Calgary Flames: Five Players Not Living Up To Their Payroll
The Calgary Flames had some returning favorites and some new faces this season. However, they haven’t had the start they hoped for. Who are five players not living up to their payroll?
The Calgary Flames are 12-13-2 through the first 25 games of the season. So not exactly that great, but not horrible. They’re at least still very close to the 0.500 record and they’re still (surprisingly) in a playoff position (for now).
But of course, just like any season and any team, there are some players not quite living up to their pay this season. I just want to first and foremost put out a disclaimer that I love all these players. But just like any article, you have to be critical. So here are the five players on the Flames who we believe aren’t living up to their payroll so far this season (This will go in order of 5 being the player most living up to their payroll out of these five and number 1 will be the least deserving. That sounds cruel and mean. I’m sorry).
November 5, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter (77) helps goalie Peter Budaj (31) defend the goal against Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) during the third period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
5. Johnny Gaudreau
Man, this story with Johnny Gaudreau since the off-season has been a wild one. First he goes into the World Cup with no contract. Absolutely kills it there. Then (finally) gets signed literally two days before the season starts.
So what happens when the season starts? Well, he doesn’t perform up to everyone’s expectations, that’s for sure. After finishing last season seventh overall for points with 79 and being 0.99 points/gp, everyone had high hopes for him this season. Finishing with 64 points the season before that in his first full season in the NHL and being one of the factors in the Flames’ unexpected playoff run that season and being one of the three nominees for the Calder trophy, it’s no wonder why he got that big contract two days before the season started. After a long negotiation process, they finally came to a deal on six years, $40.5 million contract, averaging at $6.75 million salary which is tied for the highest with Flames captain Mark Giordano.
This season, he was starting to get his game back before he unfortunately got injured on November 15th. To be fair, if he didn’t get injured, he probably wouldn’t have made this list if he kept up his little bit of a scoring boost. However that being said, he didn’t start his season as if he just signed a hefty contract. Yes, he has been leading, until he got injured, for points among the Flames. But that doesn’t say much when everybody else on the team isn’t performing well either. He still only has 11 points in 17 games and to make matters worse, he has the second worst +/- on the team with -10.
To contrast this, last season, even with the Flames worse start than they have this season, Gaudreau was still always averaging just about a point per game.
We also know how much this kid likes to deke and dangle. However, it’s costing him this season because for some reason, he isn’t as good at it and it has costed him 24 giveaways this season. This wouldn’t be as bad if he had a decent amount of takeaways like he did the previous two seasons. But he only has seven so far this season.
Luckily, the Flames have been doing just fine without him. But as you can assume, all the players and staff are eagerly awaiting his return.
Conclusion: He needs to kill it when he gets back from his injury. They don’t call him Johnny Hockey for nothing.
Feb 25, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Lance Bouma (17) and New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) fight during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
4. Lance Bouma
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Let me start off by saying I’m a huge Lance Bouma fan and I always have been. And he has had a rough few seasons with the injuries that keep coming. I do hope when he comes back this season that’ll be it for his injuries for at least a few years because I do believe he’s a hard worker. But let’s be real. He’s overpaid.
I know he plays a specific role on the team. But that specific role shouldn’t pay that much. Right now Bouma’s on a three-year, $6.6 million contract that expires after next season, averaging around $2.2 million a year. Yeah, it’s not a big chunk of money (compared to other NHL players, of course), but it’s a lot more than what he does and other players who play the same role don’t get paid that much.
There are talks suggesting Bouma might be going to Las Vegas next season for the expansion. Now, I don’t think I’ll ever be emotionally prepared for any player from the Calgary Flames leaving to go to Vegas. But it’ll happen.
Conclusion: Bouma going to Vegas might not be horrible for the Flames. Only on my heart.
Oct 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Calgary Flames center Sean Monahan (23) reacts after scoring a goal on Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the second period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
3. Sean Monahan
This is all because Sean Monahan cut his hair. I’m still not over that and I will never forgive him for that. Anyways, Monahan is a bit in the same boat as Gaudreau right now. Him and the Calgary Flames agreed on a seven-year $44.625 million contract during the off-season. A little sooner than Gaudreau, that’s for sure. But I think it’s safe to say that every contract got finalized before Gaudreau’s.
I will say this though, Monahan has been performing a lot better this week. He’s still just missing that bit of confidence that he never really had to start off the season. He has just 11 points on 27 games this season and only one power-play point. The Flames are in a big power-play funk right now and where Monahan was able to help out the last two seasons as on the first power-play unit, he hasn’t been able to do that this season. But to be fair, no player on the Flames really has been able to.
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Like I said, this past week he’s been performing a lot better and if this article was written in about another week or so, he probably wouldn’t have made this list. But again, he still hasn’t found his confidence quite yet. He’s making passes when he should just shoot the puck; he’s definitely not shooting as much as he should be. Two seasons ago, he was going through a bit of a scoring funk as well and he had a talk with former head coach Bob Hartley to start thinking more offensively and since that, he took off again. Maybe that’s all he needs again this season. Or he needs his BFF Gaudreau back. I mean, he did score the shootout winner against the Minnesota Wild on December second, maybe that was the confidence boost he needed.
Conclusion: Right now he’s not performing up to his payroll, but he will be in no time. Maybe all he needs is his buddy by his side again.
Nov 15, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Calgary Flames forward Matt Stajan (18) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Flames defeated the Wild 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
2. Matt Stajan
Matt Stajan has been a bit of a story over the last few seasons. With his wife very sadly and unfortunately giving a stillbirth to their son, Emerson, and him scoring a penalty shot the game he came back from personal leave (His teammates’ support for that was very sweet).
— Sean Monahan (@Monahan20) March 23, 2014
But on a business side of things, he’s definitely overpaid for his role on the team. He’s meant as a third/fourth line guy and to be a penalty killer. But similar to Bouma’s situation, he’s overpaid. Players on the Calgary Flames who are playing his role, and playing it better, are getting about a third less than him.
Right now, Stajan is on a four-year $12.5 million contract which averages around $3.125 million a year. I was asking for my dad’s opinion on this since he’s been watching hockey since way before I was even born, and I brought up Stajan. He says, “No he’s fine he’s playing a specific role on the team anyways,” but then I brought up how he gets over $3 million a year and he goes, “THREE MILLION?” So my dad likes Stajan, just not for that much.
Right now, a player like Micheal Ferland who has a similar role, but is doing it better, gets paid less than a third than him. Other players on the team we can compare to him are also getting less than a third he’s getting. Players like Alex Chiasson and I’d even say Freddie Hamilton reminds me a lot of Stajan too.
Conclusion: My dad’s right. He’s valuable to the team, just not $3 million valuable.
Nov 15, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman (6) passes during the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
1. Dennis Wideman
I’d like to start by apologizing for how horrible that teaser was. “This Pay Is Too Wide, Man” Oh God. Anyways, first of all, I am a huge Dennis Wideman fan. I am always talking about how he is one of the Flames’ snipers (alongside Deryk Engelland) (Okay that’s mainly a joke but I’ve been saying it so much lately I’m starting to believe it). But let’s be real. $5.25 million a year for this guy?
I’ll admit, in the 2014-2015 he was absolutely worth it and he was definitely a valuable top-four defenseman. But unfortunately, the Calgary Flames have been in kind of a bad contract with Wideman. Especially since he’s also on a no-movement clause with the team, which basically means they can’t trade him, put him on waivers, or assign him to the minors without the player agreeing to it. Personally, I wouldn’t put him on waivers or assign him to the minors anyways. But, ever since the whole Wideman vs Refs last season, it seems like he’s got a bit of a target on his back by the officials. So, many teams might not even want him.
Which of course, is highly unrealistic, but hey.
Fortunately for Flames fans, after the end of this season it will be the end of his contract. And if Flames want to keep him, at least they can relieve some cap space.
Conclusion: He may be the Flames primary sniper, but $5.25 million is too high.
So what did we learn from all this? Some players are in bad contracts and some players who just got a ton of money don’t know how to act now.
Let’s just hope that some of these players start living up to their payroll.
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