Flames extend Cory Sarich for Two Years
Kent Wilson
June 29 2012 09:19AM
The Flames announced today have signed Cory Sarich to a new two year deal worth $2 million per season. The addition gives the Calgary blueline nine defenders on one-way deals heading into next season, plus sophomore TJ Brodie, who should be a lock to make the parent club.
Arik made a decent argument for keeping Sarich a few weeks ago, but I am personally extremely surprised the Flames decided to re-sign the 34 year old. He has battled chronic injuries for several years and at times lost the battle to stay in the line-up entirely. He's hard hitting and capable enough on the third pairing, but also slow of foot and can get exposed easily by players of greater speed and skill. At 34, he's also in danger off his play falling off a cliff completely sooner rather than later.
As mentioned the Flames have a lot of bodies on the back-end right now and many of them occupy the space between 5th and 7th (8th, 9th) defender, including Brodie, Wilson, Smith, Carson and Babchuk (and now Sarich). So even if the Flames plan to move one of the incumbent top-4, this addition doesn't make a whole lot of sense because none of those guys listed is a good bet to slide up the depth chart - least of all Cory Sarich.
On top of all that, I am surprised the Flames rushed to re-sign Sarich before the bidding even started. Prices certainly tend to shoot into the stratosphere for a brief period at the onset of free agency, but every year there is usually a few capable guys left standing when the music stops (which is how Calgary signed Hannan for a song last summer). If the team felt they needed yet another depth defender on the back-end, I'm not sure why they didn't wait a few weeks to see if any other bargains popped up. Not that the Sarich contract is overbearing at $4M total, but I'd say there's a better than even chance Cory ends up as a healthy scratch more than once over the course of the next two years - so it's $2M per season oddly, needlessly spent.
On a more general note, this makes me a little more certain the Flames are looking to move Jay Bouwmeester. I was nervous about the potential move before, but the possibility really frightens me with the way Calgary's blueline is shaping up - Wideman is no Bouwmeester replacement and everyone else aside from Mark Giordano and maybe Chris Butler is a bottom pairing defender.
Unless TJ Brodie takes a quantum leap forward, the Flames current blueline absent Bouwmeester would be a rodeo.
- This strikes me as a "Thanks for KOing Hall buddy" typa deal. I'd like to thank him also ;) - Hannan came off the open Market for 1mill and earned 1mill. - Sarich was a healthy scratch and wasn't worth 1mill. - If you HAD TO pay Sarich or Hannan 2mill at 2 seasons for "Playing the game the right way" who would it be?
IMO: Hannan but for 1-1.5 :P
Ok happy pants! Take a breath and an enema dude!
I was actually happy to see the headline that sarich is back. But then I read it was 2 years / 2 mill per season, I thought that was a mistype. 2 year / 2 mill total would of made sense. This contract is out of this world. Does weisbrod or conroy ever say to feaster, "buddy, I think your offering a bit too much money."No way sarich gets 2 mil per on the open market. I would of been surprised if he got any interest. We had the upper hand in negotiations. He lives here, wants to stay here, is old, slow, and often injured. That says max 1 mil per season to me. This is crazy.
This isn't even a site worth following now!!!!!! So many negative fans with crap opinions!
If another Flames UFA is signed I bet on Moss or Stempniak.
Hey Emir, That's innovative thought about overpaying Sarich purposefully so he can move up and down on waivers without getting claimed. Seriously interesting idea. However, on the way down, it's half the cap hit to Calgary and half to the claiming team so another team in need may be open to paying him part of $1M (say part way through the year) to make it happen.
Why are they looking to deal Bouwmeester?
I,ll bet this move will make a lot more sense after Feaster,s is finished his shuffle at the end of July
@Q
I think the reason for negativity isn't the signing itself, its the implications from the signing.
Sarich and Wideman have a combined cap hit higher than bouwmeesters but combined are probably still not the D Bouwmeester is. However if this is strictly a depth signing, I don't have a big as problem as I have led on.
Sarich is a good guy to have in the room, works his ass off on the Ice(unlike some other leaders) and for all we know, this may be his first 'healthy' season in a long time. If this was stirctly a signing to sign him and NOT to trade Bouwmeester its okay, if its to trade Bouw, well we are screwed.
@andrewmk20
A: To be fair we don't know that they are. Feaster has said that they don't need to move anyone out (which isn't to say that they won't but it's closer to that then the alternative).
B: If they are... I have no fraking clue. Feaster takes advise from idiot 12 year olds who don't look any deeper then the Goal/Assist/Hit stats?
I was definitely down on him at the start of the season, but he played much better in the second half of the season and was worth 2 million.
This deal seems a little steep, but hey he is now half the price of what he used to be. Anyone else saying that other free agents of similar level would be cheaper come July 1 are fooling themselves.
@ Baalzamon
Funny you say that I was afraid to give Feaster any ideas they are looking for a 5 mil backup and it will come out as we were so lucky to get him before anyone else.
@Colin
Makes sense. I'm happy overall with the moves. I'm just glad to see olli gone and I'm a big wiseman booster. What's scary is how much suter will get!
are the flames management bi polar? jankowski pick scratch head, wideman signing hey now thats encouraging, the sarich for 2 yrs at 2 mill. i see the pattern of decisions is one questionable one good one moronic.
Just want to say that last year Adam Pardy signed the same contract in FA. That's all