My thoughts:
I think the trade is "ok" or "average", and this is based on me having absolutely zero insight into whatever these prospects are or could be. I only go by the typical big name kids you routinely hear (and I'm sure hear for a reason), but it would be both highly ignorant and unfair to start criticizing. So to be fair, let's assume these players are busts;
In the assumption these guys are busts, the trade could have been better I think. You have to love the first obviously, it's terrific and the true value in the deal. But the Flames and the weaker team takes on all the risk in a deal like this. They are the ones with the uncertain future while a proven top 2 defender carries on. To compensate, CGY needs as high upside as possible, and I'm just not sure pick number 15-25 is even equal value let alone providing the upside on a player that could help make a deep playoff push. I only speak this way about Bouwmeester here based on his 'paper value' if you know what I mean... and which leads me to my next point:
Now the good part about the trade, in my eyes, is that the true value is the removal of this player from the team. Sometimes you hear about players that are proven winners. Bouwmeester is a proven loser, and contributed to the culture of losing that plagues the Flames. He seems content with losing, lacking in desire or mental fortitude, apathetic towards any kind of physical play, and uninterested. Maybe there's a reason why teams that hope that Jay Bouwmeester, as a mainstay anchor on the point and that try to build around him while he logs half of the bloody game, are in all attempts unable to qualify for the postseason. Maybe those intangibles of a player are more important than skill?
And that lets me wrap this up somewhat offtopic as I always do...! Fact of the matter is that, and it's been stated already several times, this team had to rebuild, and finally grew the balls to do it. I am enjoying the departure of big name players as the team admits it's plan wasn't working. The Flames were desperate for a little strategic humility and these big trades prove they are adapting in spades. These firsts, these prospects, sure it could all collapse, the Flames could suck with them. But we knew that they were going to suck if the trades weren't made. That for me was logic enough to start the exodus, and we might as well be getting firsts in the process.
So on the all... not bad. I feel it could have been better, but without knowing circumstances and the intricacies of the deal and how it played out, it's almost impossible to assess a trade properly as an outsider. Lastly, the other part that makes me semi nervous, is that they are freeing up cap space. Why? Not because of the freeing up cap space which is obviously great. But because of what they may do in the summer with all that cap space..... and I just see constant overpayments in new contracts and little value. Which is sort of what got us in trouble in the first place. Well, that and complacency, which at least the Flames look determined to end as a culture on this team.
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