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As promised a few days ago, today’s blog will cover a few Flames related Mailbag questions sent to me through Hockeybuzz and over Twitter.
I have chosen the questions I felt were most prevalent to the team as it stands, but will ensure to hold these more regularly for those who were not able to get their questions through.
Thanks to all those who submitted!
Nigelwright275 asked: My question is do you see Backlund on this team at the start of next year? Do you see Backlund on this team come the trade deadline for that matter?
As mentioned in my previous blog, I feel that it may be imprudent for the Flames to move Backlund at this point in time, whether they have given up on him or have interest from other GMs.
I say this not because I necessarily feel that Backlund is an integral part to Calgary’s rebuild, rather because I feel that his value at the moment is quite low and neither the Flames nor a potentially interested team have a good enough idea what his true value is.
While most teams can afford to take a few gambles with young players via trade, it is of my opinion that a team such as the Calgary Flames, in their current state, should not be taking any risks with centermen at the age of 24 years old. That being said, there is no reason for the Flames not to entertain moving Mikael if a GM is willing to pay for his potential in addition to his current value.
As I mentioned, it is always tough to gage what a player of his experience is worth to a team, but one that is rebuilding should take their time and figure it out for themselves rather than allowing another team to develop said player.
My gut feeling – Backlund does not get moved this season, or offseason.
Jtommyt asks: According to Ek the Flames are in discussions regarding Gardiner. What would you be willing to move to land him, and where would he slot into the lineup?
First and foremost, I have come to the conclusion that a deal between the Flames and the Toronto Maple Leafs with respect to Jake Gardiner makes little sense for either team. While I am sure that they have held conversations, it ultimately comes down to the fact that the Flames do not currently need to make any moves for offensive defensemen with other areas of concern needing to be addressed.
Given that the team is likely to move a few veterans this season and likely the next, their upgrades via trade should be down the middle and on each wing. While Gardiner would be a nice asset to acquire for this organization, I feel that the likely asking price for the young defenseman is going to be higher than the Flames should afford themselves to spend.
With several young defenseman in the system who are looking to make the transition to the NHL in the next year or two, Calgary has no pressing need to make any trades for defensemen of his ilk.
As your question inquires however, if the Flames were to acquire Gardiner it would be for a young defenseman of their own and likely a player who can provide extra leadership to the Leafs who are looking to make a playoff run over the next couple of seasons.
While there are not many players who can fit into the Leafs current salary in exchange for Gardiner, I am left a little confounded as to who I would offer that fits the bill for both teams.
Whipper334 asks: What does your gut tell you about Gaudreau? I'm nervous that he's going to jump ship.
As expressed by Johnny Gaudreau and the coaching staff/GM of the Flames, it is both their intent to ensure that Gaudreau joins the roster when he feels confident that he can improve the team. That said, Gaudreau is doing quite well at Boston College this year having played 13 games and registering 24 points.
One of Gaudreau’s main concerns with respect to joining the Flames is his size. While still on the small side, Johnny is currently listed as 5’8 and 160lbs; about ten pounds heavier than we last saw him. To answer your question more directly, I strongly believe that we will see some of Gaudreau toward the end of this NHL season.
With the college regular season expected to be over in late February, there could be a strong chance that Gaudreau is ready sooner than expected, depending on their own playoffs of course.
Moreover, given the discussions held between "Johnny Hockey" and the media so far this year with respect to his desire to join the Flames, in addition to how well he is doing in the college ranks, I strongly feel that we will be seeing the young forward in a Flames jersey sometime this season. With a few extra transactions expected over the next two months, there should be some extra space on the roster for some of their youth to step in and gain some much needed experience.
In relation to Gaudreau's future with the club, that will all depend on how well his transition into the NHL goes.
fudd1689 asks: Interesting discussion about a possible (Brett) Connolly for Cammalleri trade. Is there any truth to that? And would Calgary do that deal?
While I cannot vouch for the accuracy of said rumour, it does intrigue me as I wrote a blog about the potential interest of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Mike Cammalleri. That said, it appears that Steven Stamkos has made some incredible strides in terms of recovering from his broken leg and it appears a little more doubtful that the team will risk moving anyone which may not be required.
I suppose the deal discussed above should be considered in direct relation to Stamkos’ injury, given how much offense he provides to the team which will be sorely missed. If, on the other hand, you feel the deal could make sense with or without Stamkos being injured, then the discussion becomes much different.
In the aforementioned case we have Yzerman possibly dealing from a position of weakness or desperation, but in the latter case we have an even playing field. That said, if the Bolts were serious about acquiring a veteran like Cammalleri to add depth to their roster and not try and temporarily replace the production of Stamkos, it would likely require more than just Mike from the Flames to acquire a young forward like Brett Connolly.
Drafted 6th overall in 2010, Brett has played 84 NHL games to date and registered 17 pts. While low point totals, Brett has been limited to playing time and has recently been sent back down to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL to further develop his game. The 21 year old winger has shown a lot of potential both at the AHL and NHL level, though his GM feels he needs to work on his game and confidence level before returning to the Lightning roster.
With that in mind, and while one could argue that his value may be low at the moment, I would not expect a GM like Yzerman to move a young player out of desperation, as I would equally not expect the Flames to move a player like Backlund. If, however, Calgary would like to coax Tampa into letting him go, it would require a player such as Mike Cammalleri in addition to a young prospect of their own.
What type of prospect that would be is a little tough to gauge, however the Flames possess a few defensive prospects who they may be open to moving.
@beguinan – What’s your opinion of Flames defenseman Kris Russell? What do you see as his role going forward with the Flames?
When the Calgary Flames first announced that they had acquired Kris Russell in exchange for a 5th round draft pick I was very excited for the Flames. Having watched a lot of the Blues, I always liked Russell’s game despite not getting a ton of ice time with St Louis.
Primarily used as one of the bottom pairing defensemen, 26 year old Russell had too much competition for minutes in St Louis and ultimately could not outperform the likes of Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Polack, Jackman et al.
That said, Russell needed a change of scenery and this particular franchise was willing to give him the time and space to take his game to the next level. Playing an average of 16 minutes per game with the Blues, Russell is now logging an average of 23 minutes or more per night with the Flames.
With 23 games played, being one of the only Flames player to have a positive (+/-) stat with a +2, having registered 12 points to date and registering 59 hits, I feel that Russell will continue to be a big success for the Flames this year, and for a few years to follow when they extend his current contract. He will play a big role in upcoming years with respect to developing Calgary’s young defensemen who are working their way up through the system.
@modnao23 Out of Stajan, Stempniak, Cammy, and Glencross, who do you think will be back next year? Who should be moved for picks?
A question we will likely review many times this year, the four players you have mentioned are arguably all up for trade this year and next(depending on their contracts, of course). The players who I believe will be traded first and foremost are Michael Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. The most veteraned players, both with expiring contracts and both having solid production so far in the season, they will likely be the ones who other GM’s are looking to add as playoff rentals.
That said, with the ability to retain up to 50% of any player’s salary through trade, I believe that Cammalleri will be the asset who yields the most value in a trade scenario this year, and that it will take place before the trade deadline. With teams wanting to establish systems and chemistry with new players, I feel that the TDD has become less and less favorable for GM’s in terms of acquiring assets to boost their playoff chances. I believe we continue to hear Mike’s name being tossed around and he is likely to fetch a promising young player or two with his production so far this year.
Stempniak, like Cammalleri, is a veteran player who has found success in terms of production this year with the Flames. The 30 year old winger has registered 10 points in 16 games played, and has proven his leadership abilities with Calgary over recent months. While a player like Stempniak is not likely going to fetch as high of a return as a player like Cammalleri, I wholeheartedly expect the Flames management to be taking and also placing calls with the goal of moving the veteran for youth and or draft selections.
Also listed were Matt Stajan and Curtis Glencross. I often have reservations when mentioning Glencross in trade discussions because I feel that he is a very good option in terms of his leadership qualities and style of play to keep around while the team rebuilds. In spite of this notion, I feel that Calgary will certainly take many calls as teams look to add a gritty winger like Curtis to their lineup.
With 9 points in 15 games so far this year, Glencross can provide a team with secondary or tertiary scoring and also grittiness. The 30 year old winger has one year remaining at a cap friendly $2.55M and will certainly attract the interest of a few GM’s as the TDD approaches.
Last but not least is Matt Stajan. It is of my opinion that with the lack of depth down the middle currently held by the Calgary Flames, that Stajan will be extend beyond this season. Likely a smaller term contract, Stajan will need to prove to the management group that he belongs and has something to offer to the rebuilding franchise.
The 29 year old center has registered 9 points in 15 games so far this year, predominantly playing on the first line. If he is able to play as he has over the past 10 games or so and not have a repeat of his 2011-12 season, I maintain that the Flames will look to re-extend the centerman for two years.
That’s all for today folks, make sure to get in your questions for the next Flames Mailbag!
Thanks for reading!
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