2014/2015 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Angelino

Hope so, he wasn't that elite this year but def should improve eventually. But I thought the same with Backlund back in the day as well.

Monahan took the 2nd most faceoffs in the league this year (2nd season) and he was 51.2%, which is above average but I agree obviously not elite. But he's:

a) getting stronger
b) taking a LOT of faceoffs
c) on an improving trajectory
d) expressed the desire to continue to get better and work on it
e) currently above average already

Backlund has never been good on face-offs, he's now had 5 seasons in a row with FOW% well below 50% so I don't really see how it's comparable. IMO there was never any real reason to think he'd be good at face-offs except for the fact that he's considered a defensive C. Monahan is already good and wouldn't surprise me if he became elite considering his pedigree of improvement.

Colborne has also shown great potential with a FOW% of 60.7% in 163 draws this past season. Smaller sample size (Monahan took 963) but still.

Either way I don't think there's a good reason to overpay for a UFA because he's good a face-offs and I don't see it as a glaring weakness on this team moving forward.

EDIT: I see there's some conflicting FO data in this thread. I use hockey abstract: http://www.hockeyabstract.com/testimonials

[puds]

My main knock on Backlund is related to the above. I think he is our best defensive center and drives possession but he has always been a notch the NHL average in strength. It shows in his face-offs, when he is driving the and trying to release his shot while being pressured. Maybe it relates to his injury history.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Are people seriously saying Backlund is better than Vermette? If anything, they're pretty equal except Vermette is much better at faceoffs and he's better offensively. Remember Backlund was an offensive black hole in the playoffs too.

Vermette's gone from being way overhyped to completely underrated because he didn't play very well on a new team for a couple of months. He'd hardly be the first player that happened to. He would be a good addition to the team if he would sign for 2 years or less.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Are people seriously saying Backlund is better than Vermette? If anything, they're pretty equal except Vermette is much better at faceoffs and he's better offensively. Remember Backlund was an offensive black hole in the playoffs too.

Vermette's gone from being way overhyped to completely underrated because he didn't play very well on a new team for a couple of months. He'd hardly be the first player that happened to. He would be a good addition to the team if he would sign for 2 years or less.

Vermette is going to be 33 and getting grossly overpaid. Talent has nothing to do with this argument. It's age/dollar value. Flames have enough young centers and enough veteran centers to wait out the two years until the kids hit their stride. Vermette while useful in the face off dot, isn't useful at the stupid dollars he is going to fetch in a weak UFA class.

[Roof-Daddy]

If Sobotka is going to return to the NHL, that'd be a great pick up for a depth center who is unreal at face offs. A few seasons of above 60% IIRC.

He's Blues property though, even if he does return.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

If Sobotka is going to return to the NHL, that'd be a great pick up for a depth center who is unreal at face offs. A few seasons of above 60% IIRC.

He's Blues property though, even if he does return.

And SUPER Cheap relatively speaking to Vermette.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by dammage79

And SUPER Cheap relatively speaking to Vermette.

Yeap, and 6-7 years younger too.

[sureLoss]

Burke on Fan 960 says last year at the draft Treliving had a deal to take on $13 million in cap space, 2 draft picks and a player they really liked but both teams backed out. Confirming the Ward and Ribiero deals last year?

He also said he had a deal in Toronto where Petter Chiarelli offered him a 1st round pick to take Manny Fernandez at the trade deadline but found another way to shed the cap space.

His point was that no one has yet been able to monetize cap space.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Burke on Fan 960 says last year at the draft Treliving had a deal to take on $13 million in cap space, 2 draft picks and a player they really liked but both teams backed out. Confirming the Ward and Ribiero deals last year?

He also said he had a deal in Toronto where Petter Chiarelli offered him a 1st round pick to take Manny Fernandez at the trade deadline but found another way to shed the cap space.

His point was that no one has yet been able to monetize cap space.

Mike Richards maybe (although the cap hit is more)? I can't see Ribiero being the type of player they would want to bring in to set an example for the young players as he's kind of an anti-Hudler.

[Poe969]

No one has but it's great that they're still trying and have actually come close. I wonder if the Flames would go for a deal like that considering how this past year went. Would they risk taking on a bad contract and actually playing that player (someone like Ribero) for a first round pick or a good young player? Or do they think that they have a good team and the compensation wouldn't be worth the progress they've made.

Depending on the player, I think they should keep trying. Someone like Ward can still help this team and if the overpaid player isn't too much of a "bad apple" I think Harley and the group can change most players and get them to buy in what the Flames are selling.

I love that our management group is always looking for ways to improve this team.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Mike Richards maybe (although the cap hit is more)? I can't see Ribiero being the type of player they would want to bring in to set an example for the young players as he's kind of an anti-Hudler.

Pretty sure the player he was talking about was Ward. IIRC he has been complimentary of Ward in the past.

[Blarg]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Burke on Fan 960 says last year at the draft Treliving had a deal to take on $13 million in cap space, 2 draft picks and a player they really liked but both teams backed out. Confirming the Ward and Ribiero deals last year?

He also said he had a deal in Toronto where Petter Chiarelli offered him a 1st round pick to take Manny Fernandez at the trade deadline but found another way to shed the cap space.

His point was that no one has yet been able to monetize cap space.

That whole interview was gold. Thanks for the speculation

[-TC-]

Yep agree, I love listening to Burkie when he's no filter like that...

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Mike Richards maybe (although the cap hit is more)? I can't see Ribiero being the type of player they would want to bring in to set an example for the young players as he's kind of an anti-Hudler.

They still had a compliance buy out.

They would have traded for Ribiero and then bought him out.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

They still had a compliance buy out.

They would have traded for Ribiero and then bought him out.

The Ribero deal was post lockout and you could use a CBO on a deal signed after the lockout. thebFlanes would have been stuck with the contract

[868904]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

The Ribero deal was post lockout and you could use a CBO on a deal signed after the lockout. thebFlanes would have been stuck with the contract

I'm not sure about that. The whole point of the trade was that the Flames had money and the Coyotes didn't, and the Flames could afford the buyout or the deal with the cap space if they chose to retain Riberio.

Eventually Riberio was still bought out buy the Coyotes so I don't see why the Flames wouldn't have been able to do that if they traded for him.

Based on the interview though, it sounds like the Flames may have been interested in actually keeping Riberio though, which makes Riberio's voiding of the trade seem odd.

[Mattman]

I wouldn't mind a starting price of Granlund + 2015 2nd to get talks started for TJ Oshie

Becuase if the Blues do decide to get rid of Berglund or Backes they get a young C to potentially replace them

[Mattman]

Double

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Mattman

I wouldn't mind a starting price of Granlund + 2015 2nd to get talks started for TJ Oshie

Becuase if the Blues do decide to get rid of Berglund or Backes they get a young C to potentially replace them

I don't think that would get talks started.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by 868904

I'm not sure about that. The whole point of the trade was that the Flames had money and the Coyotes didn't, and the Flames could afford the buyout or the deal with the cap space if they chose to retain Riberio.

Eventually Riberio was still bought out buy the Coyotes so I don't see why the Flames wouldn't have been able to do that if they traded for him.

Based on the interview though, it sounds like the Flames may have been interested in actually keeping Riberio though, which makes Riberio's voiding of the trade seem odd.

We could have bought him out just not a compliance buyout. The Yotes still have that
Buyout counting against their cap. The point of the CBO allowed teams to buy players out with no cap penalties. Brad Richards for instance or Vinny Lecavilier were bought out and while the Rangers/Lightning are on the hook for the cost of the buyout there is no cap implications.

Only contracts signed prior to the lockout were eligible for the CBO. Ribero signed with the Yotes after the lockout and his deal was not eligible for the CBO