Castagna and Walsh - The Worry Zone

[ugarte]

Sorry you feel offended, but if you don't believe that a guy like Castagna, along with his family and agent, weren't discussing and planning for this scenario the moment the trade went down, ...

I think it is fairly likely that Utah gave Calgary permission to talk to Castagna before making the trade. The idea that his people read about it when we did is unlikely. He has had more time to prepare and a much better sense of what he wanted to do than he's being credited with. Life didn't simply happen to him, he was a participant in it. 

[stereax]

Just to be clear--Castagna (reportedly) didn't want to sign with Utah after this season, but he still could have signed with Utah after next season. Yes, he could wait a few months at that point and test free agency, but plenty of players do sign with the team that drafted them after their senior year ends. If this happened, Castagna would have probably gotten an NHL game and burned a year off his entry contract (if I understand correctly how it works). Castagna seems like a loyal guy and I'd guess there'd be a good chance of signing with Utah after all, even if he came back to Cornell next season.

The thing is, though, that the reason he was reportedly iffy on signing with Utah (organizational center/forward depth) wasn't going to change in the next year. Again, it seems like an amicable divorce between Casty and Utah, just seems like it wasn't going to work out - and Casty acknowledges as such and is grateful to the Utah organization. Utah being aware of this back in, say, November (that Castagna intended to go pro after this year with a better fit, but was content with staying with Cornell and testing free agency should he not get the chances he's looking for) means they would have had the time to shop him as a piece in bigger trades. Presumably, Casty and company were aware this was a possibility and already had ideas of which teams could fit well vs which would be an uphill climb. Again, though, ultimately none of us are in the room where it's happening.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I'll say one thing about Castagna—this whole thing about Calgary sending a bunch of execs to his Colorado hotel and putting a full court press on him to sign feels rushed and a little unfair to him. He just got traded and was focused on the playoffs; he's barely had time to think about this! Most players know for most of the season if they plan to go pro when the season is over. We know from reporting that Castagna was NOT going to go pro with Utah this season, meaning he has only had the last two weeks—which, again, were focused on the playoffs—to figure out what he wants to do now. You'd think Jonathan would sit down with not just the Flames but also his family and current team and talk about this. But his team flew back to Ithaca yesterday morning and it's now just him and the Flames brass. I'm sure he's being as thoughtful as he can, but I don't know how you could possibly accurately weigh all the options under these circumstances.

Stunningly naive take. Porter Martone signed with the Flyers less than 24 hours after his team lost a game in the most excruciating way that would've sent them to the frozen four.

And Martone was seen on TV at the Center during last nights game in the team box shaking hands and hugging Flyers management.  FWIW, everybody in the organization knew that as soon as MSU's season was done, he was going to sign and start playing immediately.

[underskill]

Hoyt signed with Ottawa.

[adamw]

I'll say one thing about Castagna—this whole thing about Calgary sending a bunch of execs to his Colorado hotel and putting a full court press on him to sign feels rushed and a little unfair to him. He just got traded and was focused on the playoffs; he's barely had time to think about this! Most players know for most of the season if they plan to go pro when the season is over. We know from reporting that Castagna was NOT going to go pro with Utah this season, meaning he has only had the last two weeks—which, again, were focused on the playoffs—to figure out what he wants to do now. You'd think Jonathan would sit down with not just the Flames but also his family and current team and talk about this. But his team flew back to Ithaca yesterday morning and it's now just him and the Flames brass. I'm sure he's being as thoughtful as he can, but I don't know how you could possibly accurately weigh all the options under these circumstances.

This is EXTREMELY commonplace nowadays, and basically expected. My friendly advice to everyone - if they want to keep their blood pressure in check - is to just assume that any good player with leave after 3 years max. If it doesn't happen, it's an upset.

[Chris '03]

And there it is:

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/flames-sign-jonathan-castagna?fbclid=IwdGRleAQ31L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeoWacU1ZVlpKL38xj-G-J1JNa8GjHAIbYu8P9UzLJG-3469a0loMtqZ3ZhSg_aem_UPKZAg0j0-a3MT-R-x_0iQ

[stereax]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BODY INJURY?

[Dafatone]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BOoff-season.

I would guess he was playing through something that was minor enough to tough it out for the ECAC/NCAA postseason, but not worth pushing it at the end of an AHL regular season.

Or he stubbed his toe rushing to sign his contract.

[ugarte]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BODY INJURY?

sounds to me like "he's going to finish his classes this semester instead of getting beat up in the AHL while nursing a minor injury"

[stereax]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BODY INJURY?

sounds to me like "he's going to finish his classes this semester instead of getting beat up in the AHL while nursing a minor injury"

then why sign the ATO at all? just sign the ELC for next year and come home to Ithaca lol.

Also, the Flames have a video of Casty talking about his signing and he's still in his Cornell hockey shirt and I might cry on this bus from Syracuse to Ithaca.

[ugarte]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BODY INJURY?

sounds to me like "he's going to finish his classes this semester instead of getting beat up in the AHL while nursing a minor injury"

then why sign the ATO at all? just sign the ELC for next year and come home to Ithaca lol.

Also, the Flames have a video of Casty talking about his signing and he's still in his Cornell hockey shirt and I might cry on this bus from Syracuse to Ithaca.

probably some reciprocal obligations in the meantime that are good to have in writing ASAP. you aren't kidding about how you treat your classes!

[Trotsky]

I think it is fairly likely that Utah gave Calgary permission to talk to Castagna before making the trade.

Is that allowed?  Wouldn't it be "tampering" (or something) in that it queers other teams' potential competing deals because it gives Calgary an advantage?  Honest question, I have no idea.

[stereax]

Waaait...

Castagna's three-year entry-level deal begins in the 2026-27 season, he will report to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) on a PTO for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and is day-to-day with a lower body injury. He was acquired by Calgary from Utah on March 4.

What?

ATO->ELC isn't uncommon, though I can't say I was expecting it, but LOWER BODY INJURY?

sounds to me like "he's going to finish his classes this semester instead of getting beat up in the AHL while nursing a minor injury"

then why sign the ATO at all? just sign the ELC for next year and come home to Ithaca lol.

Also, the Flames have a video of Casty talking about his signing and he's still in his Cornell hockey shirt and I might cry on this bus from Syracuse to Ithaca.

probably some reciprocal obligations in the meantime that are good to have in writing ASAP. you aren't kidding about how you treat your classes!

Makes sense when you put it that way. No skydiving, no bungee jumping, no braving the Slope after midnight...

[stereax]

I think it is fairly likely that Utah gave Calgary permission to talk to Castagna before making the trade.

Is that allowed?  Wouldn't it be tampering in that it queers other team's potential competing deals because it gives Calgary an advantage?  Honest question, I have no idea.

If Utah okays it it's okay. Especially if you're in the tail end of a deal being made, people talk. It's only tampering if someone complains!

[Trotsky]

Hoyt signed with Ottawa.