Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
I understand that some people feel this way about him - hi Mach - but he has value. And not only does he have value but there are three major opportunities to trade him: the deadline, the summer draft, and next year's deadline. So if the return isn't there, it would be foolish to just dump him.
The Flames have to get some value back for their assets - if not, we'll be the Oilers, waiting for draft picks to lift us out of oblivion
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Problem is, Flames fans are looking at other teams top 1 or 2 prospects. Teams almost never move those, for any player. When you set that - along with a 1st rounder - as the measure of success, prepare to be disappointed. Especially considering Bouwmeester's hard-to-swallow cap hit.
And there's no guaranteed Bouwmeester's value increase over the next 12 months, and a real risk that it decreases if his play regresses to what it was the last three seasons. I'm all for trading Bouwmeester, under the principle of sell high, but my feeling is the high point is this season.
Several teams are strongly interested in Bouwmeester. The best package they're willing to offer right now might very well be the best package the Flames will get for him - ever. I'd be willing to wait until the draft to move him. But with his NTC, if we wait until next year's trade deadline we could be looking at repeat of the Iginla situation - only 2 or 3 bidders who have all the leverage.