players choose cities for different reasons...he would have the opportunity to be the #1 center in Calgary. Also, about the contract obviously the Avs (who would know more than anyone) think he's worth it...they were just low balling and got caught

As a Canucks fan, I dislike the flames, but from a purely unbiased perspective, this was a terrible mistake. It could have cost the flames two picks next year without even getting a player in return. It also just made 22 year old 2 way C a $6.5m player (the required qualifying offer at the end of next season or he becomes an UFA). Isn't this the kind of thing that the last lockout was supposed to stop?
- 1970vintage

Desperate GM afraid of losing his job, one of the main reasons the contracts get out of hand so quickly. The MDZ and Subban deals were smart, this one isn't.

get a new picture of Feaster...he has lost a ton of weight

Could should maybe blah. Didn't end up happening. It wouldn't have been that cut and dry.
Oh.. and regardless of if he was with Cal or Col, they would have looked at re-signing him at a better priced deal. I doubt either team had plans to qualify him at 6.5.
- j.henderson

Really? He just sat out demanding a big pay day, you think he would sign for any less than say 5 years $30 mil when he knows that he becomes an UFA if they don't qualify him at $6.5?

No offense intended to Flames fans here, but if the money and term on any other offer sheet was identical, I can't see him choosing Calgary's situation over that of many other teams. I'm guessing that if anyone else offer sheeted him, they weren't interested enough to give him the kind of money he was asking for, and therefore knew he wouldn't go for it. I don't consider a half-hearted attempt to be legitimate.
- tryan83

I politely disagree. Calgary plays an uptempo game now. Moving forward with guys like Sven would be fantastic. Plus he is Canadian.

Completely boneheaded play by Feaster but I don't want him fired. As an Oiler fan, I'd much rather Calgary keep him and continue the spiral into the toilet. After his comments last year about the notion of blowing up a team to rebuild, this fiasco looks good on him and shows that he's more clueless than previously thought...

Really? He just sat out demanding a big pay day, you think he would sign for any less than say 5 years $30 mil when he knows that he becomes an UFA if they don't qualify him at $6.5?
- 1970vintage

It's about hockey future as well. I do think he will sign for way less than that, especially after holding out this time. Depending on his play the rest of this season.. I'd expect somewhere around 5 per year, which is what he wanted anyways. If Jokinen can get 4.5 and Grabovski can get 5.5, who knows though. Grabs is making 6 this year as well.

A big young centreman can get a lot of money in this market. Even under a new CBA, that hasn't changed.

I politely disagree. Calgary plays an uptempo game now. Moving forward with guys like Sven would be fantastic. Plus he is Canadian.
- j.henderson

Being Canadian hasn't typically meant much to many free agents in the past, regarding where they sign. I'm sure no one needs me to cite examples.

While I agree that the Flames have some good young players, they also have a lot of holes throughout the lineup, and an aging core. A rebuild wouldn't be a bad idea, but that's hard to do if you're giving up draft picks to overpay RFAs. (And that's assuming that said RFA isn't immediately plucked off waivers.)

A big young centreman can get a lot of money in this market. Even under a new CBA, that hasn't changed.
- j.henderson

I also politely disagree with everyone calling O'Reilly "big". He's only 6'0", 205 lbs. For comparison's sake, Matt Stajan has an inch on him, although he weighs 13 lbs less.

EDIT (to satisfy those who will say that he "plays big"): in the last two seasons, Stajan has thrown 0.84 hits/game (115/137). O'Reilly: 0.74 (115/155). Of course, there are other ways to "play big," but hits aren't a terrible indicator of that.

It's about hockey future as well. I do think he will sign for way less than that, especially after holding out this time. Depending on his play the rest of this season.. I'd expect somewhere around 5 per year, which is what he wanted anyways. If Jokinen can get 4.5 and Grabovski can get 5.5, who knows though. Grabs is making 6 this year as well.

A big young centreman can get a lot of money in this market. Even under a new CBA, that hasn't changed.
- j.henderson

So what you're saying is that you expect him to sign for less, but anything could happen. What I'm saying is that ROR has shown "he's all about the team", team green that is. He knows that whatever team he is playing for is required to qualify him for one year at $6.5m or he becomes an UFA. I'm sure he would sign a longer term contract if the $ were there, something like Hall/Eberle, but to think he'll just agree to an extension for $5m when he's making $6.5, I don't think so.

why?
give one good reason why.
- Barx

to err is human, to forgive is devine

Unfortunately, this still does not bring into light the fact that they traded for an AHLer, then sent down a younger guy doing the same job as said AHLer, because he had to to make room for O'Reilly...who likely would have been waived anyways.


So, in the end, Calgary is stuck with McGratton and a whole bunch of laughing, while Colorado is stuck with a locker room cancer potential, extra money on the rolls they cant afford, and a whole bunch of laughing for matching.
- FLflames34

Hardly, seems to me Calgary carries the insidious paralyzingly toxic influence of incompetence in terms of any and every thing they do. Does anybody take Calgary seriously from this point forward.

I also politely disagree with everyone calling O'Reilly "big". He's only 6'0", 205 lbs. For comparison's sake, Matt Stajan has an inch on him, although he weighs 13 lbs less.
- tryan83

I also meant big as in.... value wise to a team. I know he isn't a Big Joe here. And despite stats... he plays way bigger than Stajan.

Why should Feaster get a break? A simple phone call to the NHL offices should have been made to be absolutely sure of the rules. I mean, the new CBA isn't even written yet, there's no shame in calling up and saying, "We're thinking of doing an offer sheet, what are the ramifications?"

I'd fire him, even though Sherman took him off the hook.
- Jsaquella

You have the best and most accurate take on this topic ...well said

No shame in making the call ....Feaster
It was lazy

It all fits this Calgary organization

Their idea of a long term plan is "Make the playoffs with old players"

Feaster will be gone this year ... He knows it and this bold Hockey move was about making the team better and saving his job

Too bad he didn't think to throw a Quarter in the pay phone and call Daly

Big....Big Mistake

You have the best and most accurate take on this topic ...well said

No shame in making the call ....Feaster
It was lazy

It all fits this Calgary organization

Their idea of a long term plan is "Make the playoffs with old players"

Feaster will be gone this year ... He knows it and this bold Hockey move was about making the team better and saving his job

Too bad he didn't think to throw a Quarter in the pay phone and call Daly

Big....Big Mistake
- PEIHawkFan

Now, if the CBA was actually written and distributed...I mean the lawyers haven't even pumped this sucker out of the printer yet.

I also meant big as in.... value wise to a team. I know he isn't a Big Joe here. And despite stats... he plays way bigger than Stajan.
- j.henderson

Fair enough re: value-wise.

You have the best and most accurate take on this topic ...well said

No shame in making the call ....Feaster
It was lazy

It all fits this Calgary organization

Their idea of a long term plan is "Make the playoffs with old players"

Feaster will be gone this year ... He knows it and this bold Hockey move was about making the team better and saving his job

Too bad he didn't think to throw a Quarter in the pay phone and call Daly

Big....Big Mistake
- PEIHawkFan

He won't be fired. He is everything that Sutter was not as a GM. For once we are drafting with somewhat potential. We traded down and picked up a big hard hitting defenseman second round. Big goalie who has won tons of college awards this year in the third. Sven, Wotherspoon, Gaudreau, etc.
We are finally drafting well, taking chances on KHL all stars, realizing we are a small team and changing to an uptempo offense moving forward.
Upsides now exist in Calgary. It was REALLY tough to explain a lot of things Sutter did. It's much easier with Feaster.

Travis Yost mentioned the possibility of collusion on twitter-hinting that maybe Sherman and Feaster worked together so that Sherman could get O'Reilly back and point out to his ownership that his hands were tied and he had no choice but to match the OS.
- Jsaquella

That makes no sense. If true, i get what the Av's get out of it, but what did Calgary get out of it, bad press?

I love how all the fcking idiots come out to pile on!

Haters gonna hate!

There is no reason the avs should have matched that offer

I love how all the fcking idiots come out to pile on!

Haters gonna hate!
- whipper334

Odd ain't it? All over nothing too.

Odd ain't it? All over nothing too.
- weirdoh

exactly!

That makes no sense. If true, i get what the Av's get out of it, but what did Calgary get out of it, bad press?
- nigelwright275

Their fanbase seemed pumped by the offer sheet, from what I read the night it was signed.

There is no reason the avs should have matched that offer
- Genev21

Exactly!

Their fanbase seemed pumped by the offer sheet, from what I read the night it was signed.
- Jsaquella

Yeah most were for sure. I didn't like the cap hit though.