[Signing] Habs sign Ben Chiarot (3 yrs, $3.5mil AAV)

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Yet the flames were a NTC away from trading Brodie for Kadri.

Allegedly

[AT77]

I know we have tons of up-and-coming defensemen on our team in Andersson Valimaki, and Kylington, the latter two who are competing for full-time roles on our back end this upcoming season, but I was really hoping we would land a guy like Chiarot.


We lack the toughness on our back end that is required to win in the playoffs. He had 171 hits and 139 blocks last year. He's a big, heavy hitting, physical guy that we could have used. Hanifin led our defense in hits with 87 last year, and we all know that he's not a super physical player, so for him to be leading our team in hits, that says something. Only Gio and Hamonic had over 100+ blocks for us.


I know $3.5 mill is kind of hefty, especially with the RFA's we need to sign, but perhaps with moving Brodie/Stone/Frolik out, it could have worked, or that number could have been brought down with a 1 year longer-term, especially with Chiarot being only 28 years old.


Gio - Andersson
Hanifin - Hamonic
Valimaki - Chiarot
Kylington


Would have been a really nice, well balanced, d-core.

[TheScorpion]

I'd rather have Stone at 3.5 million for one year than Chiarot at 3.5 million for three.

Just keep the guy who's familiar with the organization and hits plenty himself.

[AT77]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd rather have Stone at 3.5 million for one year than Chiarot at 3.5 million for three.

Just keep the guy who's familiar with the organization and hits plenty himself.

Yeah, you're right about Stone, he can definitely lay the body and be the heavy hitter we need. I'm just worried about how he'll play after a serious blood-clot issue. Hopefully he's back to his old-self and solidifies himself a spot once again on our back end.

[TheScorpion]

I just don't think it's smart for this team to commit big free agency dollars to defensemen, given how deep they are at the position at the NHL level. AHL callup depth? Sure, and that's why they signed Davidson. But they have plenty of guys capable of playing top-4 minutes in the NHL, assuming Stone makes a full recovery.

They should be reserving/clearing cap space to add up front. Still holding out hope for Ferland.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

And yet with Hamonic having a cap hit of 300K more the Flames seem to be shopping him as a salary dump.

Seldom right and wrong again!