Friedman: Flames have begun extension talks with Gaudreau & Eichel speculation

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Eichel with a half decent cupboard of prospects, I’m game. Because then you still have other ways to improve your roster. That’s not a position the Flames are in.

Grabbing Eichel puts us right next to the cap, likely costs you high end roster talent AND futures that we can’t spare.

You have to ask yourself: does Eichel put us in the 5-6 team conversation as a cup contender? If not, how then do you suggest we improve those odds with absolutely no trade collateral besides winning ‘hockey trades’?

Also - when has this team ever ‘continually’ stockpiled picks? Drafting in the first snd second round every year doesn’t constitute as stockpiling picks, but would be a great place to start.

If we're including Tkachuk (which we would likely have to), Eichel is only $3 million more. We just got a 6.75 cap savings on Gio, so we can still add a $3ish dman

[Stanley]

I've always been iffy on them targeting Eichel because of the cost to acquire him and that contract but man, this team needs a legit elite player. I wanna see Eichel battle McDavid in a BoA...

[MacFlame]

The flames have fallen hard over the past two seasons and the number one reason for that is that the play of their number one centre, regardless if its due to injuries, has also fallen hard. This is not a coincidence. The flames are in desperate need of a number one centre, one that can compete with the opposition's top players.

You do whatever it takes to obtain Eichel. There is not one player that I wouldn't trade for him.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Eichel with a half decent cupboard of prospects, I’m game. Because then you still have other ways to improve your roster. That’s not a position the Flames are in.

Grabbing Eichel puts us right next to the cap, likely costs you high end roster talent AND futures that we can’t spare.

You have to ask yourself: does Eichel put us in the 5-6 team conversation as a cup contender? If not, how then do you suggest we improve those odds with absolutely no trade collateral besides winning ‘hockey trades’?

Also - when has this team ever ‘continually’ stockpiled picks? Drafting in the first snd second round every year doesn’t constitute as stockpiling picks, but would be a great place to start.

At this point, and with Sutter for the next 2 years, I say go for it. If it ends up blowing up in the Flames face, then so be it. Treliving is fired, and Flames are in the running for Wright and Bedard. If the Flames have to dismantle the team, it's not like they can't recoop high draft picks by trading their top guys.

[yourbestfriend]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Wonder if the newly realized cap space is a reason why the Flames are edging back in on Eichel

If we're back in the Eichel race, great. But I can't see the reason we are back talking is because of the extra cap we got.
The Flames have known for a little while that Seattle would probably take Gio, it's not really a surprise to anyone that we have some extra cap. Buffalo definitely knows our cap situation very well if we've had any serious talks.
I'm sure the Flames ran multiple different scenarios on who Seattle would take and how that would affect our chances on potentially trading for Eichel. They probably could of started doing this analysis the day after our last game if talks started that early.

Hell, it's probably not that hard to have a deal in principle with Buffalo even before the expansion draft, "if Seattle takes Gio, we trade X, Y, Z for Eichel".

Calgary, if they are back in the Eichel race, has to be due to something else.

[Sofa GM]

I don't think Eichel himself gets us there considering the assets we would have to give up, mainly that being Tkachuk. I read something a week or so back about Carolina potentially being interested in Tkachuk (as I'm sure most teams are) and proposed Necas and Teravainen.

Does something like this make sense,

Tkachuk + 2021 2nd or 3rd for Necas, Teravainen, Bean

This also makes Monahan expendable for a trade for a higher end winger, maybe a risk on Laine?

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Teravainen
Mangipane - Necas - Laine
Lucic - Backlund - Dube
Ritchie - Ryan - Pitlick

Hanifin - Tanev
Valimaki - Andersson
Bean - Stone

Markstrom
back-up

May be an opportunity for a veteran on the back-end as well.

[howard_the_duck]

[QUOTE=MrMike;7926511]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

You have to ask yourself: does Eichel put us in the 5-6 team conversation as a cup contender? If not, how then do you suggest we improve those odds with absolutely no trade collateral besides winning ‘hockey trades’?


I think adding Eichel and the team playing to their capabilities we are top 3 in the West, with Colorado and Vegas being the only concerns.

I see the Flames as sweep fodder right now for VGK and COL. With Eichel I'd put us in the range of the Jets and Oilers.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

At this point, and with Sutter for the next 2 years, I say go for it. If it ends up blowing up in the Flames face, then so be it. Treliving is fired, and Flames are in the running for Wright and Bedard. If the Flames have to dismantle the team, it's not like they can't recoop high draft picks by trading their top guys.

I'm there with you, short of going for it meaning we trade 1st round picks. Not with the upcoming draft talent that you mentioned.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I'm there with you, short of going for it meaning we trade 1st round picks. Not with the upcoming draft talent that you mentioned.

I'm inclined to a package that involves this year's pick + Tkachuk and keep next year's pick.

[MrMike]

I see the Flames as sweep fodder right now for VGK and COL. With Eichel I'd put us in the range of the Jets and Oilers.



Right now I think we’re better than Edmonton and Winnipeg. If Eichel still puts us below Vegas and Colorado so be it, but without him where are we?

Like another poster said, I’d just go for it while the division/Conference is weak.
Worst that happens is it doesn’t work out and we sell our assets. At least we tried though rather than being in the middle.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by MrMike

I see the Flames as sweep fodder right now for VGK and COL. With Eichel I'd put us in the range of the Jets and Oilers.



Right now I think we’re better than Edmonton and Winnipeg. If Eichel still puts us below Vegas and Colorado so be it, but without him where are we?

I can't see any scenario where the team is better than Edmonton and Winnipeg right now. The Flames were far worse than both teams last year and thus far have done nothing to improve. In fact, losing Giordano for nothing makes the gap even more substantial, even if he was declining last year.

If the Flames do land Eichel it will be a step forward, but if the cost results in shipping out Tkachuk, Zary, Dube and a first round pick I would argue that the net loss would be a blow in itself considering how paper thin the skilled forward group is on this team.

[442scotty]

The only thing I don’t like about Eichel is his disc problem. These things never really get better

[howard_the_duck]

I mean…we can wish and will ourselves to be better than Edmonton and Winnipeg right now. But I don’t see it.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I can't see any scenario where the team is better than Edmonton and Winnipeg right now. The Flames were far worse than both teams last year and thus far have done nothing to improve. In fact, losing Giordano for nothing makes the gap even more substantial, even if he was declining last year.

If the Flames do land Eichel it will be a step forward, but if the cost results in shipping out Tkachuk, Zary, Dube and a first round pick I would argue that the net loss would be a blow in itself considering how paper thin the skilled forward group is on this team.

I think it is fairly easy to see with Edmonton. Despite losing Gio the Oilers still have a far worse blueline than Calgary who as of right now have lost Barrie and Larson with only Keith replacing him.

I also would be shocked if Mike Smith replicated his stellar season and fully expect Markstrom to be much better next year.

Outside of McDrai it is still a trash team.

Lots of moves still to happen though so really almost pointless to talk about which teams are better until they make their moves

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

The only thing I don’t like about Eichel is his disc problem. These things never really get better

Can anyone speak more to this? I’m curious if anyone knows of any skilled players that have gone through this specific injury before? How did it affect their careers? Were they the same player after that? Did they become a player that only played half the season each year after that? Did their career end early?

This trade could be a huge gamble but if there was an example of a player that came out of this kind of injury seemingly unaffected once back to full health, it would make me feel it’s worth the risk.


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[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Can anyone speak more to this? I’m curious if anyone knows of any skilled players that have gone through this specific injury before? How did it affect their careers? Were they the same player after that? Did they become a player that only played half the season each year after that? Did their career end early?

This trade could be a huge gamble but if there was an example of a player that came out of this kind of injury seemingly unaffected once back to full health, it would make me feel it’s worth the risk.


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Well, Gary Roberts for one, and we all know how that ended up after the Flames bailed on him.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Well, Gary Roberts for one, and we all know how that ended up after the Flames bailed on him.

Any more recently than Gary Roberts? It’s possible that the procedure/rehab has improved a lot since then.


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[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Any more recently than Gary Roberts? It’s possible that the procedure/rehab has improved a lot since then.


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I remember Langkow had a pretty bad neck issue too that never really recovered.

I can't say as I don't know Eichel's severity or prognosis. That's probably the biggest determining factor for his outlook.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Well, Gary Roberts for one, and we all know how that ended up after the Flames bailed on him.

Roberts also had the surgery the surgery the Sabres want Eichel to have (fusion), which he is balking at. So those two are going to be hard to contrast.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I remember Langkow had a pretty bad neck issue too that never really recovered.

I can't say as I don't know Eichel's severity or prognosis. That's probably the biggest determining factor for his outlook.

For sure. It’s concerning that so many teams backed away from interest specifically because of the surgery issue. I don’t have specific examples but serious back injuries/surgeries seem to be the kind of issue that flares up throughout careers once a player has had it.


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