28 Dec 2021 18:41:34
Calgary trades:
Sean Monahan @3.1875M (50% retained) UFA 2023
Dillon Dube @2.3M RFA 2024
2022 first round pick

New Jersey trades:
Pavel Zacha @2.25M RFA 2022

Could be considered an overpay by Calgary but assuming they call up Pelletier to replace Dube it opens up 2.3745 million in additional cap space on top of the nearly 1 million they have now.
Zacha is due for a raise next year it'll be a nice one if he does well in Calgary but it won't be huge. The cap space gained should be more than enough to cover it. Monahan gets a paycut a year after that for sure and it'll be a big one unless he turns things around soon.

Could replace Dube with Valimaki and retain less on Monahan too.

Interesting coincidence, Monahan and Zacha were both 6th overall picks in their draft years.

28 Dec 2021 21:26:06
After thinking about it a bit more if the Devils are willing to take Monahan with no retention the Flames might do Monahan, Dube, Valimaki and the first round pick.

With the cap they have now that'd give them a total of 6.5 million in cap space and open up a whole lot of options to fill the hole at RW.

The Devils have plenty of cap space now and Monahan's contract expires at the end next season.

28 Dec 2021 21:29:09
Dude what, that’s such an overpayment for Zacha. Why would Calgary do this?

28 Dec 2021 23:48:21
Yeah that’s too much just for Zacha alone, would need some more pieces coming back for sure, either Prospects or Picks.

Closest comparable trades in the past 2 years might be Colin Dvorak or Jean-Gabriel Pageau who each brought back a Conditional 1st RD Pick + a 2nd RD Pick. Zacha’s highest goal totals to date are 13 and 17, which he’s on track to equal or slightly surpass again this year, otherwise it was 8-9 goals in 60-70 games.

For me it would be one of a 1st RD Pick OR Valimaki OR Zary + one of Dube OR Monahan w/ $2mil retained x2 years. I might still negotiate a 3rd or 4th RD NJD Pick back OR one of Nathan Bastian/ Kevin Dahl/ Tyce Thompson/ A Former 3rd RD Picked Prospects in addition to Zacha.

Anything more and we need to discuss adding and getting Ryan Graves, Andreas Johnsson, Nolan Foote or Chase Stillman as part of the deal as well.

29 Dec 2021 00:22:36
On a quick side note, I really like the projected lines/ depth chart for the Flames on CapFriendly and hope they go with it moving forward:

Gaudreau/ Lindholm/ Tkachuk
Lucic/ Backlund/ Coleman
Mangiapane/ Dube/ Richie
Richardson/ Monahan/ Lewis

Only other thing I might suggest would be moving Lucic back to the 4th Line with Rich and Lewy and putting Monahan on LW of the Backlund one, but make it the 3rd line, making the Dube line the 2nd. I might also try Coleman at RW on the Dube line as well. If anybody continues to struggle or gets injured/ sick after that, bring in Pelletier and Ruzicka to fill in where needed.

29 Dec 2021 00:27:00
Actually, Dube + Monahan (50% Retained) should be almost be enough on its own to get Zacha.

29 Dec 2021 07:06:12
Calgary does it because they're in win now mode.

Also cap space is gold right now and this deal creates more cap space room for the Flames.

Calgary can't afford to keep hoping Monahan finds his mojo again before the playoffs. Next year is too late they need to move him and recover some cap space now. Even with 50% retention on him they'd still be recovering cap space on his contract alone.

Zacha will replace Monahan centering the second or third line. He was the leading scoring on a bad team last year, he'll produce more playing with the Flames. Probably close to double last year's production if he's on the second line with Mangiapane and Pelletier or Coleman.

Dube is the odd man out amongst the left shot forwards in Calgary. He could use a change of scenery, will drop further down the depth chart with the addition of Zacha and will have a much better opportunity to make the 2nd line in NJ. Pelletier can replace Dube in Calgary for less than half the cap hit recovering more cap space and could very well provide a much needed offensive spark on the second or third line.

The first (likely a very late first) is the sweetener convincing the Devils to do it. Otherwise they just hang onto their versatile young former 6th overall draft pick who can play center or wing on either of the top lines. They're loaded with young centers with Hischier, Hughes and Mercer all being even younger than Zacha.

Pageau is not a comparable. Pageau was older then than Zacha is, coming off a bigger contract and I believe he was a pending UFA at the time too. Zacha is a still young and a pending RFA with only a $2.25 mil cap hit on his current contract.

29 Dec 2021 17:54:02
Yes, I understand if NJ doesn't want to trade Zacha, CGY will have to over pay and make an offer NJ can't refuse to pry him away, but a 1st in addition to Dube + Monahan WITH retention seems like a lot already considering Monahan has been pretty close/ = to Zacha the past 2 years, it's just that he's almost 3 times the cost and is on a downward trajectory while Zacha is on an upward trajectory, so retaining $2-3 million of Monahan's contract + getting Dube as well should both compensate AND be a sweetener for NJ in my opinion to do the trade.

NJ would be getting 2 pieces for 1 and I think they could use Monahan's experience and leadership and experience to groom the young guys, but if they don't agree, they could always flip Monahan by retaining another @1.5-2mil of his contract to a contender for at least a 2nd RD Pick if not more (Two 2nds or a 2nd + a 3rd or possibly even a late 1st), as I'm sure a contender would value and take Monahan if his salary was 1/ 4-1/ 3 of his current 6.375 = only 1.6-2.10mil.

Even if CGY needed to add a bit more, they should get something back in return, as in if they provide one of a 1st/ Valimaki/ Zary, they should get NJ's 2nd RD Pick or equivalent Prospect back in return OR if Calgary offered a 2nd which they have 2 of, NJ could send their 3rd or 4th of which they have 3 of. So obtaining a higher pick in exchange for a lower pick would be the additional sweetener. Again, I understand we're looking to pry a young guy away, but I just don't think we have to sell the farm to do so.

I definitely value Zacha and am keen to get him because of his age, upward trajectory and lower salary, but wonder if he or Hertl would be best to make a cup run with this year. Pavelski would be a rental to consider as well if we can get him 50% retained from Dallas. We could always pursue Zacha again in the off season.

29 Dec 2021 21:58:49
I figure NJ would turn down anything less. Maybe a second instead of a first might be enough but I think the Flames already traded this year's second. Or maybe they might settle for less than 50% retention but they're not going to do us a favor and take on Monahan's cap hit for nothing.

Or maybe they'd take Dube and a first. Put Zacha at center and move Monahan to the wing. That might work but I'd rather pay a little more to move Monahan and at least some of his cap hit at the same time.

Hertl would be a good pickup but I'm not sure the Sharks will trade him at all. Even if they do they'll probably want more than he's worth to the Flames. He's a UFA and looking like he'll be getting a nice raise next year from the 5.525 he makes now. That means he'd be a pure rental Calgary won't be able to resign for next year. I bet the Sharks ask for at least a first and something else. A good prospect, a player like Dube or maybe a second round pick. IMO that's just too much for a playoff rental we'll have no chance of resigning.

Zacha on the other hand is an RFA making only 2.25M. Calgary will be able to resign him easily especially if they free up some cap space by moving Monahan and Dube.

30 Dec 2021 18:52:04
@MoxNix CGY has TWO 2nd Round Picks this year: Their Regular Pick + Florida's which they received in the Sam Bennett Trade.

I wouldn't consider Dube nothing for taking on Monahan and Monahan is still a good player, he's just not what he was and he's very expensive for what he currently provides.

As much as I agree we should try to move him to find a better Centre or RW option for this year's playoffs and to clear Cap Space this year to do so and for next year's re-signings, I don't believe he has zero or negative value. I think many teams would still like to have him. He literally just turned 28, so he's still young/ time to recover and I maintain he has value as a mentor.

He's not a Loui Eriksson by any means and that said, Vancouver was able to trade Eriksson's $6mil contract + dump two other aging veterans contracts (2x$3mil= $6mil) for a total of $12mil for a 1st, 2nd and 7th Round Pick AND received Oliver-Ekman-Larsson (with $990k retained x 6 years = almost $6mil) + RFA Connor Garland who is debatably equal to, if not better, than Zacha in return.

Sutter is said to be looking for a another puck moving defenseman, so not sure if they would be interested in Subban (CGY seems to be good on RD) or if they can get Ryan Graves AND Pavel Zacha in a similar type deal, but if the price is too high, there are other options like Jared McCann out of Seattle OR maybe Detroit sells high on Dylan Larkin or maybe Pius Suter is an option OR they go after mid-20's J. T. Miller, Adam Henrique, Max Domi or Ryan Stome instead.

Definitely don't want to pay too much for a UFA we could lose to Free Agency, so I think a sign and trade needs to happen and Team's like San Jose/ NYR/ CLB have to make a decision on guys' like Hertl/ Strome/ CLB as to whether these guys are in their long-term plans or not and if not, Calgary should be able to talk to the players or agents to determine if there's a long-term fit and commitment before paying too much.

Otherwise if Hertl's just going to be a rental, for SJ to get any Prospects/ Picks in the deal, they simply need to take Monahan back with no retention in exchange. I believe a team could take Monahan off our hands for a 2nd or 3rd RD Pick or equivalent Prospect and then flip him in exchange for a 1st, TWO 2nd's, or THREE 3rd's Monahan with up to 50% retention. He's really not as bad or low value as you think, CGY just needs somebody either better or cheaper, so he's expendable. Same goes for Zadorov and Pitlick.

30 Dec 2021 20:43:17
Where we disagree is I have no doubt it'll take at least a first to move Monahan without retention now.

For 2+ years I've been on the keep Monahan, don't sell low, he'll bounce back train. But I've completely lost patience with him at this point. He's a shell of the player he was 3 years ago, no longer worth even half his cap hit anymore.

I'd pass on Strome.

The only player in Columbus I'd be very interested in is Oliver Bjorkstrand. While I'd love to get Bjorkstrand, Columbus isn't looking to trade him. It'd take a big overpay get him. Voracek is too old and gets paid too much, Laine is soft, overrated, overpaid and a huge defensive liability. And there's just no way Columbus trades Werenski now.

There's no way SJ gives us Hertl and takes Monahan without retention in return either. Not without Calgary adding a lot more than just a second or third. SJ would be better off keeping and resigning Hertl than doing that. Calgary can't afford to take on Hertl AND retain more than about 1 mil on Monahan either which wouldn't be enough to lower the price in additional assets much.

Even teams that desperately need centers (Columbus and Ottawa) wouldn't give up much for Monahan right now, not even with 50% retention.

30 Dec 2021 22:00:59
My apologies, I was wrong, Monahan just turned 27 in October.

31 Dec 2021 03:16:22
I understand your frustrations concerning Monahan, but he's still putting up 0.46PPG this year.

I already proposed Monahan + a 1st or Prospect/ Zary for Hertl/ 50% retained.

CGY doesn't need the retention, I just proposed it to pursue a RW as well, but if that's not enough and it takes a 2nd/ 3rd/ 4th to get the 30-50% retention, they should do it, BUT only if they can get Hertl to agree to signing an extension, otherwise there may be better deals out there. I proposed 3yrs/ 6.5mil; 4yrs/ 6.25mil; 5yrs/ 6m; 6yrs/ 5.75m; 7yrs/ 5.35m. 4 years would be best/ ideal, but Hertl may want a longer term contract like everybody else is seemingly getting these days.

Hertl may not want to leave SJ and vise versa, but they haven't come to an agreement yet and SJ is planning to do a rebuild and want to harvest Picks/ Prospects, they will need Hertl as bait and may no longer have him in their plans long-term. Sure his wife/ girlfriend might be upset leaving California for Alberta, but it'll be more money in his pocket, less income taxes and it's only a handful of months per year for a few years.

If Hertl's just going to be a rental, CGY should try to find a better deal or offer a lower Pick/ Prospect, but yes, the key is finding somebody who will take Monahan. I definitely think he's still worth 50% = 3.1875mil of his contract and again, a Team could flip him for another Pick (s) / Prospect (s) . He doesn't suck (okay maybe defensively lately) ; he's just not what he once was.