2016-17 Defense Core

[Erick Estrada]

Wotherspoon will have to make the team or they will likely lose him on waivers. It would be nice to re-sign Nakladal but they would have to unload both Smid and Wideman to have that feasible or you would end up with a lot of money in the pressbox every night.

[Roof-Daddy]

TJ Brodie - Hamilton
Giordano - Wideman
Jokipakka - Engelland

Lad Smid - Nakladal (UFA)

Wotherspoon


1. Bolded are untouchable, the building blocks of the D core.
2. Would be nice to see Nakladal brought back on a 2 year deal, roughly $900k-$1 million. That's more in line with bottom pairing cap cost.
3. Would like to see one of Wideman or Engelland moved to make room for Nakladal. Preferably Wideman, but that opens up a hole in the top 4 that Jokipakka or Engelland have to fill.
4. Laddy Smid is a huge question mark with his injury woes, now waiver eligible Wotherspoon can take on his role as #7 if he can't play.


In Stockton:

B. Kulak - Kylington
R. Culkin - Anderssen
P. Sieloff - Morrison

Kanzig

1. This is assuming no vets are brought in on AHL deals, which isn't likely. Aaron Johnson and Dustin Stevenson types.
2. Kulak 1st call up if he earns it, hopefully Culkin and Kylington push as well.
3. This also assumes a guy like John Gilmour isn't given an AHL deal, or that Rafikov and Ollas-Mattsson stay in Europe.


Hickey in college, 3rd year.
Bruce in the OHL.

[Vinny01]

Of the Wideman, Amid, Wngellend group the only one I would keep is Engellend but even then if you can clear that salary off the books you do it as there are more pressing needs than a bottom pairing D (his toughness would be missed though)

I would prefer the following

Gio-Brodie
UFA/trade-Hamilton
Jokkipakka-Nakladal/Engellend
Wotherspoon

[bubbsy]

Getting rid of Wideman is huge for this offseason, in my opinion. Not only has it become apparent that he is replaceable within the top6, but his salary is imperative to clear up to help fill holes in other areas.

I think it shakes out as follows:

giordano - brodie
hamilton - engelland
jokipakka - nakladal
wotherspoon

I do believe engelland has a place in the top6, as he is one of the only real "get nasty" type guys we have back there.

[Vulcan]

After the top three, Engelland and Jokipakka are givens. That's 5 defencemen.

I'd like to get rid of Wideman and Smid any way we can. Wideman isn't that terrible, it's just that he's been replaced by Hamilton, he knows it and it's reflected in his play, and he needs to be traded. If Smid is healthy maybe buy him out or waive him. It isn't that he's bad, we just can't rely on him. He'd make a good vet for the youngsters in Stockton.

It may shake out on who to keep between Wotherspoon and Nakladal though. Nakladal may be better right now but he's 28 while Wotherspoon just turned 23. Now waiver wire eligible, it's another big camp coming up for Tyler.

[ricardodw]

Hamilton -16 over the year

In November/Dec when Hamilton was the #5 d-man with most of his time with Russell (Russell/Wideman at crunch times) :

Russell +9 Hamilton +8

Without that 25 game stretch with Russell Hamilton - 24 for 55 games. That would be the worst +/- for any d-man in the League

Gio - Hamilton pairing awful +/-
Brodie-Hamilton awful +/-

The Flames need to find someone to play with Hamilton

[Cheerio]

Gio-Brodie
Hamilton-Jokipakka
Nakladal-Wotherspoon/Kulak/whoever
LTIR: Smid

Clears 11 million in cap from the backend which will go a long way in re-signing Gaudreau, Monahan and a real goalie.

[CaptainCrunch]

I think that there will be a concerted effort to convince Smid to retire, move out Widemen and Engellend.

I think that its time to give Wotherspoon a shot, Nakladal has looked good as has Jokipakka.

The top 3 is cemented. The Flames need a guy that's got a defensive conscience in the top 4.

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I hope Nakladal is brought back on a reasonable deal. Love what he brings.

http://flames.nhl.com/club/m_news.htm?id=877485

[TheScorpion]

“After this season my contract’s finished,” Nakladal said. “We’ll see what’s going to happen. I really wish to stay here in Calgary. I like it here, so we’ll see what happens.

“We’ll see. My wish is to stay here in Calgary.”

Can I be the first to say YESSSSSSSSSSSSS?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I think that there will be a concerted effort to convince Smid to retire, move out Widemen and Engellend.

I think that its time to give Wotherspoon a shot, Nakladal has looked good as has Jokipakka.

The top 3 is cemented. The Flames need a guy that's got a defensive conscience in the top 4.

Why would they move out Engelland? Besides being an okay defenceman, he's the only one on the team who provides any serious muscle.

Why would Smid retire and pass up $3.5M ?

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Why would they move out Engelland? Besides being an okay defenceman, he's the only one on the team who provides any serious muscle.

he's like Cory Sarich, without some of the big open ice hits, but the similar tough as nails play along the boards, in front of the net, and in post whistle scrums, which are all things this Dcore severely needs more of.

[RockOnRoberts]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Hamilton -16 over the year

In November/Dec when Hamilton was the #5 d-man with most of his time with Russell (Russell/Wideman at crunch times) :

Russell +9 Hamilton +8

Without that 25 game stretch with Russell Hamilton - 24 for 55 games. That would be the worst +/- for any d-man in the League

Gio - Hamilton pairing awful +/-
Brodie-Hamilton awful +/-

The Flames need to find someone to play with Hamilton

Can't have anything to do with the fact that the Flames goalies couldn't stop a beach ball, right? Must be Hamilton's fault. Plus, if we are in the business of cherry picking stats, how about the fact that Kris Russell was a -4 with the Flames. Take away his time with Hamilton and Russell is a -13.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Hamilton -16 over the year

In November/Dec when Hamilton was the #5 d-man with most of his time with Russell (Russell/Wideman at crunch times) :

Russell +9 Hamilton +8

Without that 25 game stretch with Russell Hamilton - 24 for 55 games. That would be the worst +/- for any d-man in the League

Gio - Hamilton pairing awful +/-
Brodie-Hamilton awful +/-

The Flames need to find someone to play with Hamilton

And a lot of Hamilton's bad numbers are likely due to the contract they gave to Frolik too...

I don't think any defensive stats this year should really matter. The team was a train wreck but mostly because they had the worst goaltending in the leage. Hamilton wasn't really brought in because he's going to be the best defensive defense man there is. He's pretty good defensively but his offensive game is what makes him so good. I do think they need to find someone to play with him who is more defensive or at least compliments his game. I do think Hamilton is getting better though and his all around game will improve soon.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Guys I know Rasmus Andersson is a great prospect but you can't rush young defence men. I think the organization will want him to start in Stockton.

Serious question has a 2nd round defenceman gone straight from junior to the NHL in the last 10 years? I'm not sure how to find the answer to that question. I'm betting it almost never happens and for good reason. Much harder to break in as a dman than a forward. Took Brodie quite a while to become great. Same for Gio. Hamilton is still a work in progress.

Wotherspoon and Kulak have a much more realistic chance of making the big club.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Serious question has a 2nd round defenceman gone straight from junior to the NHL in the last 10 years?

Travis Hamonic sort of did it. Played only 10 games in the AHL before being called up. Marco as candela followed a similar path that Hamonic did. Damon Severson is the only one I can find who made the jump directly.

[JJ1532]

Whilst Hamilton, Gio and Brodie and Kevin go without saying, the rest are a little bit up in the air. I mean, Smid is not going to retire and forgo the last year of his salary. Never going to happen. He'll ride it out on LTIR before he retires. But what happens if he gets cleared to play and comes back to training camp ready to go? Because by that point, we'll have probably signed other defencemen, or have prospects looking to make the team. Going to cause a few problems if he comes back and is able to play.

Wideman, well I just don't see how you can keep him. With Gio's extension kicking in plus Monahan and Gaudreau's new contracts also taking effect(plus a likely raise for Colborne), we still need a top 6 forward and a goalie if we are to really compete next season, which is surely the expectation. We can't hold onto a heavy cap hit like Wideman and have him on the 3rd pairing, not with so many other overpaid guys on the team(Stajan, Smid, Engellend). Assuming 5 spots are pretty much locked down(Gio, Brodie, Hamilton, Kevin, Engellend) for next season on the blueline, we could have 3-4 guys(Wotherspoon, Kulak, Nakladal if he's brought back) that are legitimately knocking on the door for a roster spot. But if we keep Wideman and Smid returns(however unlikely), we'll have no space and the rookie guys will have no openings to play for. That can't happen. Need to keep some space and some incentive for them.

Wideman simply has to go and I think we need to almost hope(however horrible it sounds) that the Doctor tells Smid he won't be able to play, or advises him and the team to put him on LTIR. Otherwise we'll have a real log jam on the bottom end of the defence next season. But Wideman has got to go, simply no way you can keep him.