Follow Colin on Twitter! Follow @ColinDJD
Just a quick hit for tonight, but according to Dustin Nielson of TSN, the Calgary Flames are very interested in the services of Tom Gilbert, if/when he becomes available via FA on July 1st.
It is unlikely that the Flames will make any hasty moves with respect to trying to acquire his rights before Tuesday, however once the free agency period begins, they are believed to have a strong interest in trying to sign the 31 defensemen.
6'2, 205lbs Gilbert is a strong skating, veteran defenseman who can move the puck with ease. He would provide a strong leadership presence to the Flames backend, as the team looks to improve year by year.
Calgary is quite young and are amidst a rebuild, so the odds of a player like Gilbert wanting to sign with such a team is typically not very great. That said, it will all depend on what type of contract Tom is looking for as the Flames happen to have a ton of cap space available and could afford to throw a few extra dollars to the defenseman to try and sway his decision.
Personally, I am not overly in favour of the move as I would rather see the organization allow for a younger player to move up in the ranks. By allowing a player like say, TJ Brodie to continue to play big minutes and perhaps increase his responsibility on the team, it speaks volumes to those trying to work their way up.
Conversely, and as it was pointed out to me today via Twitter, allowing some of the younger players to naturally develop at their own pace can equally be as important to a team like Calgary. While this doesn't necessarily apply to Brodie, it means that by bringing in a guy like Gilbert who can play big minutes and mentor a few younger players, the Flames would not need to rely on a rookie who may not be fully developed.
Keep in mind, that some players strive when pressured, while others fall flat on their face. When trying to decide whether you want more vets or allow your rookies the chance to play big minutes, it's not always black and white.
That's all for now, I will have more later as things continue to heat up.
Thanks for reading!