April 3, 2013 at 3:50 pm - By: Rational Thinker · Filed under Transactions
So, another trade deadline has come and gone and Flames fans are left licking there scars. Granted we did trade Iggy for a 1st, J-Bo for a potential 1st and got Blake Comeau off of the books (a win in any case) but why does this trade deadline feel so….incomplete?
Whatever way you look at it, this year Flames Fans are reaping the harvest set in motion by Sutter, Keenan, Feaster and (ABOVE ALL OTHERS) Ken King. A Harvest that has not brought us ANY Playoff wins since 2004 and further haven’t translated into a Playoff Berth in the last 3 seasons. This by any standards is completely unacceptable. Why? Because it was within those seasons that Calgary signed a multitude of players with ‘No Trade’ clauses, signed older washed up players to significant deals (Stajan and Comeau) and most of all: traded away our future.
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April 1, 2013 at 6:32 pm - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
It sounds like the same headline from the Iginla trade from what seems like ages ago. Jay Boumeester, and his 6.68 million dollar price tag, is headed to St Louis is exchange for a career minor league defenceman (some will say he’s a ‘prospect’), St Louis conditional 1st round 2013 pick, and an average Swiss goalie Reto Berra currently playing in the Swiss A division.
Why Feaster couldn’t be bothered to capture more for the Bouwmeester, who is arguably an elite puck moving defenceman can be attributed to two things: 1) Jay Feaster got hosed yet again; 2) the contract size is pretty big for any team to swallow.
Bouwmeester puts up big minutes and is having a solid season. The move will give the Flames about 14 million in additional cap space for next year (including Iginla). Not having any salary on the cap coming back for next year is certainly valuable. The 1st round pick from St Louis will turn into a 2014 pick if St Louis fails to make the playoffs.
Regarding the ‘prospects’ Calgary got in return, the Flames brass will sugar coat it all they can, but only time will tell what makes of these assets. Is Berra really the ‘best goalie in Europe’? That’s what the scouts say. That’s what they said about Cevenka.
February 28, 2013 at 6:26 pm - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
The Flames must have had a tough time convincing another NHL team to part ways with a competent centerman for their glut of defencemen. Visiting Colorado tonight, Calgary also made a splash in the visiting city by tendering an offer sheet to Ryan O’Reilly which he accepted.
Because O’Reilly is a restricted free agent the Avalanche are awarded compensation based on his RFA class which means Calgary’s 1st and 3rd round picks. But before that, the Avs have 7 days to contemplate whether they will match the offer.
Vancouver apparently tried luring O’Reilly, a highly touted offensive centerman, but the two year deal offered by the Flames, and a chance to play on the to lines, was apparently too good to pass up.
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May 9, 2012 at 8:27 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
There were few rumors that picked up on this transaction before it happened. Last week the Flames added depth down the middle for relatively little risk. Sure, Flames fans were scoffing at the 3.7 million price tag of an unproven European hockey player, but that contract is incentive laden. I for one know nothing about Cervenka, know he played one good playoff series in the KHL, and looked better when playing with the likes of Jaromir Jagr last season.
Think about this. Name one KHL player who’s come over to the NHL and performed well? I can’t think of one. Radulov and Jagr don’t count because they were NHLers before. But the ball is in Cervenka’s court while the Flames assume little risk. That should bode well for fans questioning the salary. Here’s Eric Francis on the deal.
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January 30, 2012 at 12:24 pm - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
The All-Star break was anything but for Flames brass as they made two deals that opened a roster spot on the big club and added some depth on the farm. Firstly, in a surprising twist, Brendan Morrison saw his time with the Flames end after being traded to Chicago in exchange for minor-league vet defenceman Brian Connelly.
The move gives the Flames some cap room and another spot to potentially bring up certain contracts from the minor leagues (Krys Kolanos anybody?) Morrison’s injuries and lack of offensive production made his spot expendable. The Hawks will probably find use for him, albeit only as a fourth line plugger.
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January 13, 2012 at 12:03 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
The Calgary Flames actually ‘won’ a trade. How about that?!
Calgary acquired:
- Michael Cammalleri (LW)
- Karri Ramo (G) (apparently the top goalie in Europe right now.....)
- 5th round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft from Montreal
Montreal in return receivs:
- Rene Bourque (RW)
- Patrick Holland
- 2nd round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft
The difference in salary is about 2.7 million in Montreal’s favour.
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August 30, 2011 at 8:11 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
Why? Probably a salary dump. Calgary Flames have shed more salary by dumping Daymond Langkow’s 4.5 million salary in favour of a much lighter cap hit of 1.9 million. The new management is certainly putting their stamp on the team literally nixing many of the expensive contracts of the Darryl Sutter era. (Why wasn’t it Stajan though, oh right, no team is stupid enough to take him, mind you, Buffalo did take Kotalik….)
Flames fans have few reasons to be excited for the upcoming season, Langkow was one of them. A chance to play a full year with a top centerman might have been the edge the team needed. Instead, the logjam at the C position, including the aged Morrison and apparently David Moss, are the solutions for the Flames at C. I’m not sold.
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July 15, 2011 at 8:31 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
The depth chart behind #1 & #2 defencemen Bouwmeester and Giordano is looking mighty thin. On the LW there’s TJ Brodie sitting #6…. Although he has skills is he ready for the big time? After Gio there’s Sarich with that veteran presence, Babchuk who’s played the easiest defensive minutes, and a bunch of new names like Butler, Mikkelson, Carson…..
Some serious question marks remain on D for the Flames, one thing is for sure, we’ll be average at best back there, coupled with ‘average’ at the forward ranks (albeit with quite a few 20 goal scorers) and you have an average team right up against the cap.
Back to some signings. Mikkelson accepted his qualifying offer and will be back. The Flames also signed Derek Smith off the free agent market to a two way contract, he’ll play in the minors unless we have some serious injuries.
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June 25, 2011 at 8:47 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
Maybe he should not have left in the first place. Alex Tanguay, coming off a great season where he played for cheap, has resigned with the Flames for five years. The deal was in place but couldn’t be made official until the FLames were bale to dump 7+ million in Regehr and Kotalik.
The deal is reported to be worth around 18 million or 3.4 million per year, largely a steal for Tanguay who could’ve received more cash on the open market, but probably got a front loaded contract with additional years.
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June 21, 2011 at 7:25 am - By: Ro · Filed under Transactions
Flames Re-Sign Karlsson
The Calgary Flames announced the signing of backup goaltender Henrik Karlsson to a two year one-way deal worth about 860K a year.
Karlsson played in 17 games last season with the Flames, and despite a losing record, showed glimmers that he’s a competent backup.
Karlsson, a native of Tumba, Sweden, was originally acquired by the Flames from San Jose at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Calgary’s 6th round pick in the 2010 Draft. He finished the season with a .908 save percentage and a 2.58 goals against average.
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