[Signing] Flames sign Russell to 2 year extension ($2.6M AAV)

[Vulcan]

Whatever plan Feaster had, it wasn't working. He seemed to sign players willy nilly, so we ended up with way too many Left Wingers and no strength down the middle. Also the whole team got smaller, especially on defence. The only plan I saw that he had was to make cap room for his vain glorious plans, that didn't work and otherwise get better draft picks. He made the team so bad and with no hope that even the lifer, Iginla wanted out and Kipper packed it in. After this ineptitude, he didn't even know how to tank properly.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I think he is claiming Feaster has no ability to scout players except through advance stats.

Not sure why that matters because that is what our pro scouts Michel Goulet, Steve Leach and Steve Pleau are around for.

Did you see the gong show of the Flyers scouts determining the best draft picks?

[GreenLantern]

Late to the party but great job by Burke to get a fair deal for both sides, great contract.

Hopefully he continues to grow and the next one is justified at 5 mill.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Did you see the gong show of the Flyers scouts determining the best draft picks?

A Gms job would be deciding which scouts are better than others and putting more weight in what they say. A CEO of a large company won't know how to do everything in their company, so I don't expect a GM to know how to do everything in a hockey organization. Their job is to surround themselves with people who they can rely upon.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

Never say never. He could turn into Derick Smith. I don't expect so, given that his resume going into this season was slightly better, but I don't think he cracks the roster of any playoff team, and I don't think Gio, Brodie, Smid, or Wideman are going anywhere in the next 2yrs.
I also expect the flames to graduate at least one defenseman a year over the next 2yrs.

First of all, you're right: never say never.

But to suggest his resume is 'slightly better' than Derek Smith is a gross injustice.

He has played 8 seasons and over 400 games in the NHL (with only one short stint in the AHL back in 2009). He has played on the WC team twice. He has 4 different 20 point seasons and is playing at a 37 pt pace this year.

Smith hasn't played 100 games in the NHL and has played more games in the A over that span. He has a TOTAL of 14 pts in his career.

I think you need to take a closer look at Kris Russell.

[Enoch Root]

For comparison sake...

Giordano: 30 years old, 8 seasons, 425 games, 50 G 128 A, 178 P

Russell: 26 years old, 8 seasons, 408 games, 27 G, 88 A, 115 P

Russell is not the player Giordano is (obviously), but his career is far closer to Giordano's in comparison than it is to Smith's.

[Alberta_Beef]

I don't understand the Russell/Smith comparisons personally. Russell has more or less been an NHL regular since he was 20. He had some trouble holding a spot on the Blues last year after the deadline but that says more about the depth in St. Louis than it does about Russell.

Russell has 400+ NHL games and less than 15 in the AHL, comparing him to Derek Smith is an absolute joke. Russell is better in every facet of the game.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

Never say never. He could turn into Derick Smith. I don't expect so, given that his resume going into this season was slightly better, but I don't think he cracks the roster of any playoff team, and I don't think Gio, Brodie, Smid, or Wideman are going anywhere in the next 2yrs.
I also expect the flames to graduate at least one defenseman a year over the next 2yrs.

I hate rag on this post but, slightly better??? Must not of paid attention to his 7 other years in league. A little research on a player next time maybe.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

First of all, you're right: never say never.

But to suggest his resume is 'slightly better' than Derek Smith is a gross injustice.

He has played 8 seasons and over 400 games in the NHL (with only one short stint in the AHL back in 2009). He has played on the WC team twice. He has 4 different 20 point seasons and is playing at a 37 pt pace this year.

Smith hasn't played 100 games in the NHL and has played more games in the A over that span. He has a TOTAL of 14 pts in his career.

I think you need to take a closer look at Kris Russell.

Agreed. I understated it. The point wasn't to compare the 2, only to illustrate that even players that appear to be breaking out can sometimes just have their career year, and then go back to their career norm. For Russell this was borderline NHLer.

I wasn't trying to attack him. He showed how indespensable he was to this team by the way they played when he was hurt. Easily been the teams 3rd best d-man this season, and so I'm glad they locked him up.

Just to clarify. Not comparing Russell/Smith.

[Kswiss]

Wow what an awesome deal. My favorite Dman on this team.

[Iggy Snipe]

Great signing for Calgary. This guy has been playing lights out for Calgary. I am loving the play of Russel, Brodie, And Gio.

[handgroen]

amazing deal for the flames. i know it's not a trade but it really feels like the flames "won" this deal. and for those asking if there should be cap floor concerns, you always want to sign every player to the bottom dollar available. always maximum value.
russel is a great player for this team, but is also now one of our most attractive assets as well.

[Aarongavey]

Good deal for the Flames and a good off-season pickup.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Neither would Feaster. When O'Reilly signed the Flames' offer sheet, they were in the thick of a playoff hunt, and not really a threat to finish with a lottery pick. Everything about the O'Reilly deal indicated that Feaster's intention was to push for the playoffs, and I'm quite certain that he imagined the pick to be in the 15–20 range, especially given the expectation that O'Reilly would have improved the team.

Which kind of justifies the firing. Inability to evaluate your team properly.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Which kind of justifies the firing. Inability to evaluate your team properly.

It could be worse, you could have a GM who personally disagrees with portions of the CBA so rather than sign a RFA from a team that would have had an almost impossible ability to match and give up a 1st, a 2nd and 3rd he decides to trade for the player and give up two 1sts and a 2nd to placate his guilt about a provision of the CBA he disagrees with. If a GM did that he should be fired on the spot no questions asked unless that team actually wanted Greg McKegg instead of Dougie Hamilton.

The only thing that could make that story worse would be if the GM who made that move looked at his 26th overall in the league roster and thought they had a hope of competing the year he gave up two firsts and a second then became the Flames GM.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

Agreed. I understated it. The point wasn't to compare the 2, only to illustrate that even players that appear to be breaking out can sometimes just have their career year, and then go back to their career norm. For Russell this was borderline NHLer.

I wasn't trying to attack him. He showed how indespensable he was to this team by the way they played when he was hurt. Easily been the teams 3rd best d-man this season, and so I'm glad they locked him up.

Just to clarify. Not comparing Russell/Smith.

But that's the point, because no, he wasn't.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

A Gms job would be deciding which scouts are better than others and putting more weight in what they say. A CEO of a large company won't know how to do everything in their company, so I don't expect a GM to know how to do everything in a hockey organization. Their job is to surround themselves with people who they can rely upon.

And how would he decide which scouts are better? If he went by results he could be fired by the time that was determined.

I like to see the GM have some hockey experience. At least having played a bit and then gone on to scouting or coaching or as seems to be the case recently, being an agent.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

Never say never. He could turn into Derick Smith. I don't expect so, given that his resume going into this season was slightly better, but I don't think he cracks the roster of any playoff team, and I don't think Gio, Brodie, Smid, or Wideman are going anywhere in the next 2yrs.
I also expect the flames to graduate at least one defenseman a year over the next 2yrs.

That's crazy talk..

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

And how would he decide which scouts are better? If he went by results he could be fired by the time that was determined.

I like to see the GM have some hockey experience. At least having played a bit and then gone on to scouting or coaching or as seems to be the case recently, being an agent.

Most GMs get fired before their picks pan out these days so I am not sure what your point is there.

But I also think watching the Flyers video gave you a poor impression of how things work. While the deciding of who to pick may end up being a gong show every team more or less follows the same structure.

Regional scouts watch the players in their region, they like players and they have other regional scouts come in and take a look. Once there are 2nd, 3rd and even 4th opinions the Director of scouting will take a look and then an AGM and then maybe the GM.

Then when deciding who to draft you compile the opinions of everyone that saw the players. You pay extra attention when for example the WHL West scout rates a guy from the QMJHL higher than one of his own guys that he is high on. It's never black and white and it can come down to who you trust is better at their job, which would be determined by analysing the outcomes of past drafts.

Also call me crazy but I would say being employed by AHL & NHL clubs for the better part of 25 years would fall under the category "having some NHL experience", it's pretty silly to suggest a guy employed for that long in an industry hasn't picked up a thing or 2.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Most GMs get fired before their picks pan out these days so I am not sure what your point is there.

But I also think watching the Flyers video gave you a poor impression of how things work. While the deciding of who to pick may end up being a gong show every team more or less follows the same structure.

Regional scouts watch the players in their region, they like players and they have other regional scouts come in and take a look. Once there are 2nd, 3rd and even 4th opinions the Director of scouting will take a look and then an AGM and then maybe the GM.

Then when deciding who to draft you compile the opinions of everyone that saw the players. You pay extra attention when for example the WHL West scout rates a guy from the QMJHL higher than one of his own guys that he is high on. It's never black and white and it can come down to who you trust is better at their job, which would be determined by analysing the outcomes of past drafts.

Also call me crazy but I would say being employed by AHL & NHL clubs for the better part of 25 years would fall under the category "having some NHL experience", it's pretty silly to suggest a guy employed for that long in an industry hasn't picked up a thing or 2.

Bad GMs get fired before their picks pan out but there are some good GMs who stick around. Those seem to be the ones who know how to grade players as a part of their skill set. Feaster in his 25 years never went through the process of learning that skill.
Yeah sure there are ways to separate some scouts from others but that still doesn't tell you if the scouts are any good in the first place.

I mean they could tell you that Jankowski is a first round pick and you wouldn't know any better.