I actually think Stajan is the weak link on the 4th line - and yes, even when Bollig dresses.
Why?
He is constantly losing puck-battles, and his shot seems even weaker than normal (and he is constantly shooting the puck). He looks really slow now - he looks like he lost 2 steps this season so far. Bollig looks faster out there, and at least Bollig is throwing some hits and winning some puck battles in the corners - at least providing 'energy' as is expected of a 4th line. I just see everything dying on Stajan's stick, or he ends up shooting fresh from the oven muffins at the goalies, while I can't see him doing much else. I do think his back-checking and anticipation while playing defence is ok - he just isn't getting there as quickly any longer, and losing an ensuing puck battle more times than not when he does manage to get there.
In my opinion, he looks a lot like 2011-12 Stajan when he lost his job to Horak.
With that being said, what do you do? I doubt any team is going to trade for him. Buying him out doesn't make sense either. I am surprised he hasn't been scratched often.
With that being said, his contract is going to keep him on the team. Until the expansion draft rules become set, that 25% rule makes buying out or trading Stajan with a sweetener a bad idea.
It sounds like I hate Stajan. I don't. I think he is one of the more important guys in the locker room. However, I think the Flames hurt a bit losing McGrattan in the room, but they had enough strong vets to absorb that loss. Will they miss Stajan? I think so, but they can continue on fine I would imagine. Russell and Hudler were probably very missed as well. Giordano and Engelland I would imagine have a bigger impact, but this also allows for some of the younger guys to assert themselves and become part of the leadership group right now - Backlund, Monahan, Brodie, Gaudreau, etc. I feel bad for Stajan - I think this is the very end of his career, which is unfortunate since he seems like 'one of the good guys'.
It isn't the worst thing keeping him on the team - for as long as the expansion draft is looming somewhere on the horizon at least. What I think he should be is a healthy scratch more often. I didn't buy that Grant or Arnold or someone else could be called-up from the farm and replace his minutes, but I do believe that replacing him internally is actually quite realistic.
His game just dropped off a cliff this year. He just seems a whole lot weaker and slower this year.
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