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

[_Q_]

I don't understand this thinking that our goalies are now magically protected because we now have a goon that plays 5 minutes per game in the line-up. So some clown goes out against the first or second line, runs McDonnald and Iginla, Tanguay, Hudler, etc. just stand around and allow it to happen. So you throw McGrattan out on the next shift to beat up the other team's goon? Big deal. What we need is for every player on the team to play with an edge. Some goof decides to run our goalie while the first line is on? Iggy, Stajan or whoever is on the ice need to make it clear that it's not OK.

With all this said, I do like this trade. If our 4th line guys are going to fight, they better be winning those fights. Begin, Jackman and Aliu have shown that they all suck at fighting.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Kool Keef

Is there any actual evidence that having a goon protects your goaltender? It seems to me that goalies all around the league are getting run quite consistently, with or without a goon. A guy like Raffi Torres gets paid a lot more money to be a poop-disturber than McGrattan gets paid to play sheriff.

Torres has someone to back up his dirt baggery.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by _Q_

I don't understand this thinking that our goalies are now magically protected because we now have a goon that plays 5 minutes per game in the line-up. So some clown goes out against the first or second line, runs McDonnald and Iginla, Tanguay, Hudler, etc. just stand around and allow it to happen. So you throw McGrattan out on the next shift to beat up the other team's goon? Big deal. What we need is for every player on the team to play with an edge. Some goof decides to run our goalie while the first line is on? Iggy, Stajan or whoever is on the ice need to make it clear that it's not OK.

With all this said, I do like this trade. If our 4th line guys are going to fight, they better be winning those fights. Begin, Jackman and Aliu have shown that they all suck at fighting.

McGrattan also never really went after guys that weren't fighters. He wasn't much of an enforcer, just a really good fighter. Godard is an example of a guy that protected the team better.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Kool Keef

Is there any actual evidence that having a goon protects your goaltender? It seems to me that goalies all around the league are getting run quite consistently, with or without a goon. A guy like Raffi Torres gets paid a lot more money to be a poop-disturber than McGrattan gets paid to play sheriff.

Nope. If a player is going to run your goaltender he's going to run your goaltender. Having a goon simply means retribution will be paid. In the big picture it has no influence on winning or losing the game as it's more to satisfy the eye for an eye crowd.

I am actually shocked Flames fans and management haven't moved past this as it was a bad moment for the team but they have moved on and got points in 3 of the last 3 games. Jay takes over the team and says we are going to get younger and faster and a couple of year later the goaltender gets run in a game and all of a sudden we have to go back to Darryl Sutter hockey? Overreaction by all parties here IMO. Sure the team is soft now but they also are shorthanded less than the rest of the league wich is a positive IMO.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

He's coming back? Why?

Looks like teams want their old players back. First Philadelphia, then Montreal, now us.

Well, at least those teams are winning.

lol Philly is having a great year

[RaitisIvanans41]

#### yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[$ven27]

How did this get 8 pages?

[Flash Walken]

So is Baertschi being sent down?

[Northendzone]

i just checkded at the fanattic, piskula jersies on sale - run don't walk.......

[Robo]

Is this a flames move or a heat move maybe aliu is going to stay up and mcgratton is replacing him on the farm. I must say these little moves are kinda baffling

[JayP]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Agreed.

McGrattan will play 6-8 minutes a night WHEN he is dressed, and that will depend on the opponent. he wont hurt the team as he isnt taking icetime away from "young" guys, he wont hurt the team because wont be taking regular shift, and he will help the team to varying degrees because of the whole nuclear deterrent aspect he can bring.

Nothing changes to any big degree moving forward other than the G's and others can feel a bit more secure that they wont get run over as easily because there will be a reprecussion for doing so.

No down side that I can see.

McGrattan has played more along the lines of 3-5 minutes per night. And yes there are downsides.

- He hurts the team because he's not even close to an NHL caliber player when he's on the ice.
- He limits the team's ability to roll lines since he can't play a regular shift.
- Playing 4 minutes a night means those minutes have to get filled in by another player. This most likely leads to third line guys playing more than they're capable of.

It likely won't make much of a difference either way, but the fact that this organization still wants to employ hacks like McGrattan is not a good thing moving forward. The only opposition players this really affects are 4th liners - the idea of a nuclear deterrent threat working against quality hockey players blows up when you realize that he has to be on the ice against them to do anything about it.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by JayP

McGrattan has played more along the lines of 3-5 minutes per night. And yes there are downsides.

- He hurts the team because he's not even close to an NHL caliber player when he's on the ice.
- He limits the team's ability to roll lines since he can't play a regular shift.
- Playing 4 minutes a night means those minutes have to get filled in by another player. This most likely leads to third line guys playing more than they're capable of.

It likely won't make much of a difference either way, but the fact that this organization still wants to employ hacks like McGrattan is not a good thing moving forward. The only opposition players this really affects are 4th liners - the idea of a nuclear deterrent threat working against quality hockey players blows up when you realize that he has to be on the ice against them to do anything about it.

Having a goon on the fourth line has always meant that Iginla will get the extra minutes, not guys on the third line that can't handle it.

It is what it has always meant. Jarome gets double shifted.

[Ruttiger]

As an Oilers fan, I support this move.

[genetic_phreek]

Originally Posted by Buff

I agree. I want a guy who can fight, but who can also play 3rd or 4th line minutes... or 1st or 2nd for that matter. I want team toughness, not "Oh yeah, don't mess with us or you have to answer to that guy over there, the one sitting on the end of the bench... yeah, the guy not sweating because he hasn't seen the ice yet.".

We have a guy like that:

Iginla

And everyone says trade the guy.

[the_professsor]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

We have a guy like that:

Iginla

And everyone says trade the guy.

Iginla has two sides to him though...

One night he beats up that Dallas Roussel punk, the next night he's helping Lewis up after he runs over MacDonald

[transplant99]

Oy vay.

Originally Posted by JayP

McGrattan has played more along the lines of 3-5 minutes per night. And yes there are downsides.

He was averaging more than that the last 2 years elsewhere but now he somehow wont be able to on a team where there is a lack of guys in his role?
And even if he only plays 3-5 minutes...so what? That just gives the skilled guys more time....right?

- He hurts the team because he's not even close to an NHL caliber player when he's on the ice.

Hmm...well he has somehow duped multiple coaches into believeing he can play in the NHL without hurting their team then. And Im not sure what you mean he is not NHL caliber, he is in the NHL and has been for years. Is he a skilled guy who will put up offense? No, but that's not his role either so Im not sure where the issue is.

- He limits the team's ability to roll lines since he can't play a regular shift.

No he doesn't because no team in the league rolls 4 lines evenly or regularly. Pure nonsense.


- Playing 4 minutes a night means those minutes have to get filled in by another player. This most likely leads to third line guys playing more than they're capable of.

I see...so the extra minutes that regularly go to 1st and 2nd line players on every other club in the league will somehow now, and only in Calgary, be meted out to the 3rd line? Ok then.


It likely won't make much of a difference either way, but the fact that this organization still wants to employ hacks like McGrattan is not a good thing moving forward. The only opposition players this really affects are 4th liners - the idea of a nuclear deterrent threat working against quality hockey players blows up when you realize that he has to be on the ice against them to do anything about it.

Yeah...uhh...no. Just because a guy like McGrattan is on the bench does not mean other teams wont be aware of him. You do something to a Flame player while he is on the bench, you can be assured next time you are out on the ice he will be addressing it. Its pretty simple stuff and has been around the game for decades.

[Sainters7]

Can't believe how much twitter is crapping all over this. It's about as minor a deal (in terms of bringing in an NHL body anyway) as it gets. Relax, its fine.

I swear we've become the Cowboys in terms of how much the Canadian media likes dumping all over everything the Flames do the past 3-4 seasons.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

As an Oilers fan, I support this move.

As a Flames fan, I support the Oilers' steadfast refusal to ever do anything to try and improve their roster

[BEANZ]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Can't believe how much twitter is crapping all over this. It's about as minor a deal (in terms of bringing in an NHL body anyway) as it gets. Relax, its fine.

I swear we've become the Cowboys in terms of how much the Canadian media likes dumping all over everything the Flames do the past 3-4 seasons.

Sadly, lots of it is well deserved. This is a team that everyone on the outside knows smells and needs to be cleaned up. But on the inside they think they are yet another 30+ year old away from being a real contender.

[genetic_phreek]

Not sure what the big deal is with having a tough guy to fill a 4th line role. It's not like they get a whole lot of icetime to begin with so McGrats isn't really taking away from someone else's icetime.

Here are the averages per game according to TSN:

Begin - 7:36
Jackman - 6:01
Aliu - 4:24
McGrattan - 6:17