We're comparing Reggie and Wideman, not Reggie and Butler. This last year we didn't have a top pair, we had a top guy. It was Jbo, and that's about it. He needs help. By bringing in a guy like Wideman it allows everyone else to play within themselves a little more.
JBo doesn't have to do everything, Gio doesn't have to play quite so many minutes. Butler can play against easier competition.
I like the move.
I could care less what you like. I dislike an organization that has no idea what direction they're going. Feaster wants to get out from under burdensome contracts so he sends out a 2nd round pick to dump Regehr and Kotalik. Then he proceeds to pick up another burdensome contract for another pick. It makes no sense. We say we aren't rebuilding, then we take a 5 year project that "hopefully" pans out. This team is all over the map.
If you think Wideman would make a good top pairing defender against tough opposition, you've never seen him play. He's very similar to Liles, moves the puck well, gets shots through and gets eaten alive in his own end. If he plays on the top pairing with JBo or Gio (whichever really) that pairing gets eaten alive. He played very sheltered minutes with a caps team that wasn't very good defensively. Imagine him and JBo trying to contain Clowe, Thornton and Marleau on the cycle... *shudder*
I could care less what you like. I dislike an organization that has no idea what direction they're going. Feaster wants to get out from under burdensome contracts so he sends out a 2nd round pick to dump Regehr and Kotalik. Then he proceeds to pick up another burdensome contract for another pick. It makes no sense. We say we aren't rebuilding, then we take a 5 year project that "hopefully" pans out. This team is all over the map.
If you think Wideman would make a good top pairing defender against tough opposition, you've never seen him play. He's very similar to Liles, moves the puck well, gets shots through and gets eaten alive in his own end. If he plays on the top pairing with JBo or Gio (whichever really) that pairing gets eaten alive. He played very sheltered minutes with a caps team that wasn't very good defensively. Imagine him and JBo trying to contain Clowe, Thornton and Marleau on the cycle... *shudder*
I live in DC but I'm not a Caps fan so I think I'm unbiased. This is an awful deal, sorry. He's great for the PP but is below average in just about every other way. Decent option on the second pairing but at 5.25M for 5 years... that is just not a smart move by Feaster at all. Whether he would have gotten more on the FA market is irrelevant because in no way is this a step in the right direction for the Flames, in my opinion.
I think Jbo is gone. I think Feaster is continuing to clear cap and if he moves Jbo this will do that. There have been lots of rumors that Bouwmeester is going to be traded, I think Feaster did this to ensure he found a replacement before July, 1st. He has done that, I expect him to be moved.
Hes overpaid by about 1mil. I dont think this means that Bouwmeester is for sure gone though. Bouwmeester would greatly benefit from playing with a pure offensive guy like Wideman. Flames needed to add at least 2 top 4 defenseman and signed one of the top free agents that was going to be there. Good move, slightly overpaid but thats free agency.
I think Jbo is gone. I think Feaster is continuing to clear cap and if he moves Jbo this will do that. There have been lots of rumors that Bouwmeester is going to be traded, I think Feaster did this to ensure he found a replacement before July, 1st. He has done that, I expect him to be moved.
I could care less what you like. I dislike an organization that has no idea what direction they're going. Feaster wants to get out from under burdensome contracts so he sends out a 2nd round pick to dump Regehr and Kotalik. Then he proceeds to pick up another burdensome contract for another pick. It makes no sense. We say we aren't rebuilding, then we take a 5 year project that "hopefully" pans out. This team is all over the map.
"I don't care what you like... now listen to what I dislike."
A little surprised that Wideman would sign with us so quick. Makes me think he told his GM he wanted to play in Calgary and they set up something right away.
@kcarrera: McPhee said after the Vokoun trade, Wideman's representation asked if they could pursue something similar. Deal was almost done at the draft.
Vokoun and his agent were allowed to talk to any interested parties.
I think Jbo is gone. I think Feaster is continuing to clear cap and if he moves Jbo this will do that. There have been lots of rumors that Bouwmeester is going to be traded, I think Feaster did this to ensure he found a replacement before July, 1st. He has done that, I expect him to be moved.
IF that happens and IF we sign a guy who can actually play defense against good competition I'll hate this less. We had Gio, JBO and at time Butler who could play against top 6 competition. We needed a Coliacovvo or someone like that more than we needed a PP specialist. That's a luxury for teams that already have a solid top 4, not for teams that don't.
I think Jbo is gone. I think Feaster is continuing to clear cap and if he moves Jbo this will do that. There have been lots of rumors that Bouwmeester is going to be traded, I think Feaster did this to ensure he found a replacement before July, 1st. He has done that, I expect him to be moved.
If Dennis Wideman is our JBo replacement then I think the blow-up has commenced because with that D lineup there is no contesting us for the #1 overall pick in 2013
I don't hate this move like some others here, I'm kind of excited to see what he can bring actually, but we are in big trouble if Wideman is going to be relied on defensively in any kind of manner. I'm sure we aren't nearly done though.
"I don't care what you like... now listen to what I dislike."
When people say "I like" and give no reasons. I could care less what they like. Defend your opinion with something besides "I like it." That's just a stupid response.
People don't seem to understand that Wideman was going to get close to this amount (if not more) on July 1st.
It's only "hilariously bad" because the Flames were the ones to get him.
No, that was pretty obvious. The problem is, it doesn't change the fact that it's too much for too long and Flames shouldn't have been the ones to give it to him.
And while I agree that the Flames no longer get the benefit of doubt around league, this move would have been laughed no matter which team signed him. It's really hard to give justice to just how bad Wideman is defensively.
No, that was pretty obvious. The problem is, it doesn't change the fact that it's too much for too long and Flames shouldn't have been the ones to give it to him.
And while I agree that the Flames no longer get the benefit of doubt around league, this move would have been laughed no matter which team signed him. It's really hard to give justice to just how bad Wideman is defensively.
When people say "I like" and give no reasons. I could care less what they like. Defend your opinion with something besides "I like it." That's just a stupid response.
Then perhaps "why do you like it?" would have been more appropriate than "I don't care what you like". Just a thought.
For sure, by no means am I comparing Jbo to Wideman as similar dman. I just think Feaster is filling a hole in the top 4 and may look to get a more cost effective shutdown dman than Bouw.
This move obviously happened because of Weisbrod. He obviously had lots of experience watching him and I assume he is the reason that he was signed so quickly.
Wideman finished in the top 10 among defencemen with 46 points, including 11 goals. He led all Capitals blueliners with 113 hits and 132 blocked shots.
That give me a little more hope.. Can hit and block shots
Good player, the money is wack though. Does this mean jokinen and jbo out???
I hope not on the first one and I don't see how we could do it on the second. JBo (remember how much I hate him) is one of the only to guys (Gio being the other) who are top 4 guys all the time. They are our only guys who can play against top 6 forwards without being exposed. Wideman can't do that, Butler has stretches where he can and others where he can't. Brodie and Smith move the puck very well, but are not there yet and time will tell if they ever will be. I hate JBo, dislike his soft casual game, but he can play tough minutes. Wideman can't. If there is another shoe to drop, like a Coliaccovo, then fair enough.
I could care less what you like. I dislike an organization that has no idea what direction they're going. Feaster wants to get out from under burdensome contracts so he sends out a 2nd round pick to dump Regehr and Kotalik. Then he proceeds to pick up another burdensome contract for another pick. It makes no sense. We say we aren't rebuilding, then we take a 5 year project that "hopefully" pans out. This team is all over the map.
If you think Wideman would make a good top pairing defender against tough opposition, you've never seen him play. He's very similar to Liles, moves the puck well, gets shots through and gets eaten alive in his own end. If he plays on the top pairing with JBo or Gio (whichever really) that pairing gets eaten alive. He played very sheltered minutes with a caps team that wasn't very good defensively. Imagine him and JBo trying to contain Clowe, Thornton and Marleau on the cycle... *shudder*
I'm going to ignore the dickish tone of that post and just respond to the highlighted part.
He played an average of just under 24 minutes a night. How sheltered could he be?
