[Signing] Flames sign Austin Czarnik to two year contract (2 yrs, 1.25 mil AAV)

[RichKlit]

I get the complaint about young guys even if you want to ignore all the young players that are on the team but who has pushed and shoved their way onto the roster? Jankowski and kulak that’s pretty much it. It’s as much on players like Foo, Klimchuk, Mangiapane to force the hand of management and in my opinion none of them have.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by New Era

In the big picture I wonder if this type of signing is going to hurt long term. One of the biggest knocks against the Calgary Flames is opportunity for young players.

Biggest knocks from who? This is a pretty common complaint of most fanbases in most sports. After the season we had last year, with the lack of young forwards stepping up especially early in the season, I’m thrilled that they’re buffering the bottom 6.

As has been said before...if you can’t outplay whoever the 12/13th fwd is on the Flanes (still won’t be a barn burner after these signings) you’re still an AHL player

[Enoch Root]

I think the AAAA assessment is a good one. There are lots of players that can dominate the A, but just can't make it in the NHL. It is probably fair to say that Czarnik is in that boat at the moment. Can he take the next step? If he does, this is a steal of a signing. But whether or not he actually does, this is a great depth signing that puts another possible player in the mix. It's worth a shot.

I think Czarnik is essentially another Mangiapane, only a right hand shot. Two smaller guys, without burning speed, that can put up big points in the A. Can they take the next step?

Only time will tell, but having 2 of them is better than having one of them.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Hey look #27 just became available for Czarnik.

[djsFlames]

Unload Brouwer somehow and get Neal. Then (aside from who gets Tavares) the Flames pretty much win free agency.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by RichKlit

I get the complaint about young guys even if you want to ignore all the young players that are on the team but who has pushed and shoved their way onto the roster? Jankowski and kulak that’s pretty much it. It’s as much on players like Foo, Klimchuk, Mangiapane to force the hand of management and in my opinion none of them have.

Yeah, because Czarnik really forced his way on to his team!

Are we forgetting the Bruins didn’t resign him and allowed him to become a free agent? We are taking a player in the same situation as those guys mentioned, and giving that player a guaranteed contract. Opportunity is not the same. As we have seen with the Calgary Flames, year-after-year-after-year, they have a habit of setting up roadblocks for players to earn their way onto the hockey team, rather than letting the prospects battle it out amongst themselves for a role on the team.

Even when we have a guy step up and show he should stay over an underperforming veteran, the contract status gets in the way the Flames keep the lesser of the two players. It happens every year and is a behavior I wish the team would alter. Just my personal opinion on this practice.

Hey, if Treliving follows this move up by making a trade of Brouwer, Hathaway, and Stone to anyone for anything, I will be much happier about this and other moves. With those three in the mix it very likely that the prospects are not going to get any sort of shake in the pre-season.

[Toonage]

Only AAAA? Wanted AAAAA. Pass.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by New Era

Yeah, because Czarnik really forced his way on to his team!

Are we forgetting the Bruins didn’t resign him and allowed him to become a free agent? We are taking a player in the same situation as those guys mentioned, and giving that player a guaranteed contract. Opportunity is not the same. As we have seen with the Calgary Flames, year-after-year-after-year, they have a habit of setting up roadblocks for players to earn their way onto the hockey team, rather than letting the prospects battle it out amongst themselves for a role on the team.

Even when we have a guy step up and show he should stay over an underperforming veteran, the contract status gets in the way the Flames keep the lesser of the two players. It happens every year and is a behavior I wish the team would alter. Just my personal opinion on this practice.

Hey, if Treliving follows this move up by making a trade of Brouwer, Hathaway, and Stone to anyone for anything, I will be much happier about this and other moves. With those three in the mix it very likely that the prospects are not going to get any sort of shake in the pre-season.

The only player who stepped up last year in camp was Jankowski and he pretty much made the team. The next best forward was Dube and he was a junior. Foo, Mangiapane, Shinkaruk, Klimchuk and Poirier were all underwhelming. So was Hathaway for that matter. If they step up there's no Jagr, there's no Glass.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

As has been said before...if you can’t outplay whoever the 12/13th fwd is on the Flanes (still won’t be a barn burner after these signings) you’re still an AHL player

Sure, easy for you to say. Except when that 13th forward has a one way contract, or worse, has a big money contract. It is not easy to beat out a player on those contracts, because teams are still looking at contract costs. If a young guy is on a two way, it is almost impossible to beat out a vet on a one way. When the team can pay the prospect $75k for riding the buses, versus paying a player $1-5M for doing the same, the decision becomes pretty simple. Opportunity is not easy to come by in professional sports, and there is a lot more to earning opportunity than just playing your position well.

[btimbit]

Cheap, I like it

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by New Era

Sure, easy for you to say. Except when that 13th forward has a one way contract, or worse, has a big money contract. It is not easy to beat out a player on those contracts, because teams are still looking at contract costs. If a young guy is on a two way, it is almost impossible to beat out a vet on a one way. When the team can pay the prospect $75k for riding the buses, versus paying a player $1-5M for doing the same, the decision becomes pretty simple. Opportunity is not easy to come by in professional sports, and there is a lot more to earning opportunity than just playing your position well.

This is in a thread about a 1.25/yr player

[RichKlit]

New Era I think your just cranky there is literally not one thing to complain about this signing.

[oldschoolcalgary]

great term and low AAV.... that's a win win as far as i'm concerned.

Prospects are just like draft picks; they are lottery tickets - accumulating as many as possible gives you the best odds have having one pay off.

great pickup on a player considering a lot of teams were interested in.

[bigrangy]

1.25 mil for a guy who might not even be an NHLer is a risk, but it is a calculated one. Hopefully the Flames pro scouting staff made the right call here, and all indications are that they have.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by New Era

On the surface, it looks like a good signing. Adds some immediate depth to the organization in an area of need. A little concerned about the player’s size.

In the big picture I wonder if this type of signing is going to hurt long term. One of the biggest knocks against the Calgary Flames is opportunity for young players. Save the comments about how the Flames have worked in Monahan, Tkachuk, Bennett, or Gaudreau, as that is not applicable. These young guys never saw any time in the minors or were exposed to the Flames development system. I’m talking about guys who have taken a similar road to the NHL, guys like Mangipane, Foo, Klimchuk, etc. This signing has to be somewhat bitter for them, as they are at similar points in their careers and are looking for that opportunity to show what they can do. Now another free agent player will take that opportunity away from them, and they will likely have to see the buses again in the minors.

I feel good for Czarnik and the contract he was given, but at the same time I can’t help but think of our prospects who were hoping this was the year they would get a fair shake and an opportunity to play their way onto the team permanently. This must be a pretty tough signing for those players. Might also explain why we’ve seen two of our highly touted college players refuse to sign with the Flames, and instead be willing to roll the dice and go to free agency.

Anyways, I hope Czarnik brings something missing to the table and improves the team. We really need him to live up to his potential.

Don't see that at all.

Any time you can add a free asset that beats out your next in line prospects you're ahead. This isn't a touchy feely business.

If they signed Jay Beagle I think I'd see what you're saying to some degree, but not a 25 year old that lit up the AHL last year and is a free asset acquisition.

If players play well enough they come up ... we saw it with Jankowski last year, and we will see it again with good camps or good starts from any of Foo, Mangiapane or Dube.

This suggestion/argument is as old as this website and it's never held water for me.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by New Era

Are we forgetting the Bruins didn’t resign him and allowed him to become a free agent?

He was a Group 6 UFA. We don't know that the Bruins didn't try to re-sign him. Like every other UFA who will sign today, he had the option to become a UFA and took it.

[mivdo]

From the few bruins games I watched last year. This is a great pick up. His line would constantly be in the offensive zone. They had a forecheck reminicent of the flames that made the finals and Czarnik seemed to be relentless.

I am very happy with this signing.

[topfiverecords]

Anyone who complains about this signing should just go get a new bowl of cornflakes and switch to the Ryan thread.

[868904]

Originally Posted by New Era

On the surface, it looks like a good signing. Adds some immediate depth to the organization in an area of need. A little concerned about the player’s size.

In the big picture I wonder if this type of signing is going to hurt long term. One of the biggest knocks against the Calgary Flames is opportunity for young players. Save the comments about how the Flames have worked in Monahan, Tkachuk, Bennett, or Gaudreau, as that is not applicable. These young guys never saw any time in the minors or were exposed to the Flames development system. I’m talking about guys who have taken a similar road to the NHL, guys like Mangipane, Foo, Klimchuk, etc. This signing has to be somewhat bitter for them, as they are at similar points in their careers and are looking for that opportunity to show what they can do. Now another free agent player will take that opportunity away from them, and they will likely have to see the buses again in the minors.

I feel good for Czarnik and the contract he was given, but at the same time I can’t help but think of our prospects who were hoping this was the year they would get a fair shake and an opportunity to play their way onto the team permanently. This must be a pretty tough signing for those players. Might also explain why we’ve seen two of our highly touted college players refuse to sign with the Flames, and instead be willing to roll the dice and go to free agency.

Anyways, I hope Czarnik brings something missing to the table and improves the team. We really need him to live up to his potential.

This thinking is just so flawed. Let's say the flames landed the third overall pick and took Zadina. Would feel sorry for Mangiapane and Foo then? Should the Flames have taken Quinn Hughes instead or would you feel sorry for Kylington?

Did you feel good for Kylington when the Flames traded Fox? Did you give Treliving props for making that deal and making things easier for Kylington and Andersson?

Competition is good, if players feel sorry or bad because there is competition, then work harder and become better players. I don't want players who are going to sulk and whine about competition.

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Have him play with Backlund and Frolik:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Bennett - Jankowski - Tkachuk
Frolik - Backlund - Czarnik
Mangiapane - Ryan - Lazar

That’s a solid forward group.

Love this line up, but FTFY on the second line. ))