[Trade] Brian McGrattan to the Flames for Joe Piskula. McGrattan assigned to Heat

[calumniate]

Cervenka must be thinking holy crap who is this guy!

[CedarMeter]

[MissTeeks]

Awesome!

[StrykerSteve]

Kristin Hallett, I like.

That was a great vid, and the ending was fantastic.

[cKy]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

I've been saying since the day we lost Godard, we need a true enforcer on our roster. Everyone bashed me saying the days of the enforcers are long and gone. Last nights game is a testament to these type of players. They add energy, entertainment value, and honesty to the game.

Who is everyone? Godard was gone in 08, and you didnt sign up in 2010.

[Racki]

What about a line with McGrattan - Begin - Jackman

Too much grit? Too little skill?

I dunno? Hartley seems to roll with 9 forwards most of the night anyway. Would a night or two off for Blake Comeau be such a terrible thing?

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Awesome!

Loved the Sven-lute at the end!

Also, Kristin Hallett should do our TV play-by-play, colour, pre/post game host, on-ice intermission host, local TSN/SportsNet reporter....

Basically, she should be promoted to the position of "Official On-Air Personality for Every Single Thing that Relates to a Calgary Flames Broadcast, or Non-Broadcast but Still On-Air for Something Else" person.

[StrykerSteve]

^^^ I second this motion.

[Otto29]

^^^^Motion passed. Someone inform the Flames

[MisterJoji]

So off topic, but being a complete comic book nerd I have to mention that McGrattan would be a perfect Batman. Scary ass eyes, strong jaw. If I had any photoshop skills whatsoever, I'd try and put it together.

[Trojan97]

Originally Posted by iggysback05

What about a line with McGrattan - Begin - Jackman

Too much grit? Too little skill?

I dunno? Hartley seems to roll with 9 forwards most of the night anyway. Would a night or two off for Blake Comeau be such a terrible thing?

Say what you will about Comeau but Jackman has brought nothing to the table in 1.5 seasons.

He's been on the ice for 11 GF and 34 GA since the start of last season. He simply isn't good enough anymore.

[Machiavelli]

LOL.

“He’s scary,” Baertschi said. “He’s a pretty scary dude.

“He came over to me and said ‘you can do whatever you want out there. As soon as somebody jumps you, I’m going to go out here and kill him.’ You can see in his face he’s ready to go.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/03/04...-despite-slump

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

LOL.



http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/03/04...-despite-slump

I've always thought the best goons were the ones who had successfully battled substance abuse or other personal issues. Gives them a pragmatism. You can see it in his body language when he went with macentyre.

Mcgrattan has no illusions. Rather than a guy who uses his demons as distractions from his professional life, a goon who has embraced the day to day lumps of the job has an extra edge, an extra intensity to get the job done.

Going back to the box after pummelling your opponent to the cheers of the fans must be an amazing feeling, but walking back into the room after the game to the respect of your teammates must be another level for a guy like mcgrattan.

Edit: also, hilarious.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

So off topic, but being a complete comic book nerd I have to mention that McGrattan would be a perfect Batman. Scary ass eyes, strong jaw. If I had any photoshop skills whatsoever, I'd try and put it together.

His teeth are too small.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I've always thought the best goons were the ones who had successfully battled substance abuse or other personal issues. Gives them a pragmatism. You can see it in his body language when he went with macentyre.

Mcgrattan has no illusions. Rather than a guy who uses his demons as distractions from his professional life, a goon who has embraced the day to day lumps of the job has an extra edge, an extra intensity to get the job done.

Going back to the box after pummelling your opponent to the cheers of the fans must be an amazing feeling, but walking back into the room after the game to the respect of your teammates must be another level for a guy like mcgrattan.

Also, McGrattan said after he left the first time, that he owed Darryl Sutter and the Flames organization big time for having the faith and conviction for bringing him in and allowing him to continue his career after his susbtance abuse issues. Makes it that much easier for him to come back here and go to the wall for the organization...he's made 4 years of a NHL player's salary, and stayed in the league to have that connection with teammates, thanks in big part to the Flames taking him on in 2009.

Good interview...plus I am sure he's much happier talking to a friendly face like Hallet than Kerr or, even worse "Stare at you an extra three seconds" Mark Stiles, who was the other may have been doing that interview thing 4 years ago.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by iggysback05

What about a line with McGrattan - Begin - Jackman

Too much grit? Too little skill?

I dunno? Hartley seems to roll with 9 forwards most of the night anyway. Would a night or two off for Blake Comeau be such a terrible thing?

How about a couple more McGrattan like trades and Begin is dispatched to Abby and Jackman is relegated to popcorn row. Do it Feaster!

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

How about a couple more McGrattan like trades and Begin is dispatched to Abby and Jackman is relegated to popcorn row. Do it Feaster!

I'm all for it - if we can get Chris Simon or Probert in their primes!

Having a middleweight that can play (Jackman if he starts picking it up again!) would be good. Prust + McGrattan that year was great I thought. 3 McGrattans... maybe not so good, but would be intimidating as hell!

I actually like Begin (I loved the guy before, but really thought this was just a 'sympathy' signing of sorts). I think he has been doing his job well, and been more noticeable than Jackman.

[MissTeeks]

An article about McGrattan helping others in the NHL with alcohol problems:

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/03/04...oholics-in-nhl

But the Calgary Flames winger wanted to take his passion for helping others turn their lives around to another level.
So, he approached the NHL.
“I had a meeting with the (league’s substance abuse program’s) doctors in October and asked if I could give them a hand,” McGrattan said of one of many bold steps he’s taken since he had the realization that his life was spinning out of control because of addiction.
“I’ve been talking to Alcoholics Anonymous groups, and I go back to my treatment centre I went to and talk to the people there to tell them my story. I feel it comes to me pretty naturally. I spoke to my parents about it in the summer, and post-hockey it’s one of my biggest interests. As the years have gone on, I’ve been more vocal about it, and I feel the more I can give back and help, the more I can save lives.”

“Being a player, they can relate to me,” said the soft-spoken tough-guy.
“The league does have a hotline, and if they feel more comfortable talking to me, my phone is always on. I don’t judge because I can’t point the finger. I just want to listen and help.”
So much so that he has designs to spend part of his summer in a classroom, working towards a university degree in addiction counselling. It’s quite a departure from the attitude and lifestyle that guided him recklessly through the first half of his eight-year NHL career.

“Being an alcoholic, alcoholics help one another,” said McGrattan, whose first congratulatory text came from Tootoo after he was traded by the Predators to the Flames.
“He helped me almost as much as I helped him. He’s been clean two years in December and I was sober four years the beginning of December. We still have a close friendship, and it’s good to lean on one another and have friends who can relate to you at a level most other people can’t.”

A good guy.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

LOL.



http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/03/04...-despite-slump

People still think this was a worthless pickup?

[BloodFetish]

I wonder how he'd do screening the goaltender on the power play, and if he's got the hands to pot the odd garbage goal there.