Calgary has come off their last game of a 5 game road-trip with six of a possible 10 points. Given the fact they squandered an easy two in LA and the environment at home amongst fans calling for blood, the Flames went .600 on the road trip. Things could be worse, but there are is a sliver of hope the team is understanding the need for consistency game in and game out. That’s going to be needed given the schedule coming up. Detroit, Minnesota and Anaheim again are on tap for the remainder of the month. However, before Anaheim will be another date, the trade deadline. Will the Flames make a big move? We think not. Given the rhetoric coming from the Flames brass we figure the following may go down:
Tanguay Won’t be Traded
Tanguay won’t be traded. Despite his huge contract (which is comparable to other players of his caliber) he’s not going anywhere as per Sutter. If they could get Jokinen there’s a small change he’d go, however, that’s unlikely. Tanguay for Ryder makes zero sense as that leaves the team without any 1 or 2 LW assuming Huselius won’t resign (the top LW would be Nilson….) Plus the guy is valuable.
Speaking of Huselius, if anybody is going to move at the trade deadline that plays on the LW it will be him. What’s better, move him before the deadline, let him go for free at the end of the season, or re-sign him for 5 million? I’d opt for a trade for something in the least.
The talk for a goalie is out, maybe we’ll dole one. The talk for a defencemen is out as we picked up Vandermeer. That really leaves a pesky forward or a top C, neither of which are really available for the price we can afford. With this in mind, dom’t expect a big move, and if you do, expect a small third liner to pop our way as Sutter has consistently done in the past.
Your thoughts?
If Jokinen is a hope to come to Calgary, it would have to be in a deal that involves Tanguay for obvious financial reasons. I think that at this point, it’s up to the Panthers, as the deal is likely on the table and open for discussion. I wouldn’t expect any decisions to be made by the Panthers until Monday at the earliest. GM’s often hold on as long as they can before pulling the trigger on deadline deals as sellers, because at the last moment, there may be better offers from suddenly desperate GM’s. It happens every year.
The aquisition of Vandermeer sais one of two things to me. Either this is simply Sutter ensuring depth on the back end for the long playoff run, or he’s bringing in a replacement for a deal that’s about to happen involving a D-man outgoing. Only time will tell for sure but to me, since Vandermeer is UFA after the season, I think the first option is more likely.
On another note, this sounds like absolute insanity to me and it would rock the city if it happens, but there are rumours out there from relatively reliable sources that Sutter is at least tossing ideas back and forth with the Penguins. It is speculated that the Pens want Phanuef and may be willing to offer Staal or Malkin in return. Any deal with these principle players would almost certainly involve other players as well, likely from both sides. I hope these are just unfounded rumors but you never know. If the Pens want him bad enough, they do have a lot of players and prospects the Flames would love to have and could definitely make Sutter an offer he couldn’t refuse.
ok if your going to trade Iginla trade him for Heatly because Heatly’s like the best in the league.