On Sober Second Thought...

I'm still not a fan of the Jokinen/Lombardi trade. I'm not sure we get decent value out of the deal, besides the part where we obviously get to shut up concerned commentators who are worried we don't have a playmaking centre.

What really worries me about this deal is it tells me the status on Daymond Langkow's hand is, "we had to amputate and replace it with a cybernetic implant; we're trying to program him to not take over the world now." And that conclusion in itself is kind of depressing... there are few centremen in the league so underrated as Langkow.

Lombardi, in my eyes, was starting to hit his stride this year (of course, I've said this every year since the lockout). He's invaluable on special teams, was starting to not suck so much on playoffs, and well. We all know he's easy on the eyes. Prust is a "meh" type thing for me; it tells me the Phoenix brass are thinking long and hard about how to make sure all their hot little prospects stay safe on the ice.

I thought the Leopold move was a stroke of genius. You have to feel bad for Nycholat though; the Herald just this morning published a glowing puff-piece about how the local boy works hard and moves around a lot and finally comes home. Butnotsomuch.

My biggest concern with the moves today is that we traded younger steady players for older, more erratic and injury-prone ones. I'm not going to even thinking about the mutterings about Jokinen as a "locker-room cancer"... I do believe the leadership in the room (primarily Iggy and Regehr) is strong enough to keep the team together, but... sigh.

NO, MATTY, NO!!

I have to go and face my class and not beat them up too much now, so more later.

Open Ice Hits scoops the deadline!

So we at Open Ice Hits are confounded by the absolute silence on all things trade deadline related. Through some investigative sleuthing, here's what we've been able to uncover for our readers:

Iginla to Leafs for Steen: Details to follow, in the finest style of all the best media sources. Note that Colaiacovo wasn't included in this swap - he and Tlusty are to be packaged together for Phaneuf. Local Leafs sources claim that Calgary is giving them the shaft on this one - nobody Facebooks quite like T-Lusty.

There is also a straight-up offer for Kipper - this would involve Raycroft, one for one. Of course, Calgary is a clear winner in this one. After all, which one of these two guys has a Calder? Huh? That's what I'm talking about.

Oh, Montreal: Word is (and we're really about the last people to comment on this) that Montreal is interested in some local boys to freshen up the look of their team. Did I say "local?" Did I mention "looks?"

That's right. Montreal has offered Calgary a pair of Ray-bans in return for Matthew Lombardi. Darryl Sutter has not yet commented on this offer, but has been heard musing about whether the new shades would go with the cowboy hat. Jury is out on this one.

There's another local boy Montreal's interested in, as we all know. Alex Tanguay has attracted an amount of interest so intense Lombardi has been giving him pouty resentful looks this week. While Michael Ryder is the name most mentioned in combination with this, we have one Ryder already, and he's broken. Citing a mistrust of the manufacturer, Sutter has offered to package five first-round picks AND Tanguay, all in exchange for Carey Price's sweaty jockstrap. A whiff of that, and our boys will be ready to go all the way.

The Great Blue North: Edmonton has been looking for a stay-at-home kind of player (literally, they're looking for a guy who wouldn't leave the city), and everybody knows Regehr is THE stay at home man. Plus, it would signficantly reduce the amount of wear and tear on Ales Hemsky. The Oil, unbelievably, have offered quite generously, the rights to negotiate with one Chris Lauren Pronger, and a bag of pucks. And who can resist a steal like that?

This just in: Tampa has been busy tonight, and upon hearing about negotiations for Regehr's services, offered Calgary instead the bloody towel that staunched Dan Boyle's bizarre cut to the wrist earlier this year. Citing the tight timeline of the remaining season, and the rather difficult quarantine requirements for biological materials going across the border, Tampa was politely rebuffed. Unless they would like, publicly, to admit that goal in Game 6 was IN.

On the home front: Much impressed by his strong play since leaving the embrace of the press box (did we not tell you???), the Flames organization has today signed Marcus Nilson to a contract extension. The terms of the deal are undisclosed, but it is understood that #26 will get to cherrypick from amongst the local virgins offered annually to Dion Phaneuf as part of his contract extension. Er. So to speak.

And finally, a trade the Flames win: Our blogosphere comrades have much lamented this season that Eric Godard is kind of useless. Kind of really useless. Well, for a limited time only, we can swap him for an impact player. From Phoenix, no less. That's right! Godard will be shipped out to sunny Arizona, in a precedent-setting swap for SHAQUILLE O'NEAL. I don't think there's been a bigger impact player on the block this season. There is some risk involved on the Flames' front... if Godard is suspended by the NBA for any reason between now and playoff time, we have to take him back.

And actually, I take it all back. What's wrong with a nice quiet trade deadline?

Back to our regular schedule (Minnestota pre-game)

So, the trade deadline circus was even more entertaining than usual, thanks to the melodrama going on up north. I'm not a nice person. I enjoyed it very much.

It's a bit of a shame that the Oilers have decided to rollover and die for the season already - it takes a lot of the punch out of the game Saturday night. Love the guy or hate the guy though - I'm sure Kipper will not mind not having to get up close and personal with Smyth's backside for yet another night.

My take on the trade is that it was clearly rushed. I'm not really talking about whether each side got fair value from the other. Yet, with everybody and their pet dog knowing that Edmonton has to find a strong, offensive-minded d-man, they went and got forwards. Are they planning on trading their burgeoning froshie class for help in the back? They'll have to. After all, it's not like they have their own farm team where they can stash these kids and develop them.

And a key reason we haven't noticeably stumbled due to injuries this season is the farm. The kids play together, they learn the system, they develop Pavlovian responses to red-and-black-and-yellow. A guy goes down here, no problems. We can plug a kid in, pronto. And from the one Knights game I saw this year, the kids are definitely all right.

Can the Oilers do that with their prospects, present and future? Not so sure.

I've also wondered a lot over the last day or two about would we do the same thing to our guys? Certainly the way Ference left Calgary gives you pause. But at the end of next year, or even trade deadline time next season, are we going to see some of our pending free agents leave for places barely known?

Anyways. It's game night! Unlike us, our boys are pros - I'm sure that while they were even more edgy than we were yesterday, they've got their focus back. We get Minnesota again, who seem to also have a set of Evil Twins this year as well. Like us, they boast a strong home record and a wimpy road record.

Hopefully that'll be enough to push us all the way to a 3-2 win. And then we can get ready for Saturdaaaaaay!

Sunny side up!

I know....I know...

The proof won't be in the pudding until we actually win on the road. It would have been easy after the last week, for the Flames to have let an easy one get past them, with Phoenix visiting.

While they didn't exactly stomp on the jugular vein of the visiting club, they seemed to have a better time of staying disciplined, and staying focused on the win. I know we're all obsessed with their road record, but lately, I've been worried that they do look shaky at home. That was better, though admittedly, Phoenix isn't the same kind of team as the other teams we'll see this homestand. I don't know how Noodles stays so sharp between starts, but he looked pretty good out there.

The more I think about it, the more I like the changes we've made to the roster. Primeau looks awesome out there, and Stuart fits in better than other additions we've made to the roster. With the addition of these two, and Conroy, some of the guys we already had on the roster (I'm thinking of Lombardi and Zyuzin specifically) have had to work a lot harder to justify the kinds of minutes they're playing.

And as Duncan noted, the price has definitely been right. I don't think Sutter will make a move today - I think the market has become overvalued, and he's too smart for that.

Some of the moves have been interesting... with Vancouver getting Sopel and Smolinski, they're starting to resemble the 2004 Flames more and more. Not sure what Atlanta was thinking giving up Coburn for a rental, but they're clearly another team going all-in to make it to the post-season.

Anyways...hang onto your pants for the rest of today - we got a big game going tomorrow.

I'm not sure I like these trade dealies anymore

I just found out via TSN that Vancouver got Brent Sopel for a couple measly draft picks (via tsn):

The Vancouver Canucks jumped the deadline in acquiring former Canuck Brent Sopel from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2nd and 4th round draft pick. In addition Vancouver added veteran centre Bryan Smolinski from the Chicago blackhawks for a conditional 2nd round pick.

That's peanuts for a guy like Sopel. Amazingly, he's a plus player on frickin' Los Angeles. He's got a lot of points for a d-man. He's only 30. I think with additions like this, an already solid team like Vancouver is that more dangerous.

It's amazing how much Luongo has improved that team. Now that they're starting to build up a competent defense, it's starting to worry me -- especially against Calgary. I've always been a big defensive hockey fan, so I'm naturally a bit apprehensive about the Flames' defensive play this year, or lack thereof. Playfair has almost turned the Flames into a run n' gun team, and I'm certain that's not what Sutter had in mind when he built this team. While some people blame Kiprusoff not being unreal for the reason we're letting in more goals, I think that's a small part of it. Sure, there have been an unusual amount of softies he's let in, but he's also still making unreal saves.

The problem is he's seeing too much rubber. Calgary is #19 league-wide in shots against per game (30.4) this season, while last season Calgary was #6 with 27.6 and in 03-04 we were #5 with 25.5. That is not a positive trend.

So I am definitely more worried about Vancouver now than I have been before. Their glaring weakspot is their offense -- namely, if you shut down the Sedin Sisters you win the game, but Calgary historically has had some problems with that.

Buck up, it's going to be a wild ride...

Killing Me Softly (Phoenix Pre-game)

Is there anything more boring than writing a pre-game entry for Phoenix? Yes -- reading one.

As such, this is the extent of the pre-game entry. Go Flames!

But what's really exciting are the trade deadline shenanigans. Atlanta way overpaid for Keith Tkachuk, and it's going to set a ridiculous benchmark for all forthcoming trades. Good thing Sutter made his moves in advance of the deadline.

I'm pretty sure Sutter is done, player-wise. I simply don't forsee him giving up anything else for a short-term upgrade. I'm still of the opinion that Playfair may not be coaching this team for much longer. He's had all season to turn the road record around, and it's worse now than any other time. Something's gotta change, and a little Sutter would work some magic on reducing our shots against and sloppy defensive play.

Leanne also tells me that she is incredibly excited Mark Messier will be bawling like a two year old getting weaned tomorrow night. Because he's a big baby.

A victory on and off the ice

First, sorry for being MIA the past few days. My "significant other" from Calgary is in town and we've been, well, busy.

Second, we won last night though it was not a convincing game. Budaj sucks and I love him for it.

Third, Edmonton traded Marc-Andre Bergeron for scraps today. Looks like they're going to be sellers this year. Oilers fans will spin this as a positive move, I'm sure, seeing as M-A Bergeron is a pretty awful player anyway.

Edit: So not only did they send away Bergeron, but a 3rd round 2008 pick also? Amazing incompetence. Bergeron, who was at least in the top 30 in goals by a defenseman, was traded for a guy who isn't even willing to play in the AHL to hone his skills. I smell another Mikhnov, though this guy is decidedly less impressive than Mikhnov.

The natives get restless...

I haven't commented much past my initial reaction to the Ference trade. I've seen a lot of guys come and go, notably during that rebuilding, "Young Guns" era. Subsequently, I haven't been as emotional as others in the blogosphere have been. Personally, I'm a bit disappointed, as are many, that someone made as clear a committment to the team and to the city was so abruptly sent away.

Granted, he's not the kind of franchise player Brodeur is or an Iggy or even Ryan Smyth who would be untouchable if this sort of hometown discount were extended to their clubs, but I did think he deserved better. And like Conroy was until he came back, I don't think he'll ever be badly treated by the local fans whenever he comes back, even as part of a visiting team (though that won't be until at least two years from now, unless the schedules get revamped, or he gets moved again).

I'm trying to think of the last time a guy was traded away from Calgary with this much angst in the air. I'm blanking hard. Maybe the Gilmour/Leeman trade? Maybe Joe Nieuwendyk for some unknown junior who hadn't made it to the bigs yet? Maybe Gary Roberts...Certainly not for a guy who was (I think) better liked for his composure off the ice than perhaps his actual play every night merited.

But spotting this in our RSS feed makes me wonder whether the front office might be trying to do some damage control, over the trade. Part of it is the diaster in Detroit. If we had killed the Wings the day after the trade, I doubt there would be so many rumblings and attempts at second-guessing all over the place.

I get what Mike Board is saying. It's nice to have the point of view of a guy who pretty much was there, and is probably on a first name basis with all the principals. But. Suspicious. Did they underestimate Ference's popularity with the community?

It's not that easy being green...

Wow.

At least Dave was gracious enough to not mention my having a bad reaction to something I ate in Buffalo...nuff said.

Was the game that vomit-inducing? Not really. A couple of points.

The staff at the HSBC arena is incredibly friendly. They definitely make your evening better, even if it's clear you're pulling for the other team. And there were a LOT of people pulling for the other team. Flames fans of Southern Ontario, unite!

I'm worried yet not worried about our play at this point. I don't like that we've blown three late leads in a row now. There's our shootout record, sigh. It's pretty clear Iggy doesn't have his pop back yet. He's just a touch slow and a touch tentative. Sort of like the way he habitually starts his seasons. Hopefully he'll shake it off soon.

But. Buffalo is no walkover, and the game felt even for both teams to me for the longest time. Shots were even for most of the night, and so were scoring chances. There was never a point when we were out of it, or were clearly outclassed (doing dumbass things, sure, but not outclassed). And despite his inability to win shootouts, I think Kipper clearly outfought Miller today.

Did Ference know a trade was up? There were times when I can wonder whether that affected him tonight.

And ohhhhh, the Flames' green non-giant. I'm going to miss how quotable, how thoughtful, how different he was compared to most of his teammates. If this is the year we go far, I'm going to regret very much he isn't around to be part of it. We're talking a guy who gave his team a discount on his services in return for a long-term deal. We're talking a little guy who plays bigger than anyone gives him credit for.

But he'll have terrific opportunities in Boston, ones he won't get behind Regehr and Phaneuf, especially in years to come.

And Kobasew. So much potential. He's maybe one of the grittiest players we had, willing to crash and take the hit in order to finish a play. But also frustrating, since he wasn't producing to the extent that his willingness to sacrifice indicated. Hopefully his arm heals soon, and he'll be able to show Boston some l33t moves.

I see Sutter's logic in getting Stuart and Primeau. Brad Stuart used to play on the Hitmen, back in their fanastic days in the, what, mid-to-late 90s? I remember watching him back then. It's not like he'll get lost in the Saddledome. And like Kobasew, he's another player (not quite as young, duh), who never has quite been able to live up to his press. Hopefully he'll be excited enough about being back in Calgary to change that. And more to the point, Stuart and Primeau are Sutter men. They played for him back in San Jose, and were a huge part of the team.

Stuart beefs up an already impressive (on paper) Calgary defence corps - the one that should be amassing miracles but really has been quite mortal this year. Primeau - to be honest, he's not a guy I'm that familiar with - but if Sutter is willing to snag him for another of his teams, you know he'll fit in just fine.

Both are UFAs come summer - I can't imagine we'll be able to afford Stuart, in particular. So I wonder if he's really a just a rental.

With the committment Ference has made to being part of the Flames, somehow, I don't think we've seen the last of him.

Buffalo Post-Game, and a trade out of left field

I was at tonight's game in Buffalo with Leanne. I was blown away how many Flames fans there were, I'd guesstimate about a third of the entire crowd were adorned with Flames paraphernalia. Virtually our entire row was solid red as well, and a bunch of people in the rows ahead and behind as well. There were several instances of loud "Go Flames Go!" chants that embarrassed the Sabres fans who then countered with Buffalo chants. We tried to make it feel like a home game, but the vibe just isn't there. The AC/DC of the Saddledome is replaced with 90s pop music at HSBC Arena. It just ain't the same.

That said, it was a typical game for the Flames lately. Grab a narrow lead, squander it, then take it to a shootout. From what we saw on the shitty HSBC jumbotron, our first goal was a gooder...need to see a replay on that. Still, "we got a point". Vancouver got two, I see, which is not so cool.

I was all depressed coming home when I saw some startling news on TSN. The Flames are now short a Team Hippy and a perennial underperformer/ragdoll (Ference and Kobasew -- signed beyond this season), and we received Brad Stuart (a UFA at the end of the year), Wayne Primeau (a UFA at the end of the year), and a "conditional draft pick". Interesting trade.

For one, every year I say "this will be Kobasew's breakout year". Every year he disappoints. I believe I've pinpointed why he can't translate his AHL scoring prowess to the big leagues. He simply gets pushed around a lot. Each game he plays, he's always falling on his ass on the ice...I think he's one of those guys who tries hard but just can't become an impact player in the big leagues.

Ference was interesting. He was a genuinely intelligent guy, for the most part, but one who perhaps smoked a bit too much dope while watching Al Gore and Michael Moore movies in the offseason. He usually tried hard, put in good efforts, but he's always been a "meh" d-man. Most of the time I barely noticed he was on the ice, unless he screwed up. Gonna miss him, but I'll live.

As for our new acquisitions...I think we got the better end of the deal, presuming we're going for the cup this year (which, duh, is what Sutter is indicating). I think he'll add depth to our blueline, definitely an upgrade over Ference, and probably help our powerplay as well. Solid.

Wayne Primeau? Like Stuart, an early first round pick. Unlike Stuart, Primeau is clearly in the decline of his career. Still comparable to Kobasew in output this yeare, but let's see how he blends in with the team.

Stuart is the biggest news here. His name was floated around quite a bit as someone Edmonton had their eye on. Because, let's face it, you can't make the playoffs with the AHL-calibre defense they have right now. The Stuart pickup is a giant middle-finger to K-Lowe fans, and that's what makes me smile tonight.

Also, props to mc79 who noted that Andrew Ference was a quasi-regular poster to CalgaryPuck.com. Here's his "goodbye post":

Wow, I am sitting in a hotel room in Buffalo just trying to register everything right now. I really appreciate the kind words in the other thread, it means a lot to me to hear that. I honestly could not have been caught more off guard or thought I could be so sad to say bye to the guys. I have so much respect for the players in the locker room and if I can’t hold the cup I would love nothing more than to see my good friends do it there. Thanks again for all of the kind words and for being such great fans, it was truly special for me to play for the Flames and come across so many wonderful people during that time. Thanks, Andrew Ference, Go Bruins