[News] Flames offersheet O'Reilly UPDATE: Avs match

[LGA]

Avs fan here. Not sure what the Avs will do, I think O'Reilly is worth more than a 1st and a 3rd, especially if they keep rising in the standings. If However the Flames pick becomes top-5 then I think it'll be a huge steal for the Avalanche.

Regardless. I've become quite sour on O'Reilly the person through this whole thing. He was supposed to be that character guy that is loyal to the team, instead he has seemed like the complete opposite. He either has done a really bad job, and has been horridly losing the PR war, or he is less of the character I thought he was. However, he is still a very good hockey player, some of the most impressive defensive instincts I've seen in ages. He doesn't have a lot of high end offensive skill, but he knows where to be and is a pretty decent playmaker.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Robo

I assume if Colorado is going to match they would probably do it soon to get him up to help them

Yah, I think if this thing goes past one day we'll have O'Reilly. The Av's won't be in a rush to give him away.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by calgARI

Absolutely it's a risk - a risk that could go either way.

Not following the people who are angry that this is counter to rebuilding though because O'Reilly has fewer question marks than most first round picks because he has played well in the NHL for three years and already put up respectable numbers. Hinges upon where that first round pick actually is which of course is mostly tied to how the Flames do the rest of the season.

No matter what happens, enormous pressure on O'Reilly but especially if he ends up in Calgary.

His age is still right for a rebuilding team, but not that salary. The whole point of getting "younger" is to have players that can play above their salary as presumably, they are still on a more reasonable first or second contract. This is the tpye of contract that a player in their prime should get.

Add to that, he will be a UFA when his 25 (in 3 years). Even if we committed to a rebuild starting now, there is a good chance that he will be gone before it starts bearing fruit.

[HELPNEEDED]

Originally Posted by shutout

Not neccessarily. Iginla could still decide that he wants to go somewhere else that has a better chance. Any trades involving Iginla, Kiprusoff, and Bouwmeester would have to bring back some draft picks and/or young players/prospects. The Flames still have lots of opportunities to acquire draft assets.

This is a great rebuilding move that excellerates the process.

You don't finally get "that" centre and then let your gun walk.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

A young 1st line centre. Not a second liner.

why is he a second line center?

He has offensive skills wins more face offs then he loses he's not small, his development has been very good and he has elite defensive skills.

[browna]

Originally Posted by calgARI

Those who have speculated that Feaster isn't 'in' with other GM's and this has made things challenging for him...this move will only alienate the organization further.

Agreed. Outside of the minor moves, his big trade had Cammalleri landing in his lap because of his behavior the day before in Montreal. I don't think he can pull anything off because he's not part of any of the GM circles and there's also a reason he didn't get a sniff of a GM or assistant GM job for 2-3 years after GM'ing Tampa.

Similar to Lowe back in the day, calling the Oilers open for business at draft and then hearing crickets. Then pulling out the Vanek offer sheet and the as last ditch efforts. This, unfortunatley, isn't that far off from that desperation and making the moves that you can make without a partner, however unlike Vanek and Penner, Colorado's been looking to get rid of this player.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Not necessarily. The trade deadline is 40 days before the last day of the season. Normally that's in late February but in Olympic years it usually gets pushed into March.

In 2010, it was March 3. In 2006, it was March 9.

Next year, the deadline day will likely be either March 4 or 11. If the Avs are going to match, they'll probably want to do it ASAP just so that they'll have the freedom to trade him next year if they want. Also, if they're going to match, they might as well get him in the lineup ASAP since the bulk of the pay is from a signing bonus, so delaying won't save them much money.

If they're not going to match, they might make the Flames sweat out the week.

[Captain_Obvious]

Originally Posted by polak

This means we are going for it this year (if colorado matches) because now the worst possible case scenerio is us finishing in the bottom 3. That means we won't be trading anyone of importance. We can't go and trade Kipper and Iggy because then once again, we become a bottom feeder.

Look at the standings. We are without Kipper and Backlund and are 3 points out of the playoffs.

It is a longshot we pick top 3 to begin with.

Now we add a top young centre (not a shot at a top young centre like a draft pick is, a proven top young pivot)... and we get kipper back.

You're just not looking at the big picture.

The opportunity to trade what will likely be a top 10-20 pick for one of the proven best young defensive centres in the game is a very good calculated risk.

It's a move that helps the team now, and gives them a top young 22 year old centre to build with for the future.

[RyZ]

I dont like it unless we are moving vets for picks at the deadline.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by MikeMc

So we put in an aggressive offer for a proven young center (yes yes he was only the top point getter on the Avs for 1 year) and people complain about his cap hit (which won't necessarily matter next year depending on players will be coming off the books) and losing a completely unknown 1st round pick and a 3rd. Jesus people.

Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush boys.

Love the move. Love making a move to try to improve this team based on actual players and not some unknown draft pick who would be the 2nd coming of Jesus or Rico Fata's brother Jimmy Fata.

You can't possibly be that short sighted. You realize that his salary is going to increase each contract if you want to keep him? You realize that you are setting a salary structure with that contract. If Baertschi scores 88 points to O'Reilly's 55 next year are you going to pay him $8M on his next contract??

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by polak

How does this work if Colorado doesn't match?

Is he playing as an RFA without a contract?

He won't play until Colorado decides to match or not as the NHL will not register the contract until that point.

Very ballsy move on Feaster's part, and given the dollar cost, if Colorado doesn't match, it pretty much guarantees a big ticket player is going out the door by the draft. So the picks we would lose now would have to be weighed against whatever the return in that future trade would be.

I am not a fan of this overall, because even while we need a player like O'Reilly in our lienup, history has shown that players simply don't live up to RFA offer sheets. And since he hasn't been playing this year at all, it is unlikely he will be in the kind of game shape to make an immediate impact.

[Buster]

How is this a high risk move?

It's the more conservative move:

drafting high: more risk, more upside

taking a known quantity: conservative

[Miniac]

Originally Posted by calumniate

How are his faceoffs?

I think it was about 56% last season.

[MrMastodonFarm]

I forgot the Flames play Colorado tonight, kinda funny

[goodyear]

Just want to jump in with my $0.02 or does that get rounded up now that the penny is going away?

Anywho, like some posters here, $6.5 AAV sounds pretty steep to me for a guy coming off an entry level contract. Also, it's going to take franchise money to keep ROR after two years.

High risk, maybe high reward.

I think I would be more pumped if it was the other young Colorado forward - Duchene.

But at least Feaster is pulling some strings and the ball's now in Col's court.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by polak

You're not getting what I'm saying.

This means we are going for it this year (if colorado matches) because now the worst possible case scenerio is us finishing in the bottom 3. That means we won't be trading anyone of importance. We can't go and trade Kipper and Iggy because then once again, we become a bottom feeder.

This to me, means we will be extending Iginla and the rebuild is delayed for at least another year and Jarome is most likely of the table as a rental that could garner us anything remotely decent.

This is not a good thing in my eyes.

It doesn't mean we're 'going for it'. It means the organization finally realized we can't win without centres, and is putting value in acquiring legitimate NHL contributors at the position.

[Travis Munroe]

Can Colorado announce prior to the week deadline that they will not match? In other words could ROR be in a flames uniform in 3 days if Colorado makes their intentions known or does 1 week HAVE to pass?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Baerschi and O'Reilly are two solid building blocks up front.

[keratosis]

Yes, they can say not interested a any time.

[Dion]

Great move by Feaster. I give him props for doing something to address the lack of talent at the center ice position.

This could also help the Avs with the PR nightmare they'ved had with ROR. Getting a first and 3 round pick if they don't match could help the Avs save face.