Has Lazar proven he deserves to be in the starting 12 thus far?

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

We don't have a D prospect good enough that'll make someone take on Brouwer's.contract.

Yeah, I'm sure if we offered Valimaki and Brouwer for futures there wouldn't be any bites.

Sometimes I wonder why you even post on here.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Yeah, I'm sure if we offered Valimaki and Brouwer for futures there wouldn't be any bites. .

Or Fox.
Or Kylington.

Problem is I am greedy and don't want to give up anything just because Tre screwed up in UFA. Even losing Mangiapane would make me ornery.

[Matty81]

Yeah I think press box for Brouwer and Stajan too. The main complication with Brouwer is his "A". But naybe being a scratch will light a fire under him.

Right now for me Hamilton is the guy who goes down to make room for Janko.

[flambers]

Lazar is a case of a player without any confidence at all

He had a really good game....

Great news

[GioforPM]

Lazar was terrific, I thought. However, my understanding is that consistency has been the issue for him, so let's see how he handles the success this game, and any added responsibilities going forward.

[Jiri Hrdina]

There is no point in the Flames adding an asset to Brouwer to try and dump him - at least not right now. There is no cap crunch for this season, so there is no pressure to pay a price to try and dump him.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

With the Flames lack of draft picks, I don't think it's the time to be trading away assets. I'd rather they just retain salary on a trade for futures.

Im not sure that gets it done

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

We don't have a D prospect good enough that'll make someone take on Brouwer's.contract.

Yes we do, but its a matteer of if its worth it to move Brouwer

[Caged Great]

Exactly. Even next year, the Flames only contract of merit coming off the books is Backlund and his raise will basically eat the Stajan contract give or take.

It won't be until after next year that it's a problem. If you buyout his final year, it'll only cost 1.5 for the 2019-2020 season and the 2020-2021 season. It'll save 3 million a year for the first year. That is worth doing if he continues to be what he has been.

We'll see.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Exactly. Even next year, the Flames only contract of merit coming off the books is Backlund and his raise will basically eat the Stajan contract give or take.

It won't be until after next year that it's a problem. If you buyout his final year, it'll only cost 1.5 for the 2019-2020 season and the 2020-2021 season. It'll save 3 million a year for the first year. That is worth doing if he continues to be what he has been.

We'll see.

Good point. I just hope that GG will start sitting Brouwer soon. No need to give him the same amount of rope as last year.

[Fire]

Brouwer will simply be bought out next off-season or the off-season after that one. It will depend if they think the cap savings next season will be needed. If they re-sign Backlund, the savings from Stajan's contract expiring should be good enough to cover that. Bennett and Tkachuk don't need new contracts for two more seasons. So they might be able to delay the buy out until before the 2019-20 season.

[edslunch]

I want to see Brouwer traded, somehow. Jagr bumps Lazar down to the 4th line (directly or indirectly by bumping Ferland). Stajan, Jankowski and Lazar form an all-centre line ("3C line"), Glass can sub in once in a while if needed. Forget the notion of what a 4th line is, roll 4 lines that can carry the play and send them out wave after wave. Profit

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Yes we do, but its a matteer of if its worth it to move Brouwer

Ok riddle me this, when is the last time in the NHL a team traded away a prospect with a player of his salary as a cap dump? There's a reason it doesn't happen.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Ok riddle me this, when is the last time in the NHL a team traded away a prospect with a player of his salary as a cap dump? There's a reason it doesn't happen.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/p...o-draft-picks/

The trade cost precedent is staggering, although Bolland was on a bit more and injured obviously the bottom line is that was the cost to ditch 5.5 mil X 3 years. (It was Lawson Crouse and the 11th overall pick for the cap dump and 2nd and 3rd rounders).

Unless maybe the Flames take back some money and trade him at 2-3 mil and year and it will get them an asset, they seem better served to use him as a depth guy between the pressbox and 4th line and buy him out next summer - which isn't as bad as I would have thought according to capfriendly. 1.5 mil a year hit over 4 years which the team can afford.

This team's core is locked down cap wise except for Bennett, Ferland and Backlund who there should be room for with a few more vets headed out and the cap likely going up.

[stone hands]

He looks like a totally different player in the regular season, liked him a lot beside Bennett

[420since1974]

I believe that we're stuck with Brouwer this season due to his full NTC.

Next season his NTC changes to 15 teams that he can't be traded to.

[Stuntman Mike]

1. Waive Stajan, send to Stockton, can be called up to cover for injuries.
2. Put Brouwer on press box duty. He and Freddy can discuss their favorite popcorn toppings and can sub in if Jags needs a rest.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I'm wondering if Gulutzan keeps the lines he ended the game with. It seemed to spark a bunch of guys. If that's the case then it may provide Jagr more time to feel ready.

I get that everyone wants to see him in the lineup but from what I've read he wants time. With the good vibes from the last game maybe he feels less pressure to get in there. And with that, once in he really makes a great impact.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Stuntman Mike

1. Waive Stajan, send to Stockton, can be called up to cover for injuries.

That's just not going to happen...

1. Stajan is a respected veteran with a lot of good will in the room;
2. He hasn't done anything to warrant waiving and demotion. People may want Jankowski up, but it's not because Stajan hasn't performed in his role as 4th line centre. His line has not only not been a liability, but have generated energy both games; and
3. Like it or not, the organization has repeatedly said it has no problem with prospects getting "over-ripe" in the AHL

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Mike F

That's just not going to happen...

1. Stajan is a respected veteran with a lot of good will in the room;
2. He hasn't done anything to warrant waiving and demotion. People may want Jankowski up, but it's not because Stajan hasn't performed in his role as 4th line centre. His line has not only not been a liability, but have generated energy both games; and
3. Like it or not, the organization has repeatedly said it has no problem with prospects getting "over-ripe" in the AHL

4. Stajan right now has positive return value, and should return an asset that can replace an asset lost over the last two years (Elliott / Stone / Hamonic / Lazar trades). Especially when the otherwise best team in the NHL and two time defending champs need not one but three centers to round out their roster+depth, having lost all three of Bonino, Cullen, and Sundqvist this offseason.


To add to your point (2) though - Stajan has started the season with 58.54% xGF% so far after being 50.4% over a larger sample last year (40.46 DZS%) - a team that wants a solid fourth line or even a competent third line would love to have a Matt Stajan there to drag anchorweights around or better yet actually have a reliable, contributing bottom line. Small sample this year so far, sure, but waiving Stajan would be outright stupid considering it would be based on the same sample. He's done nothing to warrant that.