[Rumour] Chris Johnston: Lindholm is interested in staying

[jg13]

I hope Lindholm goes for a car ride and comes out of that car riding wanting to leave.

[Naitix]

This is a tough one, it is hard to decide if I hate it or not as we do not know what teams would offer for a player like Lindholm. Lindholm is not a 9 million player, he is more in a 7.5-8 million range and overpaying by 1-1.5 million is not that terrible. He would most likely get 8.5 next year with the cap going up quite a bit.
I think Lindholm is not a 1C that can carry the team to the cup, he needs other star players to play with him and it does not seem like he likes playing with our highest paid player. Flames are banking on the hope that Lindy will go back to being as effective as he was with Jonny or Tkachuk. Worst case Lindholm is a 60 point center, but that is not someone you want to be paying 9 million until he is 37.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Spurs

First, it shows the Flames aren’t actually committed to the rebuild we need, so they either continue to chase mediocrity or are forced down a path they don’t want to go down.

Second, with the bad 30+ contracts we already have adding another one is a terrible way to build a team, especially with the return we could get from a Lindholm deal.

Lindholm is 28, not 30. If he's gone, who's our #1C? Kadri?

Teams are built down the middle, and #1 Lindholm, #2 Kadri seems a lot better than #1 Kadri #2 Nothing. Even if we're rebuilding, it's a lot easier to build if you already have 2 NHL centers. Without Lindholm, the pressure to draft/acquire a #1C would completely overshadow anything else, to the point where we'd be overpaying or dropping down spots to take risks in the draft etc etc.

Keep Lindholm, sign him to a contract that's moveable and then we can make hockey decisions to build the rest of the roster.

[kukkudo]

Lindholm's agent is about to take Conroy to the woodshed. 9M for a 0.70 ppg player? I get it he plays an important role but this team isnt winning anything with him as the Flames first line center.

[Mass_nerder]

The question management should be asking is whether we're a Lindholm away from being a contender over the next 8 years. Considering the other personnel changes that are going to be happening this offseason, I would say no.

Players like Lindholm might not be easy to find, but if we're not a Lindholm away from being a contender, it's a waste to have him here. Instead, he could be moved for significant assets that could help us when our window does start to open up again.

[FanIn80]

Actually, now that I think about it, the biggest trade we should make is to get Vegas' team doctor so we can stick Kadri on a shelf and use that money elsewhere.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Lindholm is 28, not 30. If he's gone, who's our #1C? Kadri?

Teams are built down the middle, and #1 Lindholm, #2 Kadri seems a lot better than #1 Kadri #2 Nothing. Even if we're rebuilding, it's a lot easier to build if you already have 2 NHL centers. Without Lindholm, the pressure to draft/acquire a #1C would completely overshadow anything else, to the point where we'd be overpaying or dropping down spots to take risks in the draft etc etc.

Keep Lindholm, sign him to a contract that's moveable and then we can make hockey decisions to build the rest of the roster.

Lindholm will be 29 in December so for the vast majority of this deal he will be 30+. For the entire deal the Flames will compete for nothing so honestly I don't care who our number 1 center is, I want someone who will be the #1 center when we are competing for the Cup not competing to see if we get 2 or 3 home games.

Their aren't hockey decisions to be made to improve this roster. It is a mediocre group that needs to be blown up, extending the length of that mediocrity isn't needed at all.

And for all the #1 center talk lets not pretend he is a top level #1 center he is at or near the bottom of that list and nowhere close to the level of the top guys in the league.

[1qqaaz]

So Lindholm got 64 points at age 28.
I don't see how it's intelligent to pay him 9 million from ages 30 to 38.
Even 8.5 is a stretch.

Lindholm 64 points at 9 mill
Kadri 56 points at 7 mill
Huberdeau 55 points at 10.5 mill

All of them with 6 to 9 years left and take them to their late thirties.
Might be the worst and least efficient cap situation I've seen, especially for the long term. On the bright side, the cap situation would be so atrocious that any further bad contracts wouldn't even matter because it would be a lost cause.

[really?]

With Huberdeau signed for 8 years, signing Lindholm for 8 @ $9.5 will result in the Flames having two players who would be value added guys on the second line giving you league average performance on a top line. Sounds like more mediocrity.

Perhaps the hope is some young guys will develop into high end first line guys, but the best way to acquire those guys is through drafting and developing. Lindholm is a good player, but he won’t do much to push offense on the first line. Oh well, the Flames have developed an aptitude for counter punching.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

The question management should be asking is whether we're a Lindholm away from being a contender over the next 8 years. Considering the other personnel changes that are going to be happening this offseason, I would say no.

Players like Lindholm might not be easy to find, but if we're not a Lindholm away from being a contender, it's a waste to have him here. Instead, he could be moved for significant assets that could help us when our window does start to open up again.

It’s not management’s decision and the goal isn’t to become a contender.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

The question management should be asking is whether we're a Lindholm away from being a contender over the next 8 years. Considering the other personnel changes that are going to be happening this offseason, I would say no.

Players like Lindholm might not be easy to find, but if we're not a Lindholm away from being a contender, it's a waste to have him here. Instead, he could be moved for significant assets that could help us when our window does start to open up again.

Pretty hard to argue we’re that far away from contending when, despite a complete train wreck of a season, we missed the playoffs by 2 points.

I know some people hate to even think of the idea of anything but a full rebuild, but there’s no reason we can’t retool and come out better on the other side just by moving out a few old guys in expiring contracts.

[Ashes]

Huberdeau (30 years old) - $10.5M x 7
Kadri (32 Years old) - $7.0M x 6
Markstrom (33 Years old) - $6.0M x 3
Coleman (31 Years old) - $4.9M x 4
Weegar (29 Years old) - $6.25M x 7
Andersson (26 Years old) - $4.55M x3

Lindholm (28 Years old) - $9.0M x 8

This is the current core that's locked up for three or more seasons and it's costing us $39.2M without that Lindholm extension, with the extension it's $48.2M locked up to players 28 and older (Andersson the exception).

If we hadn't already signed Kadri I think it would be totally palatable because I agree, Lindholm will likely age well and be a good mentor and basically a more effective Backlund when he reaches the same age.. but having them BOTH signed long-term is just asking for trouble.

I think Lindholm should be traded, and we should be trying to rid ourselves of at least two more names from the list above (with retention) over the next 2 seasons as younger guys are ready to step into the lineup.

And yes Lindholm's don't grow on tree's, but you can draft 2 Centers this summer if you have to, there are other options besides backing up the Brinks truck to anyone willing to stay in Calgary.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I love Lindholm and really appreciate his game. I absolutely do.

I am, however, now hoping that he gets moved, and the team starts a rebuild.


Were the Flames 2 points out of a spot last season even though so much went wrong, or were they 2 points out because Winnipeg was THAT bad (and now they are blowing it up!)?


Nashville was a point out, and they did some selling.


Minnesota is an interesting take. They were ahead of the Flames in the standings, and they even facilitated the Orlov trade from Washington to Boston. That wasn't the really crazy part. The really crazy part is that they have over 12 million in dead cap space from the Parise and Suter buyouts (that will reduce to 1.6 million starting in 25/26).


Why are the Flames intent on keeping the band together, when the band hasn't exactly won anything at all? Not remotely close to winning.



Don't misunderstand me - I am not saying that the team sucks, and the rebuild is the ONLY way to go. I have always stated that there is always more than one way to skin a cat. However, the current players are telling you what they think of the team. At this point, to retain your players, it is looking like you have to overpay.


My point is simple - at this point, trade them all, and allow other teams to overpay for players with less prime years left than prime years used up. Don't overpay now for Lindholm's 'bargain deal' that (thanks to cap mismanagement by Treliving) resulted in absolutely zilch.


Sell this off-season. Hope that players rebound next season and see where you are at, and hopefully you can sell other players whose best years are also likely (definitely!) behind them.


I would have been ok with another 'see what happens' year with a new coach, some minor tweaks, and hope that players rebound. At the end of the day, this has always just been a bubble team, and there are other teams improving around the Flames as well. Now you are at the point where you either double-down and give these older players long-term contracts WITHOUT team-friendly discounts. Why?


If players thought that there was a chance to win a cup here, I think they would be happy to re-sign here, and probably at cap friendly discounts (at least slight). I don't know about you guys, but it sure seems like suddenly the Flames need to overpay to keep the band together, and again, this band hasn't won anything, and has never come close to winning everything. Every off-season there are excuses and there is hope for next year with 'this' and 'that'.


I would be much more in the middle if players were happy to stay here. It turns out this wasn't all about Sutter after all, right? Nobody seems HAPPY to stay here.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Pretty hard to argue we’re that far away from contending when, despite a complete train wreck of a season, we missed the playoffs by 2 points.

I know some people hate to even think of the idea of anything but a full rebuild, but there’s no reason we can’t retool and come out better on the other side just by moving out a few old guys in expiring contracts.

If we brought Lindholm back, and the rest of the roster remained the same, I agree that we're not far off from being a contender; however, if we lose Toffoli, Backlund, and Hanfin, I don't think we're anywhere near being a contender whether we have Lindholm or not.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It’s not management’s decision and the goal isn’t to become a contender.

Murray can go too.

He’s got his arena. His franchise value is well above over a billion now.

Sell the team, dude. If you don’t care, you don’t care. I get it, you’ve moved on.

But if you don’t care, why should we?

[GullFoss]

I heard a rumor today that the problem might actually be Maloney's baloney. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Reign of Fire]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

So I am hearing the Lindholm offer was indeed 8.5/yr x 8 years, NMC that turns into a M-NMC in later years of deal, I have no specifics when that would kick in. Lindholm camp is at $9.5M/yr x 8 years, full NMC. I am also told there is a rift between how each side would like bonus structure paid out. I am told the Flames really want to keep Elias Lindholm, wouldn't be surprised if final deal is around $9M/yr. My source's expectation is they will reach a deal rather than a Lindholm trade, organization really feels he is key piece going forward.

So Conroy might just be Treliving 2.0. Further locking down an aging core. Only way this is palatable is if he moves Kadri out.

At this point, one should just wish it’s either not true or just enjoy the mediocrity this organization likes to live in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Braden]

News just keep getting worse and worse. I feel time will tell if Conroy is just a puppet or not. Make this your team Conroy, the current one didnt work.

Was excited this morning for a full forced rebuild

Now feel like its a sure thing Lindholm and Backlund re-sign a pair of rock solid NMC

[agulati]

I don’t mind the flames keeping Lindholm. They aren’t going to go scorched earth, so out of the players who are UFA, Lindholm is probably the one who would be impactful for the longest period of time. Selfishly, as a season ticket holder, I do want to see a competitive squad.

Best case scenario for Calgary is that Kadri has some sort of a bounce back next year and they are able to trade him somewhere. That would free up a decent bit of the cap.

[ComixZone]

I’m now of the mindset that Lindholm being extended does nothing but gear us towards being an expensive, old, mediocre team like the Sharks became.

I don’t want it.