[Signing] Vladar signs 2 year extension with Flames ($2.2 mil AAV)

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Man I didn't think the calls for Wolf would come this early. Markstrom hasn't been terrible and Vladar hasn't even played.

Vladar hasn't done a good job of closing the door or waving at the kids in the seats near his spot on the bench. He needs to be quicker.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

I mean I admitted my mistake. Go on and keep calling out the one time I didn't do my research before I posted if it makes you feel better though. Sure is sunny around the forum these days.

I just looked out the window and it's pretty cloudy here in Lethbridge....

[butterfly]

Holy smokes. They didn't realize Wolf would be RFA instead of UFA. Hardly a conspiracy theory folks.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Buff

Vladar hasn't done a good job of closing the door or waving at the kids in the seats near his spot on the bench. He needs to be quicker.

You said it, man

I haven’t even seen him catch any pucks that come out of play into the bench

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Buff

I just looked out the window and it's pretty cloudy here in Lethbridge....

Was born there, left after 7th grade... Can't say I miss it though.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

How does it work with Vladar on the roster to call up Wolf and play him?

Does it have to be an injury or just scratch one of the goalies and send one of the forwards down?

They just have to have a roster spot open and have enough cap space.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Was born there, left after 7th grade... Can't say I miss it though.

I came here from Calgary for grade 6. Things got better after grade 7 though... I wonder if it's a coincidence?

(because obviously we're the same age and went to the same school)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Man I didn't think the calls for Wolf would come this early. Markstrom hasn't been terrible and Vladar hasn't even played.

I could have sworn you weren’t new here.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Buff

I came here from Calgary for grade 6. Things got better after grade 7 though... I wonder if it's a coincidence?

(because obviously we're the same age and went to the same school)

The trade was 1 for 1.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Buff

I just looked out the window and it's pretty cloudy here in Lethbridge....

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Was born there, left after 7th grade... Can't say I miss it though.

I lived there from 94 to 2000. Dated someone from Illinois for part of that time, and she always said it was windier there than The Windy City.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Was born there, left after 7th grade... Can't say I miss it though.

Hmmmm. I left at the end of grade 5 at Lakeview. I'm glad I left, but I like visiting.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I don't see it. Wolf is still very young, and already has a strong track-record of elevating his performance pretty consistently. I would worry more about him "stagnating" if 1) he was already a year-or-two older and with more professional experience, or 2) the AHL team was not located in the same building with the NHL team. His waiver status for this year seems like a complete non-issue insofar as his own self-perception and feelings are concerned, since it is obviously a fixed limit with a hard deadline that ends after this season. As I have said before, it would be foolish for the team to not take advantage of the situation while they comfortably can.


Come on. If there is any risk here at all, it is miniscule because Wolf knows exactly what is going on, and he knows that his place on the team is cemented no later than next season. With his demonstrated mental fortitude I can't imagine how he would jeopardize his NHL future that he is on the brink of entering. This makes no sense. What is going to do? Quit?


After GAME #3 it is "turning into a wasted year for Wolf"? Wow. Talk to me after Game #50 if Wolf has yet to see any further NHL time. Otherwise, don't waste our time with your hilariously premature panic.

The only hilarious part of any of this is how worked up you're getting about a few comments questioning the development and progression the Flames have in place for one of the best players outside of the NHL. I'm sure your highly valuable "wasted time" will be quite alright either way though.

"What's he going to do? Quit?" - Don't be naive to the fact that all of these little things matter to players over a culmination of time with an organization when they are signing contracts or considering long term extensions down the road. Don't also be naive to the fact that goalies are fickle creatures and not striking while hot and not taking advantage of the cheapest contractual years available when they are ready to move up makes very little sense. Especially when you're doing it all for the sake of Vladar who is barely a league average backup at this point and the team is in great need of cap relief.

"Talk to me after game 50" - What are you expecting barring injury at this point? At best I can see little hope of Wolf playing more than 5-6 NHL games all year (again barring injury)....Wolf can only play so much with this setup, and that doesn't ignore that fact that you are quite possibly going to p/o Vladar if you're leapfrogging him for starts and possibly create locker room issues. If this isn't a lost year when the alternative could be Wolf backing up Markstrom and challenging for starts to the tune of 25-30 NHL games what is exactly?

As a prospect who has been described as being someone with nothing left to prove by his organization, it is odd to be trying to take advantage of a situation contractually instead of progressing him as soon as possible after he's given every sign of being up to the task. The Flames may come out roses in this situation, but the biggest issue I have with the approach is that holding prospects back is not doing right by the player or their development.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Maybe one of the forwards could actually try a deke on a penalty shot or SO attempt rather than shoot pucks at the goaltender or off the post? I'm not sure Vladar in net changes the fact that the Flames still aren't very good at the individual skills part of the NHL.

Not sure I'd agree with shots off iron.

Those are pretty good shots aren't they? When you're 1/4 inch from perfect you're in a different class than hitting the goalie in the chest.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Knut

In 3 years when he hits UFA status ?

5 years (4 after this season). This is his third pro season and he won't be UFA-eligible until he has played 7.

He could become a Group VI UFA like Phillips when he is 25 (2026) but only if he hasn't played 28 NHL games by then, which is highly unlikely.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Not sure I'd agree with shots off iron.

Those are pretty good shots aren't they? When you're 1/4 inch from perfect you're in a different class than hitting the goalie in the chest.

To me a good shot is one that ends up in the net or is thwarted by an excellent save. At the end of the day the result of hitting the post is no different than missing the net by two feet. This is the NHL not beer league so if your players are hitting a lot of posts they simply aren't doing a good enough job.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

To me a good shot is one that ends up in the net or is thwarted by an excellent save. At the end of the day the result of hitting the post is no different than missing the net by two feet. This is the NHL not beer league so if your players are hitting a lot of posts they simply aren't doing a good enough job.

Agree to disagree then.

Two feet wide is two feet wide.
A post is what 0-2 inches wide?

One is very close to an amazing outcome (my point), the other is never giving yourself a chance.

[transplant99]

Yup...beating the goaltender is beating the goaltender, but once in a while you dont beat the iron.

Shooting wide takes no skill.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Not sure I'd agree with shots off iron.

Those are pretty good shots aren't they? When you're 1/4 inch from perfect you're in a different class than hitting the goalie in the chest.

But a quarter inch the other way and you'd miss entirely. Suck on that Coach Bombay.

[Naitix]

I would prefer to trade Vladar for a player rather than a pick, a 2nd rounder in 2025 is useless to us for this window. Plus most teams have no cap space so we will have to take back a player either way.
Trade Vladar + Dube for a forward that fits Huby's style more

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Naitix

I would prefer to trade Vladar for a player rather than a pick, a 2nd rounder in 2025 is useless to us for this window. Plus most teams have no cap space so we will have to take back a player either way.
Trade Vladar + Dube for a forward that fits Huby's style more

Not sure the Flames want Wolf playing once every 10 days or so.

For that reason, I doubt Vladar is traded this season