[News] Lucic has agreed to waive his NMC for the expansion draft

[TheScorpion]

Yeah, I don't think I'd protect Gawdin. (Ruzicka is exempt).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I would not be surprised if they signed Ritchie

I’d like them to sign Ryan to a reasonable amount, but not if he’s just going to get grabbed by Seattle.

Speaking of which, Seattle might just take him anyway, like Vegas did with pending UFA Engelland. Ryan is from Washington, is low mileage, useful, and would provide them with a few good years.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I would rather be the ones trading Gio for a first at the deadline than losing him for nothing.

I also think his decline is greatly exaggerated.

Is Gio at 38 really worth a first even to desperate teams at the deadline? He would still have one more year remaining, but that seems like a high price for someone who will likely retire the following season.

I think a 2nd from a contending team is the most he would get. But with trade market and circumstances, anything can happen. So who am I to say.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Is Gio at 38 really worth a first even to desperate teams at the deadline? He would still have one more year remaining, but that seems like a high price for someone who will likely retire the following season.

I think a 2nd from a contending team is the most he would get. But with trade market and circumstances, anything can happen. So who am I to say.

I’m sure at the deadline next year with salary retained they could get a first unless his play slips more next year. Right now though he still is a dman who plays against other teams best players and pace is 15 goals 42 points in 82 games. Only minus 5 on a bad team and has plus possession numbers. I’m pretty sure a team wanting the cup trades a first to get him

[FanIn80]

Orrrr.... maybe the reason they're not protecting Backlund is because he's an over-30 third-line C with another 5 years @ $5m, and nobody has bitten on any attempts to get some kind of return for him? Maybe at this point, the idea of Seattle taking him is valuable in both the cap space and that a younger player isn't taken instead?

Edit: He's 32, with 3 more seasons at $5.3m and a modified no-trade clause.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Exposing Backlund potentially would send a signal that they are going to do more of a re-build, because even if you think he's overpaid, losing him makes this team worse next year.

[FanIn80]

Not if you can use his cap space to add a top-6 forward.

[jroc]

This season has been very sad as it has been an eye opening reality the the Flames are just really not a good hockey team (as opposed to mediocre for the last couple 30+ years).

The fact that a TSN insider has Glen freakin Gawdin on his protection list just makes the revelation of just how bad the Flames are even sadder...

[SeanCharles]

I’m all for Backlund no longer being a Flame after this season, mostly due to his age and cap hit because he is still an effective player but why the hell are we exposing him and losing him for nothing to protect an unproven prospect that is not going to be an impact player?

I think we should trade Backlund and Gio for futures and leave scraps for Seattle to pick from.

[CsInMyBlood]

Its the same guys yelling expose Backlund that are always screaming trade Backlund.

Backlund wont be exposed. He is one of the few players on the Flames that makes every one of his linemates better. He plays a 200 foot game. He plays on the PK and PP. He plays against the top opposition. He puts up points. He continually is top 5 in the league in takeaways.

Seattle would snap him up without thought.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Not if you can use his cap space to add a top-6 forward.

Good chance you end up spending assets and more salary to get a guy that isn't as good.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Not if you can use his cap space to add a top-6 forward.

No one on the UFA market is as good as Backs in his price range. If Backlund were to be a UFA this summer the only centre ahead of him on the market would be Nugent-Hopkins.

Jiri’s right - not protecting Backs is a good signal that it’ll be a rebuild, because without that guy where is this team? Probably a solid few spots lower in the standings for sure.

Tree was openly talking about having to pay the toll twice at the deadline as far as adding bodies (price to acquire, and price to Seattle to protect), to me that signifies he has his head count from a protection list perspective, and that would likely include Backs.

[TheScorpion]

Backlund's defensive results have deteriorated significantly over the last few years... still a good offensive player but I'd be wary of a Frolik or Nielsen-type regression in the next couple seasons.

[Poe969]

Tell Seattle that if they take Backlund, we'll trade them Lucic for a 5th rounder!

[powderjunkie]

Exposing Backlund is lunacy IMO.

1. Swedes rarely fall off an age cliff. Eriksson is the only one that comes to mind.

2. It's a lot easier to trade Monahan (or hopefully not Lindholm) with Backlund on the roster.

3. He has been our best safety blanket for young players. Is there a better option to pair with Pelletier (or Phillips)? A lot of our best prospects are smaller guys who are probably top 6 or bust

4. I think he has decent trade value.
- The Blues signed 32 year old Bozak to a 3x5 contract and probably don't regret it.
- Hornqvist wasn't negative value (albeit not great value). Copycat league...someone will hope to replicate that.
- Stastny still fetched a 4th + 25 yo 6/7 D-man (worse AAV, albeit expiring)
- Palmieri, Zajac, Staal, Carter were all desired despite their AAVs. We may need to wait a couple years, but Backlund would bring value to our roster in that time.

This might be a tough off-season to get value for him because there are a ton of 2/3 C's available UFA; the above +: Danault, Stepan, Bonino, Granlund, Johansson, Wennberg, Haula, Cizikas, etc, along with a bunch of reclamation projects. But I think he'd have value at future TDLs.

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I’d like them to sign Ryan to a reasonable amount, but not if he’s just going to get grabbed by Seattle.

Speaking of which, Seattle might just take him anyway, like Vegas did with pending UFA Engelland. Ryan is from Washington, is low mileage, useful, and would provide them with a few good years.

This is the optimal result IMO. I imagine Ryan would strongly consider 1x1.5 or 2x1.25...there's a lot of risk of being left without a chair when the music stops and struggling to get a 7 figure deal.

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Not if you can use his cap space to add a top-6 forward.

Because that always works out well

[ForeverFlameFan]

Why don’t we just let Seattle take Gio, and then trade back for him at 50% for Toronto’s 2022 2nd + Kylington (+ maybe a small project prospect)? We gain cap space and Seattle takes the second player they probably would’ve received and a very nice top 64 draft pick for the 2022 draft. We then use that cap space to try and get back to being a playoff team we know we are capable of being. If we’re still a pretender, then sell Gio at 50% and get the best return we can from a contender.

Gio is appealing to have at $3,375,000. Would be more appealing to a contender at $1,687,500 if we had to go that route. Seattle would only need to have 50% of Gio’s original salary for only a year.

[djsFlames]

myman.gif

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Why don’t we just let Seattle take Gio, and then trade back for him at 50% for Toronto’s 2022 2nd + Kylington (+ maybe a small project prospect)? We gain cap space and Seattle takes the second player they probably would’ve received and a very nice top 64 draft pick for the 2022 draft. We then use that cap space to try and get back to being a playoff team we know we are capable of being. If we’re still a pretender, then sell Gio at 50% and get the best return we can from a contender.

Gio is appealing to have at $3,375,000. Would be more appealing to a contender at $1,687,500 if we had to go that route. Seattle would only need to have 50% of Gio’s original salary for only a year.

I am not sure if the league allows that 'loophole' but can you imagine if every player Seattle took they immediately traded back to the other team for players and picks and retained salary on the player they took. Every team could essentially lower their cap hits, and Seattle could start with the same players they would have gotten anyways plus tons of picks and not needing to take any bad salaries to hit the cap floor.

Mind Blown

What a move that would be!

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

I am not sure if the league allows that 'loophole' but can you imagine if every player Seattle took they immediately traded back to the other team for players and picks and retained salary on the player they took. Every team could essentially lower their cap hits, and Seattle could start with the same players they would have gotten anyways plus tons of picks and not needing to take any bad salaries to hit the cap floor.

Mind Blown

What a move that would be!

They can only have retention on 3 players

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Is Gio at 38 really worth a first even to desperate teams at the deadline? He would still have one more year remaining, but that seems like a high price for someone who will likely retire the following season.

I think a 2nd from a contending team is the most he would get. But with trade market and circumstances, anything can happen. So who am I to say.

Next year is the final year of Gio's contract

a 2nd would also be better than nothing too