[Rumour] Garrioch: Flames make pitch for Spezza. UPD: Treliving denies offer

[Scoreface]

So what happens when he is blamed for losing here??

Byebye extension.

[Poe969]

I can't see it happening. If he did come here and played well and wouldn't sign an extension, he could become the ultimate rental next year

[Fire]

Trade offer doesn't make sense. Treliving has already said he wouldn't go for the quick fix. Spezza on a one year deal is a quick fix. Try again Garrioch.

[Rick M.]

It's a relief to read the responses in this thread. I have no problem with UFAs in their late 20s as we are only trying to reach the cap floor and they may help the youngsters hone their game. But players around 30 and under contract , for whom we have to expend assets, make no sense. They'll be in decline before we're competitive. No thanks.

[Scoreface]

Garrioch is paid to write this stuff, which most of the time is baseless. If Treliving did offer that package, then he knew it would be turned down, as he was most likely just kicking tires and getting a feel for things out there. No harm in that.

All that said, I believe the story is bunk, as Backlund didn't wilt when it mattered like some said. Once he had the A on his jersey, he elevated and played like the player we all wanted him to become before his injuries and hitting his stride.

Besides, were the Flames ever really 'in it??' They knew the writing was on the wall at training camp. That sounds like Oiler logic to me.

[theoforever]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

It makes no difference if you acquire 31 year olds - I have nothing against 'speeding up' by acquiring talent, it's giving up Backlund that would concern me.
The Oilers didn't need Stoll. He was only a 3rd line centre too.

My objection is trading Backlund too, which I said before. I don't like giving up a young guy on the upswing for an older player. I don't see how adding 31 year old Spezza helps us in the long term. It looks more like the first step to adding more veterans and a hard battle to finish 9th as soon as possible. Perhaps, I'm still living under the no post APEX player philosophy.

[Scoreface]

Besides Backlund starting to come into his own with the A stitched on, how often do you see a homegrown prospect publicly hate the rival Canucks and injure his shoulder in a tussle against them?? He took 100% pride with that letter on him, as he greatfuly took it and ran with it. Sure his production wasn't off the charts, but it did increase since then.

IMO he is a 'matters most' kind of guy and not a pie in the sky fall out of the playoffs and check out kind of guy. I want more of him on this team. Not 'an everybody is blaming me' kind of guy.

No need to worry. If the rumour has any legs, Treliving was just doing his due diligence, like being open to trade up at the draft. Backlund has grown from a normal prospect to beyond a blue chipper IMO. He will keep his letter soon and I have little doubt he has been told that. He's earned his stripes and now it's up to him to keep them.

I have little doubt he will. He is beyond a throw in in a trade. He means too much to this team, unless he is a main part being moved in a 'can't refuse' scenario. Late blooming Swedes are the norm, not the exception. Just ask Babcock and what he thought of him a couple years ago!

So, this trade is, as the OP says, just a rumour and if Ottawa bites, I think Treliving would back away slowly. Spezza doesn't help when it will matter most. Backlund is a prototypical third line center on a winning team who can possibly play second line. He does help when it matters most. Otherwise, the coaching staff made a gaff in giving him the A and letting him keep it until Glencross came back, which was due dilegence at that point.

Lets wait for him to come into his own this season on our team instead of us nashing our teeth when he does it elsewhere. He will deliver in a similar situation and environment as last year, I believe.

[calgARI]

There is zero chance a formal or even informal offer gets tendered by any GM prior to first finding out if they are on the no-trade list. Offers don't just come about without that sort of pre-discussion. So either Treliving made the inquiry about whether the Flames were even possible or he found out that they are possible and then made an offer. Neither is all that likely given any degree of common sense about the organization's current situation.

[Reign of Fire]

If true, can't say I am happy about this...look at LA and how they remained patient with their rebuild. Not sure its worth adding a "older" centerman, when we should build through the draft.

This would make sense if Iginla was still here

[chubeyr1]

I like Spezza, think he would be a great addition if we lose Cammy. He would be a great FA signing! But to trade for him? No Thanks!

I could see Hudler and a 3rd, or Backlund and a second pick for him, but the rumor says Hudler Backlund Wideman and a second? A lot to give up for an oft injured aging rapidly center on a rebuilding team.

[Scoreface]

Backlund<Spezza at this point.

Backlund soon will be > than him, as an all-around player, but Spezza is the better point producer and always will be.

No need for a cap dump in Wideman AND a second rounder?! Whaa??!

Never much liked Wideman, but he is a rh dman who if healthy can be great on the pp if anything. Terrible in his own end, but I can live with that these days..sort of. Ha

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Reign of Fire

If true, can't say I am happy about this...look at LA and how they remained patient with their rebuild. Not sure its worth adding a "older" centerman, when we should build through the draft.

This would make sense if Iginla was still here

Acquiring Spezza doesn't stop the Flames from building through the draft. Good teams build through every facet.

Personally I have no desire to rebuild for the better part of a decade like the Kings did.

[chubeyr1]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Acquiring Spezza doesn't stop the Flames from building through the draft. Good teams build through every facet.

Personally I have no desire to rebuild for the better part of a decade like the Kings did.

Yet I have to ask if we trade Hudler Backlund Wideman and a second round pick and Spezza leaves in a year for nothing, how is that rebuilding? Sure I am looking at the worst case scenario but also the probable one too I believe.

Not knocking the belief you add thru the draft, trades, and free agency, you definitely do that.

[Scoreface]

As an aside, I hate Trivago guy. Jerk straight across the board. Mute or change channel time there.

Sorry maybe bored for GT stuff. Just wanted to air that about that DB.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by calgARI

There is zero chance a formal or even informal offer gets tendered by any GM prior to first finding out if they are on the no-trade list. Offers don't just come about without that sort of pre-discussion. So either Treliving made the inquiry about whether the Flames were even possible or he found out that they are possible and then made an offer. Neither is all that likely given any degree of common sense about the organization's current situation.

I don't know about that. Bryan Murray has done it before.

Remember five years ago when the Oilers thought they had a done-deal for Dany Heatley? IIRC, they even called the players who were going to be sent to Ottawa to tell them that they'd been traded. Then, they found out that Heatley would absolutely not waive his NTC to go to Edmonton.


I have no idea if Murray would be dumb enough to do it a second time, but he has done it before.

[Schultzie]

Originally Posted by Reign of Fire

If true, can't say I am happy about this...look at LA and how they remained patient with their rebuild. Not sure its worth adding a "older" centerman, when we should build through the draft.

This would make sense if Iginla was still here

Well, he IS a free agent...

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by chubeyr1

Yet I have to ask if we trade Hudler Backlund Wideman and a second round pick and Spezza leaves in a year for nothing, how is that rebuilding? Sure I am looking at the worst case scenario but also the probable one too I believe.

Not knocking the belief you add thru the draft, trades, and free agency, you definitely do that.

The goal should be to constantly be get better all the time. Spezza for that package makes the team better right now IMO. It may also provide the incentive for Cammalleri to re-up (or for a UFA winger to sign with us) as he would get the opportunity to play with an elite playmaking centre

You also say it is 1 year of Spezza and that may ultimately be true, but that also means we would have the year to work on an extension and if that is not possible he could be shipped off at the deadline for assets to help build for the future. It's not a dire situation to get a player heading into the final year of their contract and from what I have noticed that is more of an issue for fans than it is for NHL clubs.

[jg13]

The only way this makes sense for Calgary is if they want to finish 30th this year which i'm sure is not the plan.

[UKflames]

I so hope that this is a rumour because it goes totally against everything that Treliving spoke about when he joined the flames.

Having Spezza is no good for the flames that are in rebuild mode, it will probably push us back up to the 9th-10th spot that we hated so much over the previous seasons, when we could do with one more high pick.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by UKflames

I so hope that this is a rumour because it goes totally against everything that Treliving spoke about when he joined the flames.

Having Spezza is no good for the flames that are in rebuild mode, it will probably push us back up to the 9th-10th spot that we hated so much over the previous seasons, when we could do with one more high pick.

How does it go against everything? There are no high picks, prospects or young NHLers (I do not consider 25 with 5 years experience to be young) in the supposed offer. We also do not know all the details, for all we know that offer was conditional on Spezza agreeing to an extension. It is not a deal that sells the future for the present and has potential to help now and into the future.