Quote:
Originally Posted by Roughneck
I think it's because we were stacked is why he felt he could make the trade (they had four 40 goal scorers that year, including Loob and Mullen on the right side). Scoring wasn't an issue for the Flames. From 87-88 to 91-92 the Flames were 1st, 2nd 1st, 1st, and 5th in Goals For. They might have gotten not much value for one of the best goal scorers of all time, but they certainly didn't miss out on cups because of lack of goal scoring. The need for Ramage in the cup run was a lot more pressing than needing more scoring.
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This is definitely true. Some people look at Ramage's place in the Flames' depth chart and think he was a second-pair defenceman at best. He was the #1 D in St. Louis for several years before he was traded. I remember him as one of the most effective and dangerous Blues in the knock-down, drag-out series between the Flames and Blues in '86. Scored 60 points in a season three times, too – which is not nearly the same thing as a defenceman scoring 60 points now, but was still an unusual and impressive feat.
When Gary Suter's jaw got broken in the '89 playoffs, the Flames kept right on rolling because Ramage was there to take Suter's place. He had only scored 16 points in the regular season, because MacInnis and Suter took virtually all the power-play time. In the playoffs, filling in for Suter, he scored 12 points in 20 games. The following season he returned to form, scoring 49 points for the Leafs in one of their rare non-losing seasons.
Without Ramage, the Flames would have had to fall back on Ken Sabourin or Brian Glynn to play defence in those playoffs – and they most likely would not have won the Cup.