Confirmed with Link: Flames re-sign Michael Stone [3 yrs, 3.5m]

[Mobiandi]

I like this, but we're gonna be the laughingstock of the league if we have another abysmal start to the season.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Yeah.
No one's a sure thing. Fox is likely still 2-3 years away with that size.

IF Andersson shows well, I doubt Calgary would have much issue with having him slot in the 6D role even if he's a righty.

Not holding my breath. My feeling is the last spot will be for Kulak, TSpoon and a veteran PTO to fight over.

 

[Volica]

I like this, but we're gonna be the laughingstock of the league if we have another abysmal start to the season.

Well.
No longer a new coach.
The top pairing will be together
Backlund's line will be together
Monahan and Gaudreau will be at camp and preseason

I really don't see us crawling out of the gate.

I really think playing Calgary will have an intimidation factor with that D.

 

[Volica]

Not holding my breath. My feeling is the last spot will be for Kulak, TSpoon and a veteran PTO to fight over.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if Rasmus is playing as the full-time 1D in Stockton with Kulak not there for half the year.

 

[tmurfin]

Everyone worried about "clogging" our pipeline, relax. People have been saying the same things about Anaheim and Nashville for years, they're doing just fine. It's a good problem to have.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Pretty sure he and Brodie had a 66% gf 5 on 5 in the regular season...

Something like that. I can't remember the exact number, but it was very good for a #6 plating as a #4...

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Honestly Andersson could probably use two years to work on strength and skating.

Fox likely plays two years more of NCAA and one year in the AHL.

 

[InfinityIggy]

It wouldn't be the end of the world if Rasmus is playing as the full-time 1D in Stockton with Kulak not there for half the year.

I agree Andersson isn't at the age where we really need him to play in the NHL a lot. Kulak and Wotherspoon are at the age where they need to play in the NHL this year, if they are going to be regulars in the long term.

 

[Volica]

I agree Andersson isn't at the age where we really need him to play in the NHL a lot. Kulak and Wotherspoon are at the age where they need to play in the NHL this year, if they are going to be regulars in the long term.

It's also like we're assuming injuries never happen.
When you look at the D heavy teams, guys go down, kids fill in the role; you trade away the guy that went down or the kid for big paydays, keep the cycle going.

 

[Dertell]

How did he take a paycut? That's pretty much what most of us thought he would get.

 

[Flameshomer]

I want to see some logical arguments as to how this is a bad signing. As far as i can tell we got a good deal for UFA defenseman given the market right now, his term makes him less likely to have a strong effect on us resigning another young player later on, and overall we're paying less money for a way better d core this year. What's not to like?

 

[L13]

Honestly Andersson could probably use two years to work on strength and skating.

Fox likely plays two years more of NCAA and one year in the AHL.

The thing about Fox is that if you go to him after his junior year and say, "let's sign you to an NHL contract so you can play in the AHL for a year and come up," he'll most likely respond with, "uh, no thanks, I'd rather spend the year here and go to free agency." If you're offering him the same timeline to the NHL as college free agency, you've already lost him. He'll have to be signed to a pro contract before then and given some verbal assurances that IF he plays well, he can make the NHL sooner.

As for Andersson, whatever you think about his conditioning, he's already the best young D in the AHL:



It's just not realistic that he stays there for two more years.

I hope you guys are right and Stone's contract will be tradeable and more importantly traded, but if you're hoping for that on day one that's a bad sign.

 

[Calculon]

Andersson is fine spending a year being Stockton's #1. Plus, both Stone and Hamonic are virtual guarantees to miss some games with injuries so there's Andersson's opportunity. Longterm, kind of dicey what happens but worst case scenario, they'd have to buy out Stone in the final year of his contract to keep Andersson. Theoretically though, as long as there's no trade protection on this deal, it shouldn't be too hard to move Stone, even if the Flames have to take a cap dump back.

As for Fox, it's a bit complicated. On the one hand, given the RHD depth, very little reason for him to sign here; as Foo said, opportunity matters. On the other hand, he's not eligible to become an UFA for another three years at which point, both Stone and Hamonic are also done. So there's the opportunity. It will also depends on how he develops; top college players rarely if ever play out the full four years. If he develops at a high rate, he might want to sign sooner but slower progression would make it easier for him to wait for free agency.

Not a huge fan of spending so much on what will be a a bottom pairing defenceman but Flames gonna Flame. So importantly, Stone's younger, better and theoretically, easier to move than Engelland since he's only maybe overpaid by $500K.

 

[Flameshomer]

If one of our dmen starts to falter, we can ship them out and bring up one of the young guys in our pipeline. If they don't and we see success, then we can ship out one of the prospects to recoup the picks some of us (same guys that are complaining about this signing...) are so worried about not having.

It's not a bad thing to have an abundance of depth and talent, if one of our top 4 is injured this year we have an extra one to replace them (instead of seeing Bartkowski or england in a top 4 role!)

 

[Flameshomer]

I'm pretty certain we would be able to offload a 3.5 mil 2 year stone if he bombs this year. Look at how poor some of the d depth is around the league! *cough oilers*

The added benefit is the greasers have one less potential defenseman they can sign, leaving them with the same problems!

 

[Dertell]

If one of our dmen starts to falter, we can ship them out and bring up one of the young guys in our pipeline. If they don't and we see success, then we can ship out one of the prospects to recoup the picks some of us (same guys that are complaining about this signing...) are so worried about not having.

It's not a bad thing to have an abundance of depth and talent, if one of our top 4 is injured this year we have an extra one to replace them (instead of seeing Bartkowski or england in a top 4 role!)

I think we strongly disagree about Stone's value, but arguing who's right about it would be a waste of time. We both know we won't change each others minds.

If a player starts to falter from your and BT's POV, GMs around the league will most likely agree. At the very least, you can't just expect they'll be your trash can and take him. That didn't work with Bouma (BT tried in move him at the 2016 TDL) or Brouwer (LV didn't take him). You can't just "if things go wrong, someone will save us", we're not the Blackhawks.

 

[Janks]

I'm pretty certain we would be able to offload a 3.5 mil 2 year stone if he bombs this year. Look at how poor some of the d depth is around the league! *cough oilers*

The added benefit is the greasers have one less potential defenseman they can sign, leaving them with the same problems!

What do you mean? They signed superstar 4D Russell to finalize their amazing team.

 

[Flameshomer]

I think we strongly disagree about Stone's value, but arguing who's right about it would be a waste of time. We both know we won't change each others minds.

If a player starts to falter from your and BT's POV, GMs around the league will most likely agree. At the very least, you can't just expect they'll be your trash can and take him. That didn't work with Bouma (BT tried in move him at the 2016 TDL) or Brouwer (LV didn't take him). You can't just "if things go wrong, someone will save us", we're not the Blackhawks.

I hear what you're saying, but the examples you used were both 3rd/4th line forwards, even at their peak.

Stone has been a top 4 dman most of his time in the NHL, and had two spurts (playing with Brodie last season and beside OEL before injury) where it could be argued he played like a #2 (albeit not on a winning team). D men are at a premium in the league and they have been for years, hence us bringing in a slob like Grossman last year. We could also retain on stone if he was that bad, it wouldn't hurt us long term and still open up the spot for a prospect as you suggested. I just don't see this one handcuffing us.

I totally agree with you on Brouwer and bouma, wasn't a fan of either signing from the beginning.

 

[chunkylover53]

I would've rather throw this money at Cody Franson and see if he bites lol

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Not holding my breath. My feeling is the last spot will be for Kulak, TSpoon and a veteran PTO to fight over.

Bartkowski. But yes, it will be between those three.

 

[Sparky93]

Now that's something I can get behind, Kulak-Stone bottom pairing, maybe Kulak-Hamonic. It's about $500 000 more than I wanted to pay, but I'm still happy.

 

[nuck]

Lots of money for a #5 guy but if he brings his A game it will look like genius. The Flames have been lucky with the health of their top 3 the last couple of years, but Geo had a bunch of shortened seasons before that, and Harmonic misses 10 games every year. Having a 4A guy is probably a good idea.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Great number to brag about but it is highly dependant on having the best center in the AHL and a consistently good D partner.

 

[Lunatik]

and the Flames give up their 5th rounder in 2018 to PHX by signing him before July 1.

any picks left to trade?

Oh no, a 5th? We're doomed!

 

[Lunatik]

Wait people are actually complaining about signing a legit #4 as our #5 for less than top 4 money? Can these people even chew gum and walk at the same time? This is a great move that solidifies our defensive depth. There isn't a single bad thing about this signing