O'Reilly Offer Sheet By Flames Matched by Avs

[icevenom]

That was my take on it too. I get it. Dunno if it will work out, but I get it.

They have matt stajan... nm, i retract that comment.

[gfhyde]

Wow, dick move Feaster.

[Sportfreunde]

I was initially angry but now I hope that we let the douche walk. Duchene and Landeskog are awesome players and I'll be happy with a Duchene/Stastny 1-2 combo. Hopefully one of Hishon/Sgarbossa step up as well, we have multiple centres with better offensive potential than ROR in the system.

There's a good chance that this ends up being a top 5 or top 10 pick in which case we'd have likely two picks in the top 10 and a higher chance to win the lottery. I'd rather take those picks, let ROR walk because really he's a douche and we'd run into problems with him anyways the next time we had to negotiate a contract, draft someone good with the picks, and then offer sheet Baertschi or Brodie or whichever next Flames RFA is worth offer-sheeting.

[msb]

[QUOTE=The Guvnah;1098083]If we want to talk about character, why not look at a guy like Jonathan Toews? There aren't many players who are a better mix of character and skill than Toews, and his cap hit is 6.3 mil. Yes, it was signed under the previous CBA, but this is the first year since the lockout where the cap is going to fall, and everybody KNOWS it's going to fall. Anybody think this kid is worth that kind of money? Really?

My sentiments exactly.

[Kessel50]

After all thats happened can the Avs even match?

I think itll be tougher to trade him with the new contract( in terms of return).

Getting a lottery first is solid

[Puppage]

I'd rather take those picks, let ROR walk because really he's a douche and we'd run into problems with him anyways the next time we had to negotiate a contract, draft someone good with the picks, and then offer sheet Baertschi or Brodie or whichever next Flames RFA is worth offer-sheeting.

I have a feeling that Feaster gave the Avalanche brass a heads up that he was going to offer sheet by a certain time...I just don't think its as a dick move as some people are thinking a la Dustin Penner.

[Puppage]

Annndddd the Avs have matched the offer sheet.

[Kessel50]

Wow Flames seem pumped by the move. Up 2-0 early in first.

[Loch]

I hate Feaster and the Flames, but I really like this move and wish the Oilers had the nuts to make a move to address THEIR own team needs instead of catering to the "old guard" collusion sucking greedy pig dog owners. It's bidness.

I compare this a little to when Ryan Kesler was signed to an offer sheet by Philly way, way back after the 2005-06 season. At the time it was considered absolutely criminal for a team to sign a player to an offer sheet. The amounts were much, much smaller and the term was only one year, but the impact is similar.

Kesler was 22 coming off of his 2nd season, the best was the 05-06 season where he scored 23 points in 82 games. O'Reilly is 22 coming off his 3rd season with back to back 26 point years and a huge uptick to 55 points in his 3rd year. Both players bring the intangibles and a two way acumen. Who doesn't think Kesler is worth his weight in gold now? Seasons of 73 and 75 points and tough to play against. These are the guys that should get the money, not those steenking eurotrash floaters who play awesome one day, then take a week off trying to catch butterflies at center hice.

For purely selfish reasons, I want to see the Avs match because I don't want ROR to be a Flamer.

When Kesler signed his 5mil/yr contract he was coming off 3 straight 20 goal campaigns, the last two being 25+ and his breakout 75pt season. O'Reilly was just given the same cap hit with nowhere near the pedigree. Don't forget, there was a 3 year bridge contract (which was under 2mil/yr) between the offer sheet and Kelser's current deal. This is the sort of contract that O'Reilly should be on. Indeed, Duchene signed that sort of deal once his ELC was up.

Also, as a percentage of cap the Kesler offer sheet was a bit lower, 4.3% of next year's cap, whereas O'Reilly is looking at 7.8% of next year's cap (this year is not the issue) which seems a bit problematic as the Flames aren't swimming in cap space.

It could work out, but frankly I think it is going to force some hard choices (unless Iggy does them an absolute sweet-heart deal)


*Edit* - I was typing whilst the Avs apparently matched... speaking of teams looking for cap trouble next year...

[DerekReese]

Colorado just matched the Flames offer sheet.

[Bomm Bastic]

Colorado just match the Flames offer sheet.

Oh snap! Now they can't trade him for a year, correct?

[metaldude26]

Considering what the Flames have up the middle this is a risk I think they have to take. Simply put, you don't get first line centermen without paying up or getting lucky and drafting one. Now you can argue that O'Reilly isn't a top line centerman but last season he proved that he was capable.

The only issue is that acquiring him doesn't necessarily make Calgary a contender but really this team probably isn't dropping into the bottom three after acquiring him so really getting him is as good if not better than having a shot at a top three pick in this draft. You know what you are getting with O'Reilly better than any top pick even if the history of success with those guys is pretty damn high.

O'Reilly's contract also isn't so much more expensive than what you'd pay a top three pick anyway and if I'm not mistaken he'll remain an RFA at the end of this deal so Calgary will continue to hold onto his rights, which makes him nearly as valuable as a guy on a rookie deal.

Finally, if Colorado matches then at least you've saddled your division rival with a player who has conflict there and you've forced them to pay more than they wanted to keep him.

I say good deal and I'm with Comish on this one, I wish the Oilers had the sack to try the same deal. Imagine O'Reilly on that team!

[metaldude26]

And I guess they matched...

Still a good gamble for the Flames. I don't know why it had to come to this for Colorado.

[Loch]

And I guess they matched...

Still a good gamble for the Flames. I don't know why it had to come to this for Colorado.

Because O'Reilly is a character guy? Or maybe because the Avs are well run?

Or both?

[mapletreemarty]

No brainer for the Avs to match, didn't surprise me they matched right away, they need O'Reilly in the lineup and fast.