2020/2021 Trade Speculation and Rumours

[blender]

The thing that gets me about the expose Backlund discussion is that it means protecting Bennett.

Straight up, it is Backlund or Bennett.
Sam better have a hell of a season or that just doesn't add up.

And for the record, I like Bennett a lot and would hate to.lose him.

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by blender

The thing that gets me about the expose Backlund discussion is that it means protecting Bennett.

Straight up, it is Backlund or Bennett.
Sam better have a hell of a season or that just doesn't add up.

And for the record, I like Bennett a lot and would hate to.lose him.

Very logical argument. My counter argument is that Bennett may have huge upside, and even if he doesn’t, he is till a very useful player who is only 24 rather than 31.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

Very logical argument. My counter argument is that Bennett may have huge upside, and even if he doesn’t, he is till a very useful player who is only 24 rather than 31.

I agree, but if Bennett doesn't show that upside this season, it becomes a big gamble for a team that is in a win-now window to bet on him over Backlund.

Honestly I hope Bennet has a fifty-point season playing C and erases all doubt

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by blender

I agree, but if Bennett doesn't show that upside this season, it becomes a big gamble for a team that is in a win-now window to bet on him over Backlund.

Honestly I hope Bennet has a fifty-point season playing C and erases all doubt

considering they are playing 56 games at most that would be incredible

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by blender

The thing that gets me about the expose Backlund discussion is that it means protecting Bennett.

Straight up, it is Backlund or Bennett.
Sam better have a hell of a season or that just doesn't add up.

And for the record, I like Bennett a lot and would hate to.lose him.

Don't forget that with Backlund you would also lose a $5.35M dollar contract that will last until he is 35. In a flat cap world, you could probably find a comparable to Backlund at the end of the coming season for less money than you will be paying him. Bennett will likely have to sign a team-friendly contract, with few teams having any cap space to speak of int he next few years.

This is certainly not to say that Backlund is the better player, just that protecting Bennett is better asset management in a flat cap world.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

okay, calm down and look at the original post I responded to. The only thing I'm saying is that you can't point to one player or one transaction or one play as the fault of a team. You can have really good players on really bad teams. The team isn't bad because of it's good players.

I’m with you for sure on your Backlund argument, but I’m not following you argument on ‘obvious mistakes’. Nearly every team has dead cap space whether it be buyout, buried players in the minors or retained salary. So it would seem as though these obvious mistakes are common to every team.

So what are these other obvious mistakes? The Hamonic trade? I wouldn’t argue that, in retrospect, it wasn’t a mistake. At the time the trade was made, the Flames had just acquired a 26 year old top 4 RHS D making less than $4M with three years left on his deal. That gave them a top 4 of Gio Hamilton Brodie Hamonic. It didn’t work. If you want to hit home runs? You’re going to have to take some big swings. I would also argue that at the time the Flames reasoned that their draft/prospect pool could withstand the cost of Hamonic. Was it an overpay? Yes it was and the Flames were prepared to absorb that. Rumour out by of Toronto was the Leafs offered JVR and a first. Considering JVR was heading into his final year of his deal, seems like 2 2nds is on par with what was being offered elsewhere.

Awfully easy to sit on the outside and be critical of it 3 years later but I have a hard time labeling that as an ‘obvious mistake’.

[blender]

Originally Posted by dino7c

considering they are playing 56 games at most that would be incredible

Good point, lol. Obviously I intended to mean the equivalent of a 50-point season.
On the other hand, point per game Bennett would be quite the tonic for the Flames.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Don't forget that with Backlund you would also lose a $5.35M dollar contract that will last until he is 35. In a flat cap world, you could probably find a comparable to Backlund at the end of the coming season for less money than you will be paying him. Bennett will likely have to sign a team-friendly contract, with few teams having any cap space to speak of int he next few years.

This is certainly not to say that Backlund is the better player, just that protecting Bennett is better asset management in a flat cap world.

No one could forget about freeing up Backlund's cap space. That is the whole argument. If Backlund made Bennett money he would be one of the best value contracts in the league.

I strongly disagree with the suggestion that you could replace him at the same cap hit let alone less. That's my argument in a nutshell. I would like to see the list of 40 point centers who can play against elite players and have Backlund's advanced stats that are available next off season.

[bdubbs]

I agree with blender here. Until someone proves they can take Backlund's assignments without drowning, we need him.

[bubbsy]

I could definitely see the argument for putting Backlund on the unprotected list.



My view is that the flames team is essentially the same level as last year (lower end playoff team that would consider it a success just to win one round). After this season, the flames are entering the last year of Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Giordano's deal. Not to mention 2 years away from Monahan's deal being up. Flames have some major issues to deal with as far as how they deal with the current core. Do they double down with the guys who have been plagued by the "can't do it in the big moments of the year stigma", or after another middling year, will the flames decide to do a bit of a retool.


Based on the above, heck, maybe giordano is left exposed.



The one thing that makes me wary of trading backlund is that I think he's a really good team guy. Someone who you might want to keep around, if/when the team does decide to re-tool and inject more youth/prospects into the big club roster...

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheChief

LOL at fans wanting to expose our best centre on the team. Comon! If anything he tradeable.



Gio i could get onboard with... Dont both players have NT/NM clauses...

No one is talking about exposing the 2019-2020 Backlund. The discussion is about 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 Backlund. Who will still cost $5.35M per year, but won't be the same player we had last year.

As to him being traded, that has been addressed. There will be very little apatite, league-wide, for high dollar, veteran players for two reasons: 1) the tight cap and substantially reduced cash flows for every team; and 2) the expansion draft.

There is no way we can trade Backlund for a player that wouldn't also need to be protected, unless we took pennies on the dollar.

Backlund is a great player - I am a big fan. But this is a cruel and cold business that runs on 'what have you done for me lately'. And age is a bitch.

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

No one is talking about exposing the 2019-2020 Backlund. The discussion is about 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 Backlund. Who will still cost $5.35M per year, but won't be the same player we had last year.

As to him being traded, that has been addressed. There will be very little apatite, league-wide, for high dollar, veteran players for two reasons: 1) the tight cap and substantially reduced cash flows for every team; and 2) the expansion draft.

There is no way we can trade Backlund for a player that wouldn't also need to be protected, unless we took pennies on the dollar.

Backlund is a great player - I am a big fan. But this is a cruel and cold business that runs on 'what have you done for me lately'. And age is a bitch.

Unless you're the Oilers, then it's "what have you done for me in the 80's".

[BigErnSalute_16]

From what I can see, there really isn't any way we don't lose a good player, unless Kylington has a decent enough season that a 2nd or 3rd would be enough to convince Seattle to take him. But realistically the way I see it there are four players battling for three spots. Backlund, Mangiapane, Dube, Bennett. Now, I think Dube is probably the least likely to be exposed out of these four but still we are probably losing one of them.

Which brings me to my main point. For years I have been wanting the Flames to give more opportunities to our young guys. This year I think they NEED to. We need to see if Hanifin, Andersson and Valimaki can handle playing top three minutes. We need to see if Bennett and Dube can build on their playoff success. There is no more time to see how things shake out because if we are passive and patient about that, like we have been in the past, we risk losing a guy who is primed for a breakout.

However, if those guys can take the next step and handle more minutes, then that leaves the option to keep all the young guys, expose Gio and Backlund (one of whom would get picked) and move forward with either a new captain and leadership group and a young capable blue line or have a middle six replacement already ready to take Backlunds place.

So we need to see what Bennett, Dube, Mangiapane, Andersson, Hanifin, Valimaki and Kylington can do with a bigger role.

P.S. before anyone comments saying Valimaki is exempt. I know. He is included here because he would be a huge component in the decision to potentially expose Gio.

[SeanCharles]

The way I see it is exposing Kylington and Bennett will be a mistake.

We are going to trade 10 years of play from one of these two guys for 2-3 from some aging vets?

I love Backlund and Gio but in situations like this you need to make your decision with your brain and not your heart.

Look what happened to players like Theodore and Karlsson.

I have no doubt Kylington or Bennett could end up like these two if we allow it to happen.

I know not everyone will agree..

[BigErnSalute_16]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

The way I see it is exposing Kylington and Bennett will be a mistake.

We are going to trade 10 years of play from one of these two guys for 2-3 from some aging vets?

I love Backlund and Gio but in situations like this you need to make your decision with your brain and not your heart.

Look what happened to players like Theodore and Karlsson.

I have no doubt Kylington or Bennett could end up like these two if we allow it to happen.

I know not everyone will agree..

I agree, and I know he still put up really strong numbers in the regular season last year but I think Giordano is the guy to let go. I can't shake the feeling that what we saw in the playoffs was the start to his decline. He will probably have good underlying numbers again this year but it surely can't last much longer. Tkachuk can become our next captain and I think our defence is in a better position to absorb Gio's loss than the forwards without Backlund.

[browntrout]

At the end of the day if Calgary misses the playoffs or gets thumped in the first round, changes have to be made. Moving Backlund or Gio, creates cap space and options to explore. I would rather the team try something different then trying the same thing year after year.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Let’s just win the cup this year and not worry about it. Protect our younger assets, expose some vets, and see what happens.

Backlund post Flames cup win + Seattle selected = my excuse to get a Kraken jersey.

[BigErnSalute_16]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Let’s just win the cup this year and not worry about it. Protect our younger assets, expose some vets, and see what happens.

Backlund post Flames cup win + Seattle selected = my excuse to get a Kraken jersey.

Love this plan

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

The way I see it is exposing Kylington and Bennett will be a mistake.

We are going to trade 10 years of play from one of these two guys for 2-3 from some aging vets?

I love Backlund and Gio but in situations like this you need to make your decision with your brain and not your heart.

Look what happened to players like Theodore and Karlsson.

I have no doubt Kylington or Bennett could end up like these two if we allow it to happen.

I know not everyone will agree..

Personally I'm not too worried about Kylington - I haven't seen the progression there at all. I know some will see that as a lack of opportunity, but I see a guy that hasn't grabbed the opportunity when given it, under 3 coaches - who he's been unable to earn trust from.
Rasmus grabbed opportunity and earned the trust.
Best outcome from my POV is Kylington is taken.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Let’s just win the cup this year and not worry about it. Protect our younger assets, expose some vets, and see what happens.

Backlund post Flames cup win + Seattle selected = my excuse to get a Kraken jersey.

Backlund sorta rhymes with Kraken. Plan checks out