Offseason Changes - What will they look like for Calgary?

[Ashasx]

Butler has some value, even if it's only a 3rd or a 4th.

No need to rush him out of town when he'll likely only make around $1M.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Husky

And will most likely command 4+ million. Pass.

Who would you rather have on a line with Baertschi and Backlund? Hudler or Clarkson?

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Butler has some value, even if it's only a 3rd or a 4th.

No need to rush him out of town when he'll likely only make around $1M.

No BUT if he is on the team there is no room for Smith. The other 2 d-men have to be tougher than Gio.

Gio-Wideman, Regehr -Brodie Sarich-Butler

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

No BUT if he is on the team there is no room for Smith. The other 2 d-men have to be tougher than Gio.

Gio-Wideman, Regehr -Brodie Sarich-Butler

And what's wrong with Smith sitting? Aside from the solid play last season, he's been closer a 7th man when he has played this year.
No problem with swapping Butler and Smith around and letting the two compete.

[bubbsy]

as much as i yell at the screen when he's out there at times, i'm fine with butler being a bottom pairing dman on the team for a reasonable pricetag.

[Fire]

How has Breen played in the AHL this season? Is he capable of taking a full-time spot in the line-up? I would certainly like some more size on the defense especially since Sarich will most likely be gone by the end of next season.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Anduril

And what's wrong with Smith sitting? Aside from the solid play last season, he's been closer a 7th man when he has played this year.
No problem with swapping Butler and Smith around and letting the two compete.

That is because when Butler Smith Brodie Wideman are in the line up at the same time you are asking the other team to run your goalie. The #7 guy needs to be someone like Vandermeer or even Pardy.

[moon]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Who would you rather have on a line with Baertschi and Backlund? Hudler or Clarkson?

Are those the only two options?

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

That is because when Butler Smith Brodie Wideman are in the line up at the same time you are asking the other team to run your goalie. The #7 guy needs to be someone like Vandermeer or even Pardy.

When you already have Sarich, possibly Regehr or another tough defenseman, I don't think it becomes as much of a problem. Would have been awesome to have Grossman though.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by Fire

How has Breen played in the AHL this season? Is he capable of taking a full-time spot in the line-up? I would certainly like some more size on the defense especially since Sarich will most likely be gone by the end of next season.

Breen's been very good by all accounts, and would have likely been up already, but he has a season-ending injury, I believe it's his shoulder iirc.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Yeah, he is ok. But he is not particularly good at anything either. He isn't big and strong, certainly not physical, not a good shot, not a great puck mover, and merely an ok skater. To me there is nothing about his game that makes him irreplaceable, and it has nothing to do with letting young players develop. I've got lots of patience to let Brodie make mistakes, because he has so much upside.

Like I said, he is fine for now, but with a limited upside he is a guy that eventually you try to improve the talent level at his position to make him expendable.

Butler skates really well. He might not be as quick as Brodie, Giordano and Bouwmeester but he is still a good skater and well above average. He makes some mistakes but he is constantly improving.

I crunched some numbers just to see the difference and because of both the shortened season and him playing about 5 minutes less per game I based the numbers on minutes played.

Also it should be noted in addition to his ice-time dropping significantly, his roles changed as well. Here is a breakdown of his ice-time in each of his seasons.

2011/12 - ES 86.28%, PP 3.38%, PK 10.34%
2012/13 - ES 88.82%, PP 0.29%, PK 10.89%

In 2012/13 Butler saw his hits per minute increase by 49%. His blocked shots per minute increase by 28% and his giveaways per minute drop by 4%. Those first 2 numbers are dramatic improvements to his game. The latter while a small improvement is still a step in the right direction, especially considering how much worse the team has been as a whole defensively this year.

I am not saying Butler is some great defenseman or anything but people need to lose their bias if they expect to survive a rebuild. We want players that are improving, especially players still in their RFA years that are still improving.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Butler... is constantly improving.

How is he improving? Butler sucks.

[Poe969]

I guess Butler sucks a little less. In all honesty, he's a guy I don't care if he stays or goes. If he isn't on the team, will it really make them that much better or worse? If his spot can be filled by a rookie or young guy in the system than I don't think we should keep him. If he could be traded for anything with value, I think he should be traded. This team has way more important things to consider than Butler.

[Caged Great]

For me with Butler, there isn't really any upside. He's a barely adequate #6 defenseman. He's been in the NHL for several years now and hasn't progressed at all.

I would rather have his spot being taken by one of the young guys like Cundari or Breen as they still have potential to become NHLers that can contribute above being barely adequate.

If you can get a 5th like we did with Comeau, good. Otherwise I'd consider not even tendering him a qualifying offer.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

For me with Butler, there isn't really any upside. He's a barely adequate #6 defenseman. He's been in the NHL for several years now and hasn't progressed at all.

I would rather have his spot being taken by one of the young guys like Cundari or Breen as they still have potential to become NHLers that can contribute above being barely adequate.

If you can get a 5th like we did with Comeau, good. Otherwise I'd consider not even tendering him a qualifying offer.

Yep. At this point, Butler is a serviceable defenseman. A guy who's either going to be a journeyman #6th Dman for an NHL team or spend the rest of his career in the AHL or overseas.

[Ashasx]

Interesting that Feaster says if Gaudreau was willing to sign a contract right now, he would play out this season with the Flames.

I don't like that. Don't see a purpose in burning a year on his ELC.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Interesting that Feaster says if Gaudreau was willing to sign a contract right now, he would play out this season with the Flames.

I don't like that. Don't see a purpose in burning a year on his ELC.

The Flames were just trying to motivate Gaudreau to leave college early. Good thing for the player but most likely bad for the team, but it's better to have the player signed then have the risk he leaves for nothing in 2 years. The Flames will make the same deal to him next season and I'm thinking he will accept it.

[Joker]

Giordano + Blues 1st + Pitsburgh 1st to Colorado for their 1st.

Draft Mckinnon & Jones.

Stanley cup in 4 years

Buuuut Colorado will just say "uh...no...we will just draft Jones"

[kyuss275]

This was taken form an article form cbc.ca:

"One of Feaster’s priorities is to get veteran forwards Mike Cammalleri, Alex Tanguay and Lee Stempniak to understand the short- and long-term vision of management but doesn’t seem worried, calling them “good character guys” who want to be in Calgary “and be part of the solution.”

He said Cammalleri, who shared the team lead in scoring this season with Tanguay through Tuesday, takes the responsibility of helping young players develop seriously while Tanguay has already shared some positive thoughts about Reinhart with head coach Bob Hartley and Feaster."


If Feaster is serious about those players and Gio and Glencross not going anywhere, flames will look to have the same team on the ice now, at the start of next season, minus Cervenka most likely.

Don't mind if that is what happens and the flames get another top 5 pick in 2014.

Article also said that ownership is on board for the new direction. Article did not mention that Feaster had the wrong read on this team all the way up to the Calli trip.

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Mark Giordano, Chris Butler, 2014 2nd round pick (from CBJ) and 2014 4th round pick to PHI for Sean Couturier and Braydon Coburn

If Feaster can pull that one off, we should all kick in for his bonus.