[Maritime Q-Scout]

To me I'm fine with the non-trade.

I think Cammalleri was good in the dressing room, having that veteran presence would have helped to improve the young guys, and after the trade deadline we had a ton of them playing.

Look north to see what happens when you don't have any veteran presence in the dressing room to help shelter the kids.

If we traded Cammalleri we needed someone to be able to fill that role. Not necessarily scoring at Cammy's pace, but being able to play and help protect rookie minutes when needed.

When you negotiate you need to evaluate your needs and wants. What did we need? If we traded then we need someone to help shelter minutes, we need someone who is good in the dressing room. We didn't have anyone really to take those spots. We need someone to allow us to dress 6 or 7 rookies a night.

This is why I don't think a pick would have been a good return. We'd need a pick and a stable veteran (now this can be accomplished via multiple trades, trade Cammaleri for a 1st/2nd and then trade a 6th for a journeyman winger).



The other thing you have to keep in mind, and Treliving spoke to this point, you have to remember that every trade isn't done in a vacuum. GM's are not only evaluated by their fans and the media, they are evaluated by other GM's.

If the Flames have a reputation for taking whatever they can get at the deadline, do you think that we'll ever get fair market value on a trade, or 'win' many trades?

Sometimes you need a GM who says "Your offer is insulting, and if you want to go deep in the playoffs you need to give us X, otherwise I walk." And be willing to walk.

You know what's going to happen next year? When we're looking to trade every GM will be taking our team seriously, and not low-balling with take it or leave it offers. Garth Snow pulled the trigger on a bad trade, and is known for doing that. I don't want our guys to be doing that, I don't want our GM to be compared to Snow at all.

If our next trades are stronger because of this, I'll take the temporary hit, for long term strength in negotiation.