2018/2019 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I like (current) Monahan more than Kopitar and the latter won 2 cups with LA, so whatever theory is circulating that you have to have a certain quality of center to win a championship can go #### itself.

Wow. Kopitar was a franchise player in his prime. And Monahan is not even a top 3 player on our team yet ur saying hes better than Kopitar??? This is crazy even for CP.

Unless u mean current Kopitar who i mean is past his prime now.

[The Yen Man]

Call me biased, but I'd rather have current Monahan over current Kopitar as well. Kopitar seems to be hot and cold. Guy has one monster year followed by a crap year. Bergeron, I would agree he's elite. But Kopitar is overrated IMO.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Call me biased, but I'd rather have current Monahan over current Kopitar as well. Kopitar seems to be hot and cold. Guy has one monster year followed by a crap year. Bergeron, I would agree he's elite. But Kopitar is overrated IMO.

If we are talking about current Kopitar than yes i agree. But if we are talking about a Kopitar who won the 2 stanley cups than u gotta be crazy to prefer Monahan. He was better than Bergeron in his prime in my opinion.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

If we are talking about current Kopitar than yes i agree. But if we are talking about a Kopitar who won the 2 stanley cups than u gotta be crazy to prefer Monahan. He was better than Bergeron in his prime in my opinion.

Tough to compare prime Bergeron and Kopitar. Kopitar had more size, Bergeron a bit more skill but IMO better wingers to use.

Both are better than Monnie, though he may be a better pure scorer. And he may not yet be "prime Monahan".

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Kopitar was a 70 point center when they won the cups. I think Monahan is currently an 80 point guy when healthy and has most of the same 200 foot game down.

"Lol" and "Oh my" don't really provide any counter arguments.

Every poster thanking this post should be embarrassed for themselves.

Kopitar is coming off a selke winning (his second) season where he scored 92 points.

Outright embarrassing homerism to put Monahan anywhere near him and I love Monahan.

I am deeply embarrassed for you all.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Kopitar hit a higher ceiling than Monahan has, as of now. Maybe that changes. But Kopitar > Monahan.

(Context: Monahan is my favourite Flame)

[PepsiFree]

Kopitar was also a bigger offensive threat and had a much better CF during the cup winning days than Monahan has today.

Without getting into all the hullabaloo about whether Monahan is comparable to this or that cup winning centre, I will say that our top six (and maybe our forward group as a whole) is as strong overall as a lot of these teams.

I don’t think we need another centre. I don’t think Monahan isn’t good enough to take us to the promised land because I don’t think he has to be a Toews or a Kopitar to do that.

I do think we need a goalie, real bad. Then let’s see what holds us back.

Gotta fix the brakes before you worry about new tires.

[mrdonkey]

Some pretty radical homerism being thrown around here, potentially spurred by the nice little winning streak. But let’s not kid ourselves, even with better goaltending the Flames still have some significant holes in their lineup to address before we talk about contender status.

Currently Gio is the only Dman capable of scoring, Monahan and Backlund are ideally your elite #2 and 3 centres respectively, certain depth players are not contributing much, if anything, on the scoresheet, and there is a distinct lack of team toughness that teams like Anaheim and Winnpeg would pounce on in a 7 game series. And then, of course, goaltending.

Enjoy the wins, but realize that this team is currently being carried by the top line and a small handful of other players being on a hot streak, who collectively are scoring enough goals to temporarily mask all those other problems. I know we hate this word, but it’s unsustainable.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Kopitar was also a bigger offensive threat and had a much better CF during the cup winning days than Monahan has today.

Without getting into all the hullabaloo about whether Monahan is comparable to this or that cup winning centre, I will say that our top six (and maybe our forward group as a whole) is as strong overall as a lot of these teams.

I don’t think we need another centre. I don’t think Monahan isn’t good enough to take us to the promised land because I don’t think he has to be a Toews or a Kopitar to do that.

I do think we need a goalie, real bad. Then let’s see what holds us back.

Gotta fix the brakes before you worry about new tires.

Yeah that was my point earlier which was either not well expressed or miscontrued or both.

[dash_pinched]

I thanked the above post mainly for using "hullabaloo"

[flamesforcup]

This website is really wierd. We go on a small losing streak than its trade everyone and now we win some games the narritive is that Our forward core can use no upgrades and we are ready for a cup run. Cmon guys.

[SeanCharles]

I think we should just stop comparing ourselves to the Hawks and Kings of old..

The NHL has changed over the years and teams built a certain way that won back then may not come close to winning now.

Granted those were both strong teams and won multiple cups but the game is evolving all the time.

Look at Montreal they are tied for 2nd most points in the East because they copied the Vegas model and built their team based upon speed, relentless puck pursuit and a strong team game.

The winning model is always changing.

I'm not saying Chicago or LA in their primes couldn't win now but hey you never know.

We should be focusing on how we win in the NHL now and stop looking at the past.

We have a lot of pieces:

- High end offensive forwards: Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuck, Lindholm
- High end defensive forwards: Backlund, Tkachuk, Frolik, Lindholm
- Elite #1 dman: Gio
- Strong remaining top 4 (all under 30): Brodie, Hanifin, Hamonic
- Young emerging bottom pair: Valimaki, Andersson
- Players who look like they can offer more: Bennett, Neal, Dube

If we can solidify our goalie situation this is a lot to be jacked up about..

Stop looking backwards... look to the future because for this team that time is now and in the next handful of years.

Edit: to clarify I do think we could use another top 9 forward to round out the group

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Some pretty radical homerism being thrown around here, potentially spurred by the nice little winning streak. But let’s not kid ourselves, even with better goaltending the Flames still have some significant holes in their lineup to address before we talk about contender status.

Currently Gio is the only Dman capable of scoring, Monahan and Backlund are ideally your elite #2 and 3 centres respectively, certain depth players are not contributing much, if anything, on the scoresheet, and there is a distinct lack of team toughness that teams like Anaheim and Winnpeg would pounce on in a 7 game series. And then, of course, goaltending.

Enjoy the wins, but realize that this team is currently being carried by the top line and a small handful of other players being on a hot streak, who collectively are scoring enough goals to temporarily mask all those other problems. I know we hate this word, but it’s unsustainable.

Oh yes, look at you. Mr even keel.

14/15 was not sustainable, and amazingly still got them pretty far that season.

I don't think having enough scoring talent to out muscle below average goaltending to wins is unsustainable when you're outchancing and playing teams roughly 4 of every 5 nights. Looks pretty damn sustainable actually if you expect your starter to improve.

Gaudreau and Monahan sans Lindholm were able to carry the offense until the line succumbed to injury last season. Two thirds of the way in they were a top 3 line. Theyre consistent, and you actually can rely on them to come through pretty much once a game, theyve proven that. Now you have Tkachuk and Lindholm who have stepped in as bonafide top six players that might be pushing to be even better than that. There are ingredients for success there and I think You're being anti-homer for not recognizing that.

I think you undervalue the pieces this team now possesses. And this is without perennial 20 goal scorer Neal playing the way he can. No the bottom 6 isn't firing right now but the guys there have historically produced and will at some point. This is not the same as the bottom six of last season which included some real liabilities too.

(That said, yes I'm not sold on the defence depth as the season wears on nor the goaltending, but we're able to pull out wins while it's poor-bad, so that's an extremely good sign as it can probably only get better)

[keenan87]

If we didn't have Ryan already, I would have been interested in Tanner Pearson. Struggling this year but an effective bottom-six player.

[sureLoss]

In the aftermath of the Uber video, McKenzie reporting that the Sens and Duchene are currently engaged in substantive contract talks for an extension.
Can't say for sure it will get done, but it appears there is good faith bargaining going on.
Sens want him back and he is willing to stay if it is the right deal

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Look at Montreal they are tied for 2nd most points in the East because they copied the Vegas model and built their team based upon speed, relentless puck pursuit and a strong team game.

If you're going to use a dozen games into the season as evidence of the Canadiens being a good team for copying the Knights, you should probably also look where the Knights are at the same time at this point in the season.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

In the aftermath of the Uber video, McKenzie reporting that the Sens and Duchene are currently engaged in substantive contract talks for an extension.
Can't say for sure it will get done, but it appears there is good faith bargaining going on.
Sens want him back and he is willing to stay if it is the right deal

Good for them. The owner isn't very liked but the fans deserve a break. Hope they sign him to a solid extension and he becomes a legitimate top line player again.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Sens want him back and he is willing to stay if it is the right deal

Ahh yes....I visualize Duchene channeling the Lyle Lanley book of contract negotiations....

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

If you're going to use a dozen games into the season as evidence of the Canadiens being a good team for copying the Knights, you should probably also look where the Knights are at the same time at this point in the season.

That wasn't my point..

My point was mearly to suggest we stop looking in the past from 5+ years ago. It doesn't get us anywhere.

I know it's early so I don't know if Montreal is good or not.

I can tell you this, I really didn't think Vegas was as good as they showed last year. They rallied around being outcasts and the shooting to put something special together that I never thought was sustainable.

They were winning with their 3rd and 4th string goalies for frigg sakes.

I agree with you questioning the legitimacy of anointing a team a contenter or pretender after <15 games..

My only intention was to illustrate my point of an ever evolving game to get the 5 page debate about LA, CHI of old and how they shaped up against the current Flames to hopefully subside.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Some pretty radical homerism being thrown around here, potentially spurred by the nice little winning streak. But let’s not kid ourselves, even with better goaltending the Flames still have some significant holes in their lineup to address before we talk about contender status.

Currently Gio is the only Dman capable of scoring, Monahan and Backlund are ideally your elite #2 and 3 centres respectively, certain depth players are not contributing much, if anything, on the scoresheet, and there is a distinct lack of team toughness that teams like Anaheim and Winnpeg would pounce on in a 7 game series. And then, of course, goaltending.

Enjoy the wins, but realize that this team is currently being carried by the top line and a small handful of other players being on a hot streak, who collectively are scoring enough goals to temporarily mask all those other problems. I know we hate this word, but it’s unsustainable.

Sure, I'd love to have Mony and Backs down the line up one roster spot each........why not, of course that would make us better. Any team would be better if you could displace the whole line up down a spot.

I agree with you, that there is some potential need to "pump the breaks" on some of the positivity around here following a hot streak, that's to be expected. But you are seriously undervaluing both Mony and Backs if you don't feel they are a strong one two punch at center. How many teams in the league do you prefer their 1st and 2nd line centers to Calgary at this point? Mony is on pace for pretty much 100 pts (will it continue we'll see), I get the Center is far more than points, but really what more do you want? Backs is on pace for over 50pts, plus all the tough defensive assignments each night. Isn't that exactly what you want and need from your 1 and 2 centers respectively?