Comments on: FLAMES DEAL SUTTER, WHITE TO CANES FOR BABCHUK, KOSTOPOULOS

By: FlamingHomer

FlamingHomer — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:00:46 +0000

I thought I would wait until the first game before I replied since I'm not that familiar with the two players coming to Calgary. Your evaluation is fairly accurate. Babchuk is not going to play the same minutes as White by a long shot.

Babchuk is a bit of a one trick pony (big shot from the point) but his trick is something Calgary needs. He's a bit scary trying to play defense. He made a couple of glaring errors but did make a few good ones as well.

White's -10 is a result of rarely being on the ice for even strength goals. I hate the plus/minus stat as it does little to determine a player's worth. I remember Brad Richards being a -40 in Tampa Bay not too long ago and I would take him on my team any day.

The only knock on White is that in the NW division you need to play big and he wasn't capable of that. His size caused a few goals against but he certainly wasn't the reason for the Flames struggles.

To summarize, I wouldn't say this move is going to change the Flames destiny one way or the other but I guess with White becoming a UFA after this year and not looking good to re-signing with Calgary, Sutter did get a better return than he would have in a few more months.

By: albertateams

albertateams — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:21:22 +0000

Tampa could throw in a salary dump as well, wouldn't really have to be too much either. With Gagne dropping off the books next year and a couple of other minor contracts expiring they should be able to sign Stamkos and have Kipper on the books without increasing there overall salary too much assuming Stamkos signs long term for 8-9 million.

+ Stamkos 8.5
+ Kipper 5.83
- Smith 2.2
-Gange -5.25
- Stamkos ex. 3.725

about 3.1 difference although you do have to fill another roster spot.

They better sign Stamkos sooner rather than later his price just keeps going up. The way there offense is going if they had a guy like Kipper in net you never know how far they could potentially go.

Philly would be a fine option however they would have to move out some salary in the deal and don't really have a lot of top notch prospects so unless they would part with Carter it seems unlikely.

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:17:41 +0000

With the Stamkos contract situation I can't see the Lightning taking on a contract like Kipper's. I think they'll stick with less expensive goaltending until they get everything sorted out with their superstar.

Kipper to Philly makes a lot of sense to me, but the Flyers have always been stubbornly cheap about goaltenting. But its okay, its only cost them 2 or 3 Stanley Cups so far.

By: albertateams

albertateams — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:05:56 +0000

The problem is its tough to bring in a longterm solution in the middle of the season. I'd be open to any short term or long term options at GM but as of right now there aren't a lot of short term options.

By: albertateams

albertateams — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:03:42 +0000

I just hope it doesn't play out the same way, not trading some of those veterans (Sundin etc) to speed up the rebuild really hurt TO long term. Calgary is in a bad spot right now but if they trade some of their core out they could really bounce back after a year or two of sucking. It will also help having a lot of these bad contracts coming off the books in the next 2 years. The key to the rebuild is starting now and moving pieces out. I think they should do the following over the next year.

December-January Trade:

LA: Iginla, Tanguay
CAL: Schenn, Hickey, Kozun, 1st

At trade deadline:

TBL: Kipper, Pardy
CAL: Connolly, Smith, Beukeboom, 1st

CAL: Alzner, 1st
WAS: Regher

Some of these might be a little wishful thinking but change the 1st to a 2nd or a 3rd round pick.

Move any of the following for picks or prospects at the deadline or in the offseason: Glencross, Hagman, Sarich, Staios, Morrision, Kotalik, Jokinen, Moss, Kostopolous, Conroy. Most of them wont move but see what is out their.

Draft Courtier or Larsson or Nugent-Hopkins with Calgary's pick, trade up using draft picks aquired to get Saad.

Sign Bryzgalov as a UFA.

Forward prospects: Backlund, Nemisz, Schenn, Kozun, Connolly, Saad, Nugent-Hopkins.

Defensive: Brodie, Alzner, Buekeboom, Hickey

Even if you take a couple of prospects out you still have some really nice pieces to build around and with any luck you could be in contention in 2 years.

Wishful thinking I know but the time for Calgary to trade Iginla, Kipper and Regher is now. The longer the team waits the less you will get for each one. As a Flames fan I don't want to see what happened in Toronto with the mismanagement of assets trying to prolong the inevitable.

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:06:30 +0000

Ya lots of similarities, All those things, plus really thin prospect pool like the Leafs had. Matt Stajan goes from one situation back to the same thing.

By: CofRED

CofRED — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:44:22 +0000

I agree that this is a lateral move at best. Yes, the Flames get a small amount of cap relief, yet they take back Kostopoulos who is signed thru next season. No picks or prospects out of it.

And yes, I agree that it's time for Slingblade to get canned, but I do NOT want to see Feaster take his place. That's a lateral move as well. All Feaster has ever done is take a team Rick Dudley built, get a cup ring, and let it fall apart around him. Anyone posting on this forum would do a better job than Feaster would. Fire Slingblade, keep Feaster where he's at, and find someone different to take the big job.

By: Boston_Bruins

Boston_Bruins — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:19:02 +0000

I think it'd be hilarious if he blindsided him. Like if he found out through TSN or something.

By: reinjosh

reinjosh — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:29:44 +0000

Is there any doubt in many people's mind that the Flames resemble the Leafs of a few years ago?

Aging star leading an average but crappy team with a not so good GM who is better suited to being a scout (although in this case, a pro scout, not an amateur one).

By: reinjosh

reinjosh — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:15:17 +0000

cap space for what though? I guess it could be a move to facilitate an eventual Iginla move, but outside of that, I can't see what its for.