Matt Stajan has been a pretty polarizing figure over his tenure with the Flames. 8 years...wow. Time really does fly. I'll admit I look forward to the day his contract is no longer on the Flames' roster. But all in all he's a been a decent enough player over the years. Just overpaid is the big complaint. But overall he's been a great ambassador for the team and a part of some big moments.
When you look at his body of work with Calgary, I always felt he was never utilized properly. And that goes back to the Brent Sutter coaching days.
When Stajan was traded here, he was clearly a top 6 C with upside. He was 26 years old, in his prime, and had just come off a 55pts season with the Leafs. The season he was traded here, he had a career high 57 pts.
The next season BSutter started locking down how the players played and you always heard of Stajan being in the dog house. Next thing you know, he goes from decent ice time to start the 2010 season, to playing a much reduced role pretty much the next season. Then by the end, he's playing 4th line minutes. Pretty much ever since then, Stajan has been known as a bottom 6 C almost exclusively.
I've always wanted to get this off my chest. But how did his decline happen so quickly? I remember clear as day Stajan coming on to the team to play an offensive roll, only to have BSutter stifle him and staple him to the bottom lines.
He got increased icetime with Hartley, but IMO that was more to do with the lack of depth at C and wanting to shelter Monahan a bit.
When I see a player who put up offensive numbers like he did at the start of his career, I'd expect him to carry that role at least for a while. But it seems like the minute he got to Calgary, he was forced into this reduced role, and I've always felt that the Flames kind of ''ruined'' him.
Maybe it was the overall team itself mostly sucking during his time here. But I've always felt Stajan was never utilized properly during his prime years here and they got wasted. I'm not saying he was ever going to be a star player. But he had good stats when he was traded here. But for whatever reason, was never really utilized in an offensive role.
Even in a reduced role now where he's clearly lost a step (he was pretty good last season), I'm hoping he can make the 1000 games and get his shiny stick. He's been a true class act his entire time here, and I feel he really did play a big part in ensuring the rebuild passed by (overall) pretty smoothly.