Todd Cordell: Calgary Flames: Is Mikhail Grabovski Still A Target?

If you picked up Grabo, what do the lines look like?

I'm thinking we'd probably have to over pay for him to come here. I'd be ok with that so long as it was just a two or three year deal. Give time for guys like Monahan and Jankowski to round off their game.

Everyone jumped all over Nonis for buying him out, but it's been weeks and he's still out there. Obviously the rest of the league agrees that he's not worth near what he was making.

I'm thinking we'd probably have to over pay for him to come here. I'd be ok with that so long as it was just a two or three year deal. Give time for guys like Monahan and Jankowski to round off their game.
- Flames-in-6-04

I am not sure we would have to over pay him. It 3 weeks after free agency and he doesn't have a home soooooo why over pay? Maybe he takes a "bridge" contract where we guarantee him top 6 minutes and power play time and he can showcase himself for a bigger contract. 2yrsx8mill (4AAV)

Everyone jumped all over Nonis for buying him out, but it's been weeks and he's still out there. Obviously the rest of the league agrees that he's not worth near what he was making.
- Jeffmt

He got married and went on a honeymoon...

I am not sure we would have to over pay him. It 3 weeks after free agency and he doesn't have a home soooooo why over pay? Maybe he takes a "bridge" contract where we guarantee him top 6 minutes and power play time and he can showcase himself for a bigger contract. 2yrsx8mill (4AAV)
- cmpdave

I like the idea.

Todd Cordell: Calgary Flames: Is Mikhail Grabovski Still A Target?
- Todd-Cordell

Well Todd! I find it funny. Everyone & I mean everyone has been screaming for Flames to rebuild. Rebuilding means gutting your core, your top 6 forwards, your top 2-4 dmen & giving young guys you feel as an organization have the talent to form your new core. That means you may have to run some key positions with some young guys realizing you are going to be developing at the NHL level. That is the only way to see if the talent translates. Grabovski is 29, what is he going to do for the Flames? Is he going to get us to the playoffs & win a Cup? Nope. Is he going to make our young guys better? Nope. Is he going to help us win games we probably shouldn't? Possibly. Do we give him a 4-5 year deal, which is probably what he's going to want? Not sure why, he'll be 32 before we start being relevant again. We got Backlund & Stajan to man the top 2 lines centre position. The Flames promised Knight a shot when they signed him & acquired him from Florida, you need to let the kid have a chance. Monohan will get his cup of coffee start the year. Will Grabovski make the flames a little better this year? Absolutely. Just not the right time for a signing like this, so it wont surprise me if you don't see any UFA signings from the Flames. I am not advocating an Oiler style rebuild but this team needs a top 5 pick next year & another TDL of selling some more vets.

He got married and went on a honeymoon...
- Todd.Cordell

You forgot to add, how his agent said he wants to take some time to see what is out there...Grabbo is in no rush to sign anywhere

I am not sure we would have to over pay him. It 3 weeks after free agency and he doesn't have a home soooooo why over pay? Maybe he takes a "bridge" contract where we guarantee him top 6 minutes and power play time and he can showcase himself for a bigger contract. 2yrsx8mill (4AAV)
- cmpdave

I think it would be a mistake to guarantee him top 6 minutes. Grabo has questionable effort to begin with and if you start making guarantees like that the only guarantee is that he won't put in the effort to earn the spot.

Guarantee him an opportunity if you want, but nothing more.

Bad Idea, really bad idea. This would be a huge step backwards on the re build. You don't bring in veterans, you let your youth play, fail and you draft high.

Grabo can do 2 things, be his usual cancer in the room or worse, make the team better and win games that cost a better draft pick.

Todd, you are usually more in tune with what is happening out here, obviously your Ontario bias is rearing its ugly head on this one.

Still a pile of players not signed and very few roster positions and cap left available. Guys are going to take less just to play. I don't see him as a fit for Calgary but you never know with Feaster.

Bad Idea, really bad idea. This would be a huge step backwards on the re build. You don't bring in veterans, you let your youth play, fail and you draft high.

Grabo can do 2 things, be his usual cancer in the room or worse, make the team better and win games that cost a better draft pick.

Todd, you are usually more in tune with what is happening out here, obviously your Ontario bias is rearing its ugly head on this one.
- Lanny9

You completely ignore the issues involved with letting youth fail, confidence. This kind of philosophy for a rebuild is only going to breed losers. You need to surround youth with some talent so they have the opportunity to thrive and develop with players capable of supporting them.

That being said, if Grabo has locker room issues as some seem to believe, I say thanks but no thanks.

I think it would be a mistake to guarantee him top 6 minutes. Grabo has questionable effort to begin with and if you start making guarantees like that the only guarantee is that he won't put in the effort to earn the spot.

Guarantee him an opportunity if you want, but nothing more.
- Muskwa

He actually doesn't. The guy plays with the biggest heart and always gives it everything he's got.

I think it would be a mistake to guarantee him top 6 minutes. Grabo has questionable effort to begin with and if you start making guarantees like that the only guarantee is that he won't put in the effort to earn the spot.

Guarantee him an opportunity if you want, but nothing more.
- Muskwa

have ever even watched a shift of his? the absolute one thing that is never questioned in grabo is his effort... the guy gives 150% every shift... whats questioned in him is his versatility because if he isnt playing top 6 he isnt nearly as effective of a player... doesnt have the defensive abilities to be a 3rd line centre

he would be the best player on the team

You completely ignore the issues involved with letting youth fail, confidence. This kind of philosophy for a rebuild is only going to breed losers. You need to surround youth with some talent so they have the opportunity to thrive and develop with players capable of supporting them.

That being said, if Grabo has locker room issues as some seem to believe, I say thanks but no thanks.
- IggyOnly

You completely ignore how to make youth better, let them play. Would it be nice to allow them 4 years in the minors like Detroit, sure, but you don't clean house of your core to then sign bought out, malcontent, cancerous UFAs with poor work effort.

What is going to affect growth more, losing as a young team or all night boozefests with with bitter, end of career hangers on.

he would be the best player on the team
- oilersrule66

That is the problem, going to take valuable minutes from kids and teach them all his bad habits, poor defensive play and all night drinking binges

I think it would be a mistake to guarantee him top 6 minutes. Grabo has questionable effort to begin with and if you start making guarantees like that the only guarantee is that he won't put in the effort to earn the spot.

Guarantee him an opportunity if you want, but nothing more.
- Muskwa

That's literally about the only thing you cannot say against him.

You completely ignore how to make youth better, let them play. Would it be nice to allow them 4 years in the minors like Detroit, sure, but you don't clean house of your core to then sign bought out, malcontent, cancerous UFAs with poor work effort.

What is going to affect growth more, losing as a young team or all night boozefests with with bitter, end of career hangers on.
- Lanny9

That's cute. His rant when he left was because the T.dot media poop all over him for not producing up to his contract number. Carlyle didn't use him in the top 6 and his minutes were obviously lower this year. So unless you have some insider scoop on how he is a bad influence, stop typing.

And yes, your plan is (frank)ing brilliant. Teach these kids that losing at the NHL level isn't so bad. Show them that no matter how many times they get wiped on the scoreboard, it's no biggie, it's a rebuild after all. This is downright ridiculous and you sound like the worst kind of Armchair GM, no (frank)ing clue how the show works. On top of that, do you know anything about ELC's? You want to burn valuable years off them just because you want the kids to "learn" in the NHL? How about injuries? You want to see a bunch of these youngsters who haven't fully developed physically or in hockey IQ just get run over all day long and end up with a brash of injuries? Ugh just NO!

I am not sure we would have to over pay him. It 3 weeks after free agency and he doesn't have a home soooooo why over pay? Maybe he takes a "bridge" contract where we guarantee him top 6 minutes and power play time and he can showcase himself for a bigger contract. 2yrsx8mill (4AAV)
- cmpdave

I prefer a simialr contract as to what iggy signed. a performance based one.

1yr, let him show what he can do, and reap the benefits if he does a lot. And his choice to move on

I would like to see more of those type of contracts popping up for the over 30 crowd.

That is the problem, going to take valuable minutes from kids and teach them all his bad habits, poor defensive play and all night drinking binges
- Lanny9

I'm not saying we should sign Grabs. But 2/3 years wouldn't hurt us. Like Iggy said, you need some players that can play around all these young bucks. In 2/3 years time we'll have young guys ready and then we can let the Grab type players move on.

That's cute. His rant when he left was because the T.dot media poop all over him for not producing up to his contract number. Carlyle didn't use him in the top 6 and his minutes were obviously lower this year. So unless you have some insider scoop on how he is a bad influence, stop typing.

And yes, your plan is (frank)ing brilliant. Teach these kids that losing at the NHL level isn't so bad. Show them that no matter how many times they get wiped on the scoreboard, it's no biggie, it's a rebuild after all. This is downright ridiculous and you sound like the worst kind of Armchair GM, no (frank)ing clue how the show works. On top of that, do you know anything about ELC's? You want to burn valuable years off them just because you want the kids to "learn" in the NHL? How about injuries? You want to see a bunch of these youngsters who haven't fully developed physically or in hockey IQ just get run over all day long and end up with a brash of injuries? Ugh just NO!
- IggyOnly

This!

Everyone jumped all over Nonis for buying him out, but it's been weeks and he's still out there. Obviously the rest of the league agrees that he's not worth near what he was making.
- Jeffmt

Umm ya thats not it at all.
But thanks

Calgary should sign him, he'd be one of their best forwards.

You completely ignore the issues involved with letting youth fail, confidence. This kind of philosophy for a rebuild is only going to breed losers. You need to surround youth with some talent so they have the opportunity to thrive and develop with players capable of supporting them.

That being said, if Grabo has locker room issues as some seem to believe, I say thanks but no thanks.
- IggyOnly

Wow! I am surprised to see you post this. You have just described the Oilers to the extreme. Yet I don't know too many Oiler fans that now say you would trade your roster with too many teams. You should know more than anybody that Monohan & Knight are nowhere near enough to start adding pieces that get you challenging for the playoffs. Why overpay withy $$$ & term to get a UFA when the team still needs to sell veterans with value & needs another wave of high end prospects & picks. Would the Oilers have signed a guy like Grabovi afterthey drafted Hall & Eberle saying the rebuild is done?? This year is a friggin given, we play young guys, we suck, we pick top 5 + any other 1st & 2nd rounders we can get from our pending UFA's this year in Stempniak, Stajan, Cammi & Butler. The next year, we probably suck again but like the Oilers last year, we do it with style & potential. After that, it'll be time to add winning pieces.