[Rumour] Free agent courting period news and rumors

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Canadiens traded Shaw back to Chicago yesterday

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?p=7149072

Yeah I know...im just wondering if Brodie would have been enough instead of draft picks for the Habs.

He would of checked a lot of boxes for this club....much like Kadri.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah I know...im just wondering if Brodie would have been enough instead of draft picks for the Habs.

He would of checked a lot of boxes for this club....much like Kadri.

Possible but I think they wanted to clear salary to go with that dumb offer sheet

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah I know...im just wondering if Brodie would have been enough instead of draft picks for the Habs.

He would of checked a lot of boxes for this club....much like Kadri.

Brodie carries more value than the picks they got but I think the Habs wanted the cap space to go after Aho

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Brick

Or they overachieved in the regular season with a flawed roster that was exposed in the playoffs.

No. I'm not buying that.

The Flames were the second highest scoring team without an above average powerplay, they were a top five defensive team, and their possession and shot metrics were all in the top-five. They did all of this amid questions about goaltending all year. There is NOTHING beyond a short playoff campaign to suggest that the Flames overachieved. Nothing at all.

The Flames played differently in Games #2–5 of the playoffs than they did all season and also in Game #1. It was mystifying to witness, but what I saw in Round One was NOT the same team as that which I watched all season—something was decidedly off for a few games at the absolute worst time, and I believe it is correctable.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Yeah, you might be right but our players aren't necessarily built that way. To me, tougher to play against means being able to hit the opposing team and changing the momentum of the game. I just dont think the current team has that element and they need a few more players who can play physical and score. The current team can definitely learn from this past season but I don't think Gaudreau is hitting anyone anytime soon.

To me, being tougher to play against is pressuring through a relentless forecheck and back check, and never quitting on the play. This is what the Flames did wrong in the playoffs, and it is not an irredeemable flaw.

[Manhattanboy]

Disappointed the Flames did nothing to add toughness.

And with Hathaway’s departure we got softer.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

No. I'm not buying that.

The Flames were the second highest scoring team without an above average powerplay, they were a top five defensive team, and their possession and shot metrics were all in the top-five. They did all of this amid questions about goaltending all year. There is NOTHING beyond a short playoff campaign to suggest that the Flames overachieved. Nothing at all.

The Flames played differently in Games #2–5 of the playoffs than they did all season and also in Game #1. It was mystifying to witness, but what I saw in Round One was NOT the same team as that which I watched all season—something was decidedly off for a few games at the absolute worst time, and I believe it is correctable.

Just like every year, the game changed in the playoffs and the Flames couldn’t dictate the play anymore. The refs allowed physical players to push the line more and the Flames had no answer for it. They got worn down and intimidated, then it was a downward spiral.

I have no doubt that they can reproduce the regular season results, but no one is going to mind facing them in the playoffs if they don’t add the SOB element.

The fact Treliving has tried to address this at least gives me hope that he knows it’s an issue.

[SmoggyFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Disappointed the Flames did nothing to add toughness.

And with Hathaway’s departure we got softer.

Does this mean we try to go after Reaves and Ferland?

[AC]

Golden Knights looking at trade options for Nikita Gusev with large gap in contract talks

https://theathletic.com/1058900/2019...ontract-talks/

The sides have negotiated over the last few weeks with both seeking a two-year deal, but the gap between Vegas’ initial offer and Gusev’s asking price is as wide as $2 million per year, according to a source close to the negotiations.

“We think (Gusev) is a really good player,” Golden Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee said Monday. “We’d like to work something out here, but if that doesn’t work out we’ll look at options.”

Gusev is arguably the best player in the world currently outside of the NHL. He absolutely torched the KHL last season. He ran away with the most valuable player trophy after racking up 17 goals and 65 assists for 82 points in 62 games for SKA Saint Petersburg.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

There is NOTHING beyond a short playoff campaign to suggest that the Flames overachieved. Nothing at all.

Nothing at all? NOTHING?

Every one of the Flames best players had career seasons, and some by a significant margin. Giordano, Gaudreau, Monahan, Lindholm, Tkachuk... And absolutely no significant injuries.

Now I don't believe the Flames season was a fluke. Full stop. I fully expect this team to be a playoff team but there are ample reasons to believe the regular season could be a dip from last year.

And no, that doesn't mean I am in a panic. Just giving my opinion.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Nothing at all? NOTHING?

Every one of the Flames best players had career seasons, and some by a significant margin. Giordano, Gaudreau, Monahan, Lindholm, Tkachuk... And absolutely no significant injuries.

Now I don't believe the Flames season was a fluke. Full stop. I fully expect this team to be a playoff team but there are ample reasons to believe the regular season could be a dip from last year.

And no, that doesn't mean I am in a panic. Just giving my opinion.

Valid points, but they also won the west on the back of, let's face it, just better than mediocre goaltending. So some improvement there can go a long way. My prediction is the Flames are still fighting for the division win at the least this year.

[Beninho]

If Ferland returns that trade is looking great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vinny01]

Glad the season doesn’t start tomorrow. Treliving has quite a bit of work to do but I am confident he will make some positive additions to this team.

[Monahammer]

Well, my top two moves were trade for kadri or aho offer sheet.

Maybe neal + sweetener for turris?

Will there be any other interest in brodie? I can't even think of any other suitors at this point. Maybe TB for someone like Johnson?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Beninho

If Ferland returns that trade is looking great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I really don't want him back. Nice guy and great story but he has taken a few too many hits to the head and he has always been streaky.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by AC

Golden Knights looking at trade options for Nikita Gusev with large gap in contract talks

https://theathletic.com/1058900/2019...ontract-talks/

Interesting player. Right handed LW (might be an easy switch to right), and best friend is Nikita Kucherov, whom he regularly outscored when they played together.

I'd kind of be alright using every piece coming back from Brodie and Frolik trades to take a flyer on a guy like this. Why not swing for the fences?

I'd guess LV is offering a 3M/2Y show me contract, but that's entirely my guess.

[topfiverecords]

Oddly high number of assists playing on a team who’s highest scorer, Yakupov no less, only hit 23 goals. What am I missing?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

That's what I thought as well. But then it makes little sense. Seems like all of the TV commentators, all hockey bloggers and all other "in the know" guys on Twitter know (or pretend to know) those lists for every player. So, either players' agents and some people in teams' front offices leak that information to media on purpose or it's not much of a guarded secret... Strange.

If a player or an agent leaks it they probably don't care it is out there.

If a team leaks it is probably because they are frustrated the player is blocking a trade and want it out there to put some pressure on the player to waive it.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I really don't want him back. Nice guy and great story but he has taken a few too many hits to the head and he has always been streaky.

Streaky, sure, the concussion narrative is way overblown by some people though.

There are guys playing right now who have taken a lot worse knocks to the head a lot more often, or dealt with worse concussion issues, and have since fully recovered. The narrative doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I really don't want him back. Nice guy and great story but he has taken a few too many hits to the head and he has always been streaky.

It really comes down to the $ figure and term for me. If Ferland doesn’t like his market because of the shrinking salary cap maybe a 1-2 year deal is in his best interest? If that is the case I could see a deal working for both sides.

Flames need a top 6 forward and while Ferland is not perfect he is a decent option.