Confirmed Signing with Link: [CGY] Flames re-sign Mikael Backlund [6 years/$5.35M AAV]

[OvermanKingGainer]

Versteeg is nice on the PP but he's useless 5 on 5.

This is untrue. Versteeg has been a dominant possession player most of his career, except for when he / Bennett had to drag Troy Brouwer around. He's also a steady offensive player at 5 on 5 and solid defensively.

Versteeg's issue is that he is injury prone.

 

[1989]

Backlund's contract, cap-wise, is a discount. The term is negotiable; 1 year more than necessary IMO and has NTC clauses. But at under 5.5m, it's fair to both sides and it's a business, after all.

Backlund should be tradable after year 4 or 5 if needed based on team direction. His style of play is built on good skating, finesse offense and smart defence, which is generally agreed to be something that improves with age and not something that falls off a cliff until he loses the ability to skate, but he could hang around and be servicable as Stajan has been until this year.

Solid signing.

 

[DJJones]

Sorry.. meant Kulak

24 year old rookie with 6 points, from Alberta no less.

2.5M x 2 years. Maybe 2.2M

That guy knows that Andersson is nipping at his heels. And I like Kulak, think he's really coming along.

 

[aspin3]

Grubauer, Budaj, Raanta, Hutton, Domingue

That wasn't very hard. Those guys have all proved more than Rittich.

You are comparing Budja at 35 years old and an 878 save percentage to Rittich? Don' think those negotiations will go over well. The point is. The Flames need to sign Versteeg, Jankowski, Rittich, someone to replace Stajan, Kulak, or someone to replace any if the all for under $10 M

 

[aspin3]

24 year old rookie with 6 points, from Alberta no less.

2.5M x 2 years. Maybe 2.2M

That guy knows that Andersson is nipping at his heels. And I like Kulak, think he's really coming along.

Ok. So start doing the math...$2M for Kulak, $1.5m for Versteeg, $2M for Rittich, $2M for Jankowski, $1.5M for someone to replace Stajan....And the cost of a seventh defenceman on the team. $10 M is not look8ng l8ke so much now especially if someone gets signed longer term for more.

 

[FerklundCGY]

So do you think the Flames can sign Versteeg, Jankowski, and Rittich for under $10 M ...because that is what they are going to have to do. And someone to replace Stajan

I initially just brushed this post off because I thought you were making a bad attempt at a joke, but now as I read further, it seems you were actually being serious with this tweet.

You think those 3 players are gonna combine for $10M? Yikes

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

So do you think the Flames can sign Versteeg, Jankowski, and Rittich for under $10 M ...because that is what they are going to have to do. And someone to replace Stajan

Versteeg won’t be back. Janks will get a cheap bridge, say 1.5 per. And Rittich hasn’t earned a penny over 1 million.

 

[wasunder]

Take a look how many back up goalies not on an ELC in the league are making $1.5M. Should bring you into reality. The ones that are are up for renewal next year.

I counted 8 backups who are making over 1.5 million. And I had to stretch that to include Mason who was signed to be a starter/1B. That leaves 23 back ups making less than 1.5 million

Edit: Missed a couple, I count 11. Including Lehtonen and Mason who were not signed to be back ups. And Ward/Darling who are approximately equal for starts.

 

[DJJones]

You are comparing Budja at 35 years old and an 878 save percentage to Rittich? Don' think those negotiations will go over well. The point is. The Flames need to sign Versteeg, Jankowski, Rittich, someone to replace Stajan, Kulak, or someone to replace any if the all for under $10 M

You must not even be able to see the goal post its moving so fast haha. What has Rittich done that deserves him to get into the 2s? At that point were looking at Hellebuyck and Gibson level which he hasn't even come close to doing. He won't even have 20 games.

Teams already passed Vertsteeg, Jankowski shifted Bennett to LW and that's all she wrote for Versteeg. And I'm not worried about signing three 24 year old RFA rookies that the Flames have put years into developing and haven't come close to breaking out yet.

Our cap structure is fine. The biggest question is can we afford to drop money on another top line player. Signing our own players is easy. Backlund was the biggest question mark.

 

[Baxterman]

Ok. So start doing the math...$2M for Kulak, $1.5m for Versteeg, $2M for Rittich, $2M for Jankowski, $1.5M for someone to replace Stajan....And the cost of a seventh defenceman on the team. $10 M is not look8ng l8ke so much now especially if someone gets signed longer term for more.

Why are we paying 1.5 million to a 4th line center to replace Stajan when we have cheaper young guys on the roster that can fill that spot right now?

Rittich is an RFA with 12 NHL games but somehow is now going to be one of the higher paid back-ups? What leverage is he using to get that deal?

2 million for Jankowski is at the high end of what he is looking at and we don't need to sign Versteeg if he is going to cost too much which at his age and where he is from it is hard to see him playing hardball or even getting a lot of high offers anyways.

So yes 10 Million is looking like so much.

 

[1989]

You are comparing Budja at 35 years old and an 878 save percentage to Rittich? Don' think those negotiations will go over well. The point is. The Flames need to sign Versteeg, Jankowski, Rittich, someone to replace Stajan, Kulak, or someone to replace any if the all for under $10 M

Stajan, Versteeg and their combined 5m can be replaced internally with the likes of Hrivik, Lazar, Foo, Phillips, Mangiapane, Dube, Pribyl, who have all played centre and/or wing, on ELCs. Kulak is steady but he's replaceable by Andersson and potentially even Valimaki. Versteeg will be harder to replace than Stajan, but that's not a difficult trade to make for a middle six winger.

That leaves something like 6-5-8.5 million between Jankowski and Rittich? Hell, even Bennett ahould be able to handle 4th line minutes at C. Rittich shouldn't be getting more than 2.5m and Jankowski should expect a bridge around 3m at MOST. Don't quit your day job - I get you don't know the Flames that well, but your approach to cap management is flawed at best, and it helps to know the roster/system.

P.S. It'd be far more worrisome to think of what Tkachuk's first RFA and Ferland's first UFA contract will look like in 2 years. Also, the Seattle expansion draft rules could actually hurt Calgary this time around.

 

[aspin3]

Versteeg won’t be back. Janks will get a cheap bridge, say 1.5 per. And Rittich hasn’t earned a penny over 1 million.

 

[DJJones]

Ok. So start doing the math...$2M for Kulak, $1.5m for Versteeg, $2M for Rittich, $2M for Jankowski, $1.5M for someone to replace Stajan....And the cost of a seventh defenceman on the team. $10 M is not look8ng l8ke so much now especially if someone gets signed longer term for more.

2M for two years. So 1M for Kulak. Maybe 1.25M.

1.5M for Rittich

1.9M for Jankowski

Lazar will be 4C, maybe Dube if he takes a leap. But probably nothing.

We have Andersson and Wotherspoon for #7D. So no change from this year.

So ya, probably 4.65M

 

[aspin3]

Versteeg won’t be back. Janks will get a cheap bridge, say 1.5 per. And Rittich hasn’t earned a penny over 1 million.

Sorry....Rittich is not going to sign for pretty much what Gilles will get at a minimum ($800K) on his NHL portion of his contract once qualified.

 

[1989]

Sorry....Rittich is not going to sign for pretty much what Gilles will get at a minimum ($800K) on his NHL portion of his contract once qualified.

Then Rittich can ply his trade elsewhere or sign a 1 year 2m contract and wait, because Smith's 4.25m will be gone after next year and Gillies is waiting in the wings along with Parsons.

But please, tell us more. Unless you're Rittich or his agent, you know nothing.

 

[aspin3]

Stajan, Versteeg and their combined 5m can be replaced internally with the likes of Hrivik, Lazar, Foo, Phillips, Mangiapane, Dube, Pribyl, who have all played centre and/or wing, on ELCs. Kulak is steady but he's replaceable by Andersson and potentially even Valimaki. Versteeg will be harder to replace than Stajan, but that's not a difficult trade to make for a middle six winger.

That leaves something like 6-5-8.5 million between Jankowski and Rittich? Hell, even Bennett ahould be able to handle 4th line minutes at C. Rittich shouldn't be getting more than 2.5m and Jankowski should expect a bridge around 3m at MOST. Don't quit your day job - I get you don't know the Flames that well, but your approach to cap management is flawed at best, and it helps to know the roster/system.

P.S. It'd be far more worrisome to think of what Tkachuk's first RFA and Ferland's first UFA contract will look like in 2 years. Also, the Seattle expansion draft rules could actually hurt Calgary this time around.

 

[aspin3]

So you are saying the Flames are going in to the 2018-19 season with 4 rookies on their ELC to replace Stajan, Versteeg, Kulak, and Bartowski?

 

[1989]

Learn to use the quote feature please. I mean, they're not related functions but I trust your ability to armchair GM the Flames as much as your ability to use basic forum functions right now and that's not saying a lot.

 

[zar]

Solid signing.

 

[aspin3]

Learn to use the quote feature please. I mean, they're not related functions but I trust your ability to armchair GM the Flames as much as your ability to use basic forum functions right now and that's not saying a lot.

Oh ok. Just like you did in your post...oops...You never did either. No need to get all bent out of shape and resort to attacks on posters because you are wrong.

 

[zar]

Learn to use the quote feature please. I mean, they're not related functions but I trust your ability to armchair GM the Flames as much as your ability to use basic forum functions right now and that's not saying a lot.

Who you talking to?

 

[1989]

So you are saying the Flames are going in to the 2018-19 season with 4 rookies on their ELC to replace Stajan, Versteeg, Kulak, and Bartowski?

Some of them are rookies in the sense that they would qualify for Calder voting. Most of them are in their early-mid twenties and have played NHL games, have marinated in the AHL and NCAA, and are waiting for a chance. We are not talking 18 year olds fresh off their draft year - Calgary knows what they have with regards to their development curve.

 

[aspin3]

Some of them are rookies in the sense that they would qualify for Calder voting. Most of them are in their early-mid twenties and have played NHL games, have marinated in the AHL and NCAA, and are waiting for a chance. We are not talking 18 year olds fresh off their draft year - Calgary knows what they have with regards to their development curve.

Well as long as they are marinated they are good to go.

 

[1989]

Who you talking to?

Not you about anything useful or relevant recently so far but you already know that as an Oilers fan… ""

 

[Lunatik]

Bad contract. Signed a depth player for top line money.

Age 28, signed 6 more years.

IMO Calgary fans will want to dump him as early as next season.

If I wanted to read this level of cluelessness, I'd follow Trump on twitter