Post-Game Talk: Free Agency Part 2

[salbutera]

Don’t think this will age well. Glad it’s not with us

Flames are in a win now window - Trieliving & Sutter won’t be around in 7-8 years

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

On se calme, le Stooge.

No more -les tits-

Im sad!

Flames are in a win now window - Trieliving & Sutter won’t be around in 7-8 years

Your post is so obvious, people should call me captain obvious for calling you captain obvious.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

No one guaranteed anything. Relax.

We have a lot of media figures so there is an inevitable chance there will be speculation about a francophone pending UFA. It isn’t a big conspiracy or anything. Most of the time it is media driven.

Huberdeau got the bag. Good for him. The Habs could never rly match that take-home.

Also his age profile… I would’ve signed him because I want to acquire good players at all times but he *is* not in line with our prospective window…

The guaranteed thing was sarcasm for the most part, fans like to get excited about x and y big name player coming here and there’s nothing wrong with that but it can be a frustrating game when it ends up not happening. And it basically never happened since I started following this team in the early 00’s, unless you consider guys like Cammalleri and Gionta big name players. I think Jagr wanted to come here 8-9 years ago but Bergevin was too dumb to sign him.

I saw people here already including Huberdeau in next year’s lineup which I found hilarious but again, nothing wrong with speculation. I’m sure some of them were pretty disappointed/pissed at him when they heard about the Calgary extension though, I wasn’t. I’ll believe it’s possible some of these players really want to play here the day we actually sign one, in the meantime I’ll continue to have zero expectations.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm pretty shocked Huby didn't wait for FA to take a chance and sign with the Habs. Money talks...

It's basically how I saw it. Huberdeau was going to walk unless he got a max deal. Flames had no leverage and had to offer him it. Huberdeau couldn't turn that down.

 

[Hins77]

Huberdeau did the right thing. I mean, his value was at his peak. Next year, he won’t gonna play with Barkov and already 30 years old. 10.5x8. You just take it and leave, cause if he scores 75 pts next year, this is not the same contract at all.

 

[Habs Halifax]

One less contract year, so less money in the end. He would've lost at least close to 10 mil.

I'm glad he took that cause if he went to UFA, I would not want the Habs to sign him for that. Even at $9M for 7 years is risky... age 30-36 years. You get 3 decent ones and then 4 negative value years. Negative value years in 3 years time when you might have to pay Slaf, Guhle, and others.

This is why I really want Dubois on the sign/trade as soon as we can. Hopefully the trade is pieces we can afford and close to the Trouba value trade (with salary in matching salary out) and Dubois comes at 7x7.5 or 7x7. $7M for Dubois prime is ideal.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Not once have I seen anything to suggest Huberdeau was coming to Montreal at any point. I wonder if fans of any other team are as obsessed and make this assumption from players born in their province or state?

It is a self induced conspiracy. Montreal media makes such stupid questions and sets up these scenarios. Can you ever imagine a player if asked if they would want to play in their home province respond by saying ‘hell no’?

It is indeed 100% self-inflicted and the pain of disappointment can easily be avoided by realizing and accepting that most of these household names simply have no interest playing here.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Calgary is not exactly the first place players think of when they want to commit to a long term deal. The overpay has to be part of that equation.

It's a Bergevin type management. Looses Radulov and Markov and has to retain Price for whatever it takes.

This is a business move more than a hockey management move. Flames were contenders last year and it's not good for business to flip to rebuild a few months later after the season ends. Imagine the futures they would have gotten for Huberdeau if they flipped him for 50% retention? Cap space being a problem for pretty much all contenders and getting a 100 pts guy for one year at $3M?

I wish the Flames and Huberdeau good luck but that last 3 or 4 years of that contract won't be good.

 

[beowulf]

So people can forget about Huberdeau now though the PLD stuff will continue.

 

[Habs Halifax]

So people can forget about Huberdeau now though the PLD stuff will continue.

Would have been nice to land both of them but I prefer Dubois for his prime over Huberdeau for his 30+ years.

 

[Jack Skellington]

I'm glad he took that cause if he went to UFA, I would not want the Habs to sign him for that. Even at $9M for 7 years is risky... age 30-36 years. You get 3 decent ones and then 4 negative value years. Negative value years in 3 years time when you might have to pay Slaf, Guhle, and others.

This is why I really want Dubois on the sign/trade as soon as we can. Hopefully the trade is pieces we can afford and close to the Trouba value trade (with salary in matching salary out) and Dubois comes at 7x7.5 or 7x7. $7M for Dubois prime is ideal.

The most important thing if we try to get Dubois before UFA is we don't do the Bergevin move of trading for him when he needs a new deal and giving up all leverage like CGY just did for Huberdeau. The player knows you aren't going to let them walk so you can almost name your price. We did it with Drouin and Anderson. We need to do a legit sign and trade where we are allowed to negotiate his deal before the trade.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The most important thing if we try to get Dubois before UFA is we don't do the Bergevin move of trading for him when he needs a new deal and giving up all leverage like CGY just did for Huberdeau. The player knows you aren't going to let them walk so you can almost name your price. We did it with Drouin and Anderson. We need to do a legit sign and trade where we are allowed to negotiate his deal before the trade.

Yup. I'm a big Dubois fan for his prime years but there is no way I'm trading him without an extension in place. If he tells us he wants $9M for 7 years, I pass. I'm thinking 7x7 of 7x7.5. Cost to acquire needs to be around the Trouba trade and they need to take contracts like Dvorak and Armia where salary in matches salary out.

Possible this lingers on for the next 2 years and Dubois never comes to the Habs. I'm fine with it. I'm engaging only if it makes sense for the Habs.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

So people can forget about Huberdeau now though the PLD stuff will continue.

There's also a big difference between the speculation regarding both players. It's not remotely the same thing.

 

[angusyoung]

So people can forget about Huberdeau now though the PLD stuff will continue.

Montreal never should have been interested in Huberdeau in the first place as they have a bunch of left wingers in the pipeline already with Slaf,Farrel and Heineman and what ever else in the system,he would just create more havoc with the cap.

 

[beowulf]

Montreal never should have been interested in Huberdeau in the first place as they have a bunch of left wingers in the pipeline already with Slaf,Farrel and Heineman and what ever else in the system,he would just create more havoc with the cap.

Don't disagree, had Bergevin not screwed the team it might have been a different story but for the next couple of seasons they will still have to play with the cap a lot and try and free up space without giving up too many assets in the process. We can hope that some of the players that seems to be under bad contracts have a good year and can be moved at the deadline like Hoffman for example.

 

[ReHabs]

It's a Bergevin type management. Looses Radulov and Markov and has to retain Price for whatever it takes.

This is a business move more than a hockey management move. Flames were contenders last year and it's not good for business to flip to rebuild a few months later after the season ends. Imagine the futures they would have gotten for Huberdeau if they flipped him for 50% retention? Cap space being a problem for pretty much all contenders and getting a 100 pts guy for one year at $3M?

I wish the Flames and Huberdeau good luck but that last 3 or 4 years of that contract won't be good.

“Futures” are functionally worthless if the team is built to win now. By the time the “futures” blossom (if ever) the Flames will be lacking many pieces.

They overpaid Huberdeau with term but you can’t say a 115pt player isn’t worth a Drouin + Anderson. It isn’t like he plays a pinball style game like Gallagher either, he will be fine for the relevant years to come. If he declines, it’ll be around the time the rest of their team declines they’ll have one problem among many other problems. Oh well.

 

[Habs Halifax]

“Futures” are functionally worthless if the team is built to win now. By the time the “futures” blossom (if ever) the Flames will be lacking many pieces.

Sounds like Bergevin management. Build to win now without Gaudreau and Tkachuk and with Huberdeau and Weegar? They couldn't even get past the Oilers and they were considered a better overall team.

Flames will be in no mans land for the foreseeable future. They are on a Habs path from a few years back.

 

[salbutera]

Sounds like Bergevin management. Build to win now without Gaudreau and Tkachuk and with Huberdeau and Weegar? They couldn't even get past the Oilers and they were considered a better overall team.

Flames will be in no mans land for the foreseeable future. They are on a Habs path from a few years back.

Pro sports is a big money making business first, second and thirdly not an ejaculation fest for fantasy hockey types.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Pro sports is a big money making business first, second and thirdly not an ejaculation fest for fantasy hockey types.

Yes, in the previous post, I said it was a business move.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

HF posters who went on about Calgary needing to blow it up and tank made me laugh. I swear, if it were up to HF, only Colorado/Tampa/Toronto/Florida/Carolina would be trying to make the playoffs next year and the 27 other teams would be trying to tank.

 

[ReHabs]

Sounds like Bergevin management. Build to win now without Gaudreau and Tkachuk and with Huberdeau and Weegar? They couldn't even get past the Oilers and they were considered a better overall team.

Flames will be in no mans land for the foreseeable future. They are on a Habs path from a few years back.

You couldn’t find a bigger critic of Bergevin than me. I’m referring to CGY’s perspective here. They were close, they have good 20-something year old players. They won’t allow themselves to give it up for the promises and whispers of a better future. And I think that’s smart.

Bergevin never had a team remotely as solid as Calgary does, so no comparison applies.

 

[NobleSix]

Huberdeau never really made sense for us given his age and the rebuild timeline anyway.

I understand the disappointment some feel on missing out on the chance to sign him, but believe me, we will be better off without that contract in 3-5 years when the rebuild is over and we are in compete mode.

Huberdeau did what was best for him and you can't blame him. He maximized on his value, and got a home run deal. I doubt he ever has a better season than the one he just had.

He just wasn't a fit for us.

 

[McGees]

He could have waited one year and get great money as well.

He’s NEVER gonna put up 115 points again so might as well strike while iron is hot.

 

[Habs Halifax]

You couldn’t find a bigger critic of Bergevin than me. I’m referring to CGY’s perspective here. They were close, they have good 20-something year old players. They won’t allow themselves to give it up for the promises and whispers of a better future. And I think that’s smart.

Bergevin never had a team remotely as solid as Calgary does, so no comparison applies.

Flames are not close anymore. They are a middle back and fringe top 10 team at this stage. I understand why they extended Huberdeau but it's not resulting in a cup or multiple deep playoff runs.

It's Bergevin management and business type moves.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Pro sports is a big money making business first, second and thirdly not an ejaculation fest for fantasy hockey types.

Totally agree but in the end of the day, the Huberdeau extension is about Business and it's Bergevin type management.

Flames to me are middle of the pack or fringe top 10 team now. It's not likely a cup or multiple deep playoff runs. I think they are stuck on this road for the foreseeable future.

The point started with this... Imagine what they would have gotten with futures if they flipped Huberdeau at 50% retention in a season where contenders are desperate to add with limited cap space. Huberdeau at $2.95M is unreal value for one full season and the flames can take a contract back as well. Cup contenders would fight each other for this big time!