Who is next on Burke's List?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The only reason to buy Jones out would be if the Flames plan to be up against the cap in the next two years. The only way that happens is if the Flames throw stupid money at a bunch of mercenaries whose salaries will be on the books longer than Jones.

So in short, there's absolutely no reason to move Jones for salary reasons.

Burke doesn't want the team to be a bottom-feeder, so expect a lot of overpaid contracts on this roster over the next few years. Nobody with any choice in the matter will sign for this team, in this city, for a fair-market deal.

Well you said it yourself in that Burke may want to sign a few UFA's (who by nature are overpaid) and if he does that he should probably make sure that the Jones contract isn't going to be an issue going forward after adding a couple of high priced UFA's.

That said I don't see a lot of the top UFA's looking at Calgary as a possible destination as even the Leafs had a difficult time getting top UFA's to sign there are a lot of those guys want to sign in the US. Not sure if I want more of the Wideman type signings or the Flames own version of Clarkson (quite possibly one of the worst UFA signings for the money ever). I'm hoping the new GM will be a little smarter than this. I'm fine with guys like Hudler as long as you keep the salary below $5 million it's the long term $5+ million deals for non-elite players that are bad for business.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

^^ probably in the right neighbourhood mr root.

There are probably only 4-5 guys who are really unlikely to be moved - Monahan, glencross, gio, smid, Colborne...maybe a couple more. I would say everyone else could be moved depending on who other teams are interested in and what Burke can get in return.

It will also depend on who is coaching next year as I can't see it being Hartley anymore.

[Enoch Root]

Oh, I forgot about the goalies - I bet Burke goes out and gets one before the deadline

[getbak]

I wonder if he'll go after Scrivens?

Burke originally signed Scrivens in Toronto, and with the way Martin Jones is playing, once Quick gets back, the Kings may try to flip Scrivens since he's a pending UFA and likely will want to try somewhere that he can be a #1.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by getbak

I wonder if he'll go after Scrivens?

Burke originally signed Scrivens in Toronto, and with the way Martin Jones is playing, once Quick gets back, the Kings may try to flip Scrivens since he's a pending UFA and likely will want to try somewhere that he can be a #1.

I expect Burke's priorities will be:

Big stud d-man. He said when he was hired by the Leafs that every winning team needs one, and it was his top priority.

Starting goalie.

Size in the bottom six forwards.

The scary thing is that at least one of those positions can only be filled by moving a top prospect, young player, or pick. Nobody outside of Monahan is safe. And I really worry about our first round picks. Moving those is the fastest way to fill holes, and Burke admits he's an impatient person.

[Zee]

Impatience is not a good thing. While the Flames should avoid a culture of losing and trying to draft high, moving prospects for established and more expensive players to improve the team right now will put us back in the situation that Darryl Sutter left us in.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by getbak

I wonder if he'll go after Scrivens?



Burke originally signed Scrivens in Toronto, and with the way Martin Jones is playing, once Quick gets back, the Kings may try to flip Scrivens since he's a pending UFA and likely will want to try somewhere that he can be a #1.

I could also see that happening... Goaltending is the most important piece and the best way to get a rebuild on track. When you look at the flames this year, there have been lots of games where the flames have deserved to win but have lost either due to poor goaltending or due to a very weak goal shifting momentum against them. I agree the team needs to be able to handle shifts in momentum cause that's what championship teams do (boston and Chicago are great examples of that) but this team will only learn that through gaining confidence and they need to have a goalie who they are confident in.

Makes you really appreciate how lucky the flames were for so many years to have kipper and iggy in their prime... Iggy was a sure bet to put a goal or two on the board either by scoring it or assisting on it and kipper could just take the game over for the team.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I expect Burke's priorities will be:

Big stud d-man. He said when he was hired by the Leafs that every winning team needs one, and it was his top priority.

Starting goalie.

Size in the bottom six forwards.

The scary thing is that at least one of those positions can only be filled by moving a top prospect, young player, or pick. Nobody outside of Monahan is safe. And I really worry about our first round picks. Moving those is the fastest way to fill holes, and Burke admits he's an impatient person.

Burke loves to make a splash on draft day.

I can realistically see Burke making a big move to move up and get Aaron Ekbald.

Ekbald and Monahan would be nice building blocks.

[the_only_turek_fan]

^ Furthermore, it seems he likes Porier and Klimchuk. Baertschi is the guy that should be worried about being moved.

The tragic thing is he will turn into a 40 goal guy somewhere else.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

^ Furthermore, it seems he likes Porier and Klimchuk. Baertschi is the guy that should be worried about being moved.

You're fooling yourself if you think you know how Burke feels about certain players.

[CSharp]

IMO everyone is expendable on the Flames lineup. Before the rebuild, there were two players that were untradeable. Flames currently have no franchise players. I think the next people to go are the Flames' scouts. Burke needs to bring in his own scouts. Most of the Flames selections over the last 15 years or so are pretty pathetic, except for maybe 2 or 3 players and only one is still up with the big club.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Burke loves to make a splash on draft day.

I can realistically see Burke making a big move to move up and get Aaron Ekbald.

Ekbald and Monahan would be nice building blocks.

Wouldn't surprise me. Assuming the Flames pick 4th to 6th, it would probably cost our 1st and Baertschi or Brodie.

[PeteLFan]

Burke will do the right thing. He will make bold moves that need to be made, and thats the best thing about him. Darryl was a straight shooter, but he made too many moves, and kept guys he just didn't want to give up.

Burke is the same type of guy, but he values high skill along with being a bigger team, and he will make big moves to shake things up.

Hopefully he is able to get rid of some guys that people think are untouchable.

[Tinordi]

Brodie's a safe bet to stick around. Players like him are harder to acquire than whatever you'd get back for him. Of course, I'm really high on Brodie's ceiling. Think he's a number 2 Rafalski type defenceman in the making.

Baertschi's definitely on the brink. He'll be dangled as trade bait.

I disagree with Cliff that our 1st is in play unless it's to move up. Burke was pretty explicit in the press conference that the draft is essential to building a contender.

[SeanCharles]

Don't trade:

-Baertschi -Monahan
-Brodie -Poirier
-Gaudreau -Klimchuk
-Gillies

..And I'll be happy!

[Tinordi]

You can be sure though that if Burke trades Baertschi it will be for value. He wont dump him off for nothing.

[$ven27]

Probably the one thing I'm most glad with Burke here, is that we won't be getting fleeced in deals anymore.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I expect Burke's priorities will be:

Big stud d-man. He said when he was hired by the Leafs that every winning team needs one, and it was his top priority.

Starting goalie.

Size in the bottom six forwards.

The scary thing is that at least one of those positions can only be filled by moving a top prospect, young player, or pick. Nobody outside of Monahan is safe. And I really worry about our first round picks. Moving those is the fastest way to fill holes, and Burke admits he's an impatient person.

Size in the top 6 forwards..

David Jones , Blair Jones, Bouma, McGrattan/MacDermid, Galiardi and Colbourne are all decent sized bottom 6 guys with Ferland and Hankowski in the system.

The Flames need 2 more Glencross/Monahan's to play in the top 6 with Hudler and Gaudreau/Baertschi.


Watch Burke try to bundle Backlund, Baertschi, Rienhart, (along with the guys are are basically trying out for another NHL team for the next 30 games (Stajan, Stempniak and Cammalleri) to land one.


Vanek has to be a huge disappointment in NY.

Kane from Winnipeg fits the bill.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

You can be sure though that if Burke trades Baertschi it will be for value. He wont dump him off for nothing.

Yeah. I don't think it's a certainty that Burke shops Baertschi but I also would not be surprised if he did. Some of the poor returns Sutter and Feaster got for assets has made Flames fans a bit jaded about trading top players/prospects. Burke usually fares well in trades so if Sven in fact does get dealt I feel the return will be very good and possibly a better player/prospect than the guy he's sending the other way.

[robertsfanatic]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

The safest player in the organization is Monahan at this point. I think any hopes Stajan had about coming back are gone. Same with Cammy, and Stempniak.

burke did an interview on a Toronto radio station and stated that he was going to sit with cammy and stepniak about their futures because he felt they were owed at least that respect...the conversation would be burke offering them extensions at a price he thinks is right for the Flames and if they are good with it then he would sign them but if not then he would look to deal them...he indicated that most of the guys on expiring contracts would otherwise be moved, but didn't get specific besides cammy and stepniak.