Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
I know it is going to be popular to blame Sutter for this but really how is it his fault. He cannot predict the future.
Erixon came to camps for the Flames in the past, always said he was excited to be drafted in the first round by the Flames, and all signs showed that this kid was going to be a Calgary Flame for a long time.
Obviously something has changed in the last 6 months that caused him to not want to play here.
Who knows maybe Sutter getting fired is what changed his mind because he thought that he would not get a fair shot since the GM that drafted him was now gone.
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Can't blame Sutter, he's the one who drafted him in the first place, seeing the potential that he's moved closer towards since his drafting. Sutter gets enough blame for the guys that don't turn out with the lofty expectations they expect, can't blame him for not signing him earlier. Erixon's big leaps have been within the past year, this time last year he was still a question mark IIRC correctly, and Sutter signing him then, and then him either deciding to stay in Sweden another year, and/or having a garbage year in the SEL and not turning out as he has, and the pitchforks would be pointed at Sutter then too.
IMO only, as I said earlier in this (or the other?) thread the Rangers saw an (devious) opportunity in the last two weeks to get a player that was in this situation with the Flames, and had developed fairly well since the last draft, and big time in the last year.
Slats had Andres Hedberg, his dad's old Rags teammate, and head of the Rags Euro scouting, put a call into Jan Erixon and tell him the Rangers may *wink* or may not be interested in his son to play in NY, and would draft him if *wink* he re-entered. The *winks* got passed down to Tim and to the agent, and here we are.
Good riddence.