I think it was a great trade, but just because I think it is a great trade doesn't mean I think we got a "great" player. If Edmonton had traded us their 5th rounder for our 7th rounder, it's a great trade for us and a bad one for Edmonton.
I think we got a very good bottom pairing guy, or a decent number 4 guy who is better in his own end that the oppositions end. Sort of like a Regehr light maybe. Thing is though, we needed that type of player. He's better than Butler and SOB. He also has that 'edge' to his game where he will take someone out if they are harassing the goalie, or going after one of our smaller guys. No, he's not a heavy weight, but he can hold his own. He seems to have great leadership and be good in the room too.
What's even funnier is that he is one of the pieces that Edmonton needs. Their defence in their own zone is laughably bad, they have a lack of leadership and guys that will give anything for the team, and yet they trade away one of the few guys on their team that actually meets that criteria. And for what? Cap space to sign a one year bandaid in goal that has been at best "ok".
What did we give up? Our 5th best goalie prospect maybe (depending on if you count Ramo as a prospect or not) and Horak - who I like but will never be more than a bit part that is somewhat redundant on the Flames with Reinhart, Knight and now Colbourne (and possibly even Jones). Now that I think about it, Byron is playing that role wonderfully too.
In effect we gave up nothing and got a quality NHL defenceman back. Will he challenge for the Norris - no. But he is providing quality minutes and is also playing the way we want to - balls to the wall leave it all on the ice - and leadership for the young dudes. If we decide he doesn't fit we can easily flip him at the deadline for far more than we gave up to acquire him.
Does anyone think that anyone would give up anything tangible at the deadline for Horak and an ECHL goalie that can't cut it in the AHL?
Coilers were desperate chasing dreams yet again, and the Flames were one of the few teams in the NHL with room to bend them over, and likely knew that the idiotic Coilers management would overvalue our 5th best goalie prospect because he used to be an Oil King. Well done Feaster and co.
As for why the Coilers didn't trade another asset to get the necessary cap space... who? and to where? They have been trying to dump Hemsky since the summer and have had zero takers. MacTipsy made a "gentleman's agreement" with Gagme to not trade him this year. They won't part with any of their "superstars in waiting" unless they are getting Crosby or Ovenchin back because, yet again, they vastly over rate their players. The rest of their roster is basically trash, so who would want it?
Unless Edmonton is prepared to admit their folly and "rebuild the rebuilding rebuild" they will continue to go absolutely nowhere.
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