because Gio isn't a great PKer.

I don't think Brodie is better overall defensively than Gio. He was in 2016, but that was one season where Gio didn't play very well.

Gio is a damn amazing player and probably my favourite Flames defensemen since he was blocking shots all over the place way back in our stretch run in 2010 where we just missed out. But he isn't perfect.

[Haplo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Brodie does not make Gio better. Maybe offensively because Brodie is a very good offensive D man. You are ignoring backing a post that called TJ Brodie defensively elite which is ridiculous.

Where was he called defensively elite? However, I do have more respect for slightly overrating Brodie than comparing him with a frog.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Haplo

Where was he called defensively elite? However, I do have more respect for slightly overrating Brodie than comparing him with a frog.

Ah, I am sorry. You see there is this thing called humour. You should give it a whirl sometime.

[TheKurgan]

Trade Frolik and Brodie for a Top 6 winger
Trade Stone (assuming he actually plays again and has positive value) for a pick at the draft
Try to resign Hathaway but if price is too high try to trade
Resign Tkachuk, Mangiapane and Bennett
Don’t resign Smith and one of Prout/Fantenberg

You end up at the start of next year with something like this:

Gaudreau – Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk – Backlund - Trade
Bennett – Jankowski - Neal
Mangiapane – Ryan – Dube/Hathaway
Czarnik

Gio – Andersson
Hamonic - Hanifin
Kylington - Valimaki
Fantenburg or Prout

Rittich
+ some other goalie with above league average save %