Quote:
Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under
The situation they have with Kassian mirrors Calgary's Baertshi situation somewhat. If Willie Desjardins was having issues with Zacks consistency and effort levels then there is no reason to suggest he won't have the same issues with Sven.
As a Flames fan who has been burned by trades/situations like this in the past I just hope for our collective mental health that this doesn't end up being a huge mistake.
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This actually reminds me the Cody Hodgson deal that happened a few years ago. There were reports that Hodgson was upset with the ice time and opportunities he was getting. At that time the Canucks had a full roster and were considered a legitimate cup contender, but eventually Hodgson got dealt to Buffalo for Kassian, and after the trade Mike Gillis was quite public about his frustrations when having to deal with Hodgson's camp. By all accounts, it looked like Hodgson requested a trade to be made.
It's been a couple of seasons since that trade and Hodgson hasn't really panned out to be the number one center that he was projected to be when he got drafted by Canucks. He is playing in the NHL, albeit on the bottom six. Who knows what will happen to Baertshi, though. Maybe the Canucks will have space for him to play his game. I don't really feel bad for him; I find it hard to pin the blame on the organization when he was surpassed by forwards that are playing much better than him.