Joe Colborne is Really Tall

[BigRangy]

Colborne doesn't have the hockey IQ to being a consistent top-six player. He looks fine alongside Backlund who has chemistry with almost everyone but he hasn't shown the ability to keep up with Gaudreau/Monahan or Bennett/anybody. I don't see that changing magically next year.

People have short memories; the first half of this season was Hartley desperately plugging Colborne into the top six and the results were almost unanimous; get Colborne off the team as quickly as possible. Would rather the Treliving didn't waste more time on that dead end and continued to search a proper longterm fit on the right side. If Shinkaruk can take a spot next season, then the team's only need up front is a couple of top-six right wingers

Gaudreau-Monahan-XXX
Shinkaruk-Bennett-XXX
Colborne-Backlund-Frolik
Bouma-Stajan-Ferland
Hathaway/Bollig

Draft Finn, sign Perron.

All asset management after that.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

What would you rather:
Joe @2.25 * 2
Or
A 2017 second round pick?

 

[Calculon]

Perron's an interesting option. Awful in Pittsburgh (16 points in 43 games) but terrific in Anaheim (20 in 28). Granted, there's a lot team dynamics involved which skews things quite a bit.

In a fantasyland scenario, Murray has another 'special' summer and chooses to re-sign Perron while trading Silfverberg (to the Flames of course) to free up cash.

Would be okay with Perron at 4x4 as an option, I guess. At 6'0". he doesn't really solve the size issues though. Market's pretty small after Lucic, who is in no way worth the overpayment it'd take to get him.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

What would you rather:
Joe @2.25 * 2
Or
A 2017 second round pick?

2.25M wouldn't really be a terrible pricetag for Joe's services. Sure he's a bottom 6 plug but with a couple of useful traits (parking his ass in front of the goalie, shootouts).

If he gets sheeted by a likely bottom feeder team I think I'd take the pick (~30th-40th) but keeping him won't be the end of the world. He's a somewhat valuable asset either way.

 

[Lunatik]

2.25M wouldn't really be a terrible pricetag for Joe's services. Sure he's a bottom 6 plug but with a couple of useful traits (parking his ass in front of the goalie, shootouts).

If he gets sheeted by a likely bottom feeder team I think I'd take the pick (~30th-40th) but keeping him won't be the end of the world. He's a somewhat valuable asset either way.

39 points in 70 games but he is a plug? C'mon dude.

 

[TheHudlinator]

39 points in 70 games but he is a plug? C'mon dude.

Pffft anyone can get 39 points

The amount of **** Colborne takes for not being a star is crazy.

 

[Lunatik]

Pffft anyone can get 39 points

The amount of **** Colborne takes for not being a star is crazy.

This is my biggest issue, it's quite pathetic.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Pffft anyone can get 39 points

The amount of **** Colborne takes for not being a star is crazy.

It's sad and embarrassing. He's far from perfect, but he's a useful player.

 

[AgeOfBennett]

I used to be pretty biased against Colborne, and I would keep trying to find ways not to like him, but he is a big body (hopefully he starts to use it more) is great in the dirty areas and can score.

 

[TheHudlinator]

It's sad and embarrassing. He's far from perfect, but he's a useful player.

Yea he isn't a perfect player at all but he is a very solid 3rd liner that can play screen on our #1 pp.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Still think Joe gets way more hate than he deserves. He's not your ideal Top 6 forward but really he's been Hartley's best option for most of the season at 2LW. Plays all three positions, protects the puck on the boards better than anyone else we got, and is tough to move in front of the net. Little soft and a little slow maybe but he'll be worth ~3M next year. His play away from the puck has improved over the course of this season as well.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Yea he isn't a perfect player at all but he is a very solid 3rd liner that can play screen on our #1 pp.

That's.. pretty much exactly what I said, is it not?

In my hockey vocabulary a "plug" is a bottom 6 guy who's not amazing at any one thing but is an everyday NHLer worthy of a 2M+ salary. So, Joe Colborne.

 

[Lunatik]

That's.. pretty much exactly what I said, is it not?

In my hockey vocabulary a "plug" is a bottom 6 guy who's not amazing at any one thing but is an everyday NHLer worthy of a 2M+ salary. So, Joe Colborne.

Generally a plug is a guy like Bollig

 

[Snazu]

The part that I don't like about what happened with him this season is that basically when the season was done for, that's when he turns it on and becomes one of the better players, when it doesn't matter. What happened in the first half of the season when he was getting spoon feed PP time and top 6 time and just nothing was happening? I'd be really cautious of signing him to anything more than a 1 year contract, unless it was a fairly low number. I hope he turns into a decent 2nd or 3rd line guy, but I'm not completely sold on what he's doing is here to stay or if he's just on a real hot streak.

That's why I'm cringing when people are saying that he's going to get paid, because having another $3mill 3rd/4th liner is exactly what the flames don't need. That's the kind of asset management that kills a teams and the Flames already have enough of those kind of contracts in their bottom half of their lineup.

 

[kruezer]

one reason I think Colborne is a great option with Backlund & Frolik in the longterm is his faceoff abilities, its pretty much a guarantee Backlund isn't getting any better at the draws, having Colborne take all of his strongside draws instead of Backlund just makes that an even better possession line that can shelter Bennett's line next year.

I figure he gets the Bouma-ish deal as well, 2 & 1/4 for 2 years. The Flames need help at Forward, but I would rather they stay the course on Forwards and focus on Goalies this summer. Deal with the forwards once more cash comes off the books in the summer of 2017. Barring some trades to clear the space of course.

 

[moon*]

Colborne-Backlund-Frolik is a great line in a non-cap NHL where that is your 3rd line.

Problem is that is a way too expensive 3rd line or bad 2nd line.

Colborne is in tough because the team already has two expensive 2nd/3rd line tweeners in Backlund and Frolik and I am not sure they afford to have a 3rd guy like that and hope to build a successful team.

He likely deserves a 3 million dollar plus deal but I am not sure he fits on the Flames with that deal and it has as much to do with what we are paying others as it does with Colborne himself.

 

[Snazu]

That's why I'm cringing when people are saying that he's going to get paid, because having another $3mill 3rd/4th liner is exactly what the flames don't need. That's the kind of asset management that kills a teams and the Flames already have enough of those kind of contracts in their bottom half of their lineup.

To clarify my own point, I meant if the Flames signed him to a $3mill/season contract and had him crash and burn and ends up returning back to what he's looked like for the last few seasons.

I like Colborne, but I just don't think the Flames can sign a guy like him and still stay competitive long term.

 

[Pekkas Purse]

To clarify my own point, I meant if the Flames signed him to a $3mill/season contract and had him crash and burn and ends up returning back to what he's looked like for the last few seasons.

I like Colborne, but I just don't think the Flames can sign a guy like him and still stay competitive long term.

I agree. Colborne is carrying the dysfunctional balance since Hudler left. This is exactly like last years Huds. Half of his goals in this streak have been deflection garbage unlike the Monahanian gem last game.

 

[kruezer]

Colborne-Backlund-Frolik is a great line in a non-cap NHL where that is your 3rd line.

Problem is that is a way too expensive 3rd line or bad 2nd line.

Colborne is in tough because the team already has two expensive 2nd/3rd line tweeners in Backlund and Frolik and I am not sure they afford to have a 3rd guy like that and hope to build a successful team.

He likely deserves a 3 million dollar plus deal but I am not sure he fits on the Flames with that deal and it has as much to do with what we are paying others as it does with Colborne himself.

will he really get paid 3 mil though? I haven't looked at RFA comparables, but for an RFA with his history can we really get that high from anyone? I doubt he gets poached considering the risk he does entail, especially with the cap staying stagnant so really Calgary has all the power. He is more proven offensively than Bouma though, so maybe he gets 2.75 per for 2 years.

The thing is we are kidding ourselves if we say Colborne-Backlund-Frolik is not our second line next year and maybe the year after, so until Bennett & the younger guys gunning to play with him step up and become the second line, I don't see it as an issue to pay colborne for two years since they can re-evaluate he and backlund's role over the next two years anyway, and it gives some insulation to the kids coming up. Colborne/Backlund can they be let go if the younger guys have earned a big pay day, in which case they Flames can probably afford to let them go anyway and not affect the one ice product

 

[Slush]

I am quite fine with Joe's production and I like his size especially when he parks right in front of the goalie to make it tough for them. I don't know why so many people think he's suppose to be a super star. He's not and never will be but for his cap hit he puts up good numbers and plays well.

 

[BrodieGoat]

The part that I don't like about what happened with him this season is that basically when the season was done for, that's when he turns it on and becomes one of the better players, when it doesn't matter. What happened in the first half of the season when he was getting spoon feed PP time and top 6 time and just nothing was happening? I'd be really cautious of signing him to anything more than a 1 year contract, unless it was a fairly low number. I hope he turns into a decent 2nd or 3rd line guy, but I'm not completely sold on what he's doing is here to stay or if he's just on a real hot streak.

That's why I'm cringing when people are saying that he's going to get paid, because having another $3mill 3rd/4th liner is exactly what the flames don't need. That's the kind of asset management that kills a teams and the Flames already have enough of those kind of contracts in their bottom half of their lineup.

Nailed it

 

[SmellOfVictory]

I have to say, Colborne has looked better this year. Not outstanding, but he looks like a legit bottom six NHLer most nights.

 

[kruezer]

The part that I don't like about what happened with him this season is that basically when the season was done for, that's when he turns it on and becomes one of the better players, when it doesn't matter. What happened in the first half of the season when he was getting spoon feed PP time and top 6 time and just nothing was happening? I'd be really cautious of signing him to anything more than a 1 year contract, unless it was a fairly low number. I hope he turns into a decent 2nd or 3rd line guy, but I'm not completely sold on what he's doing is here to stay or if he's just on a real hot streak.

That's why I'm cringing when people are saying that he's going to get paid, because having another $3mill 3rd/4th liner is exactly what the flames don't need. That's the kind of asset management that kills a teams and the Flames already have enough of those kind of contracts in their bottom half of their lineup.

I think it most definitely is a hot streak, but that said, I think its safe to bet he would score 25 goals over the course of a 2 year contract (barring severe injury), which I think is worth paying some for (I certainly wouldn't go over $3mil). I wouldn't be against going for arbitration on a one year deal, but again, I am not sure of his comparables. I just would be loathe to give up on a winger that is playing okay considering Calgary's dearth of current wings and the lack of money they have to spend this summer. Really if they don't sign him, what are the other options out there for under $3mil? I would be skeptical they are any better unless Calgary is trading for them, which is a whole different animal really

 

[Calculon]

I have to say, Colborne has looked better this year. Not outstanding, but he looks like a legit bottom six NHLer most nights.

If by this year you mean everything post his repeated healthy scratchings, then yes.

Since mid-January or so, he's looked like someone at least worth keeping for bait in the expansion draft. But he's also riding an abnormally high shooting percentage that almost certainly isn't sustainable.

So if Treliving was indeed shopping Bouma at deadline, then don't look for him to make the same mistake twice in overpaying for Colborne.

 

[DCDM]

If by this year you mean everything post his repeated healthy scratchings, then yes.

If by everything post his repeated healthy scratchings you mean post-deadline, then yes.