Confirmed Signing with Link: [CGY] Calgary signs Kris Versteeg (1 year, $950,000)

[CantHaveTkachev]

Difference with Tkachuk is he's extremely smart and plays a 200 ft game, plus he's physically ready and if wouldn't do him much good to go back to junior.

hmmm, I guess you can say the same things for Puljujarvi

 

[McFlyingV]

Difference with Tkachuk is he's extremely smart and plays a 200 ft game, plus he's physically ready and if wouldn't do him much good to go back to junior.

I'll believe that part about the 200 foot game when I see it in the regular season. He sure didn't play a 200 ft game in junior.

I like Tkachuk, but anyone criticizing Edmonton for having Puljujarvi on the 3rd line being extremely sheltered, but having no issue with Tkachuk on the 2nd line in Calgary either have a clear agenda, or are just being ridiculous. Both players are a huge question mark at the NHL level and could be sent down, but at least they aren't playing prominent roles.

 

[Stickpucker]

Good luck to Steeger, he was solid for Carolina and can move up and down the lineup. Never heard of any locker room issues with the guy....we just were sellers and got what we could for him.

 

[Figgy44]

I'll believe that part about the 200 foot game when I see it in the regular season. He sure didn't play a 200 ft game in junior.

I like Tkachuk, but anyone criticizing Edmonton for having Puljujarvi on the 3rd line being extremely sheltered, but having no issue with Tkachuk on the 2nd line in Calgary either have a clear agenda, or are just being ridiculous. Both players are a huge question mark at the NHL level and could be sent down, but at least they aren't playing prominent roles.

Honest question, who's your 2RW if Pulujarvi is on the 3rd line?

I agree with you. I think both side's fans are being silly. Tkachuk is our 3LW (Behind Monahan's and Backlunds line, and on the 3rd line with Bennett) and Pulujarvi (per you) is also on the 3rd line.

 

[Kranix]

I like this signing.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Looks like Versteeg signed where he though he'd get more playing time and a better chance of getting another contract.
Nothing else to be read into the signing IMO. Calgary had a top 6 spot open. Edmonton didn't.

 

[McFlyingV]

Honest question, who's your 2RW if Pulujarvi is on the 3rd line?

I agree with you. I think both side's fans are being silly. Tkachuk is our 3LW (Behind Monahan's and Backlunds line, and on the 3rd line with Bennett) and Pulujarvi (per you) is also on the 3rd line.

Draisaitl is playing 2RW to start the year. Caggiula might end up there if they want to put Draisaitl back at centre.

 

[Del Preston]

Honest question, who's your 2RW if Pulujarvi is on the 3rd line?

Lucic - McDavid - Eberle
Pouliot - RNH - Draisaitl
Maroon - Caggiula - Puljujarvi

 

[Blitzago*]

Difference with Tkachuk is he's extremely smart and plays a 200 ft game, plus he's physically ready and if wouldn't do him much good to go back to junior.

Replace Tkachuk with Puljujarvi and that sentence is true aswell.


And Draisaitl is starting as 2nd line RW.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Replace Tkachuk with Puljujarvi and that sentence is true aswell.

How so?

Tkachuk is not AHL eligible and must be sent to the London Nights of the OHL, a privately-owned junior team.
Puljujarvi can be assigned to Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, an NHL-owned professional hockey farm team.

 

[Blitzago*]

How so?

Tkachuk is not AHL eligible and must be sent to the London Nights of the OHL.
Puljujarvi can be assigned to Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.

Sorry, I meant the portion about being a Smart player + physically ready, should of clarified.

 

[MessierII]

Honest question, who's your 2RW if Pulujarvi is on the 3rd line?

I agree with you. I think both side's fans are being silly. Tkachuk is our 3LW (Behind Monahan's and Backlunds line, and on the 3rd line with Bennett) and Pulujarvi (per you) is also on the 3rd line.

Draisaitl is starting on the right wing. Likely oilers lineup tomorrow

Lucic Mcdavid Eberle
Pouliot Nuge Draisaitl
Maroon Caguilla Pulijaarvi
Pitlick Letestu Kassian

Hendricks and Pakarinen both out with injuries. Slepyshev a healthy scratch.

 

[Roof Daddy]

I also wonder if he got into the Oilers thinking they might be turning a corner and putting together a better team, and then found that the team culture was exactly as toxic as has been rumored. Of course, as with any decision, several factors would have played into it.

The "toxicity" of our dressing room was more or less erased when Hall was sent packing.

Also, by most accounts of Maple Leaf fans, Versteeg was part of the problem in their dressing room when he played there.

The simple answer as to why he chose Calgary is better opportunity. Look at Hudler and some of the numbers he put up riding shotgun to JG and SM. He still had to wait a while in free agency to get a deal and only got 1 year. Versteeg could play a similar role and he knows it. When it was apparent that Draisaitl would play 2RW, the choice became pretty easy.

 

[North]

It's a different scenario. Gaudreau and Monahan don't need a star player to produce, they need someone who doesn't hurt their production and can keep up, like Hudler 2 years ago. That's Versteeg. Not a true first liner, but a guy who could be plugged in to help an already clicking top line pair. Similar to tossing in Kevin Stevens with Jagr and Lemieux, or Craig Simpson with Gretzky and Kurri. A guy who is obviously the 3rd best of the three, but compliments the other 2. Can't blame Versteeg for wanting a chance at playing in that situation. And if Chiarelli wanted him so badly we should have just offered him the contract, not a PTO.

They did offer him a contract.

He chose Calgary, likely due to opportunity.

 

[Skobel24]

They did offer him a contract.

He chose Calgary, likely due to opportunity.

I'd bet on it being opportunity. Very good chance he'll be the #1 RW sadly. Better than Chiasson/Ferland though. At 950k for one year, it certainly doesn't hurt.

 

[Kilted Yaksmen]

The "toxicity" of our dressing room was more or less erased when Hall was sent packing.

Also, by most accounts of Maple Leaf fans, Versteeg was part of the problem in their dressing room when he played there.

The simple answer as to why he chose Calgary is better opportunity. Look at Hudler and some of the numbers he put up riding shotgun to JG and SM. He still had to wait a while in free agency to get a deal and only got 1 year. Versteeg could play a similar role and he knows it. When it was apparent that Draisaitl would play 2RW, the choice became pretty easy.

Hmmmm I'm not sure how much fans really know about what happens in locker rooms at all to be honest. Any time it is brought up, I just can't take it seriously. 99% of fans have never been in a locker room or know anybody actually employed by the NHL.

Agree with your last paragraph though.

 

[North]

I'd bet on it being opportunity. Very good chance he'll be the #1 RW sadly. Better than Chiasson/Ferland though. At 950k for one year, it certainly doesn't hurt.

It's a win-win for him and Calgary.

Does it suck for Edmonton? Somewhat, but if their season derails because they didn't sign Kris Versteeg then there are other issues they need to deal with.

 

[Bologna 1]

Like it. He's still got something left to give. Will help the flames.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Hmmmm I'm not sure how much fans really know about what happens in locker rooms at all to be honest. Any time it is brought up, I just can't take it seriously. 99% of fans have never been in a locker room or know anybody actually employed by the NHL.

Agree with your last paragraph though.

I don't know much in the way of specifics and agree that fans are on the outside looking in, but the media can sometimes allude to such situations. Obviously it's a two way street and it comes down to "fit" (ie: Versteeg seems to have fit in with championship caliber teams like the Hawks and Kings recently), but the sentiment from TO seemed to be bad fit.

It's no different than Phaneuf when he was in Calgary. Do any Flames fans really know what happened in the locker room? No, but the general consensus was he was the problem.

You at least have to think there's some merit to the suggestion when you look at how many teams he bounced around to. A guy good for 30-40 points, willing to sign for under a million in a cap world should have a decent amount of suitors, and should also be able to find a permanent home. He hasn't. It's speculation, but GM's obviously see something flawed in Versteeg.

 

[DFF]

They did offer him a contract.

He chose Calgary, likely due to opportunity.

It's 100% opportunity. They have no one in the system that is remotely close to a top 6 RW anytime soon

 

[spacemunky]

Surprised Versteeg bounces around so much. Always seems like an effective player wherever I see him playing.

Smart move by the Flames.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Versteeg knows he's the type to make hay on the powerplay, might even be able to get a deal with some term next year if he puts up 50+. He's still a really skilled guy, that kind of thing doesn't disappear with age.
With Calgary he'll probably have a shot at it anyways.

Really like this deal for the Flames, it was a problem last year when Hudler wasn't up to speed and they just kept trying random depth players. This is where the Flames and Edmonton have differed in the past, the Flames would surround their young players with quality veterans(Brodie-Gio, Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler, Backlund-Anyone, Bennett-Brouwer) while the Oilers wouldn't. At least Chia is trying to change that now with Lucic and Russell.

 

[tmurfin]

It's 100% opportunity. They have no one in the system that is remotely close to a top 6 RW anytime soon

Frolik/Brouwer say hi.

But yah, it's definitely opportunity, he's not stupid. He seen that empty slot next to Johnny and Mony and was salivating. We don't need a legitimate top liner to play that role, just someone with good enough hands and brains to keep up, we'll see if he fits there.

 

[glenbuis]

Good time for habs to get a second for andrighetto. Help Chiarelli save face. Even the conditional one from the blues. Yakupov will get 15 and blues will fall down a bit.

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

Lucic - McDavid - Eberle
Pouliot - RNH - Draisaitl
Maroon - Caggiula - Puljujarvi

The absence of Hall makes this look like a one line team.

Steeger leaving will hurt with the loss of Yak.

With all the moves, I just cant say with a clear conscious the Oilers are a better team. This looks like a lottery team instead of a playoff team.