Treliving: We would like to add a defenceman

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What are his options? Based on what I've read so far, I gather there aren't a ton of teams lining up to offer him a multiyear deal.

If I was Brad, why not phone Russell's representation and offer a 1 year $2.5 to $3million deal to come back home? Maybe under Gulutzan he turns out to be a fantastic 5/6 d-man and you sign him for another 2 or deal him at the deadline again.

I guarantee the options still available are more money and term than that

[FlameZilla]

I understand the "sell high" sentiment on Wideman, and I have advocated hanging onto him until the deadline in the hope that he gains some trade value, however if any GM were offering any return at all I think we'd be lucky to get an asset in return.

Considering his cap hit & his recent bad press with the bezerker-mode zebra cross check we'd be lucky to get a 3rd round pick. Freeing up that cap space would give us room to sign Nakker & someone else to fill out the D corps, so that could be seen as a positive return in itself.

Obviously if there aren't any offers for Wideman there are worse options for the Flames 3rd pairing & PP than him.

[memphusk]

Sure is a lot of folk that want to bring in re treads. Didn't work out, leave it be. Try something else.

[Finger Cookin]

He's probably targeting Subban or Ekblad.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Bingo

My thoughts ...

Wideman - Understand the don't trade him low, deal him at the deadline sentiment completely. Two caveats to that though are

1) Dressing room. Is he positive? I've heard a lot of mixed stories from his 4 years in Calgary both good and bad. if I was to guess I'd say he's great when he's going well, and not when he's not. Where are the Flames and Wideman on the linesman issue?

2) Youth. Wotherspoon needs to clear waivers, other guys are pushing. Nakladal needs a spot. Moving Wideman frees up a spot and gets this team down the road faster than a season waiting to deal the guy.

Russell - No matter where you land on the analytics argument he's a great guy, and a solid teammate and a defenseman that can play. It's certainly not his fault that he was over utilized in Calgary the past two years. If he doesn't get signed and the Flames think they can make a move with Wideman he'd be a great 4-5 defenseman in Calgary at 2.5M

My thoughts on Wideman is that his nose is out of joint with his demotion to the third pairing and second PP unit and this was before the linesman issue. I'd like to get rid of him at almost any cost. I still think he can be a plus for another team, it's just he's no longer a fit here.

With a new coach, maybe he'll get a chance at pairing with Giordano (Brodie with Hamilton) which could rejuvenate him and I'm completely out to lunch. We'll see.

Wotherspoon should get the 7th spot if he shows up which unfortunately leaves Nakladal out.

Russell would be okay on the third pairing but he'll get better money elsewhere. For me he's just too small to play against bigger competition.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Sure is a lot of folk that want to bring in re treads. Didn't work out, leave it be. Try something else.

Define: "didn't work out"

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Define: "didn't work out"

No playoffs. Enough said.

[devo22]

I'm one of those who wants to see Wideman gone, but who'd want him right now? His contract is backloaded (6m in salary this year), so he isn't an attractive option to teams with an internal budget. He has an NMC, which complicates things both now and at the deadline. And if he doesn't score like he did in 14/15, he really doesn't offer a whole lot. Who's interested in acquiring a 33 year old, expensive, pending UFA, offense-only defenseman with an NMC? I'm sure GMs aren't exactly lining up to get him.

at this point, unfortunately I don't see a way where Nakladal is re-signed. I think the Flames are stuck with Wideman, and since Wotherspoon isn't waivers exempt any more he will probably stay up as a 6/7. So no room for Nakladal, which really sucks.

[mrdonkey]

Wonder if they look to someone like Luke Schenn as a depth pickup?

[GranteedEV]

Russell is probably the best LHD available in UFA. I'd prefer to give Wotherspoon the opportunity as i believe he's earned it though and I could see him moving up the lineup to #4 / Dougie's Partner. However I think Russell is the best option for propping up Wideman for the trade deadline, that pair if sheltered as a bottom pair can give you really good minutes and production.

[ricardodw]

Bringing in Russell would not be good for Hamilton's development.

There would be a temptation to put Wideman and Russell together and move Hamilton back to last year's sheltered #5 minutes.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Bingo

My thoughts ...

Wideman - Understand the don't trade him low, deal him at the deadline sentiment completely. Two caveats to that though are

1) Dressing room. Is he positive? I've heard a lot of mixed stories from his 4 years in Calgary both good and bad. if I was to guess I'd say he's great when he's going well, and not when he's not. Where are the Flames and Wideman on the linesman issue?

2) Youth. Wotherspoon needs to clear waivers, other guys are pushing. Nakladal needs a spot. Moving Wideman frees up a spot and gets this team down the road faster than a season waiting to deal the guy.

Russell - No matter where you land on the analytics argument he's a great guy, and a solid teammate and a defenseman that can play. It's certainly not his fault that he was over utilized in Calgary the past two years. If he doesn't get signed and the Flames think they can make a move with Wideman he'd be a great 4-5 defenseman in Calgary at 2.5M

I looked up Wideman's trade history on Hockeydb and it's not as if he owes us anything:
2012-Jun-22 Traded from Washington Capitals to Calgary Flames for Jordan Henry and round 5 pick in the 2013 draft (Tucker Poolman)

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Bringing in Russell would not be good for Hamilton's development.

There would be a temptation to put Wideman and Russell together and move Hamilton back to last year's sheltered #5 minutes.

They what........how.......I mean Hamilton........Oh man, nevermind.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Bringing in Russell would not be good for Hamilton's development.

There would be a temptation to put Wideman and Russell together and move Hamilton back to last year's sheltered #5 minutes.

Hamilton is above Wideman in the depth chart. And Russell too.

Calgary's undisputed top 3 d-men are Gio, Brodie and Hamilton.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I looked up Wideman's trade history on Hockeydb and it's not as if he owes us anything:
2012-Jun-22 Traded from Washington Capitals to Calgary Flames for Jordan Henry and round 5 pick in the 2013 draft (Tucker Poolman)

^ His rights were traded for that. We then subsequently signed him.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

^ His rights were traded for that. We then subsequently signed him.

Did I say we didn't?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by memphusk

No playoffs. Enough said.

But there were playoffs the year before... and plenty of great players have been on teams that missed the playoffs.

Missing the playoffs last year is irrelevant to the discussion of whether to bring back Russell.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Did I say we didn't?

It was difficult to discern the point you were making and thought it had something to do with the return... so I thought it worth noting.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

It was difficult to discern the point you were making and thought it had something to do with the return... so I thought it worth noting.

The point was that we didn't pay a lot for him. If we trade him the return isn't all that important given that we could use the roster space and cap hit.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Wonder if they look to someone like Luke Schenn as a depth pickup?

god I hope not. Don't like Schenn at all, I'd rather give a spot to Wotherspoon or another young defenseman in the system.