Quote:
Originally Posted by devo22
Canucks got the better player in the deal, but the Flames won too. If they hadn't traded Granlund, they'd have lost him at waivers at some point like Byron - he simply would have been a victim of the numbers game. Flames at least turned him into a prospect and now another one.
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This. Granlund did not fit the team's mold for a 4th liner at that time and was going to be put on waivers and likely claimed, so they essentially got a former 1st rounder (and now have a younger one picked even higher) for nothing, as they would have lost Granlund whether they traded him or not. Baertschi forced the Flames' hand by demanding a trade, recognizing that the Flames had no spot for him in the top 9, and having no interest in taking on a 4th line role.
In the end, it's all about making the most you can of your assets, realizing that sometimes trading "down" is better than getting nothing for an asset when they are claimed on waivers or walk away.