2023/2024 Trade Rumors and Speculation Thread

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by traptor

It's not about being mean or fighting or gooning it up.

It's about being hard and punishing to play against.

All those micro plays add up and wear and tear a team.

You want guys who are a bitch to battle against on the boards and infront of the net.
Guys who you hate to get into puck battles with because they're strong .
Guys who might not be goons but they will finish hard clean checks so you can't ever have your head down or go soft into the corners.

Vegas this year for example. They weren't dirty but they were strong. Maybe 1 or 2 guys below 200 lbs.
Alot of guys that are hard on thr puck but have some skill.

Much harder to play against then a soft skill team.

Our team is looking pretty small across the board right now.

I do think it's a dangerous game trying to chase the most recent Stanley Cup champion.

In my mind, where this team is at right now, we're riding out the time at the Saddledome and the term on Markstrom, Kadri and Huberdeau's contracts, while slowly drafting and developing the next generation of Flames. Players like Lindholm and Hanifin will probably not be on the roster after the trade deadline, so it won't matter how tough we are in 2024-2025 because it looks we're gonna suck. I am willing to be proven wrong though LOL.

Flames are not even a consistent playoff team. Let's get there first! Perhaps by then, fighting will be banned...

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by traptor

It's not about being mean or fighting or gooning it up.

It's about being hard and punishing to play against.

All those micro plays add up and wear and tear a team.

You want guys who are a bitch to battle against on the boards and infront of the net.
Guys who you hate to get into puck battles with because they're strong .
Guys who might not be goons but they will finish hard clean checks so you can't ever have your head down or go soft into the corners.

Vegas this year for example. They weren't dirty but they were strong. Maybe 1 or 2 guys below 200 lbs.
Alot of guys that are hard on thr puck but have some skill.

Much harder to play against then a soft skill team.

Our team is looking pretty small across the board right now.

Came to say this. There are lots of ways to make the team tougher. IMO, the best way is being tough to play against, and a great way to do that is with big, fast forwards, that forecheck the snot out of the opposing team.

As mentioned, Vegas is the perfect example of that. Boston too. Washington, to some extent as well.

Lucic and Lewis just didn't accomplish enough on the forecheck. Adding Duehr, Sharangovich and Coronato will be better.

And they need more big, fast forwards (like Honzek and Suniev) and they need guys like Dube and Kadri to play uptempo and hard on the forecheck.

Personally, I love teams that are big and fast up front, and make life difficult for the opposing D.

[Sandman]

Excellent post, Enoch !

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Came to say this. There are lots of ways to make the team tougher. IMO, the best way is being tough to play against, and a great way to do that is with big, fast forwards, that forecheck the snot out of the opposing team.

As mentioned, Vegas is the perfect example of that. Boston too. Washington, to some extent as well.

Lucic and Lewis just didn't accomplish enough on the forecheck. Adding Duehr, Sharangovich and Coronato will be better.

And they need more big, fast forwards (like Honzek and Suniev) and they need guys like Dube and Kadri to play uptempo and hard on the forecheck.

Personally, I love teams that are big and fast up front, and make life difficult for the opposing D.

Different times but I recall an opposing player in the 80s saying he disliked playing against the Flames because it was no fun" playing the whole game with your face squashed against the glass".

Lucic was a good forechecker, but last year he was just not there in time. Lewis - that was never his game in Calgary. He was a good checker, but not forechecker.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Came to say this. There are lots of ways to make the team tougher. IMO, the best way is being tough to play against, and a great way to do that is with big, fast forwards, that forecheck the snot out of the opposing team.

As mentioned, Vegas is the perfect example of that. Boston too. Washington, to some extent as well.

Lucic and Lewis just didn't accomplish enough on the forecheck. Adding Duehr, Sharangovich and Coronato will be better.

And they need more big, fast forwards (like Honzek and Suniev) and they need guys like Dube and Kadri to play uptempo and hard on the forecheck.

Personally, I love teams that are big and fast up front, and make life difficult for the opposing D.

The 04 Flames weren't really big. But guys like Gelinas, Donovan, Clark, Niemenen, Yelle always finished their checks. Add in Iginla plus Saprykin played the best hockey of his career in that run with Coonie and Nilsson and it was a feisty team even if it lacked skill.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The 04 Flames weren't really big. But guys like Gelinas, Donovan, Clark, Niemenen, Yelle always finished their checks. Add in Iginla plus Saprykin played the best hockey of his career in that run with Coonie and Nilsson and it was a feisty team even if it lacked skill.

They weren't huge, but man were they hard to play against. Their forecheck was relentless. That team was my favorite team of all time.

[Pickle Juice]

I’m not good at this so let me have it if I’m way off!?

Hanifin + Backlund for Elis and Konecny

Calgary adds a bit of sweetener to pull 2 .5 million from the Elis Contract.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Pickle Juice

I’m not good at this so let me have it if I’m way off!?

Hanifin + Backlund for Elis and Konecny

Calgary adds a bit of sweetener to pull 2 .5 million from the Elis Contract.

Why does Philly want two UFAs?

[Pickle Juice]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Why does Philly want two UFAs?

Sorry I'm assuming where every Noah goes there will be an extension in place.

[shutout]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Why does Philly want two UFAs?

Maybe in the same sense of the supposed sharks trade.

For the Flames they bring in players that will help them this year and have term left to help in the future.

For the Flyers they bring in expiring contracts that will have greater value at the trade deadline.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Mitch Mclain isn't signed to a NHL contract.

He is signed a 2 year AHL deal last summer with the Wranglers.

No idea who Mitch Mclain is, but going by 87 mins of penalties in college (ends in an odd number which is good) plus the his name alone....he sounds like our guy.

And he scores a few goals.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I think fan's place to much emphasis on players who "can" kill penalties. The vast majority of NHL players (specifically forwards) have the ability to kill penalties effectively. It's much more difficult for defensemen.

The primary focus of a bottom of the lineup NHL player should absolutely be five on five hockey. If you can't hold your own and positively impact results consistently in that regard then in my opinion you don't belong as an every day player at the best level. GM's have and always will overrate certain intangibles. You can be an effective role player at 5'10"/180, or 6'4"/225.

I like the idea ...

But the hook is development vs results.

Ideally you would have a fourth line of guys that "positively impact results consistently", but you can't afford 12 of those guys and you have to worry about a fourth line of prospects not getting enough ice.

But I'm looking forward to seeing them try it.

I push back on the extremes, and I thought the Lucic dumping from many was extreme last year, but I'd love to see some balance and have the young guys work out.

Just worried about how those 48 minutes of 5 on 5 get handed out.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Pickle Juice

I’m not good at this so let me have it if I’m way off!?

Hanifin + Backlund for Elis and Konecny

Calgary adds a bit of sweetener to pull 2 .5 million from the Elis Contract.

Isn’t Ellis done? Hanifin+Backlund+ for Konency and to stash Ellis on LTIR?

[Pickle Juice]

I was not aware of that, but after checking, looks like you are correct! Good call!

[ForeverFlameFan]

It’s enticing to Philly if they’re flipping the assets, which they likely would.

[Toonage]

Would be weird if the Flames do deals like Hanifin to Philly or that rumored Lindholm to San Jose deal to get a bit younger (in some aspects, less so with Couture) and the these other teams flip the assets Calgary couldn't or didn't.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The 04 Flames weren't really big. But guys like Gelinas, Donovan, Clark, Niemenen, Yelle always finished their checks. Add in Iginla plus Saprykin played the best hockey of his career in that run with Coonie and Nilsson and it was a feisty team even if it lacked skill.

And they had nuclear deterrents in Oliwa and Simon.

Add to that a mean defense including: Reg, Warner

[blankall]

It's also not 2004 anymore. Building a team that would have won in 2004 won't get you success now. Hence why D. Sutter was a failure this time.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I like the idea ...

But the hook is development vs results.

Ideally you would have a fourth line of guys that "positively impact results consistently", but you can't afford 12 of those guys and you have to worry about a fourth line of prospects not getting enough ice.

But I'm looking forward to seeing them try it.

I push back on the extremes, and I thought the Lucic dumping from many was extreme last year, but I'd love to see some balance and have the young guys work out.

Just worried about how those 48 minutes of 5 on 5 get handed out.

I only disagree on that there are tons of options for the 4th line that won't hurt you 5v5 and you can get them for pennies in the off-season. Trading picks for bottom of the barrel guys had never worked for Calgary. Every year there seems to be a handful of lower end guys who can sign for 700k and play on a bottom line.

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[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

But it’s incredibly rare that it doesn’t come at the expense of speed and skill.

Watson barely exceeded half of Lucic’s production. Sure, he hit a bunch, but he’s another example of a guy who just doesn’t bring much. He also got caved in defensively.

Guys like Dube and Coleman that give you far more while being that much harder to play against despite maybe not hitting as hard are x10 more valuable. You want guys like that in the middle of your roster and guys like Duehr filling in the bottom. Guys like Watson and Lucic are just useless.

This has always been the flaw with how the Flames build a team. A few years ago this team was labelled as too soft. So go get a guy like Lucic, toughest guy in the league. But he's too slow to actually hit most players and come playoffs he's just not seeing the ice.

We need intangibles from our top 9 forwards. If you want to be more physical you need it to be from someone who plays in the top 9, someone who can play the game.

Last year's team seemed to be missing the intangibles. Players on paper are fine but overall speed on the top 3 lines was weak and the top 9 was not overly big and physical either. Toffoli, Lindholm and Huberdeau did not click and lots were concerned about it before the season started as all 3 lack speed and they aren't really known for their forecheck either. It was not a good mix. This is why we saw Backlund with Huberdeau and the interesting line combos that frustrated all of us.

Sharangovich probably isn't better than Toffoli, but he's faster and can carry the puck. I bet he fits better with Lindholm (if he is still here) and Huberdeau.

Insert Coronato, Pelletier, Zary, Deuhr and I feel the speed/skill part of the game will improve and Huska will have way more line combos that he can work with.

The guys we drafted this year could add some size to the top 9 in the future.

For me it seems like Conroy is at least thinking about the intangibles and trying to build a team that brings high ends speed and skilled mixed with real size and skill