Calgary Flames

[rataylor22]

If Calgary was smart, they would leverage this opportunity to do exactly what Seattle and Vegas did. Start fresh. Leverage cap space for opportunity. Even with Kadri and Huberdeau's contracts, there is so much opportunity getting rid of Hanifin, Lindholm, Toffoli, and Backlund. Just takes some courage. I do not expect Calgary to be smart and courageous.

[Daydream Nation]

Still canÂ’t believe they thought Sutter was a good idea.

Agreed. Wonder if the damage has already been done and the players still just want out.

[dejeanneret]

Toffoli is another one who reportedly wants out. Messy, messy situation in Calgary it seems.

Is it just left over Sutter distaste, or is there something else systemically wrong in the organization? Just seems strange that so many veteran players want out all back-to-back-to-back without some sort of "there" there.

[rataylor22]

Toffoli is another one who reportedly wants out. Messy, messy situation in Calgary it seems.

Is it just left over Sutter distaste, or is there something else systemically wrong in the organization? Just seems strange that so many veteran players want out all back-to-back-to-back without some sort of "there" there.

Its the owner.

[2014olympicgold]

If you aren't having fun and winning, you lose the rose coloured glasses of a situation. The stadium is old and sucks, the city is not an amazing time in the winter, the taxes are something players don't want to deal with (ways to get around it, but you can't touch the money for years). Then if the owner is cheap, then you bet the facilities like weight room, food, travel and what not aren't to the level of other organizations.

If the team was fun to play on, I'm sure some of the guys would stay. Plus when your boss leaves due to the owner (Treliving) you are now treating the situation even more black and white with less emotional attachment.

[Canucks_fan18]

I think Calgary is a beautiful city during the winter, you have the mountains a close drive away, and during the summer you have some of the best golf courses in North America. By comparison Edmonton is a crap hole.

I think it comes down to the facilities. By the time a new arena is built it will be 5 years minimum. Who would want to stick around in a crappy barn like that? The Sutter thing doesn't make sense considering he's out now. Why leave? Also I hear him and Toffoli had a good relationship, heck for his deployment he should be sending Sutter a gift basket every Christmas.

Still the barn alone doesn't explain all of this. Maybe owner? I really never seen anything like it.

[2014olympicgold]

I think Calgary is a beautiful city during the winter, you have the mountains a close drive away, and during the summer you have some of the best golf courses in North America. By comparison Edmonton is a crap hole.

I think it comes down to the facilities. By the time a new arena is built it will be 5 years minimum. Who would want to stick around in a crappy barn like that? The Sutter thing doesn't make sense considering he's out now. Why leave? Also I hear him and Toffoli had a good relationship, heck for his deployment he should be sending Sutter a gift basket every Christmas.

Still the barn alone doesn't explain all of this. Maybe owner? I really never seen anything like it.

During the winter, the players aren't taking advantage of the positives of the area, during the summer they aren't living in Calgary.

[kovalchuk17]

Calgary is far nicer than Edmonton (no offense) in terms of livability. That being said, all Canadian teams are at an inherent disadvantage for the tax/lifestyle reasons noted above on top of the crappy rink + facilities. I am very glad the new arena is on the way but it wont be ready until MAYBE the end of Huberdeau's contract haha.

Players who are about to be free agents have 'some' leverage to control their destiny and I do not blame them for doing so. Lindholm was traded to Calgary, so was Hanifin and Toffoli. They've all made enough money now where the important thing is being happy whatever that means to them.

Re-tooling now is the logical thing to do. You could probably get a good haul of assets for Lindholm + Hanifin + Backlund + Toffoli with one year left on their deals then take on some inefficient contracts to round out the scoring lines.

[Canucks_fan18]

I wonder how much they could get for those 4?

Hanifin- two 1sts? Or a 1st + a good prospect
Lindholm- Same price as Hanifin.
Backlund- 1st/2nd and a prospect
Toffoli- 1st/2nd and a prospect

So something like 4 1sts, 2nd and 2 to 4 quality prospects for those 4 combined.

[TrailerParkFlyers]

I wonder how much they could get for those 4?

Hanifin- two 1sts? Or a 1st + a good prospect
Lindholm- Same price as Hanifin.
Backlund- 1st/2nd and a prospect
Toffoli- 1st/2nd and a prospect

So something like 4 1sts, 2nd and 2 to 4 quality prospects for those 4 combined.

There would need to be sign and trades to get first round picks in return

[2014olympicgold]

Is a 34yr old, 50pt center who's making $5.35m that has a MNTC worth a 1st if he doesn't want to be in that city in Backlund?

I think out of the 4 players if all are moved you're looking at:
2 late firsts, 2 2nds, 2 NHL-ish young players.

Lindholm and Hanifin are the big ones, and it completely changes if you get them under a sign and trade. But Toffoli and Backlund, if you get 2 1sts out of them I'd be floored,

[lobo1969]

Still the barn alone doesn't explain all of this. Maybe owner? I really never seen anything like it.

The answer is easy, the Flames were absolutely emasculated by the Oilers last year in the playoffs. It has been downhill ever since and all these players, starting with Gaudreau, haven't shaken the trauma and are now trying to flee the scene of the crime.

It warms the hearts of all Oiler fans

[rataylor22]

Is a 34yr old, 50pt center who's making $5.35m that has a MNTC worth a 1st if he doesn't want to be in that city in Backlund?

I think out of the 4 players if all are moved you're looking at:
2 late firsts, 2 2nds, 2 NHL-ish young players.

Lindholm and Hanifin are the big ones, and it completely changes if you get them under a sign and trade. But Toffoli and Backlund, if you get 2 1sts out of them I'd be floored,

List of players that have netted a 1st+ in the last year alone:

Ivan Provorov
Tyler Bertuzzi
Jakob Chychrun
Filip Hronek
Korpisalo/Gavikov
Rasmus Sandin
Jake McCabe
Tanner Jeannot
Timo Meier
Dmitry Orlov
Ryan O'Reilly
Vladimir Tarasenko
Bo Horvat
Nils Lundkvist
Kirby Dach
Alex Romanov

Hanifin, Lindholm, and Toffoli are on 3 of the best value contracts in the league. If Conroy doesn't get at least a first or an A prospect for each of them it's a complete fleecing. Backlund is more on the bubble, but he's a low end 2C/very high end 3C and it's very likely he gets a first as well. Most of the players on the list above were expiring or 1 year remaining contracts with no extension in place as of today.

- - - Updated - - -

There would need to be sign and trades to get first round picks in return

There's just simply no evidence of this if you actually look at the last year of transactions.

[rataylor22]

If you aren't having fun and winning, you lose the rose coloured glasses of a situation. The stadium is old and sucks, the city is not an amazing time in the winter, the taxes are something players don't want to deal with (ways to get around it, but you can't touch the money for years). Then if the owner is cheap, then you bet the facilities like weight room, food, travel and what not aren't to the level of other organizations.

If the team was fun to play on, I'm sure some of the guys would stay. Plus when your boss leaves due to the owner (Treliving) you are now treating the situation even more black and white with less emotional attachment.

14 NHL cities have higher tax rates than Alberta. It's like people just spout bullshit without even an ounce of critical thought.

[rataylor22]

The owner (and by extension the building) is the only major problem in Calgary. Everything else is uninformed nonsense.