Confirmed with Link: Flames acquire Travis Hamonic and 4th from Islanders for 1st and two 2nds

[The Gnome]

If we can somehow get Stone on a cheap deal, he'd be a great player to have alongside Kulak

The thing is, that a salary for him after acquiring hamonic should work to our advantage, add the fact he wants to stay here.

3-3.5 over 3 years. Solid deal for a guy who can play top 4 if needed. Really solidifies the bottom pair so you can bring in a cheap #6 with little experience like Kulak.

Sign Vrbata, and if you want more cap flexibility offload Stajan so Janko can play 4th line. He should be ready. I imagine someone would take a solid bottom sixer like stajan with only 1 year left on his contract for a 4th/5th round pick.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Not sure I'm thrilled with the price. I trust that Treliving has done his homework and last season was just an anomaly. I know he was injured and the demand was high on him but he still hasn't filled the hole on right wing.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

For people that don't like the price, think of it like this. We've been rebuilding for 5 years now and have a great young core that has done holes. Waiting to fill them all through drafting is what the Oilers did. Hamonic is a piece that will be here for a while and he's a major piece. Anyone we draft comes with a question mark and Hamonic instantly fills our need to win. We need draft picks, you always need pieces in the pipe in a cap world but this was a solid deal. We now have a really solid top 9 and a near elite top 4.

 

[Volica]

For people that don't like the price, think of it like this. We've been rebuilding for 5 years now and have a great young core that has done holes. Waiting to fill them all through drafting is what the Oilers did. Hamonic is a piece that will be here for a while and he's a major piece. Anyone we draft comes with a question mark and Hamonic instantly fills our need to win. We need draft picks, you always need pieces in the pipe in a cap world but this was a solid deal. We now have a really solid top 9 and a near elite top 4.

+1
You have to be willing to pull the trigger when it comes time to start the next chapter.

Rebuild took 2013-14 to 2016-2017 we drafted and developed 4 potential elite level offensive pieces, we signed stop gaps who can still play character roles, we added a bunch of draft picks over the past few years and made a number of solid depth picks (I look at Fox, Andersson & Kylington as major value picks).

If Calgary wants to continue to improve and make the next steps towards being a powerhouse in the West, they have to get to that point where they have to spend assets to address team needs. I'm sure Calgary will recoup some picks here.

 

[DFF]

Yup, the Flames are paying full price here.

But you can't go bargain hunting at the garage sale and hope to hit the jackpot all the time.

 

[1989]

All the moves made in the last while indicate that Calgary believes in two things:
1) Team defence first and the defence must contribute to scoring (even the Smith acquisition plays into this with his puck-moving ability)
2) This is Calgary's time to make a real push in the playoffs/for the Cup

because the mortgaging for the future begins now. I personally don't love the price paid, but he will be good for the team as Hamonic is entering his prime at a very reasonable caphit. The concerns remaining are whether Calgary can acquire one more top-6 RW and whether Gulutzan can properly motivate his players and implement his systems.

---

I've been a little surprised to see nobody pencil in Hamonic as the 3RHD.
The concept of "1, 2A/2B, 3" makes sense for forward lines but it seems like people don't try it with defence.

Giordano-Hamilton (1A)
Brodie-Stone (2A)
Kulak-Hamonic (2B)

That's three pairings that can potentially take up 16 minutes per night at minimum, versus a bottom pairing of Kulak-Stone who would take up only ~12-15 leaving ~45 minutes to be divided to the other pairings, special teams play notwithstanding.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Congrats Flames. Twice now with both Hamilton and Hamonic you've managed to keep a top 4 RD away from my Oilers while not losing a roster player.

I think Hamonic will rebound and be a solid addition.

Respect the moves your GM made. Can't wait to face you guys on the ice. I love the rivalry.

Sincerely slightly disappointed Oil fan

 

[Anglesmith]

Calgary has made 1.0 first round picks per year going back to... 2010? We're fine so long as we get development out of the prospects in our system.

The bizarre thing to me is people considering a distinction between trading a pick and trading a B prospect. They're basically the same thing.

 

[1989]

Calgary has made 1.0 first round picks per year going back to... 2010? We're fine so long as we get development out of the prospects in our system.

The bizarre thing to me is people considering a distinction between trading a pick and trading a B prospect. They're basically the same thing.

Easily explained here:

 

[SaintMorose]

It's a bad price, but we're a much better team for it Hamonic's deal fits our cap needs perfectly and we'll get a chance to bring back Stone and retain all our current talent.

I like the deal a lot even if more value went the Islanders way.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

If Stone won't settle for less than 3x2 I really hope Brad takes a good long look at Postma.

Then again, if his moves this off-season are any indication he's big into overpaying for marginal assets so I shouldn't be holding my breath

-Smith is a great goalie, you'll see.

-I don't know much about Hamonic but if he's healthy we could be a cup contender. I honestly can't say that I've ever truly felt that way in the 25+ years I've been a Flames fan.

This isn't Kipper stealing us games. We actually have one of the best rosters in the league.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

This is awesome. I was out of town all morning so I missed all the buzz until I got back into city limits.

This was the big trade some of us were hoping for during the draft party last night haha

 

[BelovedIsles]

I come in peace. Just a few words on Hammer. I've watched his career closely since he played for the Wheat Kings.

He will do anything to win. His work ethic is impeccable. He wants to win and leaves everything he's got on the ice; almost to a detriment bc he often injures himself. So his character is grade A.

His defensive game when healthy is amongst the better shutdown D men in the league. He reads the play very well. He makes safe, smart chips and outlets. He pins guys along the boards very well. He can lock guys up in front of the net we'll. He's consistently physical along the boards often outmuscling opponents for pucks. He can rattle offenseman with his persistent physicality. So that's the detailed version of his defensive game.

I believe he has untapped offensive potential if utilized. He was never given ample PP time. He rushes the puck up the ice pretty well. Good straight ahead speed once he gets moving. He has an underrated shot that can find the back of the net.

My only concern with him is durability. He's oft injured and his style of play can wear him.

Sorry for the long windedness.

 

[JurassicTunga]

I come in peace. Just a few words on Hammer. I've watched his career closely since he played for the Wheat Kings.

He will do anything to win. His work ethic is impeccable. He wants to win and leaves everything he's got on the ice; almost to a detriment bc he often injures himself. So his character is grade A.

His defensive game when healthy is amongst the better shutdown D men in the league. He reads the play very well. He makes safe, smart chips and outlets. He pins guys along the boards very well. He can lock guys up in front of the net we'll. He's consistently physical along the boards often outmuscling opponents for pucks. He can rattle offenseman with his persistent physicality. So that's the detailed version of his defensive game.

I believe he has untapped offensive potential if utilized. He was never given ample PP time. He rushes the puck up the ice pretty well. Good straight ahead speed once he gets moving. He has an underrated shot that can find the back of the net.

My only concern with him is durability. He's oft injured and his style of play can wear him.

Sorry for the long windedness.

That's exactly what we need. Hopefully he can stay healthy.
Thanks for the words!

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I think the fact that so many Isles posters are coming here show that Hamonic is a quality player. I was on the fence when I first heard we were getting him, I didn't want to pay 2 x 1sts because I was concerned about his season last year. But all players have down seasons and up until that point, he's actually been an excellent defender. Also it's awesome that the Oilers didn't get him.

A fresh start, a new change of scenery and an elite partner in Brodie are all very good signs for him to do well here. Calgary is a better team today.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Calgary has made 1.0 first round picks per year going back to... 2010? We're fine so long as we get development out of the prospects in our system.

The bizarre thing to me is people considering a distinction between trading a pick and trading a B prospect. They're basically the same thing.

I wouldn't trade three B prospects for Hamonic either. Probably two of those guys end up being as good as TH, maybe one turns out to be better. Very much a mortgaging the future to win now move, I don't personally see the team's window open starting next year. Look how long it took the Preds to reach a Cup Final.

 

[1989]

I wouldn't trade three B prospects for Hamonic either. Probably two of those guys end up being as good as TH, maybe one turns out to be better. Very much a mortgaging the future to win now move, I don't personally see the team's window open starting next year. Look how long it took the Preds to reach a Cup Final.

Can you guarantee exactly when those prospects will come into their own as a legitimate top-4 defenceman in the NHL? Even if I agree that the Flames have NHL-quality prospects on defence, I certainly can't see when they're actually contribute even a solid half-season's worth of games.

 

[Anglesmith]

I wouldn't trade three B prospects for Hamonic either. Probably two of those guys end up being as good as TH, maybe one turns out to be better. Very much a mortgaging the future to win now move, I don't personally see the team's window open starting next year. Look how long it took the Preds to reach a Cup Final.

Preds are a great example. They have been a middling team for years. They tweaked their backend slightly and boom, they're in the SCF. But not as a supposed cup favourite. Goes to show that you don't need to wait until people think you're a contender to become one.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Can you guarantee exactly when those prospects will come into their own as a legitimate top-4 defenceman in the NHL? Even if I agree that the Flames have NHL-quality prospects on defence, I certainly can't see when they're actually contribute even a solid half-season's worth of games.

You absolutely can't guarantee a due date on prospects, no. But the point I'm trying to make is not that we should've filled the 2RD spot with a prospect (as none of ours are ready to jump directly into top four minutes).

Instead, AS compared the picks we gave up to three B prospects - what I was saying is that out of any given three B prospects (true B prospects, not bargain bin mid-round picks), odds are at least 50 percent that one of them becomes better than Hamonic someday. I'm not saying that I want to wait until those prospects are better than Hamonic, I'm saying that we probably gave up multiple Hamonic-quality or better players just to get someone who can play now. It's bad asset management, whether we get a current NHLer out of it or not.

Preds are a great example. They have been a middling team for years. They tweaked their backend slightly and boom, they're in the SCF. But not as a supposed cup favourite. Goes to show that you don't need to wait until people think you're a contender to become one.

That's a fair interpretation re: drafting and development. But the Preds also had put together multiple deep playoff runs before this year - they had been a "real" team for probably five years by this last postseason. I think the Flames' window of really contending and having a good shot is probably the same distance away.

 

[Razzdazzle1]

I wouldn't trade three B prospects for Hamonic either. Probably two of those guys end up being as good as TH, maybe one turns out to be better. Very much a mortgaging the future to win now move, I don't personally see the team's window open starting next year. Look how long it took the Preds to reach a Cup Final.

2/3 players will be as good as Hamonic? You severely overestimate the number of players that make the nhl. In the real world we would be ecstatic if 1 player developed into a Hamonic type player.

This trade is more than just Hamonic the player, it's the $3.75/year cap hit that gives us an opportunity to fill an offensive hole.

This is a great trade. You'll see when we shut down McDavid next year.

 

[Club]

Calgary's D core is seriously up there with Nashville imo

 

[Mr Snrub]

2/3 players will be as good as Hamonic? You severely overestimate the number of players that make the nhl. In the real world we would be ecstatic if 1 player developed into a Hamonic type player.

This trade is more than just Hamonic the player, it's the $3.75/year cap hit that gives us an opportunity to fill an offensive hole.

This is a great trade. You'll see when we shut down McDavid next year.

Let's look at it this way. Take three defensemen that the Flames (coincidentally) drafted with a 1st, 2nd, and 2nd, respectively: Jusso Valimaki, Oliver Kylington, and Rasmus Andersson.

You don't think at least one of those guys is going to be as good, if not better, than Travis Hamonic? In all likelihood we just gave up three assets of roughly this quality. I bet if NYI's ask had been this year's first plus Kylington and Andersson there would be a lot more people balking.

 

[tmurfin]

You absolutely can't guarantee a due date on prospects, no. But the point I'm trying to make is not that we should've filled the 2RD spot with a prospect (as none of ours are ready to jump directly into top four minutes).

Instead, AS compared the picks we gave up to three B prospects - what I was saying is that out of any given three B prospects (true B prospects, not bargain bin mid-round picks), odds are at least 50 percent that one of them becomes better than Hamonic someday. I'm not saying that I want to wait until those prospects are better than Hamonic, I'm saying that we probably gave up multiple Hamonic-quality or better players just to get someone who can play now. It's bad asset management, whether we get a current NHLer out of it or not.



That's a fair interpretation re: drafting and development. But the Preds also had put together multiple deep playoff runs before this year - they had been a "real" team for probably five years by this last postseason. I think the Flames' window of really contending and having a good shot is probably the same distance away.

Because the Flames have a rich history of developing top 3-4 Dmen.. Talk about overrating prospects and draft picks. If ONE of our D prospects come out as good as TH, we'll be happy. Let alone 2 out of every 3.

You think our window won't open for 5 years??? Talk about a slow burn. We need to start competing now. Before our young guns start out-pricing themselves and our good vets become useless. We have the pieces to do damage, let's see if it all comes together. Nashville didn't do anything significant until they stopped this slow approach and made moves for guys like RyJo and Neal, etc. And they might've waited too long, with Rinne regressing and all.

 

[Marlo Stanfield]

You guys got a hell of a gamer from us. Ignore last year, that was an absolute anomaly from an injury. He'll do what it takes to win and a hard-nosed defenseman with some offensive upside. You guys got a good one.

 

[SKRusty]

You can gripe about the cost or realize the significance of this move.

Today BT and ownership said we are to a point where we are contenders for the Stanley Cup. From this point forward we will do what is necessary to give our fans what we promised 4 years ago.

There are going to be no more excuses made for the product on the ice. Ownership now expects this team to win. And well they should with one of the deepest groups of forward and d-men in the league. Calgary has 3 lines that will be vying as the #1 line and 4 d-men that can slot either in the first or second pair.

The 2017-18 will be Calgary's coming out party for the entire NHL to witness. The word "kids" will be gone replace by the word men. The words team with potential will be replaced by contender.

Tis a very exciting time as a Flames fan. We are rebuilt, our cupboard is stocked full of up-and-coming prospects, and the team is now truly ready to wage war on the ice.