[News] Official expansion alignment, expansion draft rules, and 2017 entry draft rules

[burnitdown]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I think the Flames are rounding the last turn on their rebuild. You have to go for it at some point, and I think it starts this season and next. History shows that guys' statistical primes are before they are 24. Now is the time to do it.

I find it hard to believe a dman's prime years are before he hits the age of 24. Do you have anything to back this claim up? Most take years to develop and the vast majority of the current elite D are in their mid 20s to early 30s.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

I find it hard to believe a dman's prime years are before he hits the age of 24. Do you have anything to back this claim up? Most take years to develop and the vast majority of the current elite D are in their mid 20s to early 30s.

Sorry I forgot to mention the forwards (Johnny, Mony, Bennett) will be in their primes.

The D corps is older and more veteran, and that's actually a good thing.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

And then they are stuck with that goalie on an NHL deal as he obviously won't be claimed.

Seems to me its almost a given that either Elliott or Johnson gets extended in January. A little surprised they couldn't find a way to agree on a 2 year deal for Johnson.

Fleury is still a legit option IMO. A deal I could see happening around the deadline if Murray is still clearly a stud is Elliot or Johnson for Fleury+

Pitt has to buy him out or trade him if they want to keep Murray. Fleury+2nd for Elliot at the deadline helps the Flames add assets while still having flexibility to see what Gillies can become while the Pens get a reliable vet to backup Murray for the remainder of the season and playoffs

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Fleury is still a legit option IMO. A deal I could see happening around the deadline if Murray is still clearly a stud is Elliot or Johnson for Fleury+

Pitt has to buy him out or trade him if they want to keep Murray. Fleury+2nd for Elliot at the deadline helps the Flames add assets while still having flexibility to see what Gillies can become while the Pens get a reliable vet to backup Murray for the remainder of the season and playoffs

Good thought on Fleury trade being an option. Have to wonder if it wasn't discussed at all during the summer and yeah, Elliott would make sense for the Pens in a playoff drive.

[Finger Cookin]

The Flames will not protect Jokipakka because he's the only bubble D that easily meets the expansion exposure requirements, so long as he's extended prior to the expansion draft. If he's protected, a lot of young D will need to play a ton of pro games this season so that they can be exposed, or old journeymen will need to be extended.

Jokipakka will be exposed, won't be selected, and will be back with the Flames in 17-18 if they choose to re-sign him.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by AC

The Flames will protect all 3 IMO.

1. Gaudreau
2. Monahan
3. Bennett
4. Backlund
5. Brouwer
6. Frolik
7. Ferland or Shinkaruk, depending on how this season goes

Yes. This is what will happen with the forwards. [/spoiler] This has got about a 98% probability, whereas the 8 skaters proposals have about a 0.0000001% probability.

[bubbsy]

it's gonna be very interesting.

they may take on Jokipakka, but there may be guys like shinkaruk, ferland, poirier there. perhaps they take their chance on youth potential if they can find decent bottom 3 dmen else where. That would suck.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

it's gonna be very interesting.

they may take on Jokipakka, but there may be guys like shinkaruk, ferland, poirier there. perhaps they take their chance on youth potential if they can find decent bottom 3 dmen else where. That would suck.

Depends a lot on what other teams do as well - as the team will be trying to balance short and long-term as well as positional needs.
But Jokipakka is a likely selection because he is both relatively young and can play minutes for them.

[Strange Brew]

I believe majority of expansion picks will be young players, those who can legitimately still be viewed as prospects. Throw in a few leadership guys and guys on value contracts. This team will have lots of money to spend come July 1 to get players who will help them in year 1.

[TheScorpion]

I quite like Jokipakka. I really hope they take someone else, like Ferland or Poirier.

[JiriHrdina]

I could see Ferland being a temptation - particularly if there are a lot of dmen available.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

But Jokipakka is a likely selection because he is both relatively young and can play minutes for them.

A "likely selection"? You really think that Las Vegas won't be able to find 9 better D-men then Jokipakka? I do.

I think the Calgary selection will be one of Bouma/Stajan (veteran presence + $$ to hit the floor) or Ferland.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Parallex

A "likely selection"? You really think that Las Vegas won't be able to find 9 better D-men then Jokipakka? I do.

I think the Calgary selection will be one of Bouma/Stajan (veteran presence + $$ to hit the floor) or Ferland.

Zero chance of Stajan getting picked. Bouma marginally above zero IMO. I think reaching the cap floor won't be that hard and there will be loads of high priced veterans available plus UFA's.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Jokipakka can play top 4. You lose him, and who do you replace him with in the short term? Wideman is very likely not going to play a full season with the Flames and will be gone IMO. Engelleand, Smid, Nakladal and the prospects are bottom pair guys.

All of our prospects are bottom pair guys? That's false.

Kulak and Wotherspoon would be the most likely to step up and claim a top 4 if Jokipakka was exposed and lost.

[Finger Cookin]

Jokipakka is a bottom pair player. I have nothing against him, but I'm not concerned if he ends up being selected in the expansion draft, either. There's lots of promising prospects on D in the organization currently, and some of them are exempt.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I think reaching the cap floor won't be that hard and there will be loads of high priced veterans available plus UFA's.

Yup... and I think that a Flames high priced veteran will be one of the ones selected. The Las Vegas Whatevers will have to take some money in the expansion draft so they'll look at all the teams and the ones that have the least to offer in terms of younger expansion draft eligible cheap talent is where they'll take the higher priced vets. I think that's the Flames since our best young talent will either be protected or exempt.

[Strange Brew]

Every team will expose their expensive contracts. I would rather have an overpaid 2nd liner than overpaid 4th liner.

If Stajan were to be selected, that tells me guys like Ferland, Shinkaruk, Poirier etc. had an awful year. I'm not convinced Flames will have less young talent available than other teams and if true, we're in trouble.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Every team will expose their expensive contracts. I would rather have an overpaid 2nd liner than overpaid 4th liner.

If Stajan were to be selected, that tells me guys like Ferland, Shinkaruk, Poirier etc. had an awful year. I'm not convinced Flames will have less young talent available than other teams and if true, we're in trouble.

I think remaining term is a huge factor here, and Stajan will only have one year left.

His selection is definitely not out of the question, IMO.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I think remaining term is a huge factor here, and Stajan will only have one year left.

His selection is definitely not out of the question, IMO.

Especially if he has a bounce back year with a new coach in an expanded role.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Every team will expose their expensive contracts. I would rather have an overpaid 2nd liner than overpaid 4th liner.

What if the team that is exposing that "overpaid 2nd liner" has a high quality young D-man? or bluechip goalie prospect? Or quality #4 D-man? Or decent guy that's still waiver exempt?

Wouldn't you rather take one of those over the overpaid 2nd liner (Who is this hypothetical overpaid 2nd liner anyways... he must be really overpaid if they're not spending a protection slot on him)? On that note what if that "overpaid 2nd liner" has a lot of years left on his deal that won't look so good on the back half of the contract?