Speculation: Armchair GM Thread - 2018/19 Season

[Fig]

We can’t afford Stone. We might struggle to afford Tkachuk and Smith/other starting goalie

I don't think we'd struggle that much. Frolik is a very movable piece. Ryan could also be moved and Brouwer has also been mentioned as a buyout candidate. Hell, if you can acquire Stone, a locked up Lindholm is a very movable piece. I could almost imagine we could try and send Lindholm + Backlund + for a trade and sign Stone and Duchene. Ottawa would need contracted players who can't bolt at UFA to ice a roster.

 

[Calculon]

Acquiring Stone just guts the depth Treliving finally established. Or it empties the prospect cupboards right as the Flames need as many cheap, productive entry level contracts as they can get. And the Flames won't move any of the guys they just acquired.

If the cap increases by a decent amount next summer and Treliving can move all of Stone, Frolik and Brouwer, then they should just sign him in free agency. That's the only way it would work cap wise. But would Stone sign here if Stone is traded? Probably not.

 

[Sparky93]

What worries me the most is that Ottawa is probably going to be looking for salary coming back to make the floor. High probability that a team will be able to clean up their cap situation while acquiring Stone as well

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Acquiring Stone just guts the depth Treliving finally established. Or it empties the prospect cupboards right as the Flames need as many cheap, productive entry level contracts as they can get. And the Flames won't move any of the guys they just acquired.

If the cap increases by a decent amount next summer and Treliving can move all of Stone, Frolik and Brouwer, then they should just sign him in free agency. That's the only way it would work cap wise. But would Stone sign here if Stone is traded? Probably not.

Keep Stone, trade Brodie as Valimaki will take his position.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I think, until Tkachuk signs an extension, any move adding potential cap is stupid.

 

[Sparky93]

I think, until Tkachuk signs an extension, any move adding potential cap is stupid.

Especially considering he would be the asking price for Stone, which would be a horrible move, considering he will be the better player.

 

[CamPopplestone]

I could actually see Duchene staying in Ottawa. They'll need someone, they might get desperate and make him the guy the pay now that it looks like EK is leaving, and Duchene might just want the financial stability and being "the guy"

 

[Lunatik]

If Bennett has as much value as you assume, the Flames wouldn't have gone out of their way to acquire Neal, Lindholm, Czarnik, and Ryan.

And I stopped after this stupidity. The Flames acquiring RWers has little to no bearing on Bennett the LWer

 

[MDCSL]

And I stopped after this stupidity. The Flames acquiring RWers has little to no bearing on Bennett the LWer

Well, kind of. Our top 6 is locked up now with no chance of Bennett getting in on the left or right side.

 

[The Gnome]

Well, kind of. Our top 6 is locked up now with no chance of Bennett getting in on the left or right side.

I still think you put Lindholm down the middle. Center depth is always key, and it opens up the chance for Bennett to shine.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal
Bennett-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Frolik-Backlund-Ryan
X-Janko-Czarnik/Brouwer

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Well, kind of. Our top 6 is locked up now with no chance of Bennett getting in on the left or right side.

There's an outside chance he goes back to centre and finds himself in the top six.

I mean... 90% chance that won't happen, but that's the only way it does.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Bennett - Neal
Frolik - Backlund - Ryan
Brouwer/Hathaway - Jankowski - Czarnik/Lazar

 

[Northern Neighbour]

And I stopped after this stupidity. The Flames acquiring RWers has little to no bearing on Bennett the LWer

Everyone else has spoken for me on Stone’s and Bennett’s value. Neal can also play LW, which further limits Bennett’s chances of cracking the top-6. Bennett looks like a prime trade candidate, and a young player who needs a fresh start. The club didn’t do him many favours by rushing him and then having him yo-yo between positions and lines.

 

[CamPopplestone]

Bennett was absolutely rushed. But if we sent him to juniors after that playoff series, the fan base would have flipped and been pissed. But it would have been better for him

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Bennett was absolutely rushed. But if we sent him to juniors after that playoff series, the fan base would have flipped and been pissed. But it would have been better for him

Bennett was way too good for junior. He posted a 53 NHLe in 2014-15 as an 18yo - this kind of 18yo production is reserved for stars like Larkin and Toews.

Just because he likes to toe drag occasionally does not mean he wasn't NHL ready, it just means fans are annoyed by toedrags when they fail. For the longest time toedrags were the knock on Taylor Hall and he now has a Hart trophy on his resume.

Bennett's issue is that he came to a team that didn't / doesn't seem to want to use him as a top player and then is surprised he doesn't produce like a top player. That isn't on him or his development, it's on a team preferring tried and true Monahan and Backlund over gambling on the most complete talent on the team.

 

[DFF]

Bennett's issue is that he came to a team that didn't / doesn't seem to want to use him as a top player and then is surprised he doesn't produce like a top player. That isn't on him or his development, it's on a team preferring tried and true Monahan and Backlund over gambling on the most complete talent on the team.

 

[Northern Neighbour]

Bennett was way too good for junior. He posted a 53 NHLe in 2014-15 as an 18yo - this kind of 18yo production is reserved for stars like Larkin and Toews.

Just because he likes to toe drag occasionally does not mean he wasn't NHL ready, it just means fans are annoyed by toedrags when they fail. For the longest time toedrags were the knock on Taylor Hall and he now has a Hart trophy on his resume.

Bennett's issue is that he came to a team that didn't / doesn't seem to want to use him as a top player and then is surprised he doesn't produce like a top player. That isn't on him or his development, it's on a team preferring tried and true Monahan and Backlund over gambling on the most complete talent on the team.

They did rush him IMO, and he probably could have used a season in the AHL. I do agree the team didn’t help his development by asking him to play different roles. They wanted him to be tougher, to be more defensively responsible, to take less chances, and essentially be a grind-it-out Burke-style player. Maybe under Peters he’ll get a chance to be creative and play a possession game at which he should excel. Hopefully he’ll also get to play on the top-3 (if not top-2 lines) with PP time.

 

[JPeeper]

Bennett was absolutely rushed. But if we sent him to juniors after that playoff series, the fan base would have flipped and been pissed. But it would have been better for him

Except he wasn't, when he came back from his injury he was a top 3 player for us in the playoffs and his rookie year he was quite good and got 36 points playing with actual line-mates. Then the next 2 years Gully comes in and ravages his career and destroys all progress Bennett was making. I'm not putting all the blame on Gully, but Gully handled his development horribly.

Like this is the Flames, "hey this is our highest ever draft pick, an offensive stud with speed, skill and tenacity, let's have him develop with Chaisson, Brouwer, Hathaway and Versteeg".

Like what the f***.

 

[GAMO1992]

Okay, this is getting kinda ridiculous..... Bennett is to blame for Bennett's struggles. The onus is on the player to EARN, to FORCE the coach to play him in better situations. Gully put Bennett where he did because he did not EARN his ice time, he did not FORCE the matter. he was playing horribly after that stretch after he came back from injury. He's not a smart player, and that isn't something you can teach.

Bennett is what he is, at this point, because of himself. No one else is to blame. He's struggled, a lot since that playoffs he had.

he's an inconsistent middling 6 winger. and he won't be a 'stud' like some claim simply because he's not a smart player, and doesn't utilize his linemates effectively, while taking dumb, dumb penalties. The honeymoon is LONG LONG over for Bennett now. The fact people are still pointing blame on everyone but Bennett is getting beyond annoying and frankly stale.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Bennett will look fantastic on our 3rd line this season.

 

[JPeeper]

"doesn't utilize his linemates effectively" and he plays with Troy Brouwer a year ago, he's actually smart for NOT utilizing him.

Tell me how you force a coaches hand to move up in the lineup when your linemates are dog shit. Bennett is not McDavid, there are like 5 players in the league (Crosby, Malkin, McDavid, Getzlaf and a few others) who can play with shit and play well.

And I even prefaced it by saying I don't blame Gully 100%, but there are times when Bennett is our best player, like for 6 weeks in the latter half of last year. He has also always been one of our better players in the 2 post-seasons he has participated in.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I love Bennett. I think he’s gonna be a 60pt player, see Schenn. What a beauty.

 

[DFF]

Okay, this is getting kinda ridiculous..... Bennett is to blame for Bennett's struggles. The onus is on the player to EARN, to FORCE the coach to play him in better situations. Gully put Bennett where he did because he did not EARN his ice time, he did not FORCE the matter. he was playing horribly after that stretch after he came back from injury. He's not a smart player, and that isn't something you can teach.

Bennett is what he is, at this point, because of himself. No one else is to blame. He's struggled, a lot since that playoffs he had.

he's an inconsistent middling 6 winger. and he won't be a 'stud' like some claim simply because he's not a smart player, and doesn't utilize his linemates effectively, while taking dumb, dumb penalties. The honeymoon is LONG LONG over for Bennett now. The fact people are still pointing blame on everyone but Bennett is getting beyond annoying and frankly stale.

Exactly!!!

 

[Flameshomer]

I hate this argument. Bennett has been an awful centre at this level (and a pretty bad player overall)
It will be best for him and this team if he just focuses on the winger game for the remainder of his time here.

Back to a winger. I still think we should be angling brodie+jankowski for stone or nylander. Trading frolik after next season and buying out brouwer should also allow us to sign tkachuk easily.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Stone
Bennett-Backlund-Ryan
Mangiapane-Lazar-Czarnik

Gio-Hamonic
Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Stone

Smith
Rittich

 

[crackdown44]

I hate this argument. Bennett has been an awful centre at this level (and a pretty bad player overall)
It will be best for him and this team if he just focuses on the winger game for the remainder of his time here.

Back to a winger. I still think we should be angling brodie+jankowski for stone or nylander. Trading frolik after next season and buying out brouwer should also allow us to sign tkachuk easily.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Stone
Bennett-Backlund-Ryan
Mangiapane-Lazar-Czarnik

Gio-Hamonic
Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Stone

Smith
Rittich

Nylander won’t be traded and I can’t see Ottawa having any interest in Brodie since they’re rebuilding. Also you have to add significantly to Janko+Brodie to get either of those guys

 

[Flameshomer]

Nylander won’t be traded and I can’t see Ottawa having any interest in Brodie since they’re rebuilding. Also you have to add significantly to Janko+Brodie to get either of those guys

Cue okg telling us janko is our best centre.

But I would agree, and offer a 1st on top of those. I think Ottawa is the more likely partner, which is good because I like stone more and they are seemingly in an awkward spot contract wise with him.