[Trade] Flames acquire Roman Horak and 2x 2011 2nd rd picks for Tim Erixon and 5th rd pick

[flamesaresmokin]

Originally Posted by CarlW

I was actually quite unhappy when he got rid of Wilson, along with putting Aulie in with the Phaneuf Trade.

Posters have made mention of this already but I highly doubt wilson/aulie amount to anything if they were still here. Probably still be in the ahl waiting to get a call up.

Unless you've got a lottery pick any young player is going to take some time to raise his game enough to be a regular nhler. There needs to be a healthier balance of young/old on the flames.

I'm actually really happy we've potentially got hartsburg coming in. A guy who's spent a ton of time working with younger players alongside lowry and Brent should help to change the vet first mentality in a hurry.

[flamesaresmokin]

Originally Posted by flambers

I would agree, best case is to bring up AHLers to fill roster spots.

However the big problem is most of them were not NHL ready (start of last season) (i.e. Brodie, Bouma, Armstrong, Erixon was in Europe, Nemisz, Pelech etc).

That's a major issue, but you also have to consider why aren't any of them ready to make a jump if tha'ts your argument?

Brodie could have been a prime candidate to at least get called back up mid way through the year, play a few more games and be the 7th dman. I don't see how he can do any worse then guys like mikkelson/carson/staios.

Also if players like armstrong, bouma etc are "ready" to be nhl checkers by now, when will they be? Either our staff won't trust them because they are set in their ways or there's a huge developmental problem in the minors. It shouldn't take 5/6 years to groom a bottom 6 forward for the NHL.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Zevo

But he still must of liked Calgary, he came back and signed a very reasonable contract. Not at all what a player would have done if he thought he wouldn't get a chance.

Agreed. I still think the whole thing doesn't look good on us. Not bad, but not good either.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Itse

Who chose the KHL over the Flames at a time when he was looking for a chance to break into the big time.

It's nice that we got him back, but Gio is a prime example of a frustrated young player choosing to go elsewhere. And he was right too.

Who knows if Gio develops the same way if given a 5-7 role in 07 when he went over to Russia? Him going to Russia was great for his career and the organization.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by flamesaresmokin

That's a major issue, but you also have to consider why aren't any of them ready to make a jump if tha'ts your argument?

Brodie could have been a prime candidate to at least get called back up mid way through the year, play a few more games and be the 7th dman. I don't see how he can do any worse then guys like mikkelson/carson/staios.

Also if players like armstrong, bouma etc are "ready" to be nhl checkers by now, when will they be? Either our staff won't trust them because they are set in their ways or there's a huge developmental problem in the minors. It shouldn't take 5/6 years to groom a bottom 6 forward for the NHL.

Remember in the case of Armstrong the guy was deemed to be really close to NHL ready but he has had lots of really bad injuries and it pushed him back.

In Case of Brodie, Bouma, Nemisz they are first year Pro's.... In my view they are developing really quickly.

As for Brodie getting recalled last season, the guy needed to improve his defensive play.. or would be a huge liabibility on defense in his own end.

In Case of Erixon, he did not want to leave Sweden last Season

In Case of Pelech, probably a bad pick... Based on the fact he was injury prone as a junior and still is injury prone.

As for Chucko and others... A case of bad selections.

[Calgaryborn]

I think this year will be trying if Stajan and Langkow don't recover some consistancy. If Stajan's problem was his shoulder and both he and Langkow can come to camp healthy Calgary could make some noise. They should make the playoffs at least.

The year after things gets more interesting. There will be more money to play with and other than a raise for Backlund(hopefully he's earned a big one) the rest of the expiring contracts should cost less if they are retained.

Assuming that the new big TV contract will count for the cap next year there should also almost certainly be another jump in revenue. The bigger the cap the better those long term contracts will look. Really only Stajan's contract looks heavy going foreward and again he might have been playing hurt like Langkow and Tanguay the year before.

The big issue for the Flames is their lack of home grown talent. Hopefully some of the talent in the system can overacheive going foreward. Beyond that Feaster needs to find some keepers in the next couple of drafts.

[ricardodw]

Hey the Flames farm system actually developed Brandon Prust

[calgarybean]

After a couple days to digest....I'm bummed Erixon bolted to NY but think Feaster did all he could to sign him. Does it look good on us, nope. Do we move on with 2 - 2nd round picks and a prospect, yup. The perception of our farm team not getting a chance to crack the line up has been building for years and with the current situation it will be hard to change. there are some holes and I think that given the right opportunity some of the no movement clauses will be willing to move over the summer.

I am giving my fait in mgmt to clean things up and can't wait for Sept.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by 868904

Different times, Flames were loading up for a cup run and needed bodies on the back end. YOu being a Canuck fan should know the importance of that. How many did you go through this year?

You do realize that most Defencemen the Canucks used as spares this season were rookies?

And they used 13.

[JiriHrdina]

From the "it happens to other teams" file - the Flyers have apparently lost the rights to goalie Joacim Lindstrom, widely consdired that organization's top prospect.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

From the "it happens to other teams" file - the Flyers have apparently lost the rights to goalie Joacim Lindstrom, widely consdired that organization's top prospect.

Before this last NHLPA contract, Euros draft rights were held by their teams for life. I didn't mind that system, especially since the Euros don't seem to have any loyalty to the NA system.

[Crazy Bacon Legs]

I just find it absolutely ridiculous that an entry-level player can outright refuse to play ball and completely screw the team that drafted them, but a RFA player can pretty much be forced into a contract with the team. Completely Bass-ackwards, IMO.

I thought the union rewarded seniority, not the whiny whims of a snot-nosed punk who has proven absolutely in the NHL.

I personally hope Erixon fails utterly and completely as an NHL player. It would give me great satisfaction to see him scurry back to Sweden like the little weasel he is. This thing was planned from the start, and I wish there were actually repercussions for players who pull garbage like this.

DIAF, Erixon.

[Jebus]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

From the "it happens to other teams" file - the Flyers have apparently lost the rights to goalie Joacim Lindstrom, widely consdired that organization's top prospect.

Jiri, where are you reading this? Curious to see what other prospects were allowed to go back into the draft this year.

[DementedReality]

Originally Posted by troutman

The next CBA has to take away this leverage from prospects.

why?

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bacon Legs

I just find it absolutely ridiculous that an entry-level player can outright refuse to play ball and completely screw the team that drafted them, but a RFA player can pretty much be forced into a contract with the team. Completely Bass-ackwards, IMO.

I thought the union rewarded seniority, not the whiny whims of a snot-nosed punk who has proven absolutely in the NHL.

I personally hope Erixon fails utterly and completely as an NHL player. It would give me great satisfaction to see him scurry back to Sweden like the little weasel he is. This thing was planned from the start, and I wish there were actually repercussions for players who pull garbage like this.

DIAF, Erixon.

While I agree it seems likely Erixion wanted to go to the Rangers to be with his dad from day one it does beg 2 questions, why the hell did the Flames draft him as I doubt this was a secret? and if they drafted him anyway, knowing they weren't on his wish list, why didn't they start woeing him from day one even if it meant putting him in the lineup too early?

If you know you are drafting a kid that doesn't want to be with your team you had better start kissing his arse early and often to avoid this.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Jebus

Jiri, where are you reading this? Curious to see what other prospects were allowed to go back into the draft this year.

Saw it on hfboards - it isn't clear if he is going back in the draft or if he just becomes a free agent.

Flyer fans are some kinda pissed.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by 868904

Different times, Flames were loading up for a cup run and needed bodies on the back end. YOu being a Canuck fan should know the importance of that. How many did you go through this year?

I don't buy that at all, in no way is Zyzuin, Marshment, Eriksson or Hulse going to be the players who are going to lead a team on a cup run, if anything the players who were some of the unsung heroes of the Canucks season were Rome, Sweatt and Tanev especially. The Canucks were bringing along Bourdon before he died and there are other homegrown elements to the Canucks defense namely Bieksa and Edler. I wouldn't be surprised to see Tanev be given a great shot to make the club next year.

The Flames are no where near a cup run right now. They desperately needed good young players to step in and play. Erixon was the perfect solution.

Except for the past 6 years the Flames have had some solid defense that they have given away for scraps or less after they have rotted in the minors without being given a chance to play.

Erixon is not Pelech or Negrin or Breen. He was the best prospect the Flames have developed since Phaneuf. He was going to play this year, Feaster stated that very clearly. This was the perfect situation for him.

Except for the way that the Flames have handled young players for the past 6 years.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

From the "it happens to other teams" file - the Flyers have apparently lost the rights to goalie Joacim Lindstrom, widely consdired that organization's top prospect.

Oh man....and when you consider the fact their biggest organizational weakness for YEARS has been goaltending, well, that is bad, bad, bad.

[afc wimbledon]

I suspect 'loading up for a cup run' is going to be something of a dead concept for the foreseeable future.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

why?

Because it can really fubar a team and if others follow Erixon's lead very quickly you would have an unfair playing field. A high end player will make more money in endorsements in New York or Toronto than they will make in Edmonton or Winnipeg.

I think a player who doesn't sign should at least lose a year of eligibility to be drafted.