Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - The Ryan O'Reilly saga last week left a
considerable amount of egg on the face of the Calgary Flames, but the entire
scenario should leave their fans more concerned than embarrassed.
The Flames, as has been well-documented, made a bold yet miscalculated attempt
at snaring the former restricted free agent from the Colorado Avalanche by way
of offer sheet.
What they had not realized at the time was, in a story first broke by reporter
Chris Johnston of Sportsnet in Canada, had they been successful, they would
not only have been forced to send the Avalanche compensation - in this case
first- and third-round draft picks - but would have almost certainly lost
O'Reilly as well due to a CBA rule that would have necessitated his exposure
on the waiver wire.
However, it's not the Flames' misinterpretation of the new CBA rule that
should have fans worried but rather the path the franchise has indicated they
want to go down by making such a move in the first place.
While acquiring the 22-year-old O'Reilly would have marked a step in the right
direction for a team that should be looking toward a youth movement - their
average age is 29.4 - surrendering a pair of draft picks, including one that
has a high chance of being a lottery pick, is a truly baffling move
considering the Flames aren't exactly well-stocked in the prospects
department.
Beyond 2011 first rounder Sven Baertschi, who has struggled this season since
making the jump to the NHL full-time, but had been putting up decent numbers
at the AHL level in his first season as a pro, there isn't a long line of
up-and-coming players for Flames fans to get excited over and certainly none
in their system who are considered sure-fire future superstars.
At the same time, the price the Flames were willing to hand over to a player
who has yet to show he belongs among the league's elite is perplexing.
While his average cap hit of $5 million isn't necessarily out of line with
other second-line centers around the league, the $6.5 million they were to pay
O'Reilly in 2013-14 - the final year of his contract before he returns to
restricted free agent status - meant the Flames would have to commit to making
him essentially their franchise player in two years time when he would be due
for a salary increase, or else risk having him turn into a very expensive two-
year rental.
It's frightening to think a team that hasn't made the postseason in three
straight seasons and ought to be leaning toward a rebuild would be willing to
dole out that much for a rental player.
It's even more frightening, however, to think they would be willing to make a
franchise-altering move seemingly on a whim. They would be overpaying a player
who has yet to show he is more than a solid second-line center and making him
the focal point of their team as if they hadn't learned their lessons from the
past, when they've similarly handed out or acquired big-money contracts
for players such as Olli Jokinen or Jay Bouwmeester that have yielded little
value in return.
The Flames caught a break in more ways than one with the Avalanche deciding to
match their offer sheet to O'Reilly, but if this whole saga is an indication
of the direction that Calgary wants to be headed in, then there might be
bigger issues the franchise and its fan base will have to suffer through in
the near future.
And next time, there might not be a reset button.
The Sports Network