[Signing] Flames sign Jiri Hudler - 4 Years, $16 Million

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Initially I was very happy with the signing but I've tempered my expectations lately. Hopefully we're all pleasantly surprised when the puck drops.

I have been trying to wait and pass judgement since my initial reaction in my mind was "oh #### we just signed Huselius 2.0". But the more I read about him the more I think my initial reaction was accurate. I really hope I am wrong and he has more substance than Huselius.

[StrykerSteve]

Leave it to Flame fans to find ways to pick apart significant free agent signings before they ever lace up the skates.

Wideman, sucks on defence. Hudler, too lazy. Cervenka doesn't have what it takes to succeed at this level.

I'm amazed we aren't hearing talk of how Baertschi's name is too hard to spell.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Leave it to Flame fans to find ways to pick apart significant free agent signings before they ever lace up the skates.

Wideman, sucks on defence. Hudler, too lazy. Cervenka doesn't have what it takes to succeed at this level.

I'm amazed we aren't hearing talk of how Baertschi's name is too hard to spell.

I'm sorry should we be setting unrealistic expectations for these players like so many did with Bouwmeester?

Like it or not soft, skilled 2nd liners are often 2nd liners because of their work ethic not because of their skills

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I'm sorry should we be setting unrealistic expectations for these players like so many did with Bouwmeester?

Who had unreal expectations of Bouwmeester?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Who had unreal expectations of Bouwmeester?

Didn't most people think he was gonna come in and have a Niedermayer-like impact on this franchise? I know I did.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Didn't most people think he was gonna come in and have a Niedermayer-like impact on this franchise? I know I did.

I don't know about "Niedermayer-like" but you're close. They expected him to be a #1 blueliner... which isn't bad considering that's what he was. He hasn't come close to that. That's not on Flames fans, we wanted what he was.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I don't know about "Niedermayer-like" but you're close. They expected him to be a #1 blueliner... which isn't bad considering that's what he was. He hasn't come close to that. That's not on Flames fans, we wanted what he was.

Fair enough.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Who had unreal expectations of Bouwmeester?

the people who predicted that he would be a Norris contender on the Flames, the people who thought he was a shoe-in for 50+ points, some assumed because he was big that he wasn't soft.... etc

There was way too high of expectations by alot of people when he was first signed. When the reality was he is a $4.5 million defenseman who got an extra couple million for being one of the top free agents and being the first young big name UFA under the new CBA

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

the people who predicted that he would be a Norris contender on the Flames, the people who thought he was a shoe-in for 50+ points, some assumed because he was big that he wasn't soft.... etc

There was way too high of expectations by alot of people when he was first signed. When the reality was he is a $4.5 million defenseman who got an extra couple million for being one of the top free agents and being the first young big name UFA under the new CBA

Everything you said about Bouwmeester were reasonable expectations of him when he came over (maybe 50+ points is much, but not sure folks were expecting that). Those are the reasons we acquired him, and if they weren't there was no point going out to get him.

Don't dissagree that folks have put too much expectation on others on occassion, but J-Bouw doesn't fall into that category.

[chockfullofgoodness]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

the people who predicted that he would be a Norris contender on the Flames, the people who thought he was a shoe-in for 50+ points, some assumed because he was big that he wasn't soft.... etc

There was way too high of expectations by alot of people when he was first signed. When the reality was he is a $4.5 million defenseman who got an extra couple million for being one of the top free agents and being the first young big name UFA under the new CBA

I think you forget how sought-after he would have been if he had actually hit UFA status that year. There would have been a lot of teams lining up to give him a hell of a lot more than the $4.5 that you mentioned. I'd bet Boumeester would have even got a hell of a lot more than what the Flames signed him for. Don't kid yourself. Expectations would have been very high league-wide.

[timbit]

Jiri Hudler

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by timbit

Jiri Hudler

Your former-Panther radar is finely tuned this off season I must say.

[chockfullofgoodness]

Originally Posted by timbit

Jiri Hudler

Haha. Noted.

[HighLifeMan]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

the people who predicted that he would be a Norris contender on the Flames, the people who thought he was a shoe-in for 50+ points, some assumed because he was big that he wasn't soft.... etc

There was way too high of expectations by alot of people when he was first signed. When the reality was he is a $4.5 million defenseman who got an extra couple million for being one of the top free agents and being the first young big name UFA under the new CBA

Ahh, hindsight.

The reality at the time was that Jay Bouwmeester was regarded as a top fifteen defensemen in the NHL, and worth every penny of his contract.

We paid 6.67M per season for a 15 goal, 45 point two way defensemen.

What we received was a 4 goal, 30 point shutdown defender.

You can blame three parties for his "below average results"
1. Jay Bouwmeester
2. Brent Sutter
3. Darryl Sutter

I am not ready to turn the chapter on his tenure here in Calgary as I believe he is a much better defender than what he has shown under the Sutter brand of hockey.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

Ahh, hindsight.

The reality at the time was that Jay Bouwmeester was regarded as a top fifteen defensemen in the NHL, and worth every penny of his contract.

We paid 6.67M per season for a 15 goal, 45 point two way defensemen.

What we received was a 4 goal, 30 point shutdown defender.

You can blame three parties for his "below average results"
1. Jay Bouwmeester
2. Brent Sutter
3. Darryl Sutter

I am not ready to turn the chapter on his tenure here in Calgary as I believe he is a much better defender than what he has shown under the Sutter brand of hockey.

I'm really hoping Brent's overwhelming conservative approach to the game are responsible for Bouwmeester's underwhelming offensive results. At a certain point, the lack of success had to be frustrating for the guy, and lead to a bit of an identity crisis. Who knows if he even knew what sort of player he was supposed to be anymore.

I'm going to be super optimistic and predict that Bob Hartley's system and approach, as well as omitting Jay from the 'core of the team' at that presser, help turn him back into the 50 point threat we thought we were getting. And if he can hold things down in his own zone, he may yet earn his contract.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I have been trying to wait and pass judgement since my initial reaction in my mind was "oh #### we just signed Huselius 2.0". But the more I read about him the more I think my initial reaction was accurate. I really hope I am wrong and he has more substance than Huselius.

Huselius was a 65-80 point player on the flames, and a major reason iginla hit his 40 goals one of those seasons.

I'd be just fine in seeing hudler come in and have a huselius impact.

Huselius is a perimeter skill guy. Every team needs that type, but sprinkled in with the hard-nose guys willing to mash up the boards and pay the price infront of the net.

I don't expect to see hudler rip it up on the forecheck, to be a a ferocious hitter, to stick up for teammates, etc, but i do expect his skill to open up the ice and create offense.

I think the flames would have been a much different team, maybe even still, if sutter decided to keep huselius rather than langkow that offseason. Our PP, particularily phaneuf's point shot effectiveness, went down the drain after he left.

hudler could do a lot worse than huselius

Also, just amazing that even this thread, about a forward, gravitates to bouwmeester, haha.

[Rasalghul]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I have been trying to wait and pass judgement since my initial reaction in my mind was "oh #### we just signed Huselius 2.0". But the more I read about him the more I think my initial reaction was accurate. I really hope I am wrong and he has more substance than Huselius.

I wish we could land a young healthy huseulius for 4 million a year. He was a great and palyed way above his contract when he was in Calgary.

I would take a flyer on the Juice now if he could he had at a cheap price and passed the physicals.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Rasalghul

I wish we could land a young healthy huseulius for 4 million a year. He was a great and palyed way above his contract when he was in Calgary.

I would take a flyer on the Juice now if he could he had at a cheap price and passed the physicals.

Who's he replacing? we have too many forwards as it is; Huselius is not going to play on the 4th line, and he's not gonna bump anyone out of the top 6. It serves no purpose to have him take minutes away from Sven on the 3rd line, and we just re-signed Stempniak, who's probably a higher ceiling player at this stage.

Love juice, hope he finds work, but it won't be here.

[Rasalghul]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Who's he replacing? we have too many forwards as it is; Huselius is not going to play on the 4th line, and he's not gonna bump anyone out of the top 6. It serves no purpose to have him take minutes away from Sven on the 3rd line, and we just re-signed Stempniak, who's probably a higher ceiling player at this stage.

Love juice, hope he finds work, but it won't be here.

If the Juice could (which is a huge question mark) I would take him over Stempniak. I know Juice jsut got over that injusty but af ull year to rest his and rehab jhis body may have done wonders.

I really liked the Juice. He was so creative with the puck, he could dangle like almost no other flame, he could pick the corners and his puck vision was that of a playmaking centre. He did look complacent at times which was annoying but when he was on man was he on. I feel the element of creativity that he brings is soarly missed by the team. Tangs is the only player I can think of right now that brings that dynamic element of creativity.

[Itse]

Huselius had surprisingly many takeaways too. He was good while he was here and worth every penny.

(This comment was meant purely as nostalgia, and in no way has anything to do with present times.)