Speculation: Armchair GM Thread: I can't believe it's not butter, I can't believe we didn't get Ryan Hartman.

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Jagr came here because he was so bad that he had no other options.

I am not sure I want a broken down Kovalchuk that is too bad to play anywhere else, has about a 1000th of the work ethic of Jagr and isn't coming on a cheap one year deal like Jagr.

Jagr may have sucked but at least he was doing his best to contribute and help the team. Kovalchuk at his peak would always be a question mark about how good vs. harm he is doing and as a guy here only to get paid I shutter to think how much of a pain in the ass he would be.

You must be thinking of Alex Kovalev. I've no idea about his last 5 years, but at least in NJ Kovalchuk was an absolute monster at both ends of the rink. His work ethic was second to none.

He's a mercenary though and someone will for sure give him more $$$ and term than Treliving.

 

[Baxterman]

You must be thinking of Alex Kovalev. I've no idea about his last 5 years, but in NJ Kovalchuk was an absolute monster at both ends of the rink. His work ethic was second to none.

He's a mercenary though and someone will for sure give him more $$$ and term than Treliving.

No I am thinking of Kovalchuk but probably more of his Atlanta/Russia years. I do not remember him much from NJ so will have to take your word for it if he did play like that. I would find it shocking considering he never played like that in Atlanta or for Russia.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Jagr came here because he was so bad that he had no other options.

False. He had an offer from St. Louis but chose to come here.

 

[Baxterman]

False. He had an offer from St. Louis but chose to come here.

Did have a contract offer or PTO?

And was that actually reported or just rumoured?

 

[djpatm]

I have a very strong feeling that GG will be back next year and the only changes we'll see is some shuffling of the bottom 6.

Treliving is stubborn. Way too stubborn.

 

[The Red Mile]

Free Agent Signings

UFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Tavares, John	7	$9,500,000
De Haan, Calvin	4	$3,500,000

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

RFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Gillies, Jon	3	$1,250,000
Rittich, David	3	$1,250,000
Kulak, Brett	3	$1,250,000
Jankowski, Mark	2	$1,750,000

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

CREATED	YEARS	CAP HIT
Fox, Adam	3	$975,000
Wahlstrom, Oliver	3	$975,000

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Trades

CGY

1. Ho-Sang, J

Additional Details: Calgary's 11th overall pick in 2018 Entry draft.
NYI

1. Brodie, T.

CGY

1. 2019 3rd round pick (CGY)

ARI

1. Brouwer, T.
2. Phillips, M.
3. Kylington, O.

CGY

1. 2019 2nd round pick (TOR)

TOR

1. Stone, M.

CGY

1. Gallagher, B

MTL

1. Frolík, M.
2. Jankowski, M.

Buyouts

• Lance Bouma: $766,667
• Ryan Murphy: $137,500

Draft Picks

DRAFT YEAR	ROUND 1	ROUND 2	ROUND 3	ROUND 4	ROUND 5	ROUND 6	ROUND 7
2019
2020
2021

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

ROSTER
LONG-TERM OUTLOOK
EMBED
TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
24	$80,000,000	$71,727,976	$2,672,500	$8,272,024

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Tkachuk, Matthew $925,000 LW RFA - 1	Tavares, John $9,500,000 C UFA	Gaudreau, Johnny $6,750,000 LW UFA - 4
Bennett, Sam $1,950,000 C, LW RFA - 1	Monahan, Sean $6,375,000 C UFA - 5	Gallagher, Brendan $3,750,000 RW UFA - 3
Mangiapane, Andrew $705,000 LW, C RFA - 1	Backlund, Mikael $5,350,000 C NTC UFA - 6	Ho-Sang, Joshua $863,333 RW, C RFA - 1
Ferland, Micheal $1,750,000 LW, RW UFA - 1	Dubé, Dillon $792,500 C RFA - 2	Wahlstrom, Oliver $975,000
Lazar, Curtis $950,000 C, RW RFA - 1	Foo, Spencer $925,000 RW, C RFA - 1

[THEAD] [/THEAD]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Giordano, Mark $6,750,000 D NTC UFA - 4	Hamilton, Dougie $5,750,000 D UFA - 3	Smith, Mike $4,250,000 NTC UFA - 1
De Haan, Calvin $3,500,000 D UFA	Hamonic, Travis $3,857,143 D UFA - 2	Rittich, David $1,250,000 RFA
Kulak, Brett $1,250,000 D RFA	Andersson, Rasmus $755,833 D RFA - 2
Välimäki, Juuso $925,000 D RFA - 2	Fox, Adam $975,000

[THEAD] [/THEAD]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

This is my dream lineup. How far of am I on some of these signings and trades? If we could ever produce this lineup next year we would be a Stanley Cup threat for years to come as long as we could get some goalies that could stop some pucks.

 

[Baxterman]

I don;t think we are getting our 1st back, I don't think Montreal gives up Gallagher for that package and I don't think that TO trades for Michael Stone at all.

As for the lines i would switch Ho Sang and Gallagher. Actually I might shuffle all 3 of the top RW's around.

I also think zero chance Tavares comes here at all let alone for 9.5 million.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Did have a contract offer or PTO?

And was that actually reported or just rumoured?

I believe it was a PTO and then they had Fabbri go down and it became a full offer. Reported both by the Blues beat writer and either Lebrun or McKenzie if memory serves. I think Jagr even commented on it at one point.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I believe it was a PTO and then they had Fabbri go down and it became a full offer. Reported both by the Blues beat writer and either Lebrun or McKenzie if memory serves. I think Jagr even commented on it at one point.

Legit offer. Rejected by Jagr.

Jagr says he was 'very close' to signing with Blues

Jagr turns down Blues

 

[Baxterman]

I believe it was a PTO and then they had Fabbri go down and it became a full offer. Reported both by the Blues beat writer and either Lebrun or McKenzie if memory serves. I think Jagr even commented on it at one point.

Well that sucks he didn't take the Blues offer.

Oh well doesn't really change much as I doubt we do much different if we didn't sign Jagr.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

That is some very optismistic outlook for players. Ferland and Gaudreau are going to produce at basically the same pace with a much worse player on their line. what are the chances of that?

Bennett is going to beat his career best by 20 points despite showing zero signs that he is close to a 55 point player? Brouwer basically doubling his point totals? Jankowski jumping up 15 points, Frolik improving. Those are all unlikely to happen individually let alone every guy having a much, much better season.

I understand the argument for splitting up Monahan and Gaudreau to spread out the offense, but that only works if we have the players to do that and we don't.

Bennett and Ferland are weak 1st line players if paired with a peak Crosby, pairing them with Gaudreau just means we have a bad 1st line. Tkachuk and Monahan are good but then having them have to play with Frolik or Versteeg handcuffs them. With the top line already having two passengers I am not sure we want the 2nd line to have a dud as well. Brouwer in a shutdown role with Backlund leaves us with a big hole on that line that other teams can easily exploit.

I don't think Monahan is really that much better than Bennett, especially at 5v5.

Bennett is better in the following metrics per 60:

Shots
Rush attempts
Rebounds created
iCF
iFF
iSCF
iHDCF
Penalties drawn
Takeaways

And he doesn't have the benefit of being set up by Johnny Gaudreau all game, and hasn't had a finisher like Ferland.

All Bennett needs is an opportunity to play in an offensive role on a consistent basis. But he's been denied this under GG.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I don't think Monahan is really that much better than Bennett, especially at 5v5.

Bennett is better in the following metrics per 60:

Shots
Rush attempts
Rebounds created
iCF
iFF
iSCF
iHDCF
Penalties drawn
Takeaways

And he doesn't have the benefit of being set up by Johnny Gaudreau all game, and hasn't had a finisher like Ferland.

All Bennett needs is an opportunity to play in an offensive role on a consistent basis. But he's been denied this under GG.

Lesser quality shots
Rushes where he loses the puck trying to do it all by himself
Rebounds is an odd stat to try to argue
Penalties drawn, but takes more, especially stupid ones
Several of the fancy stats you quote are being proven to not mean much by themselves this year.

I think Bennett can still be something better, especially given better deployment. But to say he's better than Monahan at this point is just so beyond farcical and such dead horse to beat that I can't believe people are still arguing it.

 

[tmurfin]

No I am thinking of Kovalchuk but probably more of his Atlanta/Russia years. I do not remember him much from NJ so will have to take your word for it if he did play like that. I would find it shocking considering he never played like that in Atlanta or for Russia.

Iirc, the year they made the finals, he single handily drug them there with a serious back and/or knee injury. He was an animal for NJ.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Iirc, the year they made the finals, he single handily drug them there with a serious back and/or knee injury. He was an animal for NJ.

He and Brodeur looking like a man a decade younger again yeah.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Lesser quality shots
Rushes where he loses the puck trying to do it all by himself
Rebounds is an odd stat to try to argue
Penalties drawn, but takes more, especially stupid ones
Several of the fancy stats you quote are being proven to not mean much by themselves this year.

I think Bennett can still be something better, especially given better deployment. But to say he's better than Monahan at this point is just so beyond farcical and such dead horse to beat that I can't believe people are still arguing it.

Man you really have a hard time with reading comprehension, huh?

Here is what I said:
I don't think Monahan is really that much better than Bennett, especially at 5v5.

 

[JPeeper]

Hire a new coach who will change up the lines. The 3M line was effective last year, this year they aren't. Yeah Backlund is still a very good defensive player, but Tkachuk is so underutilized on this team it's criminal. Guy is the next superstar in the making, but plays with a defensive forward with middling offense (Backs) and a 3rd liner with rapidly decreasing offense (Frolik).

Plays his junior career with Matthews, Dvorak, Marner, etc. and now plays with Frolik (who I appreciate, but he isn't an offensive guy).

Tkachuk and Bennett need to play together and build chemistry for the Flames to succeed because Tkachuk can elevate Bennett and Bennett will have a good line-mate to actually play with. Guy has been tremedous for this past month and has been playing with bum Hathaway and ice-cold Janko.

Break up Mony and Gaudreau to see what happens (put Tkachuk and/or Bennett with Mony and the other with Gaudreau) if you want, but do something.

Also get some damn right wings.

 

[JPeeper]

Also wanted to say, since the Flames are done (there is no hope), just shut down Mony and Tkachuk for the season. Tkachuk probably has a neck/head injury so there is no reason to bring up back when all the games from here on out are pointless and let Mony heal up 100% so he can have another good off-season.

Also shut down Brodie cause he's probably also concussed.

 

[Baxterman]

I don't think Monahan is really that much better than Bennett, especially at 5v5.

Bennett is better in the following metrics per 60:

Shots
Rush attempts
Rebounds created
iCF
iFF
iSCF
iHDCF
Penalties drawn
Takeaways

And he doesn't have the benefit of being set up by Johnny Gaudreau all game, and hasn't had a finisher like Ferland.

All Bennett needs is an opportunity to play in an offensive role on a consistent basis. But he's been denied this under GG.

When they start handing out points for metrics per 60 then maybe we can play Bennett in a more prominent role but until then I will take the guy that blows the other one out of the water when it comes to goals, assists, points and the eye test.

You are right though Monahan isn't that much better than Bennett 5 on 5 he is a hell of a lot better than him.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

When they start handing out points for metrics per 60 then maybe we can play Bennett in a more prominent role but until then I will take the guy that blows the other one out of the water when it comes to goals, assists, points and the eye test.

You are right though Monahan isn't that much better than Bennett 5 on 5 he is a hell of a lot better than him.

It's hilarious how defensive you get when somebody mentions the idea of separating Monahan with Gaudreau.

"Hey maybe the Flames should spread out the scoring and split up 13 and 23"

"No way, Monahan is way better than Bennett"

How about this, let Monahan play with Tkachuk and you can call that the first line. Would that satisfy you? Or are you just terrified of what might happen to Monahan's production without Gaudreau?

Monahan has yet to score a 5v5 goal this year without Gaudreau on the ice, FYI.

 

[Baxterman]

It's hilarious how defensive you get when somebody mentions the idea of separating Monahan with Gaudreau.

"Hey maybe the Flames should spread out the scoring and split up 13 and 23"

"No way, Monahan is way better than Bennett"

How about this, let Monahan play with Tkachuk and you can call that the first line. Would that satisfy you? Or are you just terrified of what might happen to Monahan's production without Gaudreau?

Monahan has yet to score a 5v5 goal this year without Gaudreau on the ice, FYI.

Well other than the posts I make with line-ups that have them split apart.

You need to remember I am a Flames fan unlike you. I don't care only about one guy or feel the need to discredit others to protect that one guy like you. I only want what's best for the Flames, unlike you.

I am terrified about what might happen with the Flames if we saddle our best players with duds and now instead of getting scoring from 1 line we get it from none.

If you actually paid attention you would have seen I have been advocating us getting another top 6 guy so splitting up Monahan and Gaudreau is an option but as long as we are looking at a Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland line as one of the options I am not going to support that view just because you hate that some fans like Monahan and Gaudreau and do t just bow down to little Johnboy.

 

[MonarchFlames]

It's hilarious how defensive you get when somebody mentions the idea of separating Monahan with Gaudreau.

"Hey maybe the Flames should spread out the scoring and split up 13 and 23"

"No way, Monahan is way better than Bennett"

How about this, let Monahan play with Tkachuk and you can call that the first line. Would that satisfy you? Or are you just terrified of what might happen to Monahan's production without Gaudreau?

Monahan has yet to score a 5v5 goal this year without Gaudreau on the ice, FYI.

And in what world has Bennett done to warrant playing with Gaudreau? He's inconsistent, sometimes he'll look like a 1C and then other times he'll look like a 4th liner. He's on pace for 28 pts this season. Monahan literally got that in his rookie year without Gaudreau. I'm fine with splitting Monahan and Gaudreau, but not for Bennett lmao. Unless he improves his consistency and plays better or we find a center that's as good as Monahan we can talk about splitting them up. Who cares about per 60s stats. Monahan produces per 82 games and Bennett has yet to show that type of consistency.

 

[Dack]

Bennett is bad Monahan is mediocre. The alliteration fits.

 

[viper0220]

I know many people won’t like this but I would look to trade Monahan. I think he is what he is and that is 65 point centre that plays without any emotion and is one dimensional.

If you look at these last games he never upped his game to take over games and win it for us like #1 center is supposed to. He is not the #1 center that will take us to the promise land.

Try packaging Monahan, Ferland and Brodie and see what you can get.

 

[The Gnome]

good god, I cannot believe people want to entertain the idea of moving Monahan. A 23 year old center who is good for 60+ points, 30+ goals a season, and has clearly made progress defensively this season. Let's trade him!! I mean he's 23, he's clearly peaked, sell high...riiiiight.

 

[Baxterman]

I know many people won’t like this but I would look to trade Monahan. I think he is what he is and that is 65 point centre that plays without any emotion and is one dimensional.

If you look at these last games he never upped his game to take over games and win it for us like #1 center is supposed to. He is not the #1 center that will take us to the promise land.

Try packaging Monahan, Ferland and Brodie and see what you can get.

If Monahan is so terrible why are other teams going to give us a better player back in return?

The quantity for quality deals almost never work out for the team getting quantity so not sure who is going to go for that package.

In fact the list of centers that are better than Monahan is small enough that I think when proposing upgrading him guys should at least post the guy that we are getting back.