Kulak On Waivers

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by heep223

No surprise here. Every team has a Kulak or two.

Would Stone clear?

I'd say yes, but only because of his salary.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by heep223

No surprise here. Every team has a Kulak or two.

Would Stone clear?

Easily.

[calf]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

no surprise.

News Update

Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Kulak (CAL) clears

It fills me with so much irrational rage when Friedman uses CAL instead of CGY

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

This is like Byron again but on defence.

Survey says...

[Fire]

Originally Posted by heep223

No surprise here. Every team has a Kulak or two.

Would Stone clear?

I doubt he would clear waivers. A big physical defenseman that can play on the 2nd pairing on some teams and be on the 2nd PP unit has value.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

no surprise.

News Update

Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Kulak (CAL) clears

So not like Byron after all.

[Locke]

Are there any ideas as to what they're so far apart on? Is it dollars, term or 1-way vs 2-way?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Well it can't really be term. As player elected, Flames get the say on whether it's one or two years. And I doubt they would offer a fringe NHL player more than two.

As much as there's talks about Kulak's side wanting too much, there's just not one example I could fine of a player with Kulak's stats that would warrant anything above league minimum. His most closest comparable are players from last year are players like Ouellet and Claesson, who signed $700,000 contracts and clearly the type of contracts that the Flames would be able to produce dozens of (should point out that these were UFA contracts though in this regard). There's nothing really in favour of 900K+ contracts comparable to Kulak's lousy non-advanced stats (under 13 minutes a game, 8 points, - player).

It's Jordan Schroeder 2.0. Schroeder wanted one-way, Minnesota put him on waivers and when he didn't get claimed he signed a two-way.

[Toonage]

So the arbitrator settles on $1M, the Flames say thanks and Kulak sits in the AHL at the start of the season with only $200K against the cap.

[GioforPM]

Can an arbitrator give a two-way or just award a single dollar figure?

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by Toonage

So the arbitrator settles on $1M, the Flames say thanks and Kulak sits in the AHL at the start of the season with only $200K against the cap.

The max that a contract can be buried in the AHL without counting against the cap for 2018-19 is $1,025,000.
https://www.capfriendly.com/faq

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Anduril

The max that a contract can be buried in the AHL without counting against the cap for 2018-19 is $1,025,000.
https://www.capfriendly.com/faq

So the whole thing then. Nice.

Assuming it is a $1M (one way) award. Purely hypothetical on my part

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Can an arbitrator give a two-way or just award a single dollar figure?

Yes, they have the ability to give two-way.

In the case of Kulak, a player who played 71 games in the NHL, while he might not warrant much over league minimum salary in the NHL, I think it would be easy for an arbitrator to consider him an NHL player and give him a one-way contract though.

[Imported_Aussie]

Originally Posted by Locke

Are there any ideas as to what they're so far apart on? Is it dollars, term or 1-way vs 2-way?

He is coming off a 2-way deal and on that deal played 71 NHL games. I can see him stating he has earned 1-way, not sure if that is the sticking point though.

Mentioned in other posts that my gut feeling is that Kulak wants more than 1 year, but the Flames may be hesitant to do this with prospects in the pipeline, plus (and any CBA experts correct me if I am wrong) a 2 year deal goes to UFA, a 1 year deal maintains team control so they can defer the decision to later whether he is worth keeping around.

Money is also a potential sticking point. Kulak played on a 650K deal with 125K minors salary - essentially a minimum deal. He may feel that given that he got minimum for limited NHL time, then earned more NHL time and was a regular, that this means his value has gone up. However to the flames, he is replacement level, and as such, should make less.

What may end up being a fair compromise is a 2-way deal for slightly less than his QO (715K) at NHL level, but higher AHL salary.
1 year, 2-way deal 700K NHL, 350K AHL. Makes him equal cheapest D with Hogstrom to be on NHL roster, gives him more if he is demoted to AHL, and Flames can reassess in a year

EDIT: just thought of another possible factor - Prout received a 1-way, 800K deal, and even though he has more NHL experience, his recent career trajectory has seen him slide to more of an AHL player. This is UFA vs RFA, but perhaps Kulak feels slighted that Prout quickly received more money even though Kulak is ahead of him on the depth chart?

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by calf

It fills me with so much irrational rage when Fryedman uses CAL instead of CGY

I hope this helps.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by cgyf

It fills me with so much irrational rage when Friedman uses CAL instead of CGY

Meh, they're pretty much the same thing.

[Geeoff]

That's gotta be tough on Kulak's ego. Passed over by Vegas and now passed over by everyone.

[Salt Water Cowboy #10]

My guess is that they just want as much flexibility with Hanafin as possible. No offense to Kulak but he’s the important guy to sign, and there are other prospects pushing for spots on the D. The Arb award is the best kulak can get, and by putting him on waivers, and he clears, it reduces the perceived value of Kulak. I think this was all a business decision by the Flames. Even if Kulak is worth more than 1 million, the flames are just doing what they can to ensure they get Hanafin under a contract. That’s my take anyway

[rhino]

Originally Posted by calf

It fills me with so much irrational rage when Friedman uses CAL instead of CGY

Your coworkers must walk on eggshells around you if this sets you off.

[thymebalm]

Kulak far more likely to take under a million today, was likely pushing for at or above yesterday.