The facts, as they currently stand, are:
(i) the Penguins are unlikely to be able to keep both Murry and Fleury through an expansion draft;
(ii) the Penguins can only protect 1 G and that goalie must be Fleury, due to the terms his contract & the expansion draft rules, through an expansion draft;
(iii) Murray outplayed Fleury for the past two months on his way to Cup victory.

The Penguins make a decision on Fleury now because if you wait, the decision may no longer be within their power. Its not ideal, but, because of the expansion draft, doing nothing is the same as likely losing Murray for nothing.
- s0rcerer1984

So the options are essentially
a.) ditch Fleury for peanuts now
b.) trade Murray now for a king's ransom
c.) wait it out and potentially (likely) lose Murray in expansion draft

C is a terrible option.

So if there's not much return on Fleury in option A, I heavily consider option B. What say you?

I would consider moving 6th OA only if Sprong was part of the deal. We are loaded with D prospects and have no need for Pouliot. We need RW prospects and players that are top 6 capable. Fleury, Sprong and #54 and I would listen. Still, for the Flames, IMO, that #6 is huge and moving 1st round picks in 2 consecutive years for a rebuilding team is not wise.
- TandA4Flames

Ok I like this better actually. And unlike some, I am not very high on this draft. At 6 Tkachuk is likely gone and something strikes me that BB BT wont pick Nylander even if he is there.

Of course. But, are any of those guys open to being plucked from waivers?
- TandA4Flames

They're all exempt for next season

Fleury for Niemi in a way is similiar to the TT and Bickell deal that just went down. DAL would need to pay us a premium for the better player while Niemi is essentially a cap dump. If they throw in Nichushkin, I'm all ears.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Keep in mind I wasn't proposing Fleury for Niemi as a realistic option at the moment.

I was just saying that if Fleury really wanted to block any trade he still only has a 12 team veto list. This could make it hard on the Penguins to move him for value, but not impossible for the Penguins to move him at all as there are still 18 teams he can't block a trade to. Not like he has a 26 team veto list or something.

So the options are essentially
a.) ditch Fleury for peanuts now
b.) trade Murray now for a king's ransom
c.) wait it out and potentially (likely) lose Murray in expansion draft

C is a terrible option.

So if there's not much return on Fleury in option A, I heavily consider option B. What say you?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

It depends what we can actually get back for Murray. Murray would have to bring back a young high impact player on ELC for me to consider option B over option A.

Fleury for Niemi in a way is similiar to the TT and Bickell deal that just went down. DAL would need to pay us a premium for the better player while Niemi is essentially a cap dump. If they throw in Nichushkin, I'm all ears.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Not same at all. No premium. Dallas could be the only team we are able to trade him to. Everyone else could be on his blocked list. And Fleury may have the ability to be forced protect in expansion draft. Under that scenario we would have to take whatever Dallas offered or trade murray.

So the options are essentially
a.) ditch Fleury for peanuts now
b.) trade Murray now for a king's ransom
c.) wait it out and potentially (likely) lose Murray in expansion draft

C is a terrible option.

So if there's not much return on Fleury in option A, I heavily consider option B. What say you?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

How's Jarry been looking for you guys in the AHL? If there is promise there, does it make some sense to move Murray for a big return and give Jarry the 3 years remaining on Fleury's contract to develop him? Either way, it's all a risk regardless of what you guys end up doing.

Fleury for Niemi in a way is similiar to the TT and Bickell deal that just went down. DAL would need to pay us a premium for the better player while Niemi is essentially a cap dump. If they throw in Nichushkin, I'm all ears.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Yes please!!

Of course. But, are any of those guys open to being plucked from waivers?
- TandA4Flames

No they aren't and neither is Murray. Not sure about Rust, Wilson and Kuhnhackl as they have signed one way contracts starting next year.

Per the Calgary Sun
- Victoro311

Its the Sun...
Reporting the obvious does not make for upstanding journalism... this site should know.

So the options are essentially
a.) ditch Fleury for peanuts now
b.) trade Murray now for a king's ransom
c.) wait it out and potentially (likely) lose Murray in expansion draft

C is a terrible option.

So if there's not much return on Fleury in option A, I heavily consider option B. What say you?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

It all depends on what JR's other plans are and how it all plays out. Is MAF the only way to get cap space? What would Murray's return be? Shultz? Lovejoy? Top 6 LW. Malkin E4?

At the moment the mob wants Murray, but when the team isn't blocking every single shot each night and the real Murray is exposed then what?

Ok I like this better actually. And unlike some, I am not very high on this draft. At 6 Tkachuk is likely gone and something strikes me that BB BT wont pick Nylander even if he is there.
- FLflames34

Sprong was ranked as high as the 15th best prospect last year. The fact that he fell to us was insane. His stock has only risen since then. I'm not giddy at losing a top tier starting goalie, a great prospect at a position of need, and one of our only decent picks this coming year to get the 6th overall which is a question mark and one that probably wont be in the NHL right away.

I don't want to devalue the 6th overall too much but I dont think it's as valuable as all those assets to an immediate contender like the Pens.

Fleury for Niemi in a way is similiar to the TT and Bickell deal that just went down. DAL would need to pay us a premium for the better player while Niemi is essentially a cap dump. If they throw in Nichushkin, I'm all ears.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Niemi and Nuke for Flower is my personal dream deal, but its contingent on Dallas unloading Lehtonen. They can't pay for both Fleury and Lehtonen and tie up 12 mil in goalies. Another option would be if they found a different taker for Niemi and were willing to retain ~1.6 mil on Lehtonen for us.

Trading Murray is insane. Risking losing him is insane. The Flames trading 6 is insane.

It'll be Fleury for pick(s) and maybe a prospect. The sooner the better for MAF, the Flames, and Pitt. Book it. OG5

P.S. I would be pumped if the Flames get MAF!

They're all exempt for next season
- tpcg402

Then I agree that you have a pretty easy way out.

Didn't I hear that Dupuis has been considering retirement?

Then I agree that you have a pretty easy way out.

Didn't I hear that Dupuis has been considering retirement?
- TandA4Flames

Don't worry about Dupuis. There are a half dozen retired guys who are not "officially" retired for salary cap reasons.

This is slightly off the wall but I thought I read somewhere that players with NMC can be exposed in the expansion draft if they agree to waive the NMC. Obviously this take a little trust and faith but they could easily work out a deal with Fleury to agree to waive, this would allow the Pens to not only protect Murray but it could also protect some of the other young players like Rust, Sheary and Wilson since 1 player from every team will be selected. Basically this way MAF gets to pick his destination and we don't lose a player we would end up losing in the draft if MAF is traded beforehand.

How's Jarry been looking for you guys in the AHL? If there is promise there, does it make some sense to move Murray for a big return and give Jarry the 3 years remaining on Fleury's contract to develop him? Either way, it's all a risk regardless of what you guys end up doing.
- TandA4Flames

Jarry's season was the Tale of Two Seasons last year. He was putting up numbers just as good as Murray did the year prior until everyone got called up and then he went belly up. Basically he was really good on a good team and sub par on a bad team.

Its the Sun...
Reporting the obvious does not make for upstanding journalism... this site should know.
- geta02it

I don't live in Calgary so I wouldn't know the merits of your local's reporting.

How's Jarry been looking for you guys in the AHL? If there is promise there, does it make some sense to move Murray for a big return and give Jarry the 3 years remaining on Fleury's contract to develop him? Either way, it's all a risk regardless of what you guys end up doing.
- TandA4Flames

Not real sure. He didn't start in the AHL playoffs from what I remember. He's just been okay. But he does have pedigree and potential to develop in the next 3 years. And in that scenario, we may even re-sign Fleury for another year or two after that. He should still have some good hockey left in him.

That's 5 or so years to either develop Jarry or find a decent goalie elsewhere.

Sprong was ranked as high as the 15th best prospect last year. The fact that he fell to us was insane. His stock has only risen since then. I'm not giddy at losing a top tier starting goalie, a great prospect at a position of need, and one of our only decent picks this coming year to get the 6th overall which is a question mark and one that probably wont be in the NHL right away.

I don't want to devalue the 6th overall too much but I dont think it's as valuable as all those assets to an immediate contender like the Pens.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

If i had to guess sprongs stock has probably only rebounded to the 15 level. That draft was loaded.

Trading Murray is insane. Risking losing him is insane. The Flames trading 6 is insane.

It'll be Fleury for pick(s) and maybe a prospect. The sooner the better for MAF, the Flames, and Pitt. Book it. OG5

P.S. I would be pumped if the Flames get MAF!
- The-O-G

You should be pumped. MAF is an outstanding goalie and great character guy, he's currently better than Murray too IMO.

Then I agree that you have a pretty easy way out.

Didn't I hear that Dupuis has been considering retirement?
- TandA4Flames

He's "retired", but has 1 year left on his deal. Pens will use the LTIR to recoup his cap hit. (3.75mil) and he can still get paid.

Then I agree that you have a pretty easy way out.

Didn't I hear that Dupuis has been considering retirement?
- TandA4Flames

Dupuis is retired due to medical conditions, therefore he can be placed on LTIR until his contract runs out.

You should be pumped. MAF is an outstanding goalie and great character guy, he's currently better than Murray too IMO.
- MattStrat

He seems like a great guy. Always seems to get a bit of a hard time, would you agree? He was one of the best if not the best goalies in the regular season this year. I think the Flames will be VERY competitive with him for the next 3 years with our young team. Good opportunity for him too!