[Rumour] Travis Hamonic requests trade. Western Canada preferred destination

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

That would be fantastic. Also has zero chance of happening.

Hamilton for a 1st and a pair of 2nds would be fantastic. Also has zero change of happening.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The 'only Western Canada' angle makes me suspicious though. No way Snow divulges that info and I doubt another GM would know that unless they were told. Presumably he would be shopped to other teams to drive up the price, even if Snow had the intention of sending him to Western Canada.

If I was a betting man, I'd wager that Hamonic's camp leaked this to speed things along.

Well the first report was from Friedman, he didn't mention anything about what teams might be involved. Friedman wasn't even sure the reason why the Isles were shopping him.

From what I can tell the Western Canada stuff and the reason why came from Dreger 20 minutes after Friedman's initial report and he gave credit to Friedman for breaking the news. That might have come from his agent's camp when Dreger checked into it.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DomeFoam

As for Hamilton, his mistakes were covered by a good defense corps. He comes to a team in a rebuild and he is exposed. This isn't a bad thing but right now he is playing bottom pairing minutes for our team thats got just 3 more points and 2 games in hand than the Oilers.

Obviously giving up a young defenseman with solid promise is never going to go over well. I said I'd rather have Klefbom.

Now you're just talking out of your arse. He was a key top 4 player on a very good team. I am guessing you didn't watch the Bruins much.

As for this year, yes he has struggled. He talked about the change of going from a team that boxes out players to a team that fills lanes. It has been a big adjustment for him. But he is getting better with every game.

You should watch some Oiler games and see the tire fire that Klefbom can be in his own end.

[adc]

Originally Posted by GoFlamesGo1989

Hudler Gio Kylington for Hamonic Strome?

Is Snow a secret Flames fan or does he have a deal in place to join the Flames organization at the end of the year?

[Enoch Root]

As I type that ^, Klefbom lets Hossa get behind him for a 120 foot breakaway

[browna]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The 'only Western Canada' angle makes me suspicious though. No way Snow divulges that info and I doubt another GM would know that unless they were told. Presumably he would be shopped to other teams to drive up the price, even if Snow had the intention of sending him to Western Canada.

If I was a betting man, I'd wager that Hamonic's camp leaked this to speed things along.

Yeah, I guess we'll see. The insiders get used as mouthpieces by agents to get the message out there all the time.

Whether it's the Isles trying to get this done with, or Hamonic's camp, or another agent either wanting to help Hamonic's agent out but keeping Hamonic's camp able to deny it was them, or, an agent of a player asked to waive to go to the Isles in a deal, it's someone frustrated with how long this has taken.

Having this leak, after a request of the Isles almost 2 months ago hasn't yet been consummated, only helps Hamonic's cause to have this sped up before the holidays.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The thing with Hamilton is the reason, he's too young to be relied on as a legit top pairing guy in the next year or two in the same way Brodie couldn't be relied on it until the end of last year either.

To take maximum advantage of the cup contending window with Monahan, Gaudreau, Brodie, the franchise can't afford to have key contributors lagging a year or two behind in development.

When you look at the Hawks, who are at this point the blueprint, all of their key guys are within a couple of years of each other, with the defensive side of the equation being a couple of years old.

Keith/Seabrook, same age. Kane and Toews are about 6 months apart.

Hamonic and Brodie are a few months apart. Hamilton a few years younger. In the Hawks comparison, Hamilton fills the role of Nik Hjalmerson, with Brodie as the Keith and Hamonic the Seabrook.

Where Calgary's rebuild was lagging behind was in defensive players ready to play for the main organization in important roles. Calgary was looking at a situation where they were going to have to draft defenders that they believed would be able to step onto the main roster no later than their 2nd or midway through their 3rd pro season. Ideally, you draft a guy that can step onto your bottom pairing right from the draft. Otherwise, you have a veteran forward group having their best offensive years wasted with a young defence that struggles to defend. By the time that young defence has had an opportunity to mature with experience, the forward group is exiting their prime years.

Anaheim is experiencing this to some degree right now. Committed long term to a forward group likely past their prime while their young defence doesn't appear to be in a position to play to that level. By the time Vatanen and Lindholm become established veterans, getzlaf/perry will be 33-34. Not old, but no longer prime.

Adding Hamilton really addressed that deficiency for the Flames but they still need another top defender in the 23-26 year age range or they need to hit a home run and draft a guy this draft or next that can step onto an NHL Ice Surface within 18 months of being drafted and play as your #4 defender. That's a tall order.

With Hamilton already in the fold, acquiring Hamonic virtually eliminates the needs of targeting a young defender in the draft or by trade and allows the organization to focus on drafting skilled wingers with size in the immediate term, guys that will have their most productive goal scoring seasons on the wing at the same time that Calgary's best forwards are rounding into form/peaking.

I was hot-to-trot about Myers last year for the same reason.

Well fair enough. Thought you were suggesting Brodie and Hamilton are in different age groups, or the gap was bigger. When Hamilton hits his stride, and I don't think he's that far off, Brodie will still be playing at a high level. Adding in another guy is always good.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Well fair enough. Thought you were suggesting Brodie and Hamilton are in different age groups, or the gap was bigger. When Hamilton hits his stride, and I don't think he's that far off, Brodie will still be playing at a high level. Adding in another guy is always good.

Hypothetical: Giordano for Hamonic. Are there any posters who wouldn't do that? Is there any chance that the Islanders, forced into replacing Hamonic and needing to contend during Tavares' prime, cut their losses and consider it?

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Hypothetical: Giordano for Hamonic. Are there any posters who wouldn't do that? Is there any chance that the Islanders, forced into replacing Hamonic and needing to contend during Tavares' prime, cut their losses and consider it?

The islanders most likely would do it, most likely flames would need to retain 1 mil of the deal though

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

The islanders most likely would do it, most likely flames would need to retain 1 mil of the deal though

Don't think you can retain salary for a contract that hasn't started yet.

[David Struch]

The Islanders would definitely need some defensive depth if they were to trade one of their top three defensemen.

To Flames:

Hamonic

To Islanders:

Backlund or Colborne (upgrade on Grabovski)
retained salary on one or all of Russell & Wideman (Smid?)
lots of defensive prospects to choose from... Andersson/Kylington/Wortherspoon/Morrison/Kulak/Culkin/Hickey

[adc]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Hypothetical: Giordano for Hamonic. Are there any posters who wouldn't do that? Is there any chance that the Islanders, forced into replacing Hamonic and needing to contend during Tavares' prime, cut their losses and consider it?

I think it would depend on how serious Hamonic is on playing in Western Canada. If it is true and a trade me or else demand Giordano is not a bad return given those restrictions.

If they have more leeway and it was just a preference for him to be moved out West and he will happily play in NYI as long as he is signed there I think they hold out for a younger guy.

I would make that Gio-Haminic deal in a second if it were available as a Flames fan.

[Machiavelli]

Not sure why so many think that scraps would get it done, when the Isles have already said they want an equivalent player.

Oilers or Jets seem like the most logical partners (if Hamonic is indeed set on the West).

Something around Myers, perhaps?

[budblazer]

id trade gio for hamonic in a heartbeat . get on the phone brad lol

[corporatejay]

Wide man and Russell are garbage and not going to get it done. Gio might. Other than that there is no one they would want that I'd consider moving.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Hypothetical: Giordano for Hamonic. Are there any posters who wouldn't do that?

I wouldn't. Weighing the pros and cons:

Giordano
- Captain and one of the best leaders in the NHL
- 48 points in 61 games last season
- 4 goals, 2 assists in 20 games this season, but could easily heat up on both sides. Might be playing injured right now.
- When he's on, and eventually this season he will be on, one of the best shot suppressors in the NHL
- 32 years old, UFA after 38. Chara is 38 right now, BTW, and looks fantastic. Giordano has been that class of player/captain for two seasons, 20 so-so games don't wipe that.
- Left hand shot, career high 14 goals, plus 11 goals twice, plus 8 goals, plus 9 in 61 games. Will probably be good for 8-12 goals the rest of his career.

Hamonic
- Plays tougher minutes, but really a #3 defenseman on the Islanders with Leddy and Boychuk as its top pair.
- 3 assists in 19 games this season, 33 points in 71 games last season
- 25 years old, UFA after 29 (Exact same year Brodie goes UFA, btw.)
- Right hand shot, career high 5 goals twice.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I wouldn't. Weighing the pros and cons:

Giordano
- Captain and one of the best leaders in the NHL
- 48 points in 61 games last season
- 4 goals, 2 assists in 20 games this season, but could easily heat up on both sides. Might be playing injured right now.
- When he's on, and eventually this season he will be on, one of the best shot suppressors in the NHL
- 32 years old, UFA after 38. Chara is 38 right now, BTW, and looks fantastic. Giordano has been that class of player/captain for two seasons, 20 so-so games don't wipe that.
- Left hand shot, career high 14 goals, plus 11 goals twice, plus 8 goals, plus 9 in 61 games. Will probably be good for 8-12 goals the rest of his career.

Hamonic
- Plays tougher minutes, but really a #3 defenseman on the Islanders with Leddy and Boychuk as its top pair.
- 3 assists in 19 games this season, 33 points in 71 games last season
- 25 years old, UFA after 29 (Exact same year Brodie goes UFA, btw.)
- Right hand shot, career high 5 goals twice.

That's fair but it's become pretty evident since Gio went down to injury last season where the team never missed a beat that Brodie is really the straw that stirs the drink on the back end and Gio's contract looks absolutely frightening if he's going to play like this every odd season and regress as he ages. I simply think it's a little short term pain for long term gain ridding themselves of the contract and in turn bringing in a solid top 4 defenseman that wants to play out West. In a perfect world Gio could retire a Flame but that contract they signed him to is just terrible when you consider how old he's going to be in the back half and how dicey player careers are when they reach 35 years of age.

[Vinny01]

Gio might get it done?

Give me a break. A top 5 D in the league over the past couple years is maybe worth a younger guy who is top 4. Some of the disrespect to Gio recently reminds me of the Iginla hate.

[IgiTang]

And watch... March rollsaround and Gio has returned to form and in the Norris conversation but not in top 3 because of a slow start and people are complaining cause Hamonic is -20 on the season in Flames silks...

Lets get real... Gio for Hamonic is not the direction this team needs to be going right now.

Hamonic would be a nice pick up, certainly. But at the cost of arguably the best Dman in the league the last 2 seasons, one of the most fit, focused and dedicated guys in the league.. for a guy who could easily take a while to adjust to being a Flame just as Hamilton is?

We have other assets, but Gio is not the deal BT should be looking at.

[mikephoen]

While everyone is tripping over themselves to get Hamonic at any cost, isn't anyone concerned that the guy has 3 assists and no goals in 19 games this year?