Friedman: Do the Flames zero in on Rodrigues?

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I would boost Coleman to the 2nd line if this was the case and roll one of 2 options for the top 9. If we signed Kessel I would have kept Bscklund and Coleman together but not with Rodrigues who is a bottom 6 forward in my opinion

All in top line with a right shot on each

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Coleman-Kadri-Toffoli
Dube-Backlund-Rodrigues

Or

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Toffoli
Mangiapane-Kadri-Coleman
Dube-Backlund-Rodrigues

That’s great. And then you’ve got excellent competition for the other line. Ruzicka and Rooney battle at centre. Go Ruzicka! Pelletier, Phillips, Lucic and Lewis battle at wing. You could end up with 4 good lines.

[Vinny01]

If they do land Rodrigues it will be one of the biggest offseason retoolings of any division winner I can think of in recent memory maybe any team in general.

Out: Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Monahan/Jarnkrok, Gudbransen
In: Huberdeau, Rodrigues, Kadri, Weegar

Massive upgrades on the blueline and center ice with a lateral move on left wing and a significant downgrade on right wing.

[mile]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

There is a reason the guy is a $1mm. Streaky and had career year but his points mostly occurred when playing with 87. Still a good depth signing if that's the price, but that is all you get with him.

If you limit the universe of potential players to RW, cheap, and 1 year regardless if they are UFA or not, i don't think there are many options.

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Maybe I’m using the wrong word but I keep seeing posts of people saying we need to sign him but his numbers are inflated from when he was playing on a line with Crosby.

I’d just rather holdout until a better option surfaces.

This is incorrect.



Rodrigues' offensive output was better away from Crosby this year


Biggest difference between him and Simon is that Simon was completely reliant on Crosby, Rodrigues was playing at a 30+ goal pace without having Crosby or Guentzel as a consistent linemate. The production tailed off after Malkin returned and his minutes were reduced.

[Harry Lime]

In my mind, this is a search for a third line wing to play with Backlund and Coleman. With that in mind, I think think that I would prefer internal competition between ruzicka, Phillips and Pelletier.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

If they do land Rodrigues it will be one of the biggest offseason retoolings of any division winner I can think of in recent memory maybe any team in general.

Out: Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Monahan/Jarnkrok, Gudbransen
In: Huberdeau, Rodrigues, Kadri, Weegar

Massive upgrades on the blueline and center ice with a lateral move on left wing and a significant downgrade on right wing.

You forgot Rooney. How could you forget about Rooney???

[dino7c]

He is way better than Simon

[bax]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

There is a reason the guy is a $1mm. Streaky and had career year but his points mostly occurred when playing with 87. Still a good depth signing if that's the price, but that is all you get with him.

If you limit the universe of potential players to RW, cheap, and 1 year regardless if they are UFA or not, i don't think there are many options.

For the record Crosby and Malkin factored in on 9 out of his 43 points.

Here is a great article from last season analyzing Rodrigues’ success. Goes into the eye test and plenty of analytics stuff.

“It’s not just the fact that the puck is going into the net. Rodrigues’ success isn’t the result of some gaudy, unrepeatable shooting percentage driven by lucky charms. It’s supported by a bevy of data points and eye tests alike, all of which suggest he’s becoming a conductor of play rather than a passenger; a true driver of offense.”

For a good chunk of the season he was leading the penguins in zone entries and zone entries leading to scoring chances. That is a skill that we could really use on the top line with Gaudreau’s departure.

Could be a great fit.

https://theathletic.com/3052656/2022...shared_article

Huberdeau - Lindholm - Rodrigues
Mangiapane - Kadri - Toffoli
Dube - Backlund - Coleman
Lucic - Rooney - Lewis

That’s some pretty great depth on the top three lines with a lot of guys being able to move around the lineup.

[dino7c]

Hilarious how the click bait Kane talk never mentions the Hawks and what they want...all about McDavid making it so and Kane waiving

[CroFlames]

Get him for one year. What if Pelletier or another prospect aren't ready? At least this guy knows how to NHL.

If Pelletier is ready and displaces him on the depth chart, all the better.

[Toonage]

2 years at $1M-$1.25M per or one year at $2M-$2.5M. Will anyone beat that?

My gut says maybe.

[Poe969]

Who is even still available? I can't find the thread and it would be fun to see who would be a good fit from the remaining UFA'S. I didn't realize Sprong was available, he'd be a great No risk high reward signing IMO.

[sa226]

Im all aboard the Rodrigues train. Not because I think he is a great player, I just think there is a hole or 2 here and there in the lineup, he gives that a little more experience and depth.

I always hate signing middle of the road players that bump out young players that are knocking on the door, but with everything Sutter has said about young players over the past couple of years, there is no way they are handing a top 9 role to Pelletier, not a chance. If he forces the teams hand with a great camp he could make the team in a 4th line role or something, but I bet that, unless he knocks everyone's socks off hes going back to the farm club and being told that "you're very close kid, but you're way better off playing 23minutes in the AHL than you are playing 8 to 10 minutes here."

Its weird because the Flames have been a pretty healthy team the past few years, so players that are knocking on the door aren't really getting big opportunities.

My bet is that Ruzicka and Pelletier are sent to the AHL after camp, and they are call ups #1 and #2 when the inevitable injuries happen, hopefully they force Sutters hand and stay with the big club.

Regarding the Kessel, Rodrigues rumors, I'm wondering if the trade market has dried up this late into the summer. Teams are firming up their rosters and not as willing to move players around. Hence the pivot from "We have too many defensemen"

Sure creates an interesting scenario with 10 1 way contracts on the back end.

[Major Major]

Wanted Kessel but Rodrigues would be a good add. At worst he's low risk winger depth for the bottom 6. Very possible they gave a rash of injuries on the wing that could be an issue.

At best though, he could be a very important player on a very good team. I like 2x2. Get that second year in case he pops a bit.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Toonage

2 years at $1M-$1.25M per or one year at $2M-$2.5M. Will anyone beat that?

My gut says maybe.

I'm sure he has already been offered more

[1_Flames_Fan]

One year for Kessel money maybe. More than that nah.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

One year for Kessel money maybe. More than that nah.

Yeah, no way I would do anything more than that. It's very likely he is a one hit wonder given his age and history of production. I'd rather go with a rookie,

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Don't sign anyone right now and bank cap for a deadline move. This team won't be missing the playoffs as is and this would give a home grown talent the chance to take that spot.

I’m with this move.

Let Ruzicka, Phillips, Pelletier, Dube fight for a top 12 spot.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Rodrigues just seems like a filler. I was all on the Kessel train as well, but at this point, I would rather the Flames either:


1) Trade Valimaki for a RHS RW that has disappointed and may not make a team yet, but maybe has some upside


2) Don't sign anyone else. Accumulate the cap space for closer to the trade deadline, and then fill a hole then.


Why don't I want Rodrigues? I think he seems to be top 6 or bust - he has not produced anywhere other than Pittsburgh, but ONLY when playing in the top 6. Which top 6 winger will be be displacing? Dube is the weakest link there, and Dube produces better and is younger. Toffoli is the Flames' oldest top 6 winger, and he is less than a year older than Rodrigues, so it isn't like there is some untapped potential there like you can hope for with a young player.


I guess if you look at Backlund's line as a top 6 line (and I do), then maybe Coleman-Backlund-Rodrigues makes sense, and he may be able to produce there. Maybe. Up until this season, he has never hit 10 goals, even though he is 29. The season before last, he had 7 goals in 35 games to be fair, but at no point in his career has he hit 10 goals in a season other than last season. This is a bit of red flag to me.


I would rather Backlund's line be a revolving door for guys like Ruzicka and Pelletier. At some point you need to work these players into the lineup and being alongside two solid vets in Backlund and Coleman is probably a really good way, as it was for Bennett (his career high up until he went to Florida), Tkachuk, and career years out of Bouma and Colborne.


That cap space is more important right now than Rodrigues. Just let it accumulate. Heck, maybe Kane figures Calgary is a good shot at the cup by the trade deadline, and I would hate to miss out on that just because Rodrigues is on the team. I just don't see the upside in Rodrigues.


I would say get Milano, but Milano only produced playing with Rodrigues as well. The better producer out of the bunch would probably be Daniel Sproung, but I wouldn't want him either (even though he is only 25, but has produced a bit better).



There is really nobody I feel is an upgrade. I would rather the Flames bank that cap space right now - maybe wait and see what forward shakes loose on the waiver wire too. Maybe Treliving can pick up a young Byron-type that a GM tries to sneak through, and if not, just bank that cap space.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I’m with this move.

Let Ruzicka, Phillips, Pelletier, Dube fight for a top 12 spot.

Maybe bring in Sprong and let him compete with those guys as well.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I’m with this move.

Let Ruzicka, Phillips, Pelletier, Dube fight for a top 12 spot.

Agreed. If you are going to spend future opportunity cost to make a big deadline acquisition, then better make it count. Too many red flags around Rodrigues. I'd rather wait and see how the line up does before using the rest of the cap space.